These 2 Wizarding World Fans Keep Going Viral On Harry Potter TikTok

Friends may come and go, but best friends are forever. In Elite Daily's Bestie Check, we're celebrating the stories that make best friendship so special. Whether they grew up together or recently met through an app, this series explores the unique ways BFFs first bonded and how they maintain their strong friendship. Below, long-distance BFFs Stephanie Jakubek and Caitlin Eliza share how their annual trips to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and making Harry Potter TikToks have kept their friendship strong.

Two decades after Harry Potter and his wizard friends were introduced to muggles around the globe, the magic of the fictional series is still going strong. So, when a new era of Gen-Z Potterheads imagined a Harry Potter and TikTok crossover during the 2020 lockdown, long-distance best friends Stephanie Jakubek and Caitlin Eliza were quick to jump on Harry Potter TikTok by starting a tradition of visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando every year.

Not only is it the perfect opportunity to reunite, but these TikTok-loving besties — who are proudly on Team Draco Malfoy — love to “level up” their annual visits to the Wizarding World by donning matching Slytherin outfits and Dark Marks to ride Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure (their favorite attraction) or to take viral TikToks in front of Hogwarts castle and in Diagon Alley.

Considering their love of social media, it’s fitting that the two content creators initially met via Instagram before they both moved to Indianapolis, Indiana in 2019. The “bestie vibes” were instant when they finally met IRL, and the pair quickly became each other’s go-to person for exploring their new hometown. While they now live in separate cities, the BFFs still talk every day and are already planning another trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for Halloween.

Here’s their story.

Stephanie Jakubek

• About Me: Travel enthusiast, kinda funny, dog mom.
• Age: 26
• Current Location: Indianapolis, IN
• Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Caitlin Eliza

• About Me: A social butterfly that runs on iced coffee and thrives in warm weather. Favorite activities include antiquing, traveling somewhere new, and styling cute outfits.
• Age: 26
• Current Location: Las Vegas, NV
• Zodiac Sign: Aries

How did you two meet?

Stephanie Jakubek: We had been following each other on social media for about a year before we actually met. When I first moved to Indiana from Knoxville, Tennessee, I didn’t really have any friends here. I saw that she was planning on moving here too, so I shot her a quick DM about it and she asked me to meet up and shoot photos. We went to this really cool museum in Indianapolis called Newfields.

Caitlin Eliza: We met through Instagram. I was posting on my story about apartment hunting in Indianapolis and Steph DM’d me to let me know she lived downtown and to check out her apartment building. I didn’t end up moving into her same building, but I ended up living about half a mile down the road. I reached back out via Instagram DM to ask if she wanted to hang out and take pictures, and it was an instant friendship.

What was your first impression of each other?

SJ: We hit it off straight away. Caitlin is very extroverted and warm to everyone she meets (which is how I am as well), so it was like we had known each other for years.

CE: I immediately noticed how similar we are. We match each other’s energy, have similar interests, and are at the same stage in life, which made it very easy to relate to each other.

How long have you known each other?

SJ: We met in November of 2019, so a little over two years now.

CE: We’ve known each other since November of 2019. So, a little over two years now.

How long have you considered yourselves best friends?

SJ: I knew almost immediately that Caitlin and I would be best friends. We hung out for the first time, and then we basically got to experience our new city together, going to places we had never been before and going to events together to meet new people, so we were bestie vibes within weeks of meeting.

CE: Almost instantly. We clicked right away and became each other’s go-to person for coffee dates, photoshoots, events, drinks, etc.

What initially sparked your friendship?

SJ: Thank god for social media! We both have very similar interests & personalities. We’re also both at kind of the same stage in our life so we just related on every level.

SE: Our shared interest in creating content for Instagram and both being new to living in Indianapolis.

Do you know if you are astrologically compatible? Do you care?

SJ: YES and YES. I am huge into astrology, so one of the first things I asked Caitlin was what her sign is. I ask everyone. She’s an Aries, which just so happens to be my favorite sign.

CE: I never used to know much about astrology, but Steph is super into it and has educated me on the topic a lot. When we first met, she told me her favorite sign was Aries, so I knew that was a good sign for our friendship. In the past, I never really knew or asked what anyone else’s astrology signs were, but now it’s fun to pay attention to who I click with and see if I really do prefer some signs over others.

What do you do for work?

SJ: I graduated from The University of Tennessee in 2018 with a BS in Public Relations. Since then, I have worked full-time as a social media content creator.

CE: I graduated from Purdue University with a BA in Communication and a minor in Global Studies. I currently work full-time in social media as a Content Creator with a focus on TikTok and Instagram.

Have you ever lived together?

SJ: We have never lived together, but when we lived in the same city, we basically used to see each other every day.

CE: We’ve never lived together, but we’ve probably spent close to a week together consecutively when traveling,

What’s the longest amount of time you’ve gone without seeing each other in person?

SJ: Caitlin moved to Las Vegas in August this year, but we still have made time to see each other every month since then. I think the longest we have gone was four months during lockdown in 2020 because I moved back home for a little while.

CE: I think the longest was a little over three months. Steph spent time in Tennessee with her family from March to June 2020.

How often do you text/call/FaceTime?

SJ: We don’t FaceTime that often, but we send each other Snapchats all throughout the day, every day, so I think that counts. We also text and DM daily.

CE: We talk every day. Whether it’s text, DM, Snapchat, or FaceTime, we are pretty much always in contact.

What was the last thing you texted about?

SJ: We are currently texting about planning a trip in April.

CE: We just talked about visiting each other. I’m going to fly into Indianapolis at the end of March and stay with her for a few days. I also invited her to visit Las Vegas in April to celebrate my birthday.

What’s the oldest throwback photo you can find of yourselves?

‌SJ: Us hanging out in Indiana.

CE: This was taken about a week or two after we had met.

What is your favorite Instagram photo together?

SJ: Showing off our Dark Marks at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

CE: This was when Stephanie turned 26.

What’s one TV show you both can agree on?

SJ: We used to get together and watch The Bachelor every week and we still air out our thoughts about it over Snapchat when a new episode is out.

CE: Probably The Bachelor/Bachelorette. We used to have Bachelor viewing parties every Monday and would rotate whose apartment we would go to each week.

What's your favorite underrated thing about each other?

SJ: Caitlin is so independent, which is such a great quality to have. It’s nice to have a friend that is down for everything.

CE: Steph is really supportive and fully hypes you up. She’s also always down to help me film my TikTok dancing videos in very public places.

What is your favorite memory together?

SJ: There was an entire week last year where Caitlin came over to my place every night and we ordered food and watched all of the Harry Potter movies together, which was amazing.

CE: Earlier this month, I was in Indianapolis visiting family, and my flight home was canceled. I couldn’t leave until the following day and when I told Steph, she immediately picked me up, we had a full photoshoot at night in a parking garage, and then grabbed drinks at our favorite bar. It was spontaneous and so fun. Having a best friend like that really enhances your life.

What’s one random memory you have of each other?

SJ: There was one time we went out together when we first met and I had maybe one too many cocktails. She let me pass out on her couch and her boyfriend made us breakfast the next day. My kind of people.

CE: Earlier on in our friendship, we were invited to a super small concert at this dive bar in Indianapolis. We went and had a blast even though we barely knew the artist. Well… the artist was Jack Harlow. This was right before he became extremely well-known, so now we can say we basically had front row tickets to a free Jack Harlow concert.

What is your favorite memory from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter?

SJ: There are so many, but we all bought matching Slytherin outfits the first time we went and it was iconic. We made so many TikToks in them. They were so fun to make and so fun to look back on now.

CE: During our first trip, it was Halloween night, and the park was getting close to closing. Hardly anyone was around so we sat on the bridge with Butterbeer. It was a really cool way to spend Halloween night because the castle was all lit up and there was even a full moon.

Which one of you is better at keeping secrets?

SJ: We both suck.

CE: Definitely me. LOL.

What was your biggest fight about?

SJ: We don’t really fight. We have had some disagreements in the past but nothing we couldn’t get past.

CE: I don’t think we’ve ever really fought. We will have different opinions or disagree occasionally, but we’re really good at just letting things go.

Was there ever a time when you considered not being friends?

SJ: Not for me. I genuinely can’t imagine how boring my life would be without Caitlin in it.

CE: Nope!

What’s one word you’d use to describe your friendship?

SJ: Confident.

CE: Dynamic.

Why do you think your friendship works?

SJ: Because we just vibe too well and we’re both always down to try something new or explore a new place together

CE: We are both outgoing and confident in ourselves. This lets us 100% cheer for one another and build each other up.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from each other?

SJ: I think Caitlin has helped me learn to never take anything too seriously and also to be self-aware, but not care abut being judged, especially in public situations.

CE: Steph has helped me to ‘level up’ moments in life. For example: Don’t just have a birthday dinner… have a birthday dinner with a THEME. Don’t just go to Harry Potter World… go and dress up as a Slytherin. Not see each other on Halloween? Nah, she’s going to fly to Las Vegas to visit me and we are going to wear amazing matching costumes. She’s helped me make life moments more iconic.