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Miriam Margolyes likes to surprise ‘Harry Potter’ fans at King’s Cross.

The 80-year-old actress – who played Herbology teacher Professor Sprout in both 2002’s ‘The Chamber of Secrets’ and 2011 film ‘The Deathly Hallows – Part 2’ – admitted she isn’t the biggest fan of “fantasy” films, but she often heads to the London train station and poses for pictures with people visiting Platform Nine and 3/4.

She told the Metro newspaper’s 60 Seconds column: “[‘Harry Potter’] is probably what I’ll be best known for. It did a great deal for me because it made me very well known to millions of people.

“It’s not my kind of film at all because I’m not interested in fantasy. I prefer searing human drama and espionage so ‘Harry Potter’ is a bit anodyne for me. But it’s brought me an awful lot of friends.

“When I go to King’s Cross, I always go to the platform and say ‘I’m Professor Sprout if you want to take a photograph’. They’re very excited when they finally believe me.”

Meanwhile, Miriam – who is set to appear in BBC period drama Call The Midwife’s upcoming Christmas special – also admitted she isn’t a big fan of kids either, although she had to learn to cope on set.

She added: “I’m the Mother Superior. I love everything about it except the children. In an ordinary life, I wouldn’t have much to do with children.

“I don’t want to hurt them or anything, I just prefer to separate myself from them. But you can’t do that in ‘Midwife’ or ‘Harry Potter.’ “

Miriam co-starred in the ‘Potter’ films with Dame Maggie Smith – who played Professor McGonagall – and she admitted the veteran actress can be a “bit alarming”.

She said: “She is a little bit alarming. you have to be watchful with Maggie because if she’s cross, she doesn’t mind sharing it.

“She’s actually a very sweet lady and if you don’t irritate her she’s absolutely gorgeous. If you say something stupid, she will come back at you quite fiercely.

“But she hates it when people say they’re scared of her. I’d quite like people to be scared of me but they never are.”