Fans of Harry Potter should grab their wands, spell books and invisibility cloaks as they prepare for the next level of J.K. Rowling’s magical world of Harry Potter. Pottermore, a new online experience for those that simply aren’t ready to let go of “the boy who lived,” is ready to give them more time at Hogwarts.
The website, which opens to the public in October, is essentially an entire online community that gives avid fans access to unreleased material and back stories written by Rowling herself. As well, it provides visuals and summaries that coincide with the different books in the series. Fans of the series can even be sorted into one of the four houses at Hogwarts, just as their wizarding counterparts are.
Currently, the site is open to a select group of 1,000,000 beta-testers who successfully found the magical quill in the online scavenger hunt that began on July 31, Harry Potter’s birthday. For seven days, fans waited anxiously, sometimes staying up for the entire night, in order to successfully solve the clue that was released for that day.
One clue was released per day, and only a certain amount of people were lucky enough to find the quill each day until it was no longer available. Those that found the quill were promised an email that would allow them to access the site before the general public.
Starting September 2, emails began to go out allowing users to access the beta site. Not only were these lucky fans the first to experience the site, but they were also given the opportunity to send in feedback and suggestions in order to ensure the site is ready for its final unveiling.
The question is if the site will be enough to satisfy the cravings of Potter-heads all over the world, as well as continue to catch the interest of new readers.
“I think Pottermore can only make the fan base rise,” Joy Nunez, a freshman in history, said. “Fans are truly excited which makes others curious as to what it’s all it.”
For now though, there’s no need to worry, at least until October, when the site is officially opened. Though Rowling has no plans to write another novel, we can rest assured that Harry Potter will live on in our digital hearts.
