Zephyr Erwin
Entertainment Editor
There has always been some debate between “Harry Potter” fans as to which website is the official website for the popular book and film series. Fans go to websites like MuggleNet and Harry Potter Lexicon for information on the series and to interact with other fans. As of April 14, however, fans have a place to go for accurate information. Pottermore, an interactive website created by J.K. Rowling herself, opened worldwide, though it is still considered to be in the early access for members.
Members of the website can interact with the novels by going through each chapter, often finding key items or other items that can provide some additional information into the world of “Harry Potter.” While there are slots available for each of the books, the only one available for members to interact with is “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.” There is a rumor going around that members won’t be able to interact with “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” until later this year.
While it initially seems like there isn’t a lot to do, Pottermore is more than meets the eye. Members take tests in order to determine what type of wand they will receive and another test upon arriving at Hogwarts to determine what house they are in.
Another redeeming feature about Pottermore is that members can duel each other using spells like Incendo, Mucus ad Nauseaum, and Flipendo. You can challenge others from other houses or practice with members of your own house. The spell casting process is difficult at first, but once a member realizes what to do, it becomes easy.
One of the biggest concerns with the game involved the process in which members sign up. Members cannot choose their username. Instead, they are given four options that they can choose from four or five usernames with names like FireDragon4812 or GoblinCrusher1374. It’s normally easy to remember the first part of the username, but remembering the exact order of the numbers is more difficult. This system is in place to protect children from online predators.
I’ve been a fan of “Harry Potter” since I was eight, so Pottermore being opened to the public is pretty exciting news. I can interact with my favorite series in a new way and can talk to other fans of the series like never before. I’m only on chapter nine of the book and am hoping that my continued interactions with the series are going to be awesome.
