Since 1997, Harry Potter has taken the world by storm, with both the books and movies becoming more popular than perhaps any other series written. Fans might have believed their experiences with Harry Potter were over, but not quite yet.
Pottermore, an interactive website for fans to experience the books in a whole new way, launched July 31 to a limited number of users and will open to everyone at the end of October.
At a press conference in June, J.K. Rowling promised the site would be “an online reading experience unlike any other.”
Pottermore was advertised as having extensive and exclusive new written material from Rowling herself, expanding on characters, places, objects and the story behind the much-loved series.
The website is not just for current fans of the series. Rowling hopes to bring Harry Potter to a new generation while keeping the story alive for existing fans.
Pottermore opened to the first 1 million registrants at the end of July.
Before users could register, they had to complete “The Magical Quill” challenge and answer a question based on the series. For example, "In the Gryffindor versus Slytherin Quidditch match, in Harry's third year, how many points is Gryffindor leading by before Harry catches the Golden Snitch? Multiply this number by 35."
Those who could answer the featured question were admitted into Pottermore. Fans who were accepted eventually received the good news through an emailed letter.
“I was extremely excited. I waited for my acceptance letter for a month,” journalism freshman Katrina Arroyos said. “Pottermore has been great because I get to read the behind the scenes with each portion of the book. It’s more in-depth. You get to interact with the wizarding world and live the experience.”
Living the experience includes being sorted into a house — the four living communities the young characters of Harry Potter occupy while attending the wizarding school Hogwarts. Just like the characters, users can be sorted into Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin.
“They ask you different questions and then sort you into a house based on your personality,” Arroyos said. “I got Ravenclaw.”
Besides being sorted into a house, Pottermore users can experience most everything the characters in the books do.
Professor Joel Hunter, who teaches ASU’s Harry Potter Inside and Out class, said students who are fans of the books enjoy the new content that the website provides. This includes backstories on the characters, interactive features such as brewing potions, new artwork and much more, he said.
Hunter feels Pottermore could possibly hold educational merit.
“It's pretty clear that J. K. Rowling is creating Pottermore to encourage literacy and create more readers,” Hunter said.
History sophomore Holly Solis, president of the Tempe campus club ASU’s Dumbledore’s Army, said the website is a way to keep the Harry Potter series alive.
“Now that it's over and we have Pottermore, we can still make Potter friends, and escape into the Harry Potter world just like we did with the books, and I think that's magnificent,” Solis said.
Reach the reporter at jasmine.barta@asu.edu
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