Harry Potter, the fictional boy who defined a generation of young readers, has returned to world of witchcraft and wizardry. Now for the first time, Harry is making an appearance on a website called Pottermore where the books and movies come to life to give fans an experience to remember.
Pottermore, like the books, was the brainchild of J.K. Rowling. In 2009, she saw a need to expand the story of Harry Potter beyond the books and the movies. She developed Pottormore so fans can continue loving the wizarding world.
Since August 10 of last year, the website has been in a beta phase meaning only a select few would be allowed to “test” it. Rowling finally unveiled her masterpiece to the public this past Saturday after a nine month wait.
“I could hardly believe it took so long to launch,” said Grant Przybyla, junior. “I’ve read all the books and seen all the movies. This new an innovative website will let me see those things in a new way.”
Users can explore each chapter in a detailed online environment, discover new passages by Rowling, experience what it feels like to be a wizard and live a life attending (and protecting) Hogwarts, the school of witchcraft and wizardry.
As of now, Pottermore has restricted fans from going beyond the storyline of the first installment of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Later novels will appear when Rowling and TH_NK, Pottermore’s main producer, are ready to release them.
I took the liberty of joining in the excitement when I created my own account. When you reach Pottermore.com, a video will appear explaining the purpose and content of the website.
After a short sign-up process involving basic information, Pottermore will give the user a choice of five randomized usernames. I began my adventure under the username CrimsonChaser13968.
The first few chapters seem to be a picture book with special effects, the perfect experience for young readers. Each book has several chapters, or levels, that each user can explore til their hearts content.
The scenes of Privet Drive, Platform nine and three quarters and Hogwarts flash before the viewer’s eyes. Specific characters and objects move to the will of the user as they float their cursor over it.
The interface is quite enjoyable on top of the 18,000 new words added to the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.
“It’s a great way to relive my childhood fantasy,” said Przybyla.
Leave a Reply