Sixteen years ago, a tale of an eleven-year-old wizard captured the minds of children and young adults across the world. At the time, not many could have predicted just how big of a deal this scrawny boy with untidy black hair and circular glasses would be one day. But alas, Harry Potter, with eight movies, seven novels, two theme parks and one of the biggest fan bases in the world, is still captivating the minds of the young and old. That’s evident in the aftermath of JK Rowling’s latest gift to Potter Nation: a short story highlighting a reunion of the beloved characters at the 2014 Quidditch World Cup, the biggest sporting event in the wizarding world.
While people unaffiliated with the Harry Potter fandom may question the importance of such a release, I see this as an example of Pottermania that continues even after the movies and books have ceased production. For those of you who need a quick recap, check out this Mashable video:
Rowling released the 1,500 word short story a week ago on Pottermore, an interactive website in which fans can play games and online activities, access additional character and plot descriptions and occasionally read never-before-seen additions and stories from Rowling. Pottermore started as a joint venture with Sony in April 2012. According to the Huffington Post “Rowling has used it as a platform to further develop the world of Harry Potter, publishing original writing that gives readers a glimpse into the backstories of characters and explains minutiae about the wizarding world.”
Until recently, however, the site had delivered only content building upon what readers already know, such as “The History of the Quidditch World Cup,” a piece released this past March explaining the development of the Quidditch championships. What makes last week’s story so compelling to Potter fans is that it is the first new account of our favorite characters since the last book premiered seven years ago. This is what fans have all been waiting for.
So, on this Throwback Thursday, this new story about the Potter gang has me reminiscing about the series’ glory days. All throughout middle school and high school, my friends and I marked book release dates and movie premieres on our calendars, eagerly placing our names on pre-reserve lists and waiting hours and hours in line to get into theaters. One Christmas, my sister and I were ecstatic to receive a Norbert dragon toy, an electronic doll of one of the movie’s magical beasts. On three separate occasions, I spent what now seems to be an absurd amount of time planning character costumes for school spirit days and movie premiers, even going so far as to wear a long white beard and wig in an effort to portray Albus Dumbledore.
Yes, I realize that this may sound a little loopy to some, but my efforts pale in comparison to those of the most devoted Potter fans. These are the fans who have been devouring and analyzing every bit of JK Rowling’s new release since the minute it became available on Pottermore. These are the fans who scour updates and post on Muggle Net, The Leaky Cauldron, Pottermore Insider, and other fan sites daily. At least for a little bit, they get to bask in the excitement of new Potter news, just like old times.
Feeling nostalgic after all that? Check out the “Favorite Lines” form the Warner Bros. epic Harry Potter series:
Cover Photo Source: Edward Fielding / Shutterstock.com
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://wpmaster.sjadv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Our-Space-The-San-Jose-Group.png[/author_image] [author_info]Tess is a Consulting and Account Services Junior Executive at SJG. She is currently pursuing her undergraduate degree at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, and in her free time she enjoys volunteering, spending time with friends and family and staying active by swimming and running. She might also be found watching Spanish and Latin American movies, reading a classic novel or listening to the Les Miserables soundtrack on repeat.[/author_info] [/author]