Pottermore

I’m sure that you’re part of either two groups of people. Those who are signed up, in and excited for Pottermore and those who are bloody sick of so many Facebook statuses about it. I’m the former.

Pottermore is an interactive Harry Potter website, created by J.K Rowling, which was announced at the end of June (intentionally a few weeks before the release of Deathly Hallows Part 2 I’m guessing). For a while, no one quite knew what it was, or what to expect – but Potter fans were none the less excited for a new installment to the fandom. While the site doesn’t officially open until October, visitors to the site were encouraged to return on the 31st of July (Harry’s Birthday) for a chance to be one of the lucky million who would be able to use the Beta testing website early.

Enter the Magical Quill challenge. For seven days from the 31st of July, there was a clue posted each day regarding each of the seven books. Once correctly solved and the Magical Quill located, you were allowed to submit your registration details. I registered myself on the first day of the challenge, and then the second (just to be sure) as well as a couple of my friends. To ensure safety, registrants were given an option of five usernames to pick from. (Mine is QuillFeather164) instead of using our own personal names. What followed was a process of emails – a registration confirmation and a “you have been selected for early entry into Pottermore” - in other words, a lot of waiting. I was unable to access the site until I received a welcome email, which was sent about ten days ago.

I have been excited for Pottermore throughout the process, if a little tired of the waiting. But when I got my welcome email my excitement was tenfold. Essentially Pottermore is a re-creation of the books. Starting at Privet Drive in Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, it follows each chapter of the book, with each chapter containing “moments”. The moments are basically a scene, a picture, with new information to unlock and objects to collect. Some contain basic challenges that must be completed until you can continue to the next moment. After completely Philosophers Stone you go to Chamber of Secrets then to Prisoner of Azkaban and so on. To be honest, Pottermore isn’t as exciting or interactive as I hoped, as it’s mostly just clicking of the mouse.

Shopping for school supplies in Diagon Alley was fun but was again just clicking things off a list. It would have been better to explore the actual shops in further detail. Choosing an owl, cat or toad for a pet was nice, (ginger cat for me) and I then had to complete a questionnaire for my wand to choose me (Chestnut with Phoenix Feather, 10 ¾ inches, slightly brittle). After travelling on the Hogwarts Express, it was time to be sorted. This was the one thing I was most excited about for Pottermore – finding out which house I belonged to. After answering questions I was sorted into… Hufflepuff. Not quite happy with this result I waited for the welcome email to my other account and answered the questions differently. Hufflepuff again. I’ve now accepted my Hufflepuff-ness, but it just goes to show that you can’t fool the Sorting Hat.

Pottermore allows you to earn house points by collecting items, successfully brewing potions and dueling with other students. The whole experience sounds quite fun, and while I have enjoyed aspects of it, it is a bit of a letdown. I have completed the Philosophers Stone and Chamber of Secrets is locked, dueling is unavailable and there is not all that much left to do. While reading the new extra details about plots and characters from J.K Rowling is great and it’s visually beautiful, I expected more from the site. I understand I’m a mere seventh of the way through and that it is the Beta testing period, I just wanted it to be great. Perhaps all the waiting led to extra excitement because now it seems a bit overrated.

I’m hoping the site will improve as I continue through the story as I really want to love it. I’ll always love Harry Potter, but at the moment it’s a bit of a letdown. Although of course that doesn’t stop me from visiting rather frequently and brewing potions to gain house points. People outside of Pottermore seem to think it’s all a bit stupid – so if you are a Pottermore user or not – what do you think of it? Stupid? Letdown? Epic? Time for everyone to get over Harry Potter? (Not that that will ever happen!)

Read more by Lauren