Heads up, collegiette™ witches! J.K. Rowling, author of the best-selling Harry Potter series, just launched Pottermore.com.
“Pottermore is a free website that builds an exciting online experience around the reading of the Harry Potter books,” the site says.
The much buzzed-about site was launched last week, but mysteriously read, “Coming Soon,” followed by Rowling’s signature, prompting speculation in the Muggle world. The homepage now features Rowling in a two-minute video introduction to Pottermore, along with a message that states Pottermore will become operational in October.
“Pottermore will be the place where fans can share, participate in, and rediscover the stories,” Rowling states in the video, as graphics of 3-D illustrations rise from the pages of Potter books. Fans will register as users to take part in the online community. Rowling promises the site will share tidbits from the wizarding world that didn’t make it into the final edits of her seven novels.
Pottermore will be an online reading platform, interactive site, and social network for fans. The BBC reports that interactive features will “let users shop for wands in Diagon Alley, travel to Hogwarts from the imaginary platform at London’s King’s Cross train station and be sorted into Hogwarts’ school houses using the Sorting Hat.”
Rowling also says that the site will be an “exclusive” online store to buy Harry Potter audiobooks and e-books. Currently, the audiobooks are widely available in bookstores and by online sellers like amazon.com, but Harry Potter e-books are unavailable.
Pottermore.com advises fans to return to the site on Harry’s birthday, July 31st, to find out how to gain early access to the site. One million users will be selected to experience Pottermore before October and help develop the online community, according to the BBC.
Currently, wizard wannabes can submit their email addresses on Pottermore.com to be notified when user registration opens.
Until then, get your daily fix of the Boy Who Lived by checking out the latest trailer for the eighth and final HP movie, which opens in theaters on July 15.