On 19 June, Pottermore started the Wizarding World Book Club, a global book club. Each week, they post questions and analyse certain themes from each of the seven books in the series. The club encourages members to participate in a worldwide discussion over Twitter using a specific hashtag.
Muggles and magical folk have celebrated the anniversaries all year round. In October, two new books will be released in conjunction with the Harry Potter exhibit hosted by the British Library. The first of the two, Harry Potter – A History of Magic is a coffee table book which includes original drafts by J.K. Rowling and essays on items in the exhibit. The second, Harry Potter – a Journey through the History of Magic, explores the history of the various kinds of magic taught at Hogwarts. These books are not written by Rowling, but composed by the organisers of the exhibition. They will be released in the United Kingdom on 20 October, and the exhibition will run from 20 October 2017 to 28 February 2018.
New editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone were released in June, with entirely new designs. Four versions were released; one for each house, with each version designed in the house colours, featuring a new house crest, and containing new information about things specific to each house – such as the head of house, the common room, the house relic, and the house ghost.
There have been many themed parties and festivals around the world to celebrate, such as the massive event held at Universal Studios in January. Although significant dates such as publication dates, the Battle of Hogwarts, and Harry’s (and J.K. Rowling’s) birthday have passed, the fandom has not finished celebrating. The question that remains is: what train will you be on come 1 September?
Image: Michelle Hartzenburg
