Exploring Pottermore

I was so excited when I got my confirmation email from Pottermore. It was like getting my Hogwarts letter without the owl droppings. For those of you who don't know, Pottermore is an interactive companion to the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. You can literally follow along with the books in an online world, chapter by chapter. You are there when Harry gets his first letter in the mail, when Hagrid breaks down the door of the shack on the rock, and when the Sorcerer's Stone reveals itself in Harry's pocket.

Also, you play part in the sorting ceremony. You'll never guess what house I got sorted into....

SLYTHERIN.

For those of you who know me, this is totally ridiculous. I mean, I know that I could do very well in Slytherin, but I think that I have a true Harry Potter situation, but Pottermore does not have a "not Slytherin, not Slytherin" option.

Anyway, besides the fact that I am a true Gryffindor, I have enjoyed my experience on Pottermore immensely. I'll give you an inside look, just to whet your appetite for when the site opens officially in October.

I hope that you are ready to study at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Charms class is no laughing matter.



The illustrations, as you can see, are beautiful. They are also interactive! If you drag your mouse over a certain quill, you'll know where Seamus Finnigan is sitting (wink, wink). Chocolate frog cards, exclusive content never before revealed by J.K. Rowling, and other collectible items are scattered throughout these illustrations. There's a lot to look for on every page.



Pottermore takes to chapter by chapter to explore the wonderful Wizarding World. You might notice the Nimbus 2000 on the bed, Harry has just been recruited as Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

Knight to E5! The Forbidden Corridor holds many surprises for young Harry and friends. See if you can solve Snape's riddle and get across McGonagall's chess board.

Not only can you experience these unique and beautiful illustrations, but you can learn spells, brew potions, and duel to earn House Points. Here is my profile, so when you get into Pottermore we can be friends!

I can't wait to delve into the other books! If the first one is this awesome, the rest must be totally spectacular! Tweet me @1shortofawisdom and tell me what you think about the site or if you have any questions you want answered!

I'm a Pottermore Beta Tester

That's right, I'm a Pottermore Beta Tester, literally one in a million.

For those of you who have been living in Giant colonies or have been locked up in Azkaban, Pottermore is the next level of the Harry Potter reading experience. Basically, it is an online, interactive companion to the books. You get to experience the Wizarding World book by book chapter by chapter and also play a part at key events such as the Sorting Ceremony and take a walk down Diagon Ally.



Turns out, Pottermore is offering early access to a group of particularly zealous fans to experience the awesomeness before everyone else does. I am one of these few. Tee-Hee. These Beta Testers go through the website and alert the creators if there are any bugs that need to be taken care of before the site officially opens in October.

On the night of early registration, I stayed up till 3 a.m. and found the magic quill. Not really that big of a deal since I'm usually up that late anyway, but I got in and I did a happy dance.



Within the next few weeks I should be allowed into the site to explore and give feedback to the Pottermore creators. I'm really excited about this online companion to the books because nothing like this has ever been done before. I love HP fans! They just don't want the story to end!

Also, J.K. Rowling will be revealing facts about the Wizarding World that have never before been seen by muggle eyes.

So, if you are a beta tester too, let me know! And if you want to get a sneek peek inside this magical online world stay tuned and keep reading.