A Magical Memory

The Hogwarts Express TrainWritten by: Ajaya Sharma 

Photo by: Brian McGowan on Unsplash

On the 20th anniversary of the release of the fourth Harry Potter novel, The Goblet of Fire, a magic trip to Hogwarts seems in order. Consider me your conductor on the Hogwarts Express; on this journey we shall be discussing lots of fun content - from new reading material to movies available now - to fill your day with Harry Potter joy. Gather your robes and bring your owls as we travel to the magical world of Harry Potter from the comfort of your own homes! Not a big Harry Potter fan? No problem. This list of reading material, movies, websites and more might end up enticing you into the world of the Harry Potter fandom or might just be something fun to do during reading week.

Hermione’s Reading Corner:

A variety of articles written by the amazing wizarding world team are accessible on the Pottermore website. Topics range from interviews - including a Q&A with James and Oliver Phelps - to a variety of short stories, some even written by J.K Rowling herself as recently as last year. Four eBooks themed after the classes taught at Hogwarts were released two years ago: A History of Magic: A Journey Through Potions and Herbology, Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts, Divination and Astronomy, and Care of Magical Creatures. These are short books that cover material taught in the respective classes. Finally, there are the classic original Harry Potter library books, which are stories taught to almost every budding wizard or witch (essentially equivalent to Hansel and Gretel). The library includes Quidditch Through the Ages, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and The Tales of Beedle the Bard. And all that I’ve mentioned is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the long list of additional Harry Potter material outside of the movies and seven books. material outside of the movies and seven books.

Mystic Movies:

Not in the mood to read? A movie marathon might be in order! With eight movies in the Harry Potter series, watching all the movies again would be a great way to spend your time. Plus, with Order of the Phoenix to Deathly Hollows Part 2 on Netflix now, gaining access to half the collection just became a whole lot easier.

Seen all the movies a million times already? Then why not explore the world of the fantastic beasts? This series contains a magic-filled side story following magizoologist Newt Scamander and his fantastic beasts on adventures that take them from New York City to London, England. Set before the Harry Potter series (although fan-favourite, Albus Dumbledore, makes an appearance), this movie provides a new perspective on the classic Harry Potter movies. Two movies, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, have been released so far in this five-film series. The latest installment of the series is set to be released in 2021 making this break a great time to catch up on the first two.

Looking for something else to do?

The stories in The Tales of Beedle the Bard are narrated by actors from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films will be available on Audible very soon. There’s also lots to explore on the Pottermore website, which has several quizzes and fun activities to do along with their amazing articles. YouTube is also an amazing source for hilarious fan-made or official content about the movies. I’ll leave you with a classic.


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