Bchwood's blog

Transcript for final Book Club Chat

2012-07-18T21:15:37Z

Yesterday, the Harry Potter Wiki held our second and final [Book Club] chat. We had a provocative discussion of chapter nine through the end of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Topics included favorite characters, mythological symbolism, and questions for J.K. Rowling. As you will see from the transcript below, this group knows Harry Potter so well and it made for really interesting and insightful commentary.

And feel free to join the conversation in the comments below!

• 5:01 Nblonkenfeld let's start! Straight with the first question. Many novels of high fantasy borrow from the traditional stories of fairytales, myths and legends. The dog Fluffy which guards the trapdoor at Hogwarts School resembles Cerberus, the three-heads dog which guards the underworld of Greek mythology. What other creatures from traditional tales are paralleled in the story? How does each of these creatures play a pivotal role in the advancing plot?

• 5:02 1337star Well, of course Rowling's dragons, one of which is featured prominently in this book, are clearly based off the European model.

• 5:02 Vesago I'm weighting a hp fanfic with vampires

• 5:02 SakraTheHedgie Hi to the newcomers~!

• 5:03 1337star Even the Chinese Fireball, an Asian dragon, is still very European in nature. (For those who don't know, dragons in Asian myths are generally friendly and do not tend to breathe fire.)

• 5:03 Nblonkenfeld I know it comes up later - but the Phoenix plays the best role

• 5:03 ProfessorTofty Harry Potter has a lot of different creatures that are found in mythology. In the first book, the centaurs and the unicorns are probably two of the ones that play the most major roles. Bit of an unfortunate one for the unicorns, because they kept getting killed by Voldemort so he can drink their blood to sustain life. And then one of the centaurs, Firenze, rescues Harry, but gets in trouble with the other centaurs for it. He has a more major role later on the series.

• 5:04 Nblonkenfeld 1337star - That's interesting. I didn't know that

• 5:05 Vesago Firenze as far as I know dosn't really have a role

• 5:05 ProfessorTofty And trolls crop up in a lot of mythical stories - though the main one in this one really just serves as a plot device so that Harry and Ron could rescue Hermione. • Firenze comes back again a semi-major way in a later book.

• 5:05 Vesago True

• 5:05 1337star Werewolves also get a brief mention in this book, though they will come up more starting in Book 3. Rowling's werewolves are interesting, as they're meant to be more bestial than the half-wolf hybrid we see in most fiction.

• 5:06 ProfessorTofty And there's also a reference to vampires, though they never really play that much of major role in any of the books.

• 5:06 Vesago Well the use of werewolfs is very different from the norm in the Harry potter books

• 5:08 Nblonkenfeld Can anyone else think of any other interesting mythological characters with significance?

• 5:08 1337star In a less grand sense, while they don't strictly exist in the Harry Potter world (as confirmed on Pottermore), many of the pets we see here are similar to the concept of a magical familiar.

• 5:08 ProfessorTofty I'm afraid I'm not very well steeped in werewolf mythology - what are some of the major differences of how they're used in the books from the norm?

• 5:08 1337star Hedwig and Mrs. Norris being prime examples. We'll really see the connection between Hedwig and Harry in later books, of course.

• 5:09 Nblonkenfeld Let's move on to the next one: 2. Quirrell tells Harry that, “There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it.” Do you agree with this? Is this the reality of the world? Or if good and evil do exist, what makes them so? Which is more important in the world, power, or good and evil?

• 5:09 ProfessorTofty The pet that seems to be closest to a magical familiar actually goes to a non-magician - Mrs. Norris. I hope we eventually get to learn more about her - it'd be nice to know exactly why and how Filch has such pull over her.

• 5:10 Nblonkenfeld I feel like this concept is played out in MANY different stories

• 5:10 1337star Ah, I remember the controversy this particular line caused. All the hyper-extremist Christians taking it out of context.

• 5:10 ProfessorTofty I don't know necessarily about good and evil, but it always seems like those who just seek a lot of power and control almost always end up worse for it in the end, both in fiction and in real life.

• 5:10 Vesago I would have liked it if Harry lerned that there is no good or evil as its part of growing up

• 5:11 Nblonkenfeld Similar to this philosophy is "The Force" in Star Wars. The dark and light side of the force.

• 5:11 HawkeyesGirl Good and Evil don't exist. It's just the way one's actions conform to society.

• 5:11 ProfessorTofty Assuming it's not spoiling too much, just take a look at Voldemort...

• 5:11 Bchwood Or how one uses power- for "good purposes" or for "evil purposes"

• 5:11 Nblonkenfeld @Vesago: I agree with you

• 5:11 ProfessorTofty He wants all this power and to live forever and everything, but what does he get? He gets some time in power, and then spends a large portion of his life living a terrible, miserable existence.

• 5:11 SakraTheHedgie I don't agree with that. I think it's more of a different quote form a different series that said, "Power is not good or evil, but the user makes it so." I think that's a better explanation of the reality of the world. To me, good and evil do exist; good is what's morally right in the world, while evil is what's morally wrong in the world. It's all personal preference.

• 5:12 ProfessorTofty He tries to talk as though he thinks nothing can hurt him, but he's always in fear because so long as he's trying to have control over him, someone is always going to be after him.

• 5:13 1337star Not to go into too much detail for spoilers sake, but "For the Greater Good" from Book 7 ties into this line a lot.

• 5:13 Nblonkenfeld It's also interesting to note - is living forever inheritantly evil in the context of this story from a philosophical standpoint?

• 5:13 ProfessorTofty And even if he does win once, all it takes is one really determined person and he's going to be right back to where he was again. • Well, not necessarily. on the living forever thing...

• 5:13 HawkeyesGirl Well, look at Nicolas Flamel. He lived for 665 years with his Elixer of Life, and no-one called him evil.

• 5:13 ProfessorTofty I mean, you have Nicholas Flamel, who was living for a really long time because he had a sorcerer's stone and probably would have kept living.

• 5:14 1337star Well, the method Voldemort takes for immortality is certainly inheritantly evil.

• 5:14 Nblonkenfeld @1337star Not to go into too much detail for spoilers sake, but "For the Greater Good" from Book 7 ties into this line a lot. Which is SCARY!

• 5:14 Vesago If voldy wanted to live forever by use of the stone then by extension falmel is even worse

• 5:14 1337star But, yeah, something like the Philosopher's Stone is less so.

• 5:14 ProfessorTofty Yeah, exactly on Flamel. He would have kept on living if Dumbledore hadn't convinced him that he should give up the sorcerer's stone. Or, yeah, Philospher's Stone if you refuse to accept the forced renaming.

• 5:14 SakraTheHedgie Living forever is a bittersweet victory. Sure, you never die, but you see everything and everyone else die around you. But that doesn't matter to Voldemort, since his heart is now a basic black hole.

• 5:15 1337star But the books definitely don't portray immortality as something you should want. No matter how you go about it.

• 5:15 Nblonkenfeld @1337star Exactly

• 5:15 ProfessorTofty Yeah, except Flamel kept his wife alive also, so he had the one he loved.

• 5:16 Vesago Because a borderline sinile man said you shouldn't want to live forever ?

• 5:16 SakraTheHedgie @Tofty True, true. I forgot about that.

• 5:16 1337star We see it here with the Stone and unicorn's blood, and there are a few more items later in the series that extend or partially restore life that are depicted as bad as well.

• 5:17 ProfessorTofty But getting back to real-life - look at somebody like say, Adolf Hitler. People like to talk about "oh, what if he had won," but you get somebody like that and, it's like I said, people are just going to keep trying and trying. It's just a no-win situation.

• 5:17 Nblonkenfeld So, is Good and Evil the two powers of the world? Is it an eternal battle?

• 5:18 HawkeyesGirl Good and Evil cancel each other out; like an acid-base reaction. Depending on how potent each is determines the product.

• 5:18 Vesago Neither I personally believe the choices are benefit humanity or yourself as opposed to good or evil

• 5:19 1337star Well, I'd say this series isn't quite so black and white as some, but there's still definite good and evil in Harry Potter, certainly.

• 5:19 SakraTheHedgie I believe it is. There's both good and evil in the world. Evil will always grow, always be lurking in the darkest shadow, but the spark of hope, the good, will always be there to fight it.

• 5:19 Vesago Very true

• 5:19 Cloverlinh Agree

• 5:20 1337star The interesting thing is that the good people are sometimes shown in a dark light, but the evil people are almost never shown in a good one.

• 5:20 ProfessorTofty Well, of course, nobody necessarily believes themselves to be evil. A device I've seen in a couple books is that the protagonist character uses magic or some such to force the villain character to experience the emotions and effects that their actions have had on those around them, reducing them to a jibbering wreck.

• 5:20 1337star Without spoiling later books, we see Harry, our hero, breaking school rules all the time, for instance.

• 5:21 ProfessorTofty Spoiling later books? We only need for the first book for that.

• 5:21 Nblonkenfeld Onto the third At the end of Harry’s adventures, when the Sorceror’s Stone has been safely destroyed, Dumbledore reveals to Harry that he devised the Mirror of Erised in the knowledge that Harry would succeed where Voldemort would fail. This admission raises the question of whether Dumbledore orchestrates other parts of Harry’s adventures too. Does he know, for instance, that the troll will be let into Hogwarts, and does he foresee Harry’s defeat of the troll? Is it possible that Dumbledore has a godlike foreknowledge of the whole story from beginning to end?

• 5:21 1337star Well, I meant that there are better examples in later books of what I was talking about. Oh, I read a great essay on another site about this question.

• 5:22 Nblonkenfeld is Dumbledore God? The Devil? A watcher?

• 5:22 ProfessorTofty Dumbledore is a very swift guy, but he doesn't have godlike foreknowledge. He may be able to anticipate certain things and take actions based on his guesses, which are often right, but he's certainly not omniscient.

• 5:22 HawkeyesGirl I think Dumbledore knows everything - like Alfred, for example - but he pulls the puppet strings to make things happen the way he wants.

• 5:22 1337star Minor spoiler: Dumbledore tells Snape to keep an eye on Quirrell in a flashback set at the start of this year.

• 5:22 SakraTheHedgie Dumbledore...I don't really have an opinion on this guy. He's an enigma to me. I just can't understand him half the time.

• 5:22 ProfessorTofty We see later on that he made some certain, very major mistakes, where a lot of grief could have been saved the characters had they been avoided.

• 5:23 Vesago I personally think he's just an old man people keep wanting to save them same as with harry

• 5:23 1337star That's in Book 7, I think.

• 5:23 ProfessorTofty Yeah, that's true. Even if he doesn't know something directly, he's also in a position of power and can have people reporting to him, so that's another way to gather information.

• 5:23 1337star It's not hard to argue that Dumbledore guided Harry towards finding the Mirror of Erised, at least.

• 5:23 Cloverlinh I don't think he can foresee, but he is intelligent, and actually, he's really and actually, he's old living that long time give you lots of eperiences

• 5:24 ProfessorTofty Yeah, he's well over 100 years old, so he has lots of life experience.

• 5:25 1337star One may also note that Dumbledore, who has been presumably ignoring the Ministry sending him owls for quite some time, randomly decides to answer one the night the book's climax goes down.

• 5:26 Nblonkenfeld He's my favorite character because he can't be pegged as good or evil. Is it Evil to send a boy to his death?

• 5:26 ProfessorTofty Heh heh. Very true.

• 5:27 Nblonkenfeld Is it evil to know the turn of events and proceed with them regardless of already knowing the path?

• 5:27 1337star Heh, I assume you're merely referring to this book, but of course that question gets more poigant when we look at the series as a whole.

• 5:27 Vesago It's very evil

• 5:28 ProfessorTofty And that goes back to the "greater good" thing on whether or not what Dumbledore is doing is evil.

• 5:30 1337star That's another question that hard to discuss without spoilering later books: is Dumbledore, or at least some of his actions, evil?

• 5:31 Cloverlinh Why would you think some of his actions evil????For example like ...???

• 5:31 HawkeyesGirl I don't think Dumbledore is necesserally evil as opposed to a being someone who does something in order to save the world. In a quite jerk-like fashion, might I add.

• 5:31 SakraTheHedgie Evil? I don't think so. Are some of his actions mistakes? Absolutely. But everyone, even Dumbledore, is human. We all make mistakes. Like I stated earlier, I really don't have an opinion on Dumbledore.

• 5:31 1337star Well, just to focus on this book, we see enough evidence to assume that Dumbledore is at least aware that Quirell may try to steal the Stone, and that Harry and co. may try to stop him, and he lets it all go down.

• 5:32 Seth Cooper Dumbledore's suspicion of Quirrell is further alluded to in Deathly Hallows.

• 5:36 Nblonkenfeld I personally love that it's up to the reader to decide. There is no CLEAR point on him

• 5:36 Melody6 He's very cool under pressure, it's almost inhuman in some way

• 5:36 1337star Is there some evil to him? Does he know even more than the vast amount he lets on to? Is he Stubby Boardman?

• 5:37 Seth Cooper Oh, he is definitely Stubby Boardman! • xD

• 5:37 Melody6 XD

• 5:37 HawkeyesGirl Silly 1337star. Stubby Boardman is Sirius Black!

• 5:37 Nblonkenfeld 4th QUESTION: Besides harry Potter himself, who was your favorite character in the book? Or which character did you find most interesting? Why? What details did Rowling provide that made that character come alive in your mind in all his or her complexity? Did you learn more about the character from their words, their appearance, or their actions? Did your first impressions of the character remain unaltered, or did you change your opinion of the character as the story went on? Do any of the characters remind you of someone you know?

• 5:38 Melody6 That one was lengthy

• 5:38 ProfessorTofty My favorite character is Professor Tofty! Just kidding. It's my little joke that he's my second favorite character.

• 5:38 Nblonkenfeld My vote goes to Voldy

• 5:38 1337star Just based off Book 1, Neville and Hermione would be up there as far as favorites.

• 5:38 ProfessorTofty Hermione Granger is my favorite character. I somewhat identify with her and her general style and I think at times she also adds a lot of humor to the story.

• 5:39 HawkeyesGirl My favorite is Neville. Take his first line "Gran I lost my toad again" He develops from this adorable child to someone so awesome!

• 5:39 SakraTheHedgie I have to say Harry himself. He's just so naive it's adorable.

• 5:39 Melody6 I'd have to go with Lupin, but it's hard not to love Neville

• 5:39 1337star Reaching out to the series as a whole, my favorite is Luna Lovegood, though. She comes in at Book 5.

• 5:39 Melody6 But she's so airy! It's hard to know what is going on in that head of her's

• 5:40 Nblonkenfeld I love that "He who shall not be named" had this legacy. This legacy attached to a boy. You didn't need to know EXACTLY what he looked lik in order to scare you and be curious of him.

• 5:40 ProfessorTofty I think she's one that really develops a lot because when she starts out, it can be hard not to find her aggravating, because she is rather interfering. But then she relaxes a bit and she also becomes a real asset and ally to the other characters. And she's very entertaining when she becomes, to use her word, rebellious.

• 5:40 SakraTheHedgie @Melody But that's what makes her awesome! She has to be one of my favorites, too.

• 5:41 ProfessorTofty She's also a cat person, and I tend to be fond of characters that are attached to cats. Though that's not always a good sign in the Harry Potter books - take Filch and Umbridge. Well, don't actually take them - who would want to?

• 5:41 SakraTheHedgie I was about to say...

• 5:41 Nblonkenfeld I don't think I necessarily love the bad guys to most books - but I find their backgrounds the most interesting and entertaining. For those of you who read on... Book 5 gets real deep with Voldermort

• 5:41 Melody6 Well, she is likable, I'll have to say that- a believer. Plus she is alike to Dumbledore about how she is so cool about things...@Sakura

• 5:42 Seth Cooper I quite like Quirrell as a character, really. He embodies each of our insecurities in a very non-Neville-in-the-later-books way, and shows us how we, in a moment of fragilily, can be so easily manipulated if we cannot make our own decisions and take our own stands.

• 5:42 1337star The significance of cats in Harry Potter would make a nice little essay.

• 5:42 Nblonkenfeld @Seth Agree

• 5:42 Melody6 Couldn't put it in a better way

• 5:43 ProfessorTofty Interesting thought, 1337star. We also, have, of course, Mrs. Figg and her kneazle/half-kneazle breeding business.

• 5:43 1337star And I'm sure you mean Book 6 is the one that gets deep with Voldemort, Nblonkenfeld?

• 5:43 Melody6 @Star. But why Cats? Why not toads? or dogs?

• 5:43 ProfessorTofty Well, there's only really one featured toad, and it seems to be used more for comedy than anything else.

• 5:43 SakraTheHedgie @Seth true. I don't like Quirrell, though. He just doesn't strike me as a good character. Then again, it's personal preference.

• 5:43 ProfessorTofty And there's only one major character that owns a dog, Hagrid. Well, two dogs if you count Fluffy.

• 5:44 Melody6 Quirrel was more of a used character, meaning he was made to be killed

• 5:44 Nblonkenfeld 1337star And I'm sure you mean Book 6 is the one that gets deep with Voldemort, Nblonkenfeld? CORRECT Y BAD

• 5:44 Melody6 Just like Rue in the Hungergames But that's a different matter

• 5:44 1337star Yeah, Quirrel is certainly a tragic character, more so if you've read Pottermore.

• 5:45 Cloverlinh YEah, just remember, Hagrid is also one of my favorite He's kind of weird, but he's interesting, right??

• 5:45 ProfessorTofty Yeah, he is.

• 5:45 Melody6 Hagrid is lovable, there's no denying that

• 5:45 Nblonkenfeld Hagrid is great!

• 5:45 Melody6 I love misfits, especially when they lead the story

• 5:46 ProfessorTofty My avatar is Bob, another one-shot. He had the box with the fire-breathing chicken in book 5. A fire-breathing chicken - that's a cool idea. We should've seen more of those.

• 5:46 Melody6 Oh, Bode, in book five, he was also another used character, or one-shot

• 5:46 Seth Cooper Hahaha... Bob was quite the visual gag -- I was so happy they included it in the film!

• 5:46 ProfessorTofty Yeah, Bob not Bode. Bode is an unspeakable - with the Department of Mysteries.

• 5:47 1337star Bode may also have been in the film, depending on how you interpret one of the extras.

• 5:47 Melody6 I never really liked the films compared to the books, but I never do. They did a awesome job casting Harry though

• 5:47 Nblonkenfeld This brings us to our 5th and FINAL QUESTION: If you could talk to the author, is there a question you would ask her?

• 5:48 ProfessorTofty The funny thing is Bob actually looks a bit in some ways like he could actually be an olderme. As a fan, there are so many questions I would want to ask her. It would probably be something related to one of the mysteries regarding the series that haven't yet been answered.

• 5:48 Melody6 I'd ask her were the heck she got the idea for Luna- was it a close friend?

• 5:48 1337star Speaking of the films and Quirrel for a bit longer, notice the Voldemort face on the back of Quirrel's head has a nose. Where'd it go?

• 5:49 SakraTheHedgie One question: what inspires your ideas for the Harry Potter plots in each book? We all know that the first one came from the real-life myths of the Philosopher's Stone. But what about the actual Chamber of Secrets? Or the actual Goblet of Fire? Where di those come from?

• 5:49 ProfessorTofty Melody - Rowling has said before that the only character she deliberately based on a real person was Gilderoy Lockhart.

• 5:49 1337star As a wiki editor, many of my queries deal with ironing out little plot holes and stuff that I doubt even she cares about.

• 5:49 Melody6 I'm sure there are a lot of arrogant people that come off as a Gilderoy

• 5:50 ProfessorTofty For example, at the beginning of the fourth book, Voldemort and Wormtail are having a conversation regarding a planned murder. But who was it that they were planning to kill? The book never makes this clear, as all of the deaths that happen in the book are either ones that already happened before the conversation, or weren't planned.

• 5:50 Melody6 Harry said it was himself

• 5:50 1337star Outside that, though, I'd love to know more about the magical paintings. We know the photographs are "normal" photographs dipped in a magical fluid, but what of the paintings?

• 5:50 ProfessorTofty No, it wasn't him.

• 5:51 Seth Cooper Knowing how desperate I am for more details on the whole wizarding society/history, what I think I would ask her would be something among the lines of "Can you give me a list of all the Supreme Mugwumps?", or "In what year was the Ministry of Magic established, and why exactly did it replace the Wizards' Council?"... It'd be something like a History of Magic pop quiz!

• 5:51 ProfessorTofty They specifically said "one more death and the way to Harry Potter is clear." So they weren't talking about Harry himself.

• 5:51 1337star Are they made with magical paint? Are they painted normally and then charmed afterwards? Are they merely formed through some magical process?

• 5:51 ProfessorTofty And this is another morbid one - but I'm kind of curious about the Weasley clock - the one that shows where everyone is at any given time. What happens when one of them dies - does their hand just disappear?

• 5:51 1337star The Headmaster portraits seem to be made via the latter of those methods.

• 5:51 Melody6 I'm thinking the paint was made with a magical plant

• 5:52 Nblonkenfeld These are amazing questions

• 5:52 Melody6 Agreed

• 5:52 Seth Cooper I always envisoned the Headmaster Portraits just popping up in the Head's Office whenever a TRUE (not Umbridge, though, LOL) Headmaster died

• 5:52 ProfessorTofty There's one I'm thinking of that would save those of us at the wiki a lot of grief, if one could get her to answer it directly, but it's a major spoiler.

• 5:52 Nblonkenfeld I was going to simply ask if she could do a whole series on "The Auror's"

• 5:53 Seth Cooper Hahahaha

• Seth Cooper How, exactly (or by whom) is the Minister for Magic elected?

• 5:57 ProfessorTofty Oh, good one.

• 5:57 1337star I don't know if I'm interested in The Casual Vacancy yet. I assume it will be good, but I'm not sure if its the kind of book I would read.

• 5:57 ProfessorTofty I mentioned this in the last chat, but I'd also like to know more about wizard society interaction with muggles in general. There's a whole community of muggle parents of wizards out there who now know about magic. I don't mind stories about politics, so I'll go for it.

• 5:59 1337star Pottermore's giving us quite a bit about wizarding/Muggle relations, though. Or at least how wizards view Muggle achievements like technology or fashion.

• ProfessorTofty I also read that it's supposed to be more of a comic novel, and I've always thought that Rowling is really good at comedy.

• 6:01 1337star Guess our hour is more or less up, huh?

• 6:02 ProfessorTofty Yeah. We definitely should do this again with Chamber, even if it's not part of the officially-sponsored Wikia chats.

On This Day, June 30: Quiz

2011-06-30T23:34:35Z

On June 30th, which Harry Potter event did NOT occur?

A) 1997: Albus Dumbledore is killed.
B) 2009: The video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is released.
C) 2010: Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 is released.
D) 1997: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is published by Bloomsbury.
E) They all occurred.

HP Alliance Livestreams Climate Crisis Horcrux Tonight

2011-06-27T22:45:49Z

The Harry Potter Alliance launches the Climate Crisis Horcrux, its 7th and final horcrux in their Deathly Hallows Campaign, tonight at 7pm EST at livestream.com/ imaginebetter.

The broadcast will also feature a live segment from MuggleCast and a wizard rock show by The Whomping Willlows, Justin-Finch-Fletchley, and Lauren Fairweather.

The Harry Potter Alliance, which is dedicated to fighting the global Climate Crisis, is hosting two contests in partnership with Splashlife. The first is for the best ideas to defeat global warming. The second is an emblematic piece of artistic expression to represent this fight. Each contest has a $1000 prize!

You can learn more at facebook.com/ imaginebetter

Source: mugglenet

Poll: Pottermore Reactions

2011-06-25T00:07:58Z

Now that the seemingly interminable wait for the official Pottermore announcement is over (it came and went faster than a Riddikulus spell), I'm curious about everyone's reaction to the website unveiling. Especially given the news leak that Pottermore was a combination MMO and real-life treasure hunt.

So tell us what you think of Pottermore now that the red velvet curtain has parted by voting below.

Alan Rickman's Goodbye Letter

2011-06-20T22:27:05Z

You know that there's magic in the air when an actor writes a fan letter.

And that's exactly what Alan Rickman, who has played Severus Snape for over a decade, has done. With the wildly successful Harry Potter franchise coming to a close after the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II in July, Rickman has taken out a page in Empire Magazine to express his gratitude to J.K. Rowling for his wondrous experience. It's an incredibly thoughtful and poetic missive that every Muggle will want to read...

Added by Bchwood

Source: nymag.com

New Bellatrix Poster

2011-06-01T21:04:40Z

Just last week Harry Potter fans were graced with three new posters featuring close-ups of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. All looking very resolved despite their banged up physical condition, I might add.

First Dark Lord seemingly responded with his own close-up poster. Clutching the Elder Wand with a pretty menacing sneer no less. And now we've got Bellatrix joining his rank. Below is a gallery of all the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 posters so far.

Who do you think will be next with their own poster???

New Voldemort Poster

2011-05-27T19:20:15Z

Just earlier this week Harry Potter fans were graced with three new posters featuring close-ups of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. All looking very resolved despite their banged up physical condition, I might add.

And now the Dark Lord has seemingly responded with his own close-up poster. Clutching the Elder Wand with a pretty menacing sneer no less. The Battle of Hogwarts is definitely on!

Below is a gallery of all the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 posters so far. Tell us which one you like the best!

New HPDH Part 2 Posters

2011-05-26T17:11:35Z

Get ready for a very dramatic and dark finish to the Harry Potter franchise with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2- that's what the latest posters seem to be telling us at least.

With stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson each getting their own poster, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all look to be at their wit's end, both physically and emotionally.

The final Battle of Hogwarts looks to be epic, with charred buildings and fire-spewing dragons in the backgrounds. Lord Voldmort best take heed, the wizarding trio definitely look like they mean business!

Tell us what you think of the new posters!

New HPDH Part 2 TV spot

2011-05-23T17:06:07Z

Warner Bros. Pictures has unveiled a new TV spot for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II. The fresh preview features harrowing footage of the final battle between the wizarding community and Voldemort's brotherhood.

The David Yates-directed film will open in U.S. theaters on July 15 and will feature the first trailer from The Dark Knight Rises.

"The Dark Knight Rises" will be released across the nation on July 20, 2012, with Christopher Nolan directing and Christian Bale reprising his role as Bruce Wayne. Anne Hathaway has recently been added as a new cast member to play Catwoman.

ReferencesEdit

Source: aceshowbiz.com

'Dear Mr. Potter' fan book published this summer

2011-05-20T16:37:09Z

Have you ever written a fan letter about Harry Potter? Well if you have you could be getting published. And if you haven't you can now delight in reading others missives in a new compilation of fan letters, photographs and artwork put together by fan Lily Zalon.

The aptly titled Dear Mr. Potter will be released this summer. According to Zalon, the book is an attempt to capture the relationship between Harry Potter and its fans in their own words. “Until now, there's never been a truly in-depth exploration of why Potter accomplished such an unprecedented level of popularity and loyalty," Zalon said in a press release. "The letters and pictures in the book illustrate the intimate relationships millions of fans have had with the series."

In addition, "Potter' actress Evanna Lynch, best known as Luna Lovegood, shared her own experiences with the "Potter" franchise for the book. Her submission to the book detailed how J.K. Rowling's novels and, specifically, the character of Luna Lovegood affected her personally.

“Although it was always tempting to go back to that dark, lonely, secure place and although there was still that voice that whispered that I was too odd to risk just being ‘me’, you were always there to remind me that it was okay to be odd, particularly if one did it with aplomb," reads an excerpt from her letter to Luna. "Through you, Luna, I realized that being odd wasn't really odd at all.”

In addition to Lynch, Leaky Cauldron webmistress Melissa Anelli and "Looking for Alaska" author and YouTube celebrity John Green also submitted their own letters to the compilation.

Dear Mr. Potter is available for pre-order until June 31, 2011, and will be released on July 1, 2011, with all profits going to the human rights and environemental activist group Harry Potter Alliance.

And there are whisperings that fans who preorder Dear Mr. Potter will be automatically submitted into two secret raffles which will be revealed farther down the road.

So wizard-hats off to fan Lily Zalon for bringing other fans passion to us all in the name of conquering the Dark Forces...

ReferencesEdit

Source: mtv.com

Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 this holiday

2011-05-19T17:09:14Z

If you've finished playing Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 and can't wait for Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7, then you're in luck. Warner Bros. has finally announced that the next entry in the Lego Harry Potter series will arrive "this holiday" on pretty much anything that plays video games.

Yes, it's still a long time to wait but fortunately we all have this summer's release of the final film in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, to tide us over.

Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 follows Harry and co. through the treacherous final years at Hogwarts, leading up to the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows catastrophic conclusions. Interestingly, the game is one of a handful of announced games for Sony's forthcoming system, the NGP.

If Lego HP lives up to its promise of launching on all those consoles this holiday, it looks like North America is still set to be one of the first territories getting Sony's new handheld before year's end.

So who's as excited for Year 5-7 as I am????

ReferencesEdit

Source: joystiq.com

Must Read JK Rowling Article

2011-05-18T17:21:58Z

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has written an article for the Writer's Guild of America's Written By magazine in which she discusses in depth her extraordinary relationship with Steve Kloves, the Screenwriter for seven of the eight Potter films.

Appearing in the April/May 2011 edition of the magazine, the three page article, entitled When Steve met Jo, gives a fascinating glimpse into their collaborative process and history.

It's been an intense relationship, forged by unusual circumstances. Steve has come closest to being inside the world with me - actually, he has been inside the world with me, but always a year or two behind. Nobody else has come close to that. The sheer length of the collaboration has made it unique.

Giving us an unparalleled glimpse into this process of adapting the books to screen, the article, complete with J.K. Rowling's unique voice, begins with the conception of the relationship, and includes their correspondence over the years, as well as a fascinating example of the difference between a scene in the book versus that same scene in the screenplay.

You can read the article HERE!

And let us know what you think!

ReferencesEdit

Source: veritaserum.com

Warner Bros chooses next Harry Potter

2011-05-17T16:51:36Z

Merlin and Camelot fans can rejoice. With Warner Bros nearing the end of it's international franchise with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II the studio is anxious to fill the void left by the conclusion of the fantasy series. Well, they may find it in yet another wizarding tale as the studio has decided make a big budget adaptation of The Lost Years of Merlin, the first book in a series of fantasy novels by T.A. Barron.

The film apparently is an origin story of the infamous wizard tracing Merlin’s journey from being a boy washed on the shores of Wales with no memory and no home, to him becoming a young man learning to use his powers and ultimately defender of the natural world and eventual mentor to King Arthur. The story certainly shares some shades with Harry Potter as both follow a boy learning to become a wizard, and eventually becoming one of the most powerful of his kind. A tent pole franchise is expected to sprout from the adaptation.

So tell us Muggles, have any of you read the Merlin book? Or maybe you've read another. Either way you can vote on your favorite merlin book Here.

ReferencesEdit

Source: firstshowing.net

UK Publisher offers new poll

2011-05-16T17:21:56Z

Bloomsbury Publishing has launched a new poll today, Monday May 16th, to find out which Harry Potter characters fans would pick as their favorite via this link. Starting today, fans may pick from a list of 40 characters which wizard, Muggle, or creature is their favorite character from throughout author J. K. Rowling's series. Fans will also be able to write in your favorite if they are not listed.

The Harry Potter author herself has offered her choice for favorite character, as well, saying:

"Now that I have finished writing the books, the character I would most like to meet for dinner is Dumbledore. We would have a lot to discuss, and I would love his advice; I think that everyone would like a Dumbledore in their lives."

The poll runs until Friday, August 26 2011.

The winning character will be announced on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 on the UK Harry Potter Facebook page.

Happy voting and let us know who you voted for and why!

ReferencesEdit

Source: leaky-cauldron.org

HP Deathly Hallows 2 named Must See Movie of the Summer

2011-05-12T16:07:01Z

Last night was a great night for Half-Bloods. The National Movie Awards, an event which seeks to reward outstanding achievement in the fields of British cinematic art, awarded Harry Potter with two of the biggest awards.

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part I scooped up Best Fantasy against what some commentators are calling "stiff competition," namely Gulliver's Travels, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and TRON: Legacy.

The upcoming sequel, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part II, the final installment in the Harry Potter franchise, was also named the Must See Movie Of the Summer, which is an equivalent award to the Brit Awards' pre-emptive (and self-fulfilling) Critics' Choice trophy.

The third win of the night for Harry Potter went to Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays Gellert Grindelwald, for the One To Watch award. He was joined on the red carpet by fiancé Bonnie Wright, who plays Harry Potter's girlfriend Ginny Weasley.

So tell us, is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II your personal Must See Movie of the Summer?

ReferencesEdit

Source: bbc.com

Are you a Wizard or a Vampire?

2011-05-11T16:09:36Z

Get this Muggles and Twilighters- according to a new study, we connect so much with our book friends Harry Potter and Edward Cullen when we read about them that we become wizards and vampires. Psychologically speaking of course.

A study at the University of Buffalo shows that we become submerged enough in the fantasy to satisfy our need for human connection. And we get the same sense of satisfaction and happiness that we’d get if we were actually part of those worlds, said authors Shira Gabriel, an associate professor of psychology, and Ariana Young, a graduate student.

“Social connection is a strong, human need,” Gabriel said in a statement, “and anytime we feel connected to others, we feel good in general, and feel good about our lives. Our study results demonstrate that the assimilation of a narrative allows us to feel close to others in the comfort of our own space and at our own convenience.”

The researchers tested the theory on 140 students who read for 30 minutes from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone or Twilight. Then they answered questions that tested their conscious and unconscious responses.

Harry Potter readers identified with wizards and their world and Twilight readers identified with vampires and their world. They also adopted attitudes and behaviors – though, they noted, no one tried to suck blood or fly on a broom!

The study, called Becoming a Vampire Without Being Bitten: The Narrative Collective Assimilation Hypothesis, was published in the current issue journal Psychological Science.

So, tell us your thoughts on your preferred world- wizard or vampire- and why you think you identify with it?

ReferencesEdit

Source: baltimoresun.com

Three New Stills from Deathly Hallows Part 2

2011-05-10T15:45:12Z

To help tide over the unbearable wait for director David Yates' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 to hit screens on July 15th, here are 3 brand new stills from the film's climactic Battle of Hogwarts sequence at the Entrance Courtyard (in the book this occurs at the Great Hall):

From the looks of these photos of Harry Potter battling Lord Voldmort, the film is sure to be a heart-pounding experience, don't you think?

ReferencesEdit

Source: shockya.com

Daniel Radcliffe highest paid actor under 30

2011-05-09T16:40:34Z

In case you had any doubts about the dominance of the Harry Potter franchise, here's a bit of magical news-- Daniel Radcliffe has conjured up an income that makes him the richest actor under 30.

The boy wizard -- who recently finished filming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 -- made $45 million (£28.5 million) in 2009-10, pushing his net worth to $75 (£48 million).

And the Daily Prophet news gets even more impressive- Daniel is not the only 'Harry Potter' actor to appear in The Sunday Times Rich List of young people -- Emma Watson comes in at 13 with earnings of £2 million, pushing her total up to £22 million, joint with Rupert Grint.

If you also happen to be a Twilight fan, you can take heart because fellow hunk Robert Pattinson also made the list at number nine, worth a total of £32 million.

Tell us what you think of Daniel's success- has he earned it?

ReferencesEdit

Source: CTVNews.com

Harry Potter: The Exhibit stills

2011-05-06T18:12:15Z

Harry Potter: The Exhibition is a traveling exhibit in North America, displaying over two-hundred props and replicas from the Harry Potter films. New photos from the Time Square Exhibit include props from various character's wands, a full size version of Buckbeak, Tom Riddle's diary, theTriwizard cup, and an over-sized chair from Hagrid's Hut. Check out the gallery of still below:

Harry Potter vs. Twilight at MTV Movie Awards

2011-05-05T16:25:19Z

Harry Potter and Twilight are up against each other once again in more than one category for the 2011 MTV Movie Awards.

The two specific films in contention this year are Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Twilight Saga: Eclipse.

Here are the categories where they are up against one another. In one category, Harry Potter is up against two nominations from Twilight:

Best Film:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 (HP7,1) vs. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (T-E).

Best Male Performance:
Daniel Radcliffe (HP7,1) vs. Robert Pattinson (T-E)

Best Female Performance:
Emma Watson (HP7,1) vs. Kristen Stewart (T-E)

Best Fight:
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint vs. the Death Eaters (Rod Hunt and Arden Bajraktaraj) in (HP7,1) and Robert Pattinson vs. Bryce Dallas Howard and Xavier Samuel (T-E)

Best Kiss:
Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson (HP7,1) vs. Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson (T-E) and also Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner (T-E)

Harry Potter is also nominated in one category where it does not compete against Twilight. That category and its nominee is:

Best Villain:
Tom Felton (HP7,1)

With one category standing alone for Harry Potter and another having two nominations for Twilight, the two films actually have an equal number of nominations with 6 each.

The two films also continue to face off at the box office again this year. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 will come out in theaters on July 15, 2011. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1 is due in theaters on November 18, 2011.

The Harry Potter film franchise ends with this summer's release, but the Twilight series, which began adaptations much later, will end November 16, 2012 when Part 2 of Breaking Dawn is released.

The MTV Movie Awards air June 5, 2011.

Which film do you think will come away with more awards?????? Which awards do you think Harry Potter will win????

ReferencesEdit

Source: examiner.com

13th Anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts

2011-05-02T18:07:55Z

Boy, time sure does fly. Today, May 2, marks the 13th anniversary of the epic Battle of Hogwarts. It was ultimately victory over Lord Voldemorte and the powers of darkness, but it was a pyrric victory for sure- costing the lives of many beloved characters (SPOILER ALERT).

So today seems like a fitting time to pay tribute to the fallen:

Colin Creevey
During his first year at Hogwarts, the excitable Colin was always quick to snap a photo with his trusty camera, a fact that made him something of a nuisance for the impatient Harry. He spent the rest of his first year paralyzed at the hands of the dreaded Basilisk, but he eventually regained his strength and went on to fall under Harry's leadership as a member of Dumbledore's Army. Sadly, Colin's training wasn't enough to keep him alive when the Death Eaters stormed Hogwarts in his sixth year; he was discovered dead outside the castle grounds by Oliver Wood and Neville Longbottom.

Nymphadora Tonks
As a Metamorphmagus — someone who can alter their physical appearance at will without the use of Polyjuice or other means — Tonks was gifted with one of my personal favorite abilities featured throughout the "Potter" universe. But her transformative skills weren't enough to save her from the wrath of her wicked aunt Bellatrix Lestrange, who killed Tonks during the Battle of Hogwarts. It was made all the more tragic considering that Tonks had recently given birth to a son, Teddy.

Remus Lupin
Lupin, one of James Potter's closest friends and a mentor to Harry since his yearlong stint as Hogwarts' Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, suffered an off-page demise at the hands of a Death Eater. As Tonks' husband, Lupin's death meant that their son Teddy would grow up without either parent at his side. Thankfully, the Metamorphmagus and the Lycanthrope named Harry as Teddy's godfather, ensuring that the newborn wizard would live happily and healthily.

Fred Weasley
Is there a more shocking, saddening death in all of "Potter" than Fred Weasley's? Just months after his trickster twin lost his ear in the midst of combat, it was Fred who paid the ultimate price during the Battle of Hogwarts. Even though the Weasley brothers were separated by death, Fred's legacy continued on when George eventually had a son and named him after his fallen twin. Hanky please.

Severus Snape
Perhaps the least appreciated hero of them all due to his enigmatic nature, Severus Snape died from the venomous bite of Lord Voldemort's snake and horcrux host Nagini, but not before he was able to gift Harry with his memories — memories that proved once and for all that Snape was a Dumbledore loyalist to the end, motivated by his love for Lily Evans, Harry's mother. Though he hated him in life, Harry immediately learned to embrace and appreciate Snape, a man built entirely upon uncompromising loyalty, strenuous sacrifice and a deep, cold loneliness.

For his personal sacrifice throughout, the loss of Severus Snape was the saddest for me.

What about you? Who were you saddest to see go and why?

ReferencesEdit

Source: mtv.com

Dr. Mr. Potter book

2011-04-27T19:09:25Z

"Dear Mr. Potter: Letters of Love, Loss, and Magic" is a new book featuring hundreds of letters and pictures from fans and readers who have been impacted and inspired by Harry Potter.

Some familiar fandom names also pop up in the book, including the author of "Harry, A History" Melissa Anelli, actress Evanna Lynch who plays Luna Lovegood, New York Times-best selling author John Green, Andrew Slack from the Harry Potter Alliance, Paul DeGeorge of Harry and the Potters, Andrew Sims and Eric Scull of MuggleNet, and Esther Earl's mom, Lori.

Pre-orders for "Dear Mr. Potter" are now open with all proceeds going directly to the Harry Potter Alliance.

"Dear Mr. Potter" will go on sale July 1, 2011, but those who pre-order will receive the discounted price of $14.99.

ReferencesEdit

Source: yahoonews.com

Harry Potter Poll

2011-04-26T19:22:21Z

DH Part 2 Trailer, Wed Night on ABC

2011-04-25T17:39:18Z

Well, we've being posting stills from HP DH Part 2 on the Harry Potter wiki for some time now and we've been anxiously awaiting a trailer. So here it comes- ABC Family just announced they will be airing the first trailer during a showing of Happy Gilmore this Wednesday night. According to the official press release:

ABC Family continues to be the television destination for all Harry Potter™ fans, this time by airing the U.S. premiere of the new “Harry Potter™ and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” trailer on Wednesday, April 27th. The trailer will air during a showing of “Happy Gilmore,” which airs 7:00 – 9:00 PM ET/PT. The premiere of the new trailer will give fans a glimpse at the epic finale of the “Harry Potter™” film series, including moments from such scenes as Harry, Ron, and Hermione escaping from Gringotts Wizarding Bank, the Room of Requirement fire storm, Mrs. Weasley taking on Bellatrix Lestrange, and Harry and Voldemort’s last stand. To get fans ready for the trailer, ABCFamily.com will be releasing one exclusive new photo from “Harry Potter™ and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” in support of the trailer’s premiere on ABC Family.

So stay tuned, we'll be bringing you the photo as soon as it's available... Any guesses as to what it might be of? And who's going to watch Wed night to see the trailer? But don't worry if you miss it because we'll post it for you!

ReferencesEdit

Source: abcfamily.com

Harry Potter vs. Twilight

2011-04-22T16:49:56Z

There's been lot's of debate recently about which franchise is better, Harry Potter or Twilight. So here are some facts to help you decide for yourself...

FACT:

In all of Hollywood history, no franchise has grossed more money worldwide than... Harry Potter!

FACT:

In all of Hollywood history, no franchise has made more money, faster—at midnight, in a single day, and in an opening day than... Twilight!

FACT:

On the all-time domestic chart, Eclipse and New Moon have outgrossed every Harry Potter (save Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

FACT:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone made so much money that even when its ticket sales are adjusted for inflation, it's still an all-time box-office king.

FACT:

The most expensive Twilight movie, Eclipse, cost about one-third of the cheapest Harry Potter film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film), so you could argue the film that gets more bang for their studio's bucks is... Twilight!

FACT::

Per Wikipedia, the Harry Potter book series has outsold the Twilight book series by something like 4 to 1, or 400 million copies vs. an estimated 100 million.

FACT:

Kristen Stewart continues to hold the No. 1 position on the IMDB Starmeter, vs. the just-as-talented but less-high-profile threesome over at Hogwarts. And Twilight has made Robert Pattinson this generation's James Dean, even though he showed up in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Well, as you can see, a fight between Harry Potter and Edward Cullen- fangs vs. spells- is sure to be long and drawn out and...a whole lot of fun!

External ReferencesEdit

Source: Eonline.com

Harry Potter Wiki in the news

2011-04-21T19:14:22Z

Harry Potter wikians should be proud to see that the Kentucky Kernel newspaper has mentioned the Harry Potter Wiki in reference to an upcoming quiz event being hosted by students at the University of Kentucky.

Specifically, the article said "For those of you trying to brush up on Harry Potter trivia before the event, check out harrypotter.wikia.com for useful facts and information on both the books and movies."

So good luck to all those who are participating in the event and good work to all the Harry Potter wiki fans who have made the Wikia site so indispensable!

To read the article in full, go to KentuckyKernel.com

Harry Potter in 3D

2011-04-21T17:05:56Z

Nobody wants the Harry Potter magic to fizzle out, least of all Warner Bros., so it's not surprising to hear that there's talk of re-releasing the entire franchise in post-converted 3-D. MTV News asked producers David Heyman and David Barron about the rumors. "We're doing 3-D for the DVD of '7, Part 1,' and there's been no discussion of anything else yet, but I suspect the studio is going to be reluctant to let it die," Heyman said. "I'm sure it's just a matter of time."

Hearing this got me wondering what moments would really pop in 3-D?

I for one would love to see Fluffy in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and his three heads thrash about in 3-D! How does everyone else feel about a 3-D re-release? What other scenes would be cool in 3-D?

External LinksEdit

Source: MTVNews.com

Harry Potter DH Part 2 Featurette

2011-04-20T16:46:49Z

The excitement over Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 continues to build and it's no wonder with new featurettes like this one coming online almost daily. In addition to giving us some exciting new scenes, we get to hear from director David Yates, producer David Heyman, and stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson. The excitement of the actors is palpable and as Daniel Radcliffe says, "It's going to be fantastic!"

Submit your interview questions to Jessie Cave (Lavender Brown)

2011-03-23T16:41:29Z

Our Affiliate TheHPFan will be having an exclusive upcoming interview with Harry Potter star Jessie Cave (Lavender Brown) and is currently taking question submissions from site guests and members. You can submit your questions at the following link:

http://thehpfan.com/index_files/Page4154.htm

Trivia Game has begun!

2011-03-16T21:47:18Z

Find the first question on our Harry Potter Facebook page...

Give us ideas for the main page slider!

2011-03-12T20:12:51Z

The Harry Potter admins are going to switch up the images in the slider at the top of the main page. If you have any ideas for a character or event that you want to see depicted, let us know!

Bchwood 20:12, March 12, 2011 (UTC)