Hogwarts Herald

Hi everyone, I’m Stacey, and I’m the lucky person who gets to take over the very popular Hogwarts Herald blog. I’ve been blogging with 451 Press for a little over 5 months now, over at Global Poverty Monitor. As is the common story with 451 Press bloggers, I very quickly became hooked on my blog and the whole 451 Press network. I’ve been searching for another blog to write on, and then sure enough, this very Harry Potter blog presented itself to me a few days ago. I write a quick application (read: pathetic begging letter which actually used the phases ‘getting down on my knees’ and ‘promise to pour so much love and affection into the blog’) and within a day - the Hogwarts Herald was mine.

So… what’s going to happen here now? Lots of stuff! I’ve got a heap of ideas for the blog, so I hope that the faithful readers from before will continue to visit, and that new readers will join along the way. I’ll be covering any new news that comes up, and also going back over the 7 brilliant books behind us, and the movies both past and present.

I’d also like to include some fan fiction. I’m not a hugely talented fan faction writer myself, but I know there are a heap of you out there. I’ve read some pretty impressive stuff. So if anyone has got any Harry Potter fanfic tucked away somewhere, give me a yell. I’d love to publish it here for you.

That’s all for now from me. I hope you’ll check back soon - let’s get this party started!

Now that you’re all updated with what’s going on over here, why not head over to the Angelina Jolie blog and read about her latest news?

Information about the upcoming release of the 5th Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix has been slowing emerging through the internet. The Movie Informer has posted the reported front and back cover of the 2 disc DVD collection. The cover art has not been confirmed by Warner Brothers, so this is merely speculation. There had been some (now seemingly) false information out and about regarding the special features that will be on the DVD - this new example lists the special features to include:

- Additional Scenes
- Conversations with the Cast
- Reflections on the Fifth Film
- The Noble House of Black
- A New Order
- Ministry Mysteries
- Flight of the Phoenix
- Theatrical Trailers
- EA Game Demo

I guess we’ll just have to wait for confirmation on all of this.

HT: Mugglenet.com

Make way on the big white way (eventually) for Harry Potter: The Musical. The Sunday Mirror on line reports that London casting agents have been told to to be on the look out for young actors who might star in a musical version of the popular books. Producers, reportedly, hope to bring the musical to London’s West End by next year.

Ht: wizardnews.com

Lacock Abbey (and its surroundings) has been a favorite filming location for the producers of the Harry Potter movies, and the latest, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is no exception.

The Wiltshire Times reports that the production folks have met with the (ie 40) villagers and they’ve agreed to give up their town, yet again, for four days of filming, this October.

The town and its residents won’t merely be rewarded with the honor of seeing their village in the movies, there’s also cash consideration. The village will receive a payment of 30,000 pounds and each resident (let’s move now!) will receive 200 pounds and (if you’ve ever lived near a production site you’ll know), perhaps, more importantly, a secure parking spot.

HT: Mugglenet.com

That is, the Hogwarts Express…

Our Hogwarts Express train cake was a big hit. The cake was made with the Williams Sonoma train cake pan and decorated and just about every black, red and yellow candy in Hogsmead!

okay, maybe not stormy, but…

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS POST (as will other “read along” posts) CONTAINS DETAILED INFORMATION (ie spoilers) REGARDING Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!!!

Chapter 1 - The Dark Lord Ascending

Book 7 opens darkly. It’s night and 2 figures appear from the shadows. It’s Snape and Yaxley. As they walk to their destination, we are introduced to the Malfoy home. It is a huge estate, complete with white peacocks roaming the grounds.

Inside the scene is one of deliberation and torture (Voldemort is quite the multi-tasker). A large group of Death Eaters are gathered around a banquet table, over which a body hangs in suspended animation.

As the majority of the group ignores the spinning figure, Snape and Yaxley join the proceedings. As Snape is invited to sit next to Voldemort, he divulges information regarding the planned transport of Harry Potter - Yaxley, obviously put off by Snape’s new position, informs the group that he has affectively administered the Imperius curse upon Pius Thickness, an official in the Ministry of Magic.

Voldemort has a moment of inflection as he tells, mainly himself, that he has made errors in his previous encounters with Harry Potter. He states that he will be the one to “attend to the boy�. However, he suggests a microbe of vulnerability when he says that he needs to borrow a wand from one of his minions. When there are no ready volunteers, he suggests to Lucius Malfoy, who has been sitting in nervous attendance along with his wife and son (good old Draco), that he give up his wand for the cause. Lucius, with just the slightest pause, yields his wand of elm with dragon’s heart string to his leader.

Next, Bellatrix LaStrange is revealed. Voldemort cooly teases her about her family’s transgressions - most notably, the recent marriage of her niece (Tonks) to a werewolf (Lupin!). Bellatrix denounces that “side� of her family and reaffirms her devotion to the cause.

Finally, the figure hanging in the middle of the room is awoken. It is Charity Burbage, the (until recently) Muggle Studies professor at Hogwarts. Charity fruitlessly begs a stoic Snape to help her but Voldemort kills her and leaves her to be consumed by Nagini, the snake.

This was, clearly, an information gathering (plot thickening) chapter. When Half Blood Prince ended, in was the end of term, Dumbledore had died, and Harry had vowed to hunt down Voldemort. Similar to the prior books, The Deathly Hallows opens just before Harry’s birthday (July 31st) - so we are left to speculate as to what has happened in the the previous months.

The Death Eaters are on the move, they are planning to attach Harry as he tries to leave Privet Drive. Also, they have infiltrated the Ministry and expect to take over soon. Voldemort has, apparently, discovered that he can not defeat Harry with his twin wand.

We learn that Tonks and Lupin have married, and get a little back story regarding more of the Black siblings (golly there’s a lot of them).

With the murder of Charity Burbage, it becomes quite clear as to the Death Eaters’ ultimate goal (other than get rid of Harry) - to purge the Wizarding World of all muggle borns and simpathizers.

Kelly, over on Tiny Treasury is reporting on efforts to ban Harry Potter books in Georgia (USA).

Generally, the people I know are big fans of the Potter series - and even those who have not read the books, at the very least, commend the revitalization of “chldren’s reading” that the series has inspired.

As Kelly asked: Have you ever encountered any “anti-Potter” people or literature?

The muggles have replaced my computer and assure me that this one will not crash every time I touch it (we’ll see about that!).

We’ll be posting much more soon… but in the meantime - take a gander at the butterbeer coolers - yum!

CBBC has prepared a series of quizzes related to the content of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The first quiz focuses on the first five chapters of the book (coincidence? I think not).

As they warn on the site - there are spoilers amongst the questions - so if you haven’t completed your reading…

and I haven’t forgotten about our Harry Potter read-a-long! Computer woes have kept me away from the Herald lately - but never fear - all should be righted soon.

In the meantime - let’s go ahead and read the next two chapters of The Deathly Hallows: “The Seven Potters” and “Fallen Warrior”.

Also, be sure to visit J.K. Rowling’s updated site which lists info about her US book tour and a new Wizard of the Month.

We’ll discuss the whole lot next week!

Warning - this post comments/speculates on happenings near the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

So, J.K. Rowling has offered some ideas as to what happens to Harry and his friends during the 1 - 18 years later in an online chat with fans - she suggests the unions and occupations of some of the main characters, however, she leaves out a lot of detail - such as how these different milestones are achieved - leaving much room for speculation and interpretation.

What do you think happened to Harry and the gang after the defeat of Voldemort? There is, of course, the issue of many students missing their final year of school - what sort of continued training, education they might go on to - exactly when each of the couples got together - and so on.

Lawmummy has awarded us with the above accolade.

Thanks Lawmummy!

Protocol directs that we pass along the award to five other bloggers who comment, read and schmooze with the best of them…

As I’m really dreadful at this whole “tagging” thing - I will, once again, direct my presentation to the Academy, Hogwarts Academy, that is.

Five habitants (even if only temporary) of Hogwarts who exemplify the traits of “schmooze” (ie those likely to converse casually, especially in order to gain an advantage or make a social connection) most certainly are…

Gilderoy Lockhart
Lee Jordan
Padma Patil
Cedric Diggory (pre Tri-Wizard’s tournament, of course)
and Pansy Parkinson

Yea! We’re going to read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows together!

This weekend’s task is to read (who am I kidding? reread) Chapters 1-3.

The Dark Lord Ascending;
In Memoriam; and,
The Dursley’s Departing.

Let’s consider how the book opens in connection to Book 6 - what is happening and what has happened since Harry left Hogwarts?

These first few chapters don’t contain too much action - but they do set up many of the plot twists which we are about to encounter.

A lot of characters (some new, some old) are discussed in these chapters - and each of them deals with a different “world” that Harry has had to deal with - Voldemort/dark arts, Dumbledore/Hogwarts and the Muggles.

We’ll spend some time next week discussing the details!

by the way - due to technical difficulties - Harry Potter Party photos have not yet been posted - but we hope to have them up soon!

Going through the stages of mourning over the completion of the Harry Potter Series? Where are you now? Anger? Denial? Well - there may be a light at the end of the corridor…

The Today Show reports that JK Rowling is planning a “Harry Potter Encyclopedia” (minor spoiler warning - clicking on link will lead to story with some Book 7 plot revelations) by which she can give more backstory (and fill in the gaps) for many of the Potter characters.

This sounds great to me - I love all the history and family tree stuff. Rowling mentioned that many characters have much more intricate backgrounds that just didn’t fit into the flow of the novels.

Unfortunately, Rowling admits that the collection will not be completed any time soon as she’d “really like a break”.

But there is hope!

In the interview, Rowling also mentioned that through the writing of the books she did grant a reprieve to one of the characters - but not in Book 7 - the character would have perished in Book 5!

HT: Mugglenet.com

CNN Money has an article reviewing Harry Potter as a franchise. The business community is confident, that regardless of the outcome in the final book, that Harry Potter books and merchandise with still sell.