Pottermore Review ***SPOILERS***

Little "Author's Note" here : if you are awaiting your Pottermore email and don't want the surprise to be ruined don't read this.

On the other hand - if you're unsure as to what Pottermore is and think it's just the books online then read this and see that it is so so much more than that and that it is definitely worth getting.

Pottermore email

So yesterday I got the best email EVER.  Slight exaggeration you say? Not at all. I was one of the lucky 1million to complete the Magical Quill challenge from 31st July-6th August and gain early access to Beta test the Pottermore site before it goes out to everyone in October and I am SO glad I did.

It is just incredible. Basically it takes you step by step through every chapter of every book (although currently only the first book is available). In each chapter there are 2/3 scenes which hold information that you can find, items you can collect and general things that you can zoom in and out of and interact with. It's only early days at the moment so unfortunately there's no sound but basically everyone on there is commenting saying there needs to be sounds effects. However being the cool person that I am I just played the various Harry Potter soundtracks I have on itunes :P

Diagon Alley

So you work your way through - Harry's arrival at Privet Drive, the letters from Hogwarts, Hagrid taking him to Diagon Alley. This has to be one of the best bits. You open up your own Gringotts Bank Account and then you're given the shopping list that all Hogwarts students get so you can go around Diagon Alley and buy all yourself a cauldron, potion ingredients, school books, and a pet. You can choose between an owl, a cat or a toad so I got myself a lovely barn owl. Unfortunately you can't name your pet which is a bit pants but reading through the comments nearly everyone has suggested that you should be able to.

Anyway, last but not least, you get a wand :) Good old Mr Ollivander is there and he explains that you will be asked a few questions about yourself so that you get a wand that suits you. Here's mine:

Love it <3

It's explained that the various woods, lengths and magical core's of a wand are dependent on personality type and actually, having read through the descriptions, my wand is very accurate to the sort of person I am so congrats Pottermore on that :)

Anyway then you continue on to board the Hogwarts Express and go to Hogwarts where you're greeted by Professor McGonnagall and taken through to the Sorting Ceremony - exciiiting! :D

 

Like the wand selection process there are more questions posed to you that help determine which house you will be put it. Look where I ended up:

Yeh I know. I was disappointed to begin with - you don't hear too much about Hufflepuff's in the book and the name sounds a but ... poofy but having read the description of Hufflepuff students I would have to agree that is suits me right and I'm quite enjoying befriending fellow Hufflepuffers (maybe not the best choice of collective term) and hey, Cedric Diggory was a Hufflepuff so we're not all useless :P

Anyway, after this is gets a little less exciting but you still get to interact with the story, take a Potions class, use spells (this took me ages as the instructions are appalling) and eventually you go through the challenges to reach the Philosophers Stone and voila :)

Then that's it for now, until Chamber of Secrets becomes available. But there's plenty to do - practice spells, send gifts to fellow 'students', duel other wizards (this is down for maintenance atm which is upsetting as I'd love to have a go at that) and brew potions for housepoints:

Brewing myself a Cure for Boils potion :)

The graphics for the site are absolutely brilliant - proper book illustration style. What they have so far really is fantastic, especially as it's only really a 'practice run'. There's loads more they can add to improve it and it's great to see that the other 124,577 HP fanatics that have so far been allowed access have plenty of ideas too :D

So hope that helps you lot that are sat on the fence about it. Although if I have tempted you I'm afraid you'll now have to wait until October until you can register. 

For you friends who have registered early and are awaiting your email - hope to see you in Hufflepuff house soon :)

xxx