Just JK Hogwarts is Back on Our Radar and Here's the Magical 411 ...

Okay, so that's not important to the plot, but since I have at least five 5️⃣ friends who accosted their local bookstore employees several times waiting for these lovely little stories to appear on shelves, I figure it can't hurt 😟 to start there. The good 👍 news is that this makes it much easier and more convenient to get your hands 👐 on them, so that's cool, right? You can head to Pottermore, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble to get your hands 👏🏻 – or thumbs or eyes 👀 or ears or whatever – on your copies.

This collection comes from the archives – that is, Jo's vast wealth of Potterverse archives. However, some of the writing is actually curated by Pottermore itself. They go beyond just the obvious; they go beyond Harry Potter himself. You get a look into what inspires Rowling, as well as the sorts of intricate and intimate character details hardcore fans have come to expect from Pottermore.

That already sounds fun, right? As the title implies, the focus of this book 📖 is the school 🏫 itself, which excited me more than it should have because Hogwarts is full of infinite mysteries and I long to know it as intimately as I know my own home. This guide gives every read 📘 a chance to do that. You learn about the grounds, the permanent residents of the school 🏫 and the grounds, the classes and lessons, and all those delicious 😋 secrets hiding … well, everywhere.

Oh, this book. It's only 63 pages 📕 and I want so much more, but it's still just … parts of it made me squeal. It won't be to everyone's taste, but it's a look at the darker side of the wizarding world 🌏 – not just Hogwarts, but the Ministry and Azkaban's origins, as well. You'll get to find out why Dolores Umbridge is so horrible and – the best, the best, the best! – it digs deeper into Professor Slughorn's relationship with Tom Riddle. Why do I like villains so much? Why am I so intrigued by Tom Riddle?

It's also my favorite. I have two. Sue me. You learn so much about some of the best and most interesting characters, including Professor McGonagall, which pleases fans very much. I loved ❤️ learning 📒 more about Remus Lupin, myself, but you even get a glimpse into Professor Trelawney's past. New characters come into play as well, such as Hagrid's predecessor as COMC, Kettleburn. It's like a dip in the Harry Potter pool in terms of tone and voice, too.

That is to say, of course, he pops up quite a bit, but these aren't continuations of his story. They do, however, reveal that tangled webs of events and relationships caught up in the fate of The Boy 👦🏽 Who Lived. That's the best part, really.

I got a mole and I don't want to talk about it. At least give me a weasel, Pottermore, I can pretend it's a reference to Draco. Seriously, though, great j/k, J. K., but does anybody need to talk about their Patronus? I'm here for you.

And on a truly serious note, if you love the HP universe 🌌 and still want to know more about your favorite people, places, and events, read 📚 these. I mean, you even get to learn more about the wizarding war. I'm ashamed to say I got more into this than I ever got into U. S. or world 🌏 history. Your mileage may vary, though. Who's read them, and what did you think?