Harry Potter fans were left with a feeling of emptiness as they turned the final page of The Deathly Hallows this year. Despite the satisfaction that came with finally getting all the answers and seeing how everything came together, there also came the realisation that there would be no more suspense and wondering, and no more Midnight parties in bookstores to attend.
There is some comfort to be drawn from the two films yet to be released, but there is also the dull feeling that time is running out, and that soon there will be no more anticipation. Luckily, I have searched high and low to find the best Harry- related material to keep the withdrawal symptoms at bay, and you'll be pleased with the results.
A must for any fan are the impressive HP fansites, such as the JK Rowling approved MuggleNet, HPNAC, Lexicon and The Leaky Cauldron. These sites contain every piece of Harry information imaginable, including quotes from the books, gossip from the film set, forums, interviews with JK Rowling, and games.
Harry Potter is the most searched for name in on-line fan-fiction. Fanfiction.net has over 325,000 stories written by fans about the characters of the books. Rowling is said to be flattered by this and encourages it, unlike other authors who would be against it. It is reassuring that there are thousands of unread Harry stories out there to get through, although be warned, some contain homosexual storylines about Harry and his enemy Malfoy.
There are an army of on-line "shippers" who analyse the relationships within the texts, and feel that certain characters are meant to be together. There are some who are borderline obsessive about a Harry and Hermione romance, and re convinced that they are right. They have even angrily contradicted Rowling about it.
There have been a number of Harry Potter conventions around the world for fans, consisting of special speakers, games of wizard chess, reenacting Quidditch matches and movie screenings. Colleges in the US even have real Quidditch teams, who play a muggle variation of the game.
The Harry Potter Podcasts are a must for any fan. MuggleCast and HarryCast are the most popular. They are free to subscribe to and feature interviews with cast members, editors of the books, and on one occasion even JK Rowling herself. They also have weekly news on anything Potter-related, and chapter by chapter analysis of the books.
Perhaps the exciting of all are the numerous Harry Potter tours for die-hard fans. These can last up to eleven days, with tours of places where the films were made, such as Alnwick Castle, where outside shots of Hogwarts were filmed. The tours include trips to Scotland, with "Dragon Hikes", and a stay in the same hotel that the film cast stayed in. There are movie nights, "Great Hall" inspired banquets and visits to the café where Rowling wrote some of the books. There is even a train ride on the Hogwarts Express, and you will be surrounded by like-minded people, free to obsessively talk about the books in peace.
So grab your Nimbus and go get your Harry fix.
