Harry Potter At Home: JK Rowling launches new platform to help with coronavirus lockdown

Author says world needs ‘a bit of magic’

JK Rowling on 11 December 2019 in New York City. (AFP/Getty)

JK Rowling has unveiled a new Harry Potter platform to help keep children entertained while on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The author made the announcement on Wednesday on social media.

“Parents, teachers and carers working to keep children amused and interested while we’re on lockdown might need a bit of magic,” she wrote, “so I’m delighted to launch http://harrypotterathome.com.”

The website is live now with the tagline “Bringing Hogwarts to you”.

“Welcome to the Harry Potter At Home hub where you’ll find all the latest magical treats to keep you occupied – including special contributions from [Harry Potter publishers] Bloomsbury and Scholastic, nifty magical craft videos (teach your friends how to draw a Niffler!), fun articles, quizzes, puzzles and plenty more for first-time readers, as well as those already familiar with the wizarding world,” reads a description on the landing page.

“We’re casting a Banishing Charm on boredom!”

The website is aimed both at first-time readers and longtime fans of the Harry Potter book series, who might want to “feel the warmth of the fire in the Gryffindor common room or a much-needed hug from Mrs Weasley”.

It includes a reading guide for children looking to dive into the Harry Potter books for the first time, as well as a short text about the benefits of reading for pleasure. Other content includes a glossary for the Harry Potter franchise, a guide to its characters, wordsearch games, quizzes, and – yes – a guide to learn how to draw a Niffler, the magical beast introduced in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

The platform also includes a link to a questionnaire designed to sort people into their Hogwarts houses – a feature previously launched in 2012 on Pottermore.

Pottermore moved to WizardWorld.com, where Harry Potter At Home is hosted, in 2019.