death to capslock

Upon the Existence of Muggles

Sun, 27 Sep 2015 21:50:00 GMT

Posted by: terri-testing.livejournal.com

“Any woman can weep without tears, and most can heal with their hands. It depends on the wound.” Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn

If there is anything certain about the Potterverse, it is that there is an absolute gulf between Us and Them. There are Muggles and their opposites: Witches and Wizards.

( Read more... )

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From Pottermore: Stuff on Hogwarts Acceptance, Squibs, and Neville

Sat, 26 Sep 2015 14:47:00 GMT

Posted by: danajsparks.livejournal.com

In a recent comment about Pottermore, penguinsuzie wrote:

Reading the one about the Hogwarts Acceptance was actually making me annoyed.

The book refusing baby Neville. How great it is that Squibs are successfully kept out of Hogwarts. The fact that they are still using the same system a thousand years later because the wizarding world's lack of innovation is staggering. Though if she'd tried to tell us otherwise it wouldn't be believable because the magical community is so backwards already.

I had yet to read this note, so I checked it out. Here's what it says:

( The Quill of Acceptance and The Book of Admittance )

The Hogwarts acceptance process works similarly to how I imagined. However, in addition to what penguinsuzie has already said, there are a few things I find rather disturbing about this entry.

1. The Book may be "perfect" at keeping squibs out, but is it truly perfect at admitting everyone who may be eligible? What if it continues to mistake low levels of magical output for "residual aura," as it almost did with Neville?

2. The Book didn't admit Neville until he survived a fall, but Neville didn't simply "fall;" he was "accidently" dropped out the window by his Great Uncle Algie. So, does the Book's "sternness" therefore justify the abuse of potential squibs?

3. Hagrid says that Harry's "name's been down ever since he was born." Dumbledore must have known that Neville's name wasn't initially inscribed in the Book, which leads me to question whether he ever seriously considered Neville as a candidate for the prophecy. And did Tom ever find out that Neville's name wasn't in the Book?

P.S. The Pottermore website has been completely redesigned, and you no longer need an account to view the content.

P.P.S. But good luck finding anything in particular because the site is completely disorganized right now. There's a search tool in the upper-left corner that's somewhat helpful.

P.P.P.S. I want to add that some of the issues being raised here are also addressed in terri_testing's essay, Parenting in Pureblood Culture, especially in Part IV.

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POTTERMORE: The Potter Family

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 21:04:00 GMT

Posted by: radicalhighway.livejournal.com

I've been a lurker of this place for so long! I've decided to post my first entry... I hope it's enjoyable.

The old Pottermore was scrapped and another one is going to take its place. Here I thought it couldn't get any less interesting, but it did. Supposedly, there's going to be something similar to the old thing that will be added. I found the FAQ page to be absolutely hillarious, so I thought it would be funny to share a few snippets.

This is where you’ll be able to read brand new writing by J. K. Rowling (yes, it’s canon!), check out magical characters, objects, spells and places, reminisce about the first time you read the books, ruminate on advice from the great Dumbledore, speculate about Newt Scamander, try to guess the identity of the Cursed Child, fall in love with the stories all over again and SO MUCH MORE.

So yes, these thing is canon and it's very important that we all know this. JKR really likes to tell people what to think, there's no such thing as readership interpretation, and she's a real hack, because she didn't include any of this in the series and instead chose to spend her time writing about nonsense.

The good thing about it is that there's more "canon" stuff to spork. It's amazing how I used to love this series until a certain point, but then it became so bad I get entertainment out of mocking it, for years too. Pottermore was really slow in the updates by the end tho, so expect it to go exactly like the books. Really fun when it starts, bland and lazy after awhile.

The Cursed Child... Uhm... Must be every Slytherin that has ever existed... Remember though, choices make you who you are. Except if you're Tom Riddle. That one was rotten since conception. Oh no, I know, the Cursed Child is Tom Riddle. Such a pair, the Cursed Child and the Boy Who Lived.

Also a moment of silent for the great Dumbledore. I almost cried but I'm over 20 so I managed to hold myself. Imagine if I cried, I'd be classified as a Cho Chang, not a Ginny Weasley.

From the bottom of my Hermione-loving heart, welcome to the new and improved Pottermore.

The Cho Chang badge of tears belongs to me after all.

We have so much more to give you; writing, movies, plays, books, characters, places, backstories, and it’s rumoured that discovering your very own Patronus is also in the works...And the icing on the cauldron cake? The new Pottermore logo is in J.K. Rowling’s own handwriting.

The icing on the cake of the website is JKR writing a word in her own handwritting. There's setting the bar low and then there's this.

Now onto her lovely backstory about the Potter family.

( The Potter Family by J. K. Rowling )

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Unrelated Thoughts on Geography, Pottermore, and Other Stuff

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 19:43:00 GMT

Posted by: danajsparks.livejournal.com

I have a few things floating around in my head, none of which really warrants its own post....

Swythyv
Is anyone in touch with her? If so, could you please let her know that we're thinking of her? I know she's had some ups and downs with her health, so I hope she's ok. I'm missing her essays. Most of her older ones are still available on hp-essays, but the newer ones were on her own LJ, and it looks like she's taken them down or made them private.

Pottermore
For several reasons, I generally dislike the new content on Pottermore, but there are enough nuggets of useful information here and there that I'm reluctant to completely disregard the site. I've decided to deal with this by treating many of the notes as though they were written by in-universe characters, rather than as "Word of God." For instance, in Lupin's biography, I can pretend that the syrupy story about Remus and Tonks — which basically shoots down any theories about Remus being queer ("He had never fallen in love before.") — was written posthumously by an oblivious Molly Weasley who never realized that Remus had previously dated men. In fact, Molly Weasley works as the author for much of the content. We even have a long entry on Celestina Warbeck.

Wizarding World Geography
What territories are under the jurisdiction of Wizarding Britain? Certainly England, Scotland and Wales. Almost certainly Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man. Probably all of Ireland, though that isn't entirely clear. But what about the 14 British Overseas Territories that are still under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United Kingdom, such as Bermuda and the Cayman Islands? Or what of other countries and territories that were formerly part of the British Empire? Did any magical populations choose to remain part of Wizarding Britian, even if their Muggle counterparts became independent countries? I could see a small country like Barbados going that route. Did wizarding British governance expand along with the British Empire, or did it only include colonies established before the Statute of Secrecy? Could Wizarding Britain have territories in places that were never part of the Muggle British Empire? These questions are mostly rhetorical. I've just been pondering what actually constitutes Wizarding Britain.

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J. K. Rowling presents Umbrigde's backstory

Fri, 31 Oct 2014 19:51:00 GMT

Posted by: t0ra-chan.livejournal.com

In time for Halloween JKR gave us another short story (more background info to be honest, it's not like it has a plot). You can read it at Pottermore (if you have an account and can actually remember your user name and password) or you can read it here: J.K. Rowling writes Harry Potter Halloween tale profiling 'malicious' Dolores Umbridge

My personal take on this little story is that it's wholly pointless. It just repeats that Umbridge was always a nasty person with no depth to her and she's worse than blood purists. Nothing really new or insightful is revealed, nor do I believe did anybody care to know this sort of stuff about Umbridge. I also found it very unbelievable that anybody would buy her claims of being a pureblood, considering how small the wizarding community is. And of course she was a Slytherin, because where else could an evil person in HP have come from.

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The new pre-epilogue

Sat, 19 Jul 2014 14:18:00 GMT

Posted by: sunnyskywalker

Excerpt here.

Maybe Pottermore members can fill us on on what's in the rest of "Rita's" article?

I have to wonder what they have added to the wizarding world's water supply. Remember how wizards used to be fickle creatures, capable of going from hero-worship to deep suspicion and hatred based on a few gossip columns or rumors in the halls? No longer!

As the crowd stampeded, tents were flattened and small children mown down. Fans from all corners of the globe stormed towards the area where members of Dumbledore’s Army were rumoured to have been sighted, desperate above all else for a glimpse of the man they still call the Chosen One.

Since Harry is about to turn 34, this is roughly 16 years after the DA did its thing. That they're still famous for being the DA, and Auroring and whatever else is clearly a distant, secondary consideration, suggests that they haven't really done anything all that newsworthy lately. (I would bet on the cut being from a game of pickup Quidditch with Ron & co. or something equally boring.) Yet they're excited enough to see Harry that Rita can spin it into a stampede?

There must have been nothing happening at all in the WW for the last 16 years. I guess they really do disappear when Rowling isn't looking.

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Sun, 22 Jun 2014 09:46:00 GMT

Posted by: sionna-raven.livejournal.com

I have been a member of HP fandom for many years. Recently I have become an active member of Pottermore. I know what most of you think of that site, but I hope you may consider the members a valid part of fandom. We, the members of Pottermore need your support. The site is malfunctioning, badly moderated and overall a mess, but the wonderful and not at all "stupid, blind worshippers" we met there make us stay. I have already asked for support on my own journal, but without much success. Now I'm asking here. We are organizing a protest, have written and emailed a petition and need more publicity. Due to errors in the programming accounts are disappearing, due to incompetent moderation people get banned and suspended by trolls. Active Players from all houses have united now to make our concerns heard. Here's a link to the petiton on my journal http://sionna-raven.livejournal.com/48478.html

Once we were all united by the love for the books and I thinkeven you still love some of the characters. Don't let the Ministry Morons drive us out of Hogwarts!

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Ginny Weasley commentates on the 2014 Quidditch World Cup

Sat, 19 Apr 2014 19:11:00 GMT

Posted by: papier.livejournal.com

( From Pottermore )

It's not much, just your typical Wizarding whimsy. Why she's updating on one of the most interminable parts of the books is beyond me.

But anyway...anyone want a go at writing a more 'realistic' article? This is far too dry for Ginny. Where's there part where she jinxes Elodie Dembélé because Harry remarked on her talent?

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Pottermore: GOF chapters 1-20

Mon, 20 Jan 2014 22:50:00 GMT

Posted by: oryx_leucoryx

The Pottermore wiki has info for the first half of GOF at this point. There is surprisingly little material, compared to the earlier books. Maybe Rowling is getting tired of making things up on the spot.

Chapter 4 has a blurb about The Floo Network. Nothing new, but there's a story about how in 1855 a witch named Violet Tillyman entered the fireplace at her home while sobbing (following a fight with her husband). As a result instead of going to 'Mum's house' she ended up at the residence of Myron Otherhaus, with whom she stayed for 20 years and had 7 children. Violet only resurfaced after her husband's death. For more details follow the link. I suppose in 20 years she never ran across her husband in Diagon Alley. The lesson is, if you are interested in meeting random distressed magical folks, change your last name to something that rhymes with 'house'.

( Read more... )

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Pottermore stuff

Sat, 30 Nov 2013 12:45:00 GMT

Posted by: oryx_leucoryx

I looked up the spoilers site, and it looks like they took down all the direct quotes from Pottermore after having being warned about copyright infringement. I suggest we take care. Summarizing or retelling new content should be OK, but no direct quotes.

Also, looks like GOF stuff is up. Can anyone tell us if there are any tidbits?

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Pottermore: more contradictions (The Ollivanders)

Sat, 10 Aug 2013 10:20:00 GMT

Posted by: oryx_leucoryx

So I was reading through old spoilers looking for backstories for my head-canon (though my VWar1 series reached the end of the war I'm still working on a couple of appendices). ( Read more... )

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New Pottermore entries from PoA

Wed, 07 Aug 2013 09:45:00 GMT

Posted by: t0ra-chan.livejournal.com

( Secret Keeper )

( Werewolves )

( Time-Turners )

( Patronus Charm )

( Remus J. Lupin )

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Pottermore : New material from Prisoner of Azkaban

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:56:00 GMT

Posted by: dracasadiablo.livejournal.com

( Hogwarts Portraits )

( The Marauder's Map )

( Gobstones )

( Dementors and Chocolate )

( The Firebolt )

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Pottermore : New material about Prisoner of Azkaban

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 04:19:00 GMT

Posted by: dracasadiablo.livejournal.com

( Aunt Marge )

( The Knight Bus )

( Sir Cadogan )

( Kettleburn )

( Boggart )

( Snape in a dress )

Apologies if my grammar, spelling and punctuation are off.
But I just got back from a New Year party and I'm not at my best.

p.s. Happy New Year! ;D

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New COS Content on Pottermore

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 17:18:00 GMT

Posted by: dracasadiablo.livejournal.com

( The Polyjuice Potion )

( JKR about The Polyjuice Potion )

( Ghost )

( Chamber of Secrets )

( The sword of Gryffindor )

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Have you all seen this post by Shyfoxling?

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:53:00 GMT

Posted by: sweettalkeress.livejournal.com

I'm Dreamwidth friends with her so I noticed she was exploring Pottermore.

What she found was this.

I left a comment at the bottom of the page with my initial thoughts, but now I'm torn between that and WHYYY DID ROWLING THINK THIS NEEDED TO BE EXPANDED UPON?!

Still more credence for the theory that Rowling has the mental maturity of a twelve-year-old?

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Malfoy family (Pottermore)

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 10:04:00 GMT

Posted by: oryx_leucoryx

I looked up the spoilers site and found there is more detailed information about The Malfoys. Enjoy!

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Pottermore: Exclusive Content for the Chamber of Secrets

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 15:50:00 GMT

Posted by: dracasadiablo.livejournal.com

Just unlocked all new Chamber of Secrets "Exclusive Content".

( Pure-blood )

( Peeves the Poltergeist )

( Ghost )

( Draco Malfoy )

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Thoughts on Pottermore So Far

Thu, 17 May 2012 23:33:00 GMT

Posted by: sweettalkeress.livejournal.com

Sooo, I have a Pottermore account (I'm WatchHawthorn3475, if anybody wants to chat with me). I've only really been able to play it now that I've gotten back from school, since for whatever reason the settings aren't fully enabled on my school's computers (not even the laptops). So the first chapter I got to explore in full was Chapter 3. No matter.

First thing's first: my thoughts may seem a bit messy and disjointed. Hopefully you can still bear with me, since the website basically follows the plot of the books.

( Read my thoughts )

And... that's all I've got for right now. I have to admit, the interactivity of the site in general is nice, and that's probably the only reason I'm even bothering with it. Now I just wonder what'll happen once the plot actually starts.

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Pottermore-

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 23:45:00 GMT

Posted by: mary-j-59.livejournal.com

Okay - I confess; I joined Pottermore, out of sheer curiosity. I want to know if, by any strange chance, I will sort to Slytherin, and also what sort of wand I get. Still, some things struck me at once (I've spent about 20 minutes exploring the first chapter):

When describing Number 4, Privet Drive, Rowling said that she chose the number four because she disliked that number, finding it hard and unforgiving. I believe those were the exact words! Do you suppose that feeling is limited to the number four, or might it extend to other numbers?

On a more serious note, she based the look and floorplan of the house on that of a house she lived in herself - and got wierded out because, without discussing it with her, the filmmakers got the floorplan exactly right.

And - this is fascinating! - she had to argue with the publishers, who wanted to convert all the British measurements into metric ones. She also said that Wizards can do complex calculations magically. Can they, really? Then why did we never see them doing this?

Oh, dear. Maths.

But I'm very glad that she talked the publishers into keeping the old fashioned measurements. Can you imagine a metric Wizarding World? I can't.

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Pottermore implications - Mirror of Erised

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 03:14:00 GMT

Posted by: oryx_leucoryx

From the spoilers blog, about History: Mirror of Erised:

Only after Professor Dumbledore makes key modifications to the mirror (which has been languishing in the Room of Requirement for a century or so before he brings it out and puts it to work) does it become a superb hiding place, and the final test for the impure of heart.

So if we believe Rowling, the mirror had been in the ROR for about a century and Albus took it out, apparently in 1991, when he decided to use it to keep Flamel's stone. This has several implications: First, in contrast with what Harry thinks in DH, Albus was well aware of the use of the ROR as a hiding place. So why didn't he search it for one (or more) of Tom's Horcruxes? He knew Tom had access to the school when he came to interview, the school fit the pattern Albus guessed, of using significant locations from his past as hiding places. (Does this mean Albus did not have a Horcrux-revealing charm?)

Also, if Harry was wrong about whether Albus knew about the ROHT then anything Harry 'thinks', 'believes' or 'guesses' that isn't actually supported by facts in the text is fair game. Might be right, might be wrong. Long live fanfic!

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How shall we regard Pottermore

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 09:04:00 GMT

Posted by: terri-testing.livejournal.com

Books are canon.

Movies are not canon.

Interviews are not canon.

Are we to regard Pottermore, and the information released in it, as canon?

I.e., when Pottermore contradicts something in one of the books, is that a canon inconsistency or do we just ignore Pottermore?

When Pottermore contradicts a pet theory, must we adjust the theory or ignore Pottermore?

Can we come to a group consensus on this?

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Rowling's Pottermore Notes

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 14:04:00 GMT

Posted by: danajsparks.livejournal.com

I'm not a member of Pottermore, so I'm glad that some bloggers have been collecting Rowling's notes from the site. The notes don't have that many surprises, but a few things did jump out at me.

( Spoilers Ahead, Obviously )

In a note on the history of the Sorting Hat, Rowling writes:

The Sorting Hat is notorious for refusing to admit it has made a mistake in its sorting of a student. On those occasions when Slytherins behave altruistically or selflessly, when Ravenclaws flunk all their exams, when Hufflepuffs prove lazy yet academically gifted and when Gryffindors exhibit cowardice, the Hat steadfastly backs its original decision. On balance, however, the Hat has made remarkably few errors of judgement over the many centuries it has been at work.

So, in other words, Slytherins really are all evil? I think it's rather disturbing that this appears on an official fansite where all members are sorted by a personality quiz into one of the four houses, including Slytherin.

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Pottermore leak

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:28:00 GMT

Posted by: karentheunicorn.livejournal.com

Pottermore, if the yahoo info below is true apparently it's a online game...why am I not surprised - IF it is a game, who wants to take a wild guess they want us to pay to play it.

http://blog.games.yahoo.com/blog/792-report-j-k-rowling-to-unveil-harry-potter-online-game

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