It all ends... or does it?

So the most-anticipated and simultaneously most-dreaded moment of the year (try the decade) has finally arrived. The era of the multi-million pound franchise Harry Potter is finally coming to a close after an amazing 14 years in our hearts. 2007 saw the emergence of the final literary instalment of the series with book shops around the UK filled to the rafters with queues of people eagerly anticipating the famous trio’s fate. And this weekend the final film Deathly Hallows Part 2 is released. From this moment, no longer will there be ‘the next book’ or ‘the next film’ to look forward to. The boy who lived has lived and we certainly enjoyed living with him.

The famous trio Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe laugh along with the Harry Potter creator, JK Rowling, at the UK premiere of Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

The posters are up all around the UK, featuring the now-famous slogan ‘It all ends’. But does it? I’m here to tell you not to despair, things aren’t as bad as they seem. The Harry Potter phenomenon still lives on and here’s why....

1.       Pottermore. Potter fans all around the world are anticipating the opening of the Pottermore website, created by Ms. Rowling herself. Expressed as a unique and exciting online reading experience, the website promises to give the world a new insight into the Harry Potter books that has never been seen before. On her YouTube announcement, Rowling says it is a place where fans of any age can share, participate in and rediscover the stories that we all know and love. Speculation is rife as to what this elusive statement actually means, from re-writing the stories yourselves and to finding out hidden ideas Rowling has about the characters, plotlines and more. However, we all know it will be the emergence of something amazing, which allows the reading public to carry on their love and participation in the story of Harry Potter. Visit pottermore.com on the 31^st July to find out how you can get the chance to enter Pottermore early.

Rowling sent shockwaves throughout the publishing industry with her Youtube announcement on Pottemore.com. 

2.       JK Rowling’s new beginning. Rowling has provided us with the comfort that she is working on new material and has plans to publish it! She exclusively revealed to BBC News that she has been ‘writing hard’ and ‘done quite a lot since finishing Harry’. So no need to despair, although Rowling won’t be carrying on the Potter series, there will definitely be more to come. This can be seen as both a new beginning and an end for Rowling. So what can we expect? Rowling has previously mentioned she has been working on a political fairytale for young children, a Harry Potter encyclopaedia and a book aimed at adults. However, she has said that her new venture will not be a fantasy series: "I think I've done my fantasy. To go and create another fantasy universe would feel wrong, and I don't know if I'm capable of it." However, Rowling did tease us at the Deathly Hallows Part 2 premiere in London last week in her tearful farewell speech: ‘Maybe I’ll write another one’. We can only hope!

3.       The story lives on in our hearts. Although the books have been published and the films released, we can still dip into them at any time, relive the favourite story of so many and dive back into a fantasy world that seems so real. Dan Radcliffe, at the Deathly Hallows Part 2 premiere in London, expressed that we are able to carry the story with us forever and Rowling gave this apt farewell:

‘The stories we love do live in us forever. Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.’

 And on that note, I'll leave you.

Emma  xx