Pottermore.com

In April, JK Rowling opened up a interactive reading experience for Harry Potter fans on-line. I had been anticipating it since it was originally supposed to open in October. It's a free site that takes you through each chapter. Each chapter has pictures and information that go with it. A menu on the left allows you access to extra information that is not in the books. For example, in book one we learn all about Prof McGonagall's life, a bit more about the Dursley's and a bit more about Quirrell. Also, JK Rowling includes her thoughts as she was writing the book. So the extra info is cool! In the pictures that accompany the chapters, you find objects and chocolate frog cards. By chapter 7 you have gotten your letter from Hogwarts and the list of items you need for your first year. With the pictures you literally go to Gringotts to get your "money" and then go through Diagon Alley "buying" all the things on your list. The final thing you buy is your wand. Your wand picks you through various odd questions. Then the following chapter, you get sorted by answering various odd questions again! I was sorted into Hufflepuff. Once you are sorted, you learn spells and potions, which give you house-points. I will admit, I had to have one of my 6th grade boys show me how to do the spells correctly and I had to look on YouTube to figure out the potions. I'm doing very well on the spells now(even though the full body bind spell is the only one to get high enough power to win right now) and with potions, I am doing so-so---I have made some and it is not easy! I've only blown up one cauldron(so now I will have to buy another---plus you lose 5 points for that)! Hufflepuff is so far behind on house-points it's not even funny! I'm hoping that when book 2 comes out that the House Cup winner will be announced and we can start over on points! I also like the security of it---you have to choose a random username from the site so no one knows who you are at all---and opponents are from all over the world! You can have friends, but you have share with each other your usernames so you know to accept them or not. I'm sure some people are okay have strangers as friends, but I'm not. But  I have been having a great time reading, dueling, searching, and brewing!!!