Potter'ing around!

The chosen one returns. The gripping saga of Harry Potter that ended in a somewhat pleasant way, is finally back with an eighth book, and youngsters in the city are stoked! If you think potterheads have grown out of the series, you could not be more wrong. And to add to all that excitement, a number of venues are hosting book launch parties for both – wizards and muggles, to celebrate Harry’s return on his birthday.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by JK Rowling was initially written as a script for a stage play, but fans aren’t bothered about semantics when their childhood has been re-introduced!

“We are organising a fancy dress competition and the best dressed cosplayer will be given a prize!” says Maegan Sippy of the Lightroom bookstore, one of the places in the city which is going all out to celebrate the new book.

“Participants will also get sorted into teams and can participate in the Harry Potter quiz and pictionary game. And for the younger potterheads, we have colouring competitions planned,” continues the organiser, who is a super fan of the series herself.

The renowned series, which picks up 19 years after the battle at Hogwards, focuses on the life of Harry and his son Albus Severus Potter has fans stoked for it’s release.

“A lot of people like to pre-order the book and get it delivered, but all the fun is waiting in queue. The anticipation of getting to the counter and paying for the book at the store, is just so much fun! And places like Landmark are elaborately recreating the entire set up of the Kings Cross Station of platform nine and three quarters, I can’t wait to get pictures by it,” says Shonali Baretto an excited potterhead from the city.

While some places are going all-out, others are celebrating in a more subtle yet innovative way. “There will be a request reading, much like how DJs and RJs take requests. We have asked fans to mail us parts of the book they want read out and theatre person Deesh Mariwala will be performing it on the spot!” says Lakshmi Sankar, the co-founder of Atta Galatta. “The highlight of the evening though, will be the theatrical reading of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which will take place once all the other readings have been completed,” says Lakshmi excitedly.

So all you potterheads, bring out your wands and brooms and remember – don’t let the muggles get you down!