Any Pagan worth his salt knows that JK Rowling must have done even a little research into the ancient properties of magickal herbs, stones, and equipment. To the non-Pagan reader, the references she chose to use in her novels may smack of original invention by the lush imagination of such a fine authoress. However, for those of us in the know, Rowling used a fair bit of practices and tools once used (and, in some cases, still utilized) to affect the outcomes of events in the physical world. Perhaps, for this reason, Bible-thumping teachers, parents, and clergy have a fair argument for not allowing children to read the series. (Not that I feel any book should ever be banned from anyone. We should all be allowed to think and decide for ourselves. How else can discoveries be made and proper problem solving techniques develop?) Nevertheless, this is not the point of this post. Those of you that follow this blog and know me know my stance in this debate. No, the point of this post is actually as the title implies: letting your geek flag fly!
Twice I have signed up on Pottermore. The first was years ago, when it was still set up as an online Hogwarts presence with classes, extra-curriculars, and House points intact. When I answered my House Sorting Quiz as truthfully as I could, Ravenclaw welcomed me with open wings. I wasn't the best student at first, but with determination, my Potions grade moved up to what I felt it should be. It was such fun, and a perfect stress reliever for me. Ah! but life marches on, and I frequented the site less as social interactions, work, and other priorities took over.
Now, having returned, wondering if any of my grades were still available, or if I had to start from square one, I found the site had changed. It was no longer the Hogwarts experience, but a compilation of information all-encompassing both UK and US magickal schools, movie and character data for all of Rowling's stories, and scads of articles and behind-the-story tidbits. For a Potterhead, this is still a perfectly reasonable way to enjoy a little time on the interwebs, but for a part-time gamer, it certainly isn't as much fun as it was once. House sorting is still a thing, though. One is still required to answer a quiz. I like to think that I am at least a slightly different person than I was when first joining Hogwarts. Certainly, my heart and outlook on life in general has changed. Fundamentally, though, the depth of my personality hasn't deviated much. I'm proud to say that I am still a Ravenclaw. Ravenclaw for life, it seems. This new site has two other quizzes a student can take - Ilvermorny House sorting and Patronus discovery. Amazingly, I have been sorted into the Horned Serpent House; the US equivalent to Ravenclaw. My patronus is a Black Swan. For a bird lover (who is also a secret goth), this continues to tickle me! Seems it took longer to figure it out, too, as the quiz kept slowing down, like it was about to discover my patronus, only to speed back up and need more answers.
Have any of you joined Pottermore? Had you done so in the past, and find yourself required to re-join when the site changed? Did your House assignment change (was there a space of time when you feel you changed as a real, living human in the real world?) What's your patronus? Did it take a while to emerge? Geek out with me!
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