It's been 16 years since my Hogwarts letter was presumably misplaced by some cursed owl, or lost in the deepest darkest workings of the wizarding postal system.
Yes, at 27 years of age, I've been forced to admit that the chances of my attending Hogwarts appear regrettably slim. This doesn't stop any of us Potterheads from dreaming though, from imagining how we'd fare on the Quidditch pitch and in Snape's potions lessons.
The answer to the latter, if my experiences of high school are anything to go by, is 'not well'.
One woman sold her first edition Harry Potter book for a huge amount of money:Such is the pull of the world JK Rowling first created more than 20 years ago - after all these years, her millions and millions of fans are still as invested in the wizarding world of Harry Potter as they were all those years ago, as they turned the pages of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for the very first time.
Now though, a small portion of your Potter-based dreams could be about to come true, because a group of Harry Potter fans have put together a remarkable online Hogwarts curriculum via the website Hogwarts is Here. What's more, the Hogwarts courses, which contain classic subjects like Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Potions and Transfiguration, are all free.
Once you're signed up, you can choose your character (or use your own name) and select your house. From there you can explore all of the course material at your own pace and socialize with your own private group of classmates.
Hogwarts is Here isn't the only Potter platform around this year, either. Earlier in 2020, JK Rowling announced the release of Harry Potter at Home. Rowling wrote on Twitter at the time, "Parents, teachers and carers working to keep children amused and interested while we’re on lockdown might need a bit of magic, so I’m delighted to launch harrypotterathome.com"
The website is intended to provide fun and stimulation for both longtime Potter fans and first-time readers of the books, including, for example, a reading guide for kids who might be diving into the books for the very first time.
If you want to take a look at Hogwarts is Here for yourself, or start taking classes, then you can visit the website here.