For so many of us, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series has brought comfort and wonder into our lives when we’ve needed a lift, giving us a whole wizarding world to dive into when our own lives have felt a little less than magical. 

Who among us hasn’t patiently waited for their Hogwarts letter to arrive?! (I’m pretty sure mine was lost in the post, and I’m still ready to go if they will accept a 30-year old into their latest cohort of first years - just in case Professor McGonagall is reading this…).

Now that the whole world could do with a healing charm, who better than the Boy Wizard to lift our spirits during lockdown? Here is a list of free resources to bring the wizarding world to you, no apparition required!

CHECK OUT THE HARRY POTTER AT HOME HUB

J.K. Rowling’s newly created Harry Potter At Home hub is a fantastic starting point, providing excellent free resources to keep children of all ages (adult-aged children very much included!) entertained while staying safe at home. A great one for the little ones!

Freebies include puzzles, quizzes for first-time readers, supplementary educational material for home-schooling, guides for how to draw some of your favourite magical creatures, and best of all, free access courtesy of Audible Stories to Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone, read to you in Stephen Fry’s soothing, dulcet tones. 

Thank you, dear J.K., for “putting a Banishing Charm on boredom!”.

HAVE YOUR VERY OWN SORTING CEREMONY

If you’re a true Potterhead, you probably already know which house you’re in (been there, taken the test on Pottermore…). But the most hardcore fans know it’s not that simple. Are you really a Ravenpuff or a Slythindor? Thanks to the gloriously nerdy people at Sorting Hat Chats, you can take this fun, interactive and VERY detailed quiz to find out.

And remember - the Sorting Hat always takes your choice into account!

HAVE A HARRY-INSPIRED CRAFTERNOON

Once you’re all sorted, how about trying out some Potter-themed arts and crafts to show your Hogwarts pride? Perhaps you’d like to knit a scarf in your house colours, upcycle some plain mugs, create some Deathly Hallows earrings or have a go at some magical hand-embroidery.

LISTEN TO SOME POTTER-THEMED PODCASTS

And while you’re busy crafting away, why not listen to a Harry Potter podcast to enhance your reading? 

Witch, Please is a smart and sassy podcast by two self-titled “lady-scholars” from Canada, who treat pretty much the entire Harry Potter canon (including books, films and even games) to a healthy dose of feminist literary criticism, always delivered with humour, fierce intelligence and a real love for all things Potter. 

Harry Potter and the Sacred Text is also a little bit nerdy, and VERY lovely and  heart-warming. Hosts Kasper and Vanessa treat Rowling’s beloved books with the sort of reverence and close attention traditionally reserved for sacred texts, helping listeners to eke out every last drop of positivity and inspiration from every chapter.

Or for something a little sillier, join Mike Schubert for his Potterless podcast, in which he reads Harry Potter for the first time, making hilariously off-the-mark predictions and poking fun at all the plot holes with a series of Harry Potter experts. 

BAKE SOMETHING WORTHY OF MRS WEASLEY

Many of us have turned to baking during lockdown, and goodness knows we all need a few treats right now, so here are a few Harry Potter-themed bakes to try out:

Right off the Hogwarts Express trolley, Pumpkin Pasties! 

Imagine you’re at a Hogwarts feast by making this absolutely delicious-looking treacle tart.

Or channel your inner Hagrid and bake some Rock Cakes. These ones won’t break your teeth!

READ WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SCI-FI AND FANTASY COLLIDE...

And finally, if you’ve ever wondered what would happen if a robot had a crack at writing Harry Potter, wonder no more! Thanks to Botnik, it’s really happened and it’s hilarious. Read the completely bananas three-page chapter, titled Harry Potter and the Portrait of what Looked Like a Giant Pile of Ash, right here.

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Written by Catrin Woodruff