The second batch of chapters from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban were released on Pottermore today, and we’ve gone through ’em to provide you a breakdown of what’s new.
As usual, in these chapters you’ll find new writing from J.K. Rowling. Here new words have been the centerpiece of this website since its launch. Also as usual, you’ll find yourself clicking around endlessly to discover galleons, animals, and random objects for collection.
The artwork in each chapter continues to be beautiful, too. Here are the highlights of each chapter:
Chapter 8: Flight of the Fat Lady
– New content from J.K. Rowling: Hogwarts Portraits. Sample:
However, the degree to which they can interact with the people looking at them depends not on the skill of the painter, but on the power of the witch or wizard painted.
When a magical portrait is taken, the witch or wizard artist will naturally use enchantments to ensure that the painting will be able to move in the usual way. The portrait will be able to use some of the subject’s favourite phrases and imitate their general demeanour. Thus, Sir Cadogan’s portrait is forever challenging people to a fight, falling off its horse and behaving in a fairly unbalanced way, which is how the subject appeared to the poor wizard who had to paint him, while the portrait of the Fat Lady continues to indulge her love of good food, drink and tip-top security long after her living model passed away.
Chapter 9: Grim Defeat
– A clip from the Jim Dale version of the audiobook.
Chapter 10: The Marauder’s Map
– New content from J.K. Rowling: The Marauder’s Map. Sample:
The magic used in the map’s creation is advanced and impressive; it includes the Homonculous Charm, enabling the possessor of the map to track the movements of every person in the castle, and it was also enchanted to forever repel (as insultingly as possible) the curiosity of their nemesis, Severus Snape.
Although the precise circumstances surrounding the makers’ loss of their map are not given in the Harry Potter novels, it is easy to conclude that they eventually over-reached themselves and were cornered by Argus Filch, probably on a tip-off from Snape, whose obsession it had become to expose his arch-rival, James Potter, in wrongdoing. The masterpiece of a map was confiscated in Sirius, James, Remus and Peter’s final year and none of them were able to steal it back from a well-prepared and suspicious Filch.
Chapter 11: The Firebolt
– A clip from the Jim Dale version of the audiobook
– New content from J.K. Rowling: Gobstones. Sample:
Professional Gobstone players compete in national leagues and international tournaments, but it remains a minority sport within the wizarding world, and does not enjoy a very ‘cool’ reputation, something its devotees tend to resent. Gobstones is most popular among very young wizards and witches, but they generally ‘grow out’ of the game, becoming more interested in Quidditch as they grow older.
Chapter 12: The Patronus
– New content from J.K. Rowling: Dementors and Chocolate. A brief couple of paragraphs on how eating chocolate after a Dementor attack is helpful to the body. Nothing really “new” here.
Chapter 13: Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw
– New content from J.K. Rowling: The Firebolt. Sample:
Little did the Nimbus designers realise that a racing broom was in development that would knock them from their number one spot within twelve months of its release. This was the Firebolt, a top-secret project developed by Randolph Spudmore (son of Able Spudmore of Ellerby and Spudmore, who produced the Tinderblast in 1940 and the Swiftstick in 1952, both serviceable brooms, but never achieving great popularity).
Chapter 14: Snape’s Grudge
– Nothing noteworthy
Chapter 15: The Quidditch Final
– Nothing noteworthy
What do you think of the new Pottermore chapters?
We’ll be sure to discuss them on the next episodes of Hype and MuggleCast.