[NOTD] News Of The Day 03/05/07

Part 2 of the Ultimate Deathly Hallows Predictions Quiz - Bugs Fixed, New Look, New Questions!

Only 80 days to go now, and to celebrate, we have added 100 more questions to our Ultimate Deathly Hallows Predictions Exam. Not only that: It's at a new address, it has a great new look (designed by John Noe and programmed by Nick Poulden and Alex Robbin, and featuring some real-time results), all the bugs have been fixed, and you can edit your old answers if you had trouble last time.

Super!Alex has once again done some magic on this update; Praxagora gathered the questions and Andy helped enter the info. A whole LOT of moderators and elves worked on this, too. The new design features fanart from the incomparable(s) Marta and Makani.

Remember, this is the last time EVER that a quiz like this is possible, and we want to know what kind of Trelawneys, Firenzes, Cassandras, and even Nevilles we have among us. Those who have guessed the most correct answers (this quiz will be scored after DH is released) will be showered with prizes and a whole lotta bragging rights fandom wide. Enjoy!

New OotP Poster from Sweden

Harry Potter Mentions in New Disney Adventures, Nick Magazine

With a new month comes new issues of magazines, and there are two mentions of Harry Potter included in several magazines now on newsstands.

The May issue of Disney Adventures Magazine contains a brief mention of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, with this photo of Dan Radcliffe as Harry Potter on the cover. The mention features the previously released photo of Umbridge sitting at her desk with the following copy:

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Heroes-the Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore's Army-clash with zeroes-You -Know-Who and the dreadful Dolores Umbridge-in Harry Potter's most dangerous adventure yet.

We can't wait to see...If you love to hate the bad guy, then you're in for a sour treat with actress Imelda Staunton's portrayal of Dolores Umbridge. As Daniel Radcliffe(Harry Potter) told us, "Umbridge has this mad need for control and order all the time, and she doesn't really have it. In terms of people in the book who are not on Voldemort's side, she's probably the most evil."

Also, inside the back page of the new issue of Nick Magazine (with Spider-Man on the cover) there is a full page ad for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, similar to what we saw previously promoting the Scholastic "There Will Soon Be 7" campaign, this one with the covers of the previous six Harry Potter novels. Anyone with scans from either or both magazines, please send them in!

Even More New "Order of the Phoenix" Poster Book Images

Prophecy Announces Keynote Speakers

Prophecy 2007, the Harry Potter convention taking place in Toronto, Canada, in August, has announced its slate of keynote luncheon speakers - and among them is our own very lovely Sue Upton!

Sue will be taking part in a discussion on "the unique experience of being an HP fan: the fun, fantasy, and fanaticism of the community." Among those also on her panel are Steve Vander Ark, our Harry Potter Lexicon partner and Canon Conundrummer; Heidi Tandy, former Leaky staffer and founder of FictionAlley.org, and Paul DeGeorge, half of Harry and the Potters and hot-dog savant.

Also announced was the Canon: Its Context and Completion panel, featuring HP academic John Granger, Connnie Neal, Philip Nel and more.

For more information check out HP2007.org.

Arthur Levine Appears on CBS "Early Show"

Arthur Levine, the US editor of the Harry Potter books was a guest on the CBS Early Show today, to help launch the new Scholastic question as part of the "Soon There Will be 7" campaign heralding the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on July 21. As posted below, the new question today asks "Is Snape Good or Evil," and CBS reports:

Arthur Levine, co-editor of the "Harry Potter" books, said that the trivia questions help sustain the excitement surrounding the books.

"The hoopla has been going on for years, a decade," Levine told The Early Show weatherman Dave Price. "We're part of that excitement. We're wondering all these questions, too. We wanted to help focus the conversation and be part of all the excitement, with all the readers who are wondering."

At this link, you can watch video of this appearance (right side of page), as well as a few children sporting their Potter garb giving their thoughts on Professor Severus Snape. UPDATE: We also now have this in our video galleries for you to enjoy.

Issue 16 of Scribbulus Now Online

Love is in the air this lovely spring month of May as Issue 16 of Scribbulus, TLC's essay collection, is now online. In this issue focusing "Love, Romance and Shipping" (yes the dreaded shipping word :) ) we have the following papers on that subject, as well as a few others listed below. Enjoy!

"Love as a Weapon: the Moral Choices at the Heart of Harry Potter"
by Rosamonde Bane

"The Battle Inside Hermione's Heart" by Segonku

"My Name is EruditeWitch, and I'm Addicted to "Shipping" by The Erudite Witch

"Neville and Luna: Crazy, But Meant To Be" by hpboy13

"Oh Draconian Prince, Oh Lame Snape!" by caltheous

"Ley Lady Ley" by theredwitch

"Dumbledore Is Alive!" by John Acton Lotus

"But In Essence Divided" by Avogadro

"The Genius of Rowling's Red Herrings" by Katharina Antonova

"Ponderings on the Fidelius Charm" by Bearpaw

Their next call for papers is on Character Analysis with submissions due by June 1.

Ask the Potter Stars on CBBC Newsround

Is Snape Good or Evil?

Is Snape Good or Evil? That is the question long asked by fans of the Harry Potter series, and so now too is Scholastic asking this question as part of the "There Will Soon Be 7" campaign. The US publishers have now updated their Harry Potter website with the second of the questions they will be asking over the coming weeks before the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on July 21, 2007.
Fans can vote,here, on answers relating to the nefarious Potions master:

Good and still a spy for the Order of the Phoenix

Good but in too deep with Voldemort

Evil and has always been a spy for Voldemort

EVil but only because Voldemort is back

And no alas, 'slimy git who needs to keep his nose out of people's business and go wash his hair' is not an option. ;) You can also see this question about Snape on bookmarks that you can download at home. Fans may want to note the bookmark this time features a photo of stone stairs leading down to an open doorway, perhaps to Snape's potions room? Also updated is the second poster, this being a cover of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Be sure to explore the cover art to this and all the US covers by Mary GrandPre here.

816 Pages for Deluxe Edition of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"