While we typically don’t post links to personal sites or surveys, we enjoyed this idea too much to pass it up (plus editor Melissa is a Georgetown grad, so we admit some Hoya Saxa is involved). Kristen is using Harry Potter as the topic of her graduate thesis, and has asked fellow enthusiasts to help …read more!

Henry Jenkins at Technology Review has written a fascinating and very positive article about the educational merit of Harry Potter fan community publications like The Daily Prophet and fan fiction sites such as Fiction Alley and The Sugar Quill. Quote: “Many young fan writers aspire to professional writing careers; many are getting accepted into top …read more!

French HP site La Gazette du Sorcierhas obtained pics of the PoA Lego set (which were posted at one time and then taken off the web somehow). The pics include Azkaban, the Shrieking Shack, Buckbeak, Harry with the Marauder’s Map, and more! The pics are posted below just in case the site, which is already …read more!

Thanks to a fundraising walkathon on Honolulu, students at Waipahu Elementary School no longer have to borrow each other’s Potter books. The students at Waipahu High School raised over $1,400 for their younger counterpart’s library by strapping on their walking shoes – 50 student, forming “The League of Extraordinary Freshmen,” paired up with a fourth, …read more!

A psychologist from Edmonton, Canada, says that young students who are “angry, depressed or over-anxious about tests, sports championships or life in school hallways could use a little bit of Harry Potter therapy by envisioning an imaginary Hermione, Dumbledore or Hagrid coaxing them on.” “Harry Potter is all about bravery and courage and wisdom,” said …read more!

In a CBBC article, Tom Felton(Malfoy) gives auditioning tips to the girls trying out tomorrow for the part of Cho Chang. He says:”It’s good to make the casting people laugh, as it’ll stick in their minds.”

Steve Vander Ark of the Lexicon, who also updates the main page of the Floo Network has asked us to pass along the message that this week’s update is a bit behind schedule, as his computer is a bit crashed. Good thing for backups! He should have it up and going soon.

Japanese fan Akichoro has taken pictures of the new Japanese official HP goods shop called “Harry Potter Collection – World of Books” in Yokohama city, Japan. The full report includes shots of PoA props on display, including the Firebolt, Trelawney’s crystal ball, and one of the purple squishy sleeping bags from PoA! Check it out: …read more!

In a short interview Emma Thompson said that she enjoyed working on “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”. Playing the part of Professor Trelawney, she is also hoping to be around for film five, saying..”no acting required, just the waving of an empty bottle.”

CBBC has a brief bit of news (and a photo!) from the Krum tryouts, which drew hundreds of Bulgarian hopefuls. Ananova reports that hopeful Krums who skipped school to attend the tryouts will not be punished for doing so. (I have a feeling Snape would have felt differently)