Fanfiction to Read: A Black Comedy by Nonjon

Dementors, check. Badges that don't actually do anything? Check. Nothing significant to report on? Check. And, with that said, let us proceed to today's fanfiction review...

Pottermore: Badges Explained

So, here we are - Badges are a newly announced feature on Pottermore. So, what do these badges actually do, you ask? Frankly, for now... absolutely nothing. We just have them. However, it is a new feature, and I might as well write about it. 

Short and Boring Personal Update

Yeah, I've been silent for the past week... nothing to update here, is all. I've got A TON of things I'd like to write about, really, but I haven't got the energy, as I have been doing a lot of freelance work lately, as well as working on my mystery novel. The working title, as you may have seen on Twitter, is Canterbury Jones and the Strange Asparagus of Doom. 

In any case... nothing so interesting going on. I'm just utterly tired. However, here's a rundown of the latest news:

• Emma Watson being considered to play the lead role of 50 Shades of Grey, reportedly. Whole Harry Potter fandom hopes this is not true.
• Mrs. Edward "Sparkly" Cullen, allegedly slept with some guy who is NOT Mr. Edward "Sparkly" Cullen. People's delicate sensibilities are shocked, violated, and skullfucked.
• Pottermore has yet to update. July 31st looking more and more likely as a date for release of chapters 5-11.
• Rupert Grint ran with the Olympic Torch today, and it was awesome. 
• MyHogwarts.com is a very fun site.
• I've finally achieved the perfect shade of golden bronze nail polish.
• We had a flood at the studio last thursday. RIP monitor and one of the Macs. 
• I have a bunch of mysterious muscle and joint pains that aren't going away... and have had them for a week now. #FirstWorldProblems

Fanfiction to Read: Estora's Journals and Ice Cream Series

Not much is going on at the moment, Pottermore-wise. Thus, I have decided to start up a small weekly series, talking about my favorite Harry Potter fanfiction at the moment. I know it can be very very difficult to find a good story worth reading - I think I spend more time searching than actually reading sometimes!So, this weekly fanfic roundup of sorts is here to help you, my reader, find a fanfic to read that doesn't suck. Read on for my first choice...

#Pottermore: It's down!

Anyone got news why?? 

I checked their Facebook page, it's mainly a bunch of 13-year olds complaining about lag and sorting hat issues that put them in Hufflepuff.
Comment below if you've got info on what's up and if it works for you!

Pottermore: Reports are flying in...

More screencaps are flying in of people who have moved past the 5th chapter of Chamber of Secrets on Pottermore.Some say that it is a glitch; others say it is a beta testing extravaganza (to which we are cordially not invited). However, we have yet to discover any news from the people currently experiencing these chapters for themselves. They are being quite silent - possibly, under an Unbreakable Oath to not say anything?

Technorati claim token post

 This is the post I need to post in order for the post to be posted because, you know, no post on Sundays.

MQVEYX6GEGFW

Now, enjoy this photo of the metal subgenres as depicted in the form of popular Harry Potter characters.

 

Pottermore: "Be patient, this page will unlock very soon"

This is the message I got when I clicked on Chapter Five of Chamber of Secrets in the Pottermore Gateway (gotta test it, don't ya?). I never got this previously - I only got the popup telling the chapter name, with a grey background, and that zero of my friends are currently on this chapter. "Be patient, this page will be unlocked very soon", it says, "Parts of the experience are locked so that the story is not spoiled for you."

Pottermore: Lockhart, Owls, and Chamber of Secrets Second Installment

 Today's entry is actually a couple of days late. It's going to be a short one. Flourish and Blotts now has the new Lockhart books in stock, as well as the Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 by Miranda Goshawk. I've included screenshots of all the books after the cut, so check them all out below!

Review: Sirius Black and the Secret Keeper Episode 1

So, I've been hearing quite a bit lately about this new series, Sirius Black and the Secret-Keeper. It is a webseries that follows Sirius Black in his sexy, rugged, pre-Azkaban days. It has been unveiled at Ascendio 2012 (a Harry Potter con in Orlando, Florida) this past weekend. I caught the first part of Episode 1 over on Youtube (which is all that is available at the moment) and here is my SPOILER FREE review!

Top Causes of Drarry Relationships

Just saying.

Pottermore SPOILERS: Review & Guide for CoS

So, the Chamber of Secrets has been opened... the first four chapters have, in any case. Now, the new content is a lot more complex and interactive, and many people in the Slytherin common room are happy about this. I am a bit surprised we are getting access so early - I was expecting that we would have to wait until the 31st. In any case here is my Pottermore review and guide of sorts to the things I have found...

Before you continue to read this entry, ask yourself... are you absolutely certain you want to get all these spoilers? Okay, yeah, you read the books, you saw the movies, you participated in naked muggle quidditch and went to the wrock festival, congratulations. However, do you REALLY want to read ALL about what happens and how to do it, and then be completely unsurprised? Let me tell you something, young grasshopper. While waiting for the Deathly Hallows to come out way back in high school, I picked up a book in the library that was something along the lines of "what to expect to read in Deathly Hallows". And it totally ruined the book for me!! I've only ever read that book twice in my whole life - as compared to the billion times that I've read all the other ones. So, are you really sure??? ABSOLUTELY?? 

Well, alright then. Continue on for SPOILERS.

Slytherin Pride!!

Finally, not Pottermore related updates from me! Oh, wait, that's the only reason people read this blog. Well, in any case this is Harry Potter related. These awesome chicks did a version of a Ke$ha song - "We R Slytherins".

Pottermore: What I'd Like to Experience

Well, while we're all sitting here waiting for our owl post, and either gloating or seething, let's talk about the features we'd all like to see added. I've got a short list of things I'd want to see, but there's only so much that will be added. 

Sunsets are Awesome!

Just thought I'd share a photo I took yesterday. Looks mega cool, right? Who says you can't take a decent photo with a camera phone!! 

Chamber of Secrets Arrival Date

I know what you're feeling. The excitement; the anticipation; the desire to go pee but at the same time the desire to never leave Pottermore, lest your Chamber of Secrets owl arrives while you're in the lavatory. What, that last one is just me? Okay, whatever. My point is, we're all anticipating Chamber of Secrets update like Sirius Black anticipates snausages, and we are not afraid to show it.

Now, I've been hearing mutterings in the deep recesses of the Slytherin common room that the next owl mail is due to arrive at midnight. It is unclear whether they meant yesterday or today, or if it's going to be tomorrow. As for myself, I think it is just wishful thinking. 

Most likely, the soonest we will see anything of the Chamber is around July 31st. It's an appropriate date, isn't it? Plus, I think the Pottermore staff are still working on the final touches - it's doubtful the update is fully ready. 

To check out my predictions for Chamber of Secrets, click here!

If you enjoyed this update, please consider signing up for our newsletter. Simply enter your email address in the little white box on your right-hand side. You won't get any spam, just emails whenever I post new updates! :)

Things to Expect in Pottermore's Chamber of Secrets

By now, you've all probably heard - Slytherin have won the house cup, and, as reward for their hard work, they will get to open the Chamber of Secrets 24 hours ahead of everyone else - as they SHOULD, because, after all, who was it that made the Chamber of Secrets? Umm, Salazar Slytherin. In any case, this Slytherin decided to write up her expectations of the new content that Pottermore will bring us with this update. Some is painfully obvious, some... not so much.

Harry Potter Stickers? Yes please!

Went to Union Square today with the Better Half. We'd purchased a Dynex headset on Tuesday that turned out to have some kind of defect. Thus, we decided to return the darn thing. Salesgirl flirted with Better Half very obviously, however, since she was ugly and desperate enough to flirt with a guy whose girlfriend is RIGHT NEXT TO HIM, I'm really not worried.

Pottermore: Annnd the Winner is...

SLYTHERIN!

Pottermore: Countdown to the House Cup

Over the past ten days, I have been giving all my friends grief with my Pottermania. Brewing potions on a schedule, dueling only Ravenclaws... frantically refreshing Chapter 17 Moment 2, where you can get a free bezoar... oh yeah. It's been a fun time, and I am definitely enjoying every moment of it.

How to Post on Facebook as a Page

So a friend of mine asked me how to use FB as a page today. Since I need to write about something other than how awesome Pottermore is, and what color my nails are, I decided to write up this little guide on how to use Facebook as a "like" page. Hopefully this will be clear enough to follow for even beginners.

CrossPost: Rising Sun Freestyle: Song of the Day - Sister Christian - Night Ranger

Rising Sun Freestyle: Song of the Day - Sister Christian - Night Ranger: Not going to explain why this song, today, but why not, they're good.

If you haven't checked out my work for Rising Sun Freestyle, you totally should! My music taste is epic.

Pottermore Insider Announce Chamber of Secrets Updates are Soon to be Announced

If you've missed it, earlier today the Pottermore Insider page announced a Chamber of Secrets update would be coming up on the Pottermore Gateway shortly. I am assuming that Chamber of Secrets will soon be available to explore for all of us die-hard Potterheads; I will try to create a walkthrough for CoS if I can. However, with this announcement, and with the inaugural house cup being awarded on July 5th, what does this mean for the timeframe we're looking at?

By now, of course, we are all full of suspense like a hippogriff is full of nice, dead ferrets. We've brewed ourselves into a stupor; we've dueled and dueled and singed our eyebrows off with a badly cast Incendio. So what will be coming up for us in the second installment? What other features are there, and how can we earn house points?

Introduction :)

Well, hello there. Found your way to my blog, did you? Wondering who the hell I am? Don't worry, I am too.

Well, to make it easier for you, the name's Katherine Erlikh, and I'm a writer, somehow. I am also a fashionista, sometimes a model, an eager shopper, a musician, a Potterhead, proud Slytherin, and all around vain person. 

This is just a small project to keep myself from dying of boredom.

Won't you stay and enjoy this ego trip of mine?