The Return of Harry Potter

It has been almost nine years since J.K. Rowling blessed the world with the final written installment of the Harry Potter saga, but many fans are still in denial that the magic is actually over (Fred Weasley is still alive and you cannot convince us otherwise).

However on July 30th, all you Potterheads can finally abandon your slightly disturbing fan fiction, put aside your impressive DVD collection, and dust off your robes and owl cages because a brand new, Rowling-approved Harry Potter play called Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is debuting in London. And if that wasn’t enough to make you riddikulus-ly overwhelmed with excitement, on July 31st (which we all know to be the birthday of our favorite Chosen One) the script is being released as a book, which fans have been quick to call Harry Potter 8.

Yup, you read that right: NEW HARRY POTTER BOOK. (Well, sort of). Luckily enough for you, Flyby has the answers to all of your burning questions.

Is this real life??
Yes. Lying about a new Harry Potter story is something only Dolores Umbridge would do, and as far as I know she isn’t behind any of this.

Ok, so it’s real. But is it a play? Or is it a book??
First and foremost, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a play. It’s going to debut on July 30th, 2016 at the Palace Theatre in London, and it will take place in two parts, meaning audiences will have to purchase tickets for two consecutive nights in order to get the full experience. And you thought Deathly Hallows was epic).

Wait, so how did the book version come about?
Because not all fans of the series have figured out how to apparate across the pond, the lovely people behind the live show decided to release a print version of the story. While technically it is a script and not an actual novel, who is going to pass up the chance to read NEW HARRY POTTER? This is just about as magical as it gets.

HOLD UP. Did J.K. Rowling even write it?
While the script was written primarily by a dude named Jack Thorne, Rowling contributed to the creation of the story line. So the answer is yes, Cursed Child is a pure blood.

How does this story fit in the existing timeline?
If you’ve seen Rowling’s Twitter over the past couple of months, then you would already be aware that this is NOT a prequel and she wants everyone to know that. Seriously, that lady is not joking around here.

Actually, Cursed Child picks up where Deathly Hallows left off: 19 years after the Battle of Hogwarts when Harry and Ginny send their three sons off to learn magic (and manage mischief) in the hallowed halls of their alma mater. But nothing is ever simple for the Potters, and darkness awaits at every turn as little Albus Potter tries to deal with the legacy of his dad’s days as The Boy Who Lived. Oh, and apparently Harry might be having some kind of mid-life crisis involving his job at the Ministry. Like, seriously, can this dude just chill out for once and live a normal life?

Wait...who the heck is this “cursed child”? Wasn’t Harry cursed enough?
Tbh, nobody really knows. However, going off of the available information it seems like the mysterious “cursed child” is Albus Severus Potter, Harry’s youngest son. What is the curse? Who even knows, but with a name as long and...unique…as that, the poor kid is bound to have problems.

Okay, so the play is in London and odds of getting there are slim...how can I get the book?
Coming to a bookstore near you, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, get ‘em while they’re hot. Seriously though, the book is being released worldwide the day after the play premieres, both in print and on Pottermore (a.k.a. the website that you only signed up for to prove to your friends that no, you would not get sorted into Hufflepuff). So you’ve got several options for getting your hands on one of these bad boys.

Okay, one last question. Please tell me that we find out Fred Weasley never died and that it was actually just a very elaborate prank? Same with Sirius? What about Snape? Ugh and Dobby, PLEASE tell me Dobby comes back.
Sure, they may have died in the books, but they will always be alive in the hearts of fans and those who truly believe. (What kind of monster would even ask such a question? I hope you get Hufflepuff on the next sorting quiz you take. Go back to Azkaban you soul-sucking dementor, you).

So there you have it, the answers to all of your Harry Potter-related questions. Now that you finally understand exactly what it is that will be released on July 31st, all that's left to do is work on your Patronus and patiently wait.