THE JAKARTA POST: Potter fans gather in 'real world'

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/07/23/potter-fans-gather-039real-world039.html
Wed, July 23 2008
Jeanette Tamara , The Jakarta Post

Potter fans gather in 'real world'

The phenomenal Harry Potter book series has ended, but the enthusiasm of its fans has not.

Indo-harrypotter (IHP), an online Harry Potter fan club, held a face-to-face gathering of its members in Ragunan Camping Area on Saturday.

The event, named Visit Hogwarts 2008, hosted games and activities based on the lucrative series written by J.K. Rowling.

"In this game, a player progresses through the magic school Hogwarts step by step," said Herda Aprilia, chairman of the organizing committee.

The game was aimed at putting the contestants through a real-life Harry Potter experience.

In the game, participants competed against one another to earn magic money, attempted to win places at Hogwarts and also dueled each other with spells.

The organization even managed to bring the magic sport quidditch to the real world.

"The quidditch game is exactly the same as it is in the book only they aren't flying," Herda said.

The participants of the event ranged from elementary-school students to mothers, and those on the web site's mailing list.

"We are open to anyone from any age-range," Herda said, adding that anyone who liked the series and could navigate the Internet was welcome on the ever-expanding mailing list.

The list, which began with just five subscribers, now boasts 3,000 and has branches across the world.

"We have IHP Bogor, Bandung, Padang and many more," said Herda.

It also has expanded from a mailing list into a discussion forum -- which can be found at harrypotterindonesia.com -- as well as a virtual Hogwarts site indohogwarts.com and a business venue.

Members talk about all things Harry-Potter-related on the forums.

"We talk about the latest Harry Potter news, discuss the stories; those kinds of things," said Meiliana Lukman, 18, a mailing list member.

The mailing list has held 17 face-to-face gatherings so far, including two book launchings and a number of movie-watching events.

Every such gathering has had a different theme or concept, which Herda said were often based on the events depicted in the latest book or film.

"It still amazes me how creative IHP can be," said Herda, adding that the gatherings ensured members wouldn't become bored with online messaging.

"It's more fun because we can see other members and they have great games," said Hasan, another participant.

The group has created a whole other world of identities and magic, including wizard nicknames and magic education games based on the examinations Harry Potter faces in the books -- the Ordinary Wizarding Levels (O.W.Ls) and the Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests (N.E.W.Ts).

Some participants said the events offered great opportunities to meet new people.

"It's a great spare-time activity and it's a venue where you can meet new friends," said one participant, Cynthia Christine Jonachan, 17.

Meiliana said the book-series' story was fascinating.

"Harry Potter made me interested in reading, it showed me that a thick book made up of words can be interesting," she said.