Freshers' Guide

By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes...

Harry Potter might not be the most conventional subject for a society, but who wants to be conventional? The Harry Potter Society is a friendly bunch of people who are more than willing to admit to their own geekiness (although we will vehemently deny being the literary equivalent of train spotters). We meet regularly for activities that range from quizzes and discussions to film nights and pub crawls. Last year we even held a Yule Ball in December and tried to work out the answer to the ultimate question. No, not life, the universe and everything (because everyone knows that's 42), but ‘can you dance like a Hippogriff?’

Members of the society come from all over the university, so it's a great way to meet people you might not normally meet. We've got everything from dentists to doctors and musicians to archaeologists, but what we've got in common is a love of the Harry Potter books. Will we listen if anyone tries to tell us they are just for kids? Of course not! Just look at the committee!

Just like Hogwarts, we have our own houses. House rivalry is just as strong as it is in the books, too, with the houses winning points for quiz victories and fanfiction and fan art competitions. We have a Sorting Hat (Muggle-made, unfortunately) and, when you join the society, you’ll be Sorted into one of the houses.

We started in 2005 and that year we won the award for Best New Society 2005/6. Just because Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released in July 2007 doesn’t mean that it’s the end of the society. We’re still all as excited about the society as ever and this just means we can do more social things!

If you ever have any questions, email us or post on our forum. The forum is intended to be a fun thing, so chat about other books, TV shows or films, or talk about crazy Potter things you love. Society members have a wide range of interests, so you’re bound to find someone who’d love to discuss the latest Doctor Who episode or Alan Rickman’s next project. Copies of the latest emails to society members are also often posted on the forum, too.