Hold on to your hats, witches and wizards! J.K. Rowling’s just released a new Harry Potter story. Read that carefully. The story isn’t just in the Harry Potter universe, it’s about The Boy Who Lived. It’s been nearly seven years since the final book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and Harry is now in his thirties. Rowling gives us an update on Harry through the eyes of gossip columnist Rita Skeeter in a 1,500 word story on Pottermore.

It’s written as a tabloid piece. Harry, Ron, and Hermione reunite at the 2014 Quidditch World Cup, and Skeeter is there to capture all the juicy details. She’s probably replaced her acid green Quick-Quotes Quill in order to capture quotes and stories as inaccurately and sensationally as ever. She reports that the three friends have all grown up. Harry’s become a famous Auror who has “couple of threads of silver” in his hair and still wears his signature round glasses. He has a nasty cut on his right cheek.

Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger suffer at the point of Rita’s quill, too. Ron is co-managing the Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, and his hair is thinning. Rita calls Hermione the femme fatale of the group and says she has a very high place within the Ministry of Magic.

They’re not the only familiar faces in the story. Viktor Krum is still a star Quidditch player, and Potter takes his sons – James and Albus – to meet the talented Seeker. Rowling also provides updates on Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood.

Even if the piece is a jab at the invasive nature of the tabloid press, it’s delightful to visit old friends in the Harry Potter universe. You can read the full story by Rowling at Today or at Pottermore (registration for a free account is required).

HT: Time