J.K. Rowling has created a free online Harry Potter hub to help "cast a banishing charm on boredom" during the Coronavirus crisis.

"Parents, teachers and carers working to keep children amused and interested while we’re on lockdown might need a bit of magic, so I’m delighted to launch harrypotterathome.com," she told her Twitter followers yesterday.

https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1245320037356929025?s=20

The online hub includes an array of videos, articles, quizzes, and puzzles, as well as a free stream of the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone audiobook narrated by recent Doctor Who guest star Stephen Fry. Because the American Harry Potter audiobooks were narrated by Jim Dale, it's previously been difficult to access the Fry version stateside. And as Potterphiles will know, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published in the U.S. as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Fans can also access free versions of the first Harry Potter book narrated in Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Japanese.

Though the Harry Potter hub is aimed at kids, there's no reason why older Harry Potter fans can't enjoy it too – so thank you, J.K. Rowling. To whet your appetite for the audiobook, check out Stephen Fry sharing an amusing anecdote with Andrew Scott on The Graham Norton Show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yBI6xLyAY0

Which is your favorite Harry Potter book?