Facebook Celebrates 20 Years of Harry Potter by Letting You Cast Spells

On June 26 1997, J.K Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone hit the bookstores for the first time, which started us on a magical journey that spanned seven books and as many movies that continues to hold a special place for millions of Potterheads around the world 20 years on. Many are proving their love for the series in their own ways, and so is Facebook, which has introduced an interactive new feature that casts spells with status updates.

The way it works is simple enough. Post a status update on Facebook using any of the terms - Harry Potter, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or Slytherin - and the update will display an animation of a wand casting a spell. It also works on clicking the term on your friend's status update. The terms are highlighted in colours that signify them. For example, Gryffindor will be highlighted in red while Slytherin will be highlighted in green, and so on. And the feature also works within comments.

But it's not just Facebook. Twitter too is showing its love for Harry Potter, by launching a special emoji that will show up if you tweet with the hashtag #HarryPotter20. The hashtag will bring up Harry's iconic rounded spectacles with the 'lighting bolt' scar on top.

Introducing a new Twitter emoji celebrating the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone! #HarryPotter20 pic.twitter.com/9ueEBjCZon

Google late last year also brought a touch of magic for Android users who could activate certain features, such as turning the flashlight on or off or switching on the silent mode by saying "lumos", "Nox", or "Silencio", respectively to Google Assistant.

Rowling's Harry Potter series has enjoyed a massive fan base around the world for its magical storytelling and lovable characters. The books span the titular character's journey over the years in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, facing unexpected evils and challenges with the help of his friends. The world of fantasy that author J.K Rowling created is unlikely to fade away anytime soon, with spin-off movies in the pipeline as well. And this only brings to mind one of the most memorable lines from the series - "After all this time?"

"Always."