The Final Harry Potter Countdown: Wizardly Diversions

We’re all trying to keep busy this week until Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 comes out in theaters. Whether your plans involve a midnight opening late Thursday night, or a viewing on Friday or over the weekend, the wait still feels like a long one.

So today, we bring you a few “Wizardly Diversions” — that is to say, activities or funny blog posts that will eat up some of that waiting time and keep you amused, all while staying in the realm of Harry Potter. What more could a Muggle ask for, eh? Feel free to share YOUR favorite “Wizardly Diversions” in the comments below, too!

The Potter Games

Unveiled Monday night, this collaborative website offers a text-based online game that takes characters and themes from Harry Potter and inserts them into a Hunger Games-style arena run by Lord Voldemort.

I was one of the writers contributing to the game (I’m behind all of Fred Weasley’s adventures) — and I can tell you, that this is a really cool game. So if you need to kill some time, head on over to The Potter Games, choose your wizard tribute and start playing! Here’s a little teaser video to whet your appetite:

Recasting Voldemort, and more from NextMovie

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of NextMovie.com, a fabulous movie website run by MTV. They have been behind some really clever and funny blog posts over the last year, and one of my favorites remains their recasting of Lord Voldemort. For example, what if Charlie Sheen played the role:

See even more at NextMovie.com. Some of their other hilarious Potter-posts include:

• The Harry Potter Growth Chart
• An Ode to Neville Longbottom
• Weirdest & Worst Harry Potter Products
• Voldemort Takes Manhattan
• Best Harry Potter T-shirts

NextMovie also has these more thought-provoking Potter posts:

• Darkest Moments from Harry Potter
• In a post-Potter world, what’s the next magical franchise?

And if you’ve had your photo taken with any of the Harry Potter actors, send it in to NextMovie’s “MyCeleBFF: Harry Potter Edition.”

The First Harry Potter Screen Test

Ever wonder how Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson & Rupert Grint scored the sweet leading roles in the Harry Potter franchise. Check out this first screen test of all three actors (and be shocked at how little they all were back then):

Lord Voldemort’s Twitter

If you’re on Twitter, and you’re not following @Lord_Voldemort7, what is wrong with you?

Not only is it a good idea to know what He Who Must Not Be Named is saying on Twitter … but it’s also the funniest Twitter feed in existence! Here are some of my recent favorites of the Dark Lord’s tweets:

Lovesick is trending. I admit that I get love sick. Very much so. In fact, the idea of “love” makes me want to vomit.

Teen Dad is a TT. Have people finally realized that James Potter was 19 when he knocked up Lily? Hogwarts gone wild!!

Dumbledore can now marry in New York. As can Harry & Ron. Oh come on, as if you didn’t suspect.

ϟ never strikes twice. Strikes on people with ϟ bolt scars are a different story. A long one. One that might take seven parts to tell…

Kidz bop? If someone spells ‘kids’ with a ‘z’ then the only ‘bopping’ associated with them should involve them getting smacked in the head.

My lethal weapon is sarcasm. Or Avada Kedavra. I can destroy you with either really.

(NextMovie also has a look at some of @Lord_Voldemort7’s best tweets!)

Tune in later this week for more distractions, when we share our favorite Harry Potter parodies & our favorite Wrock (Wizard Rock) videos!

For the comments: What are your other favorite Wizardly Distractions? Share them below!!