Social media lights up to celebrate Harry Potter’s 20th anniversary

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. AP

Fans reliving the magic of the wizarding world took to social media to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter’s publication that captured the imagination of readers since it was first published in 1997.

To commemorate the event, Facebook snuck in an Easter Egg to its interface – type Harry Potter on your status or as a comment, click on it, and a magical spell would flash through the screen of your laptop or phone.

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Type the four Houses of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin, and it would be typed in its House colors.

The hashtag #HarryPotter20 also trended on Twitter, which for its part featured an emoji showing Harry’s iconic lightning-shaped scar on his forehead and round eyeglasses.

Introducing a new Twitter emoji celebrating the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone! #HarryPotter20 pic.twitter.com/9fNo1R9E5J

— Pottermore (@pottermore) June 26, 2017

Pottermore also posted a video showing readers’ favorite lines and moments in the series. The video later went viral and garnered over 652,000 views as of posting.

Author J.K. Rowling tweeted an emotional message to readers to mark the 20th anniversary of the wizarding world she created.

“20 years ago today a world that I had lived in alone was suddenly open to others. It’s been wonderful. Thank you,” Rowling tweeted.

20 years ago today a world that I had lived in alone was suddenly open to others. It’s been wonderful. Thank you.#HarryPotter20

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 26, 2017

The Harry Potter series spanning seven books follows the journey of the wizard Harry, a survivor of the Dark Lord Voldemort who killed his parents. Harry was chosen to be the one destined to thwart the Dark Lord, culminating to a magical battle between good and evil.