Harry Potter author and founder of Pottermore.com

If anyone ever doubted that there was life in the young wizard yet, they were proved wrong with ­Rowling's announcement of the arrival of ­Pottermore.com, the website dedicated to all things Harry, which will raise its curtains for business this October. This isn't just a fansite: it's a virtual world in which dedicated Potter fans of all ages can navigate their way through Rowling's imagination, collecting "house points" and chatting to their new friends in the process.

It all sounds charming until you get to the commercial nitty-gritty and the news that the ebook versions of all seven Harry Potter titles will be sold exclusively through the site and not, therefore, through conventional retailers. Rowling insists that she has made the move to increase accessibility and ensure that her work is available across a number of platforms; booksellers have pointed out that, having put a great deal of energy into promoting her tales of magic and mayhem across the years, they might like a share of the spoils now the ­wizard's (print) ­adventures are over.

Having seen off a plagiarism case and parted company, this summer, with her long-term agent, ­Christopher Little, Rowling is unlikely to lose too much sleep in the run-up to Pottermore's unveiling. Her fans, after all, have proved their loyalty, time and time again.