The cult of Harry Potter continues even after the release of the seventh and final book in the series last summer. “Searching for Platform 9 3/4: An Academic Harry Potter Conference” melds wizardly fun with hard-nosed theory, all in deference to the one who defeated “he who cannot be named.” The gathering of Muggles begins with a Halloween costume party on Friday night before the heavy brain lifting takes place the following morning. Separated into two camps — 9th grade-adult and grades 4-8 — the daylong event mulls over the intersection of J.K. Rowling’s creation, and the poetry of Y.B. Yeats, provides tips on how to start a book club and culminates with a keynote address by John Granger, creator of www.hogwartsprofessor.com.
7 to 11 p.m. Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Northern Illinois University, 1425 W. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb. $95 for adults, $85 for students; 815-753-1456 or www.niu.edu/clasep
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