1 September is the first day of term at Hogwarts, but this year also marks the first day of school for Harry Potter’s youngest son, Albus Severus, according to the Deathly Hallows epilogue

In the final Harry Potter novel, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione saw their children off to Hogwarts, a little over nineteen years after the Battle of Hogwarts. Today, in fact.

The last chapter of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows memorably featured a grown-up Harry, his wife Ginny and married couple Ron and Hermione gathered at platform nine and three-quarters, King’s Cross.

They were there to send their children – Rose Granger-Weasley and James and Albus Potter – off to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a momentous event when you bear in mind that only a few pages beforehand we’d been reading about their parents fighting for their lives at the Battle of Hogwarts. Ah, happy endings…

Not only was this emotional scene the culmination of the entire seven-book Harry Potter series, thanks to the wonders of theatre it also became the starting point for the eighth story, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

With all this in mind, it’s fair to say that 1 September 2017 is an important day in the wizarding world. And it feels like an important anniversary in ours, too, as we’re up-to-date in real time with the characters from the books! Did you know, by the way, that Harry himself turned 37 this year? And this year also marks the twentieth anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. It’s official: we feel old.

Pottermore are commemorating today’s date in several ways. We are hosting a Facebook livestream from platform nine and three-quarters at King’s Cross starting today at 11am BST, where fans will be celebrating sort-of-being in the same time and space as Harry and his friends. Expect to spot some rather confused commuters in the background.

Stay tuned for an extra special quiz about all things Hogwarts, coming to Pottermore at 3pm BST, and anybody who visits the Wizarding World Book Club today will be get a new digital award on their profile page.

And, finally, as if all that wasn’t enough, we’ll be reporting from the Palace Theatre in London, the home of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The play’s first scene takes place on this very date, so we’ll be talking to the cast and the lucky fans who get to experience it on stage tonight.

You can join in the conversation on Facebook and Twitter, where the hashtag #BackToHogwarts will come with a surprise attached.

Incidentally, with all this ‘Nineteen Years Later’ talk flying around, there’s another angle to explore for those of you who like to ponder the importance of numbers. The span of time from the first Fantastic Beasts film until the final movie will be nineteen years as well. Coincidence… or not?

So, how will you be celebrating this very special Back to Hogwarts day? Why not share your thoughts with us on Twitter or Facebook? Don’t forget to look out for that special hashtag…