We’ve done our waiting! Seven years of it! For new Harry Potter reading material! It’s hard to believe, but the original variation of that line, spoken by Sirius Black, Harry’s godfather, was published in 1999. The most recent book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” was published all the way back in 2007. Ever since the final movie came out, Potterheads everywhere have been craving for more information about the wizarding world.

Back in Sept. 2013, Harry Potter fans around the world rejoiced at the reveal of a spin-off movie, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” The movie will focus around Newt Scamander; the man whose grandson would eventually marry Harry’s ever-beloved friend, Luna Lovegood. Rather than be set in Britain, the film will take place in New York during the 1920s. American wizards– who could imagine?

We don’t know too much information other than the fact that it will eventually become a trilogy and possibly an amusement park with Universal Studios. Also, it will be directed by David Yates, the same man who was in charge of the Harry Potter movies after “The Goblet of Fire”. With all of these ambitious plans and J.K. Rowling as the screenwriter, we can be confident that the movie is in good hands. All we have to do now is wait until the release date of Nov. 18, 2016.

In the meantime, Rowling has prepared some exciting updates for Harry Potter fans everywhere. On Dec. 5, she made an announcement on her website, Pottermore, that she would be releasing 12 new Harry Potter short stories. Starting on Dec. 12, she will release one story a day at 7am Central Time. Talk about a Christmas present!

A later message suggests that one story will focus on everyone’s favorite antagonist, Draco Malfoy. Perhaps we may hear about his own Christmas, or maybe just a story about his day-to-day life. Regardless of the content, it’s very likely that most Potterheads will be content. After all, going seven years without any new stories about Malfoy can seem worse than serving time in Azkaban.

I’m not giving Rowling enough credit though. She has released a few short stories earlier on in the year, including one about Dolores Umbridge and another in the point of view of reporter Rita Skeeter, both of which were extremely well-written. However, she hasn’t yet done anything on this big of a scale yet. I mean, 12 new stories? She may as well replace Santa because this is the best gift ever.