New Harry Potter Book Finally Fixes One Of The Biggest Complaints About The Original Release

Published Sep 11, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT

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A new Harry Potter book release is coming later this year, and it finally reverses a major change to the series from the 1990s.

2026 is shaping up to be one of the biggest years for the Wizarding World in quite some time. It marks the 25th anniversary of the original movie, and, even bigger, will see the launch of HBO's TV show remake at Christmas. The books aren't being left out of the equation, however. It was previously confirmed that a new illustrated version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince would be coming in October, and now there's an even more exciting book release.

As confirmed by the official Harry Potter website, a new paperback version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone will be released in English markets on November 3, 2026 (with more markets to follow), designed to tie-in with the TV series. It features cover art taken from the show, which has Harry (Dominic McLaughlin) in his Quidditch robes, but it's the title that is particularly notable. For this edition, Scholastic is changing the name in the U.S. from The Sorcerer's Stone back to the original of The Philosopher's Stone. Check out the cover below.

Image via Scholastic

This finally ends what has long been a confusing and divisive change for the series. When Harry Potter was first bought by Scholastic for publishing in the U.S., it was felt that the word "Philosopher" was too old-fashioned and academic, and thus wouldn't be understood by nor appeal to the target audience. The name Harry Potter and the School of Magic was pitched, before J.K. Rowling, who wasn't keen on the switch, decided upon "Sorcerer," which kept the magical feel while keeping the publisher happy.

Other changes were also made to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, which was first published in the States in 1998 (one year after it hit UK bookshelves), to translate to American audiences. These included words such as "mom" instead of "mum," "sweater" instead of "jumper," and "muffin" instead of "crumpet." Rowling wasn't a fan of these changes, and they were stopped from The Chamber of Secrets onwards.

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01

What spell is used to disarm an opponent, famously becoming Harry Potter’s signature move throughout the series?

AStupefy BExpelliarmus CProtego DPetrificus Totalus

✓ Correct! Expelliarmus is the Disarming Charm. Harry used it so often that it became his trademark spell — even using it in his final duel against Voldemort in the Battle of Hogwarts.

✗ Not quite! The answer is Expelliarmus. Stupefy is a Stunning Spell, Protego is a Shield Charm, and Petrificus Totalus is the Full Body-Bind Curse. Expelliarmus forces an opponent’s wand out of their hand.

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02

In “The Prisoner of Azkaban,” Hagrid introduces his Care of Magical Creatures class to a proud hippogriff. What is the creature’s name?

AFang BNorbert CBuckbeak DAragog

✓ Correct! Buckbeak the hippogriff became a key part of the story when Draco Malfoy insulted him and got injured. Harry and Hermione later saved Buckbeak from execution using the Time-Turner.

✗ Not quite! The answer is Buckbeak. Fang is Hagrid’s boarhound, Norbert is his baby dragon from the first book, and Aragog is the giant Acromantula in the Forbidden Forest.

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03

What potion allows the drinker to assume the physical appearance of another person, and plays a major role in “The Chamber of Secrets” and “The Goblet of Fire”?

APolyjuice Potion BFelix Felicis CVeritaserum DAmortentia

✓ Correct! Polyjuice Potion transforms the drinker into someone else for about an hour. Hermione brewed it in their second year to infiltrate the Slytherin common room, and Barty Crouch Jr. used it to impersonate Mad-Eye Moody.

✗ Not quite! The answer is Polyjuice Potion. Felix Felicis is liquid luck, Veritaserum is a truth serum, and Amortentia is a powerful love potion. Polyjuice Potion is the one that changes your appearance.

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04

How many Horcruxes did Lord Voldemort intentionally create to split his soul and achieve immortality?

AFive BSeven CFour DSix

✓ Correct! Voldemort intentionally created six Horcruxes: the diary, the ring, the locket, the cup, the diadem, and Nagini. Harry became an accidental seventh Horcrux, making the total number of soul fragments seven — the most magically powerful number.

✗ Not quite! The answer is six. Voldemort deliberately created six Horcruxes: Tom Riddle’s diary, Marvolo Gaunt’s ring, Slytherin’s locket, Hufflepuff’s cup, Ravenclaw’s diadem, and Nagini. Harry was an unintentional seventh piece.

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05

How many points is the Golden Snitch worth when caught by a Seeker during a Quidditch match?

A50 points B150 points C100 points D200 points

✓ Correct! Catching the Golden Snitch awards 150 points and ends the match. This is why the Seeker position is so crucial — catching the Snitch almost always wins the game, though famously at the Quidditch World Cup, Viktor Krum caught it but Bulgaria still lost.

✗ Not quite! The answer is 150 points. The Golden Snitch is worth 150 points and also ends the match. At the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, Krum caught the Snitch for Bulgaria but Ireland still won because they were more than 150 points ahead.

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06

What form does Severus Snape’s Patronus take — revealing his lifelong love for Harry’s mother, Lily?

AA phoenix BA wolf CA doe DA stag

✓ Correct! Snape’s Patronus is a doe — the same as Lily Potter’s. When Dumbledore asked “After all this time?” Snape famously replied, “Always.” It’s one of the most emotional reveals in the entire series.

✗ Not quite! The answer is a doe. Snape’s Patronus matches Lily Potter’s because of his deep, enduring love for her. James Potter’s Patronus was a stag — the male counterpart. The doe is what led Harry to the Sword of Gryffindor in the frozen lake.

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07

What magical object must you look into to see the Mirror of Erised’s true purpose — and what does it show the viewer?

ATheir deepest, most desperate desire BTheir future self at their most powerful CTheir greatest fear DTheir happiest memory

✓ Correct! The Mirror of Erised (“desire” spelled backward) shows the deepest desire of whoever looks into it. Harry saw his parents, Ron saw himself as Head Boy and Quidditch captain, and Dumbledore claimed he saw himself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks.

✗ Not quite! The answer is their deepest, most desperate desire. “Erised” is “desire” spelled backward. The inscription reads: “I show not your face but your heart’s desire.” Dumbledore warned Harry that the mirror gives neither knowledge nor truth, and men have wasted away before it.

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08

The three Deathly Hallows are the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and which third object that Harry himself possessed?

AThe Marauder’s Map BThe Sorting Hat CThe Pensieve DThe Cloak of Invisibility

✓ Correct! The Cloak of Invisibility was passed down through Harry’s family — he inherited it from his father, James. Unlike ordinary invisibility cloaks, this Hallow never fades or weakens, making it a true relic of Death from “The Tale of the Three Brothers.”

✗ Not quite! The answer is the Cloak of Invisibility. Harry inherited it from his father on his first Christmas at Hogwarts. Together with the Elder Wand and the Resurrection Stone, these three objects make up the Deathly Hallows from “The Tale of the Three Brothers.”

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Of course, it wasn't just the books that this impacted. When the first Harry Potter movie was released, it also bore the title of The Sorcerer's Stone in the U.S. (along with certain other territories, including India and the Philippines). Because of the difference, scenes with the use of the word "philosopher" had to be shot twice to work in the word "sorcerer" instead.

HBO had already confirmed the title of season 1 of the remake is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, committing to just using that one moniker, and now the books are, at long last, finally doing the same. Given the importance of the actual philosopher's stone in the story (which the show is taking even further, since its creator, Nicolas Flamel, is expected to appear himself in the first season), it makes far more sense to title it this way, even setting aside the advantage for brand synergy.

The new Harry Potter release is another exciting step towards the TV show, which is expected to debut on HBO and HBO Max on Christmas Day.

Harry Potter is a multimedia franchise about an orphaned boy who enrolls at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family, and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world. Adapted from the novels, Harry Potter is an eight-episode film saga that follows the journey of Harry Potter and his friends, Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley, as they navigate the tricky world of growing up, school life, and magic. Starting from year one and moving to their seventh year, the films chronicle the students' time at Hogwarts while unfurling a sinister plot that centers around the unsuspecting Harry. With the return of the dark wizard, Voldemort, the students and professors at Hogwarts will fight to carry on as the world around them may change forever. Harry Potter has expanded beyond the world of its films and novels with several video games, a spin-off film series titled Fantastic Beasts, and even attractions at Universal Studios.