Remember the world before June 1997? If you can’t, don’t worry; you didn’t miss much. The world was a dull, uninspired, basically pointless place. Nobody had ever heard of quidditch or boggarts or kneazles. Hardly anybody even knew how to pronounce ‘Hermione’.

Luckily, J.K. Rowling stepped up and fixed everything. By imagining the incredible world of Hogwarts and writing the incomparable seven-book Harry Potter series, she delivered us from despair and brought us magic, adventure, intrigue and endless fun.

At the Athenaeum Theatre in October, we’re celebrating 20 years since Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone with a night of storytelling, music, reading and revelry. And, in true Hogwarts spirit, there’ll be a competitive element to the night. We’ll broach the eternal, yet controversial, question: Who was the real hero of the Harry Potter series? Was it really the eponymous orphan wizard? Or was it misunderstood Snape, or heroic brainiac Hermione Granger? Was it the Sorting Hat who truly saved the day?

Ben Pobjie, Clementine Ford, Justin Heazlewood, Jessica Walton, Nayuka Gorrie and Candy Bowers and others (to be announced) will make the case for their chosen hero in an evening of wonder, wizardry and hardcore fanning out. Plus, there’ll be a performance by a quartet from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. All houses welcome. Even Slytherins (sort of).

Suitable for ages 12 and over.