Soon, Harry Potter invisibility cloak

Your dream of possessing a Harry Potter invisibility cloak could be just months away, at least that’s what a British

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scientist claims.

Sir John Pendry, who pioneered the concept, believes that the cloak that can make an object disappear could be unveiled within next six months. “The first man-made cloak will be more like an invisibility "carpet", the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Pendry as saying.

As a tiny object is placed underneath it, it will seemingly disappear because the bump the object makes will be hidden from view with an artificial mirage. Pendry said that the new development would also prove the potential of metamaterials that have an unusual property to interact with light and electronic waves.

These materials could be, in future, used for developing barriers to prevent waves damaging the shore, acoustic cloaks to reduce noise, stealth systems for the military, and faster telecommunications. They can be designed to hide things by bending radiation around an object as if it were not there, "like water flowing around a stone", said Professor Pendry.

Pendry had discussed about the new materials in a lecture in the US, backing it with the example of Harry Potter. "I said one of the interesting things they could do is hide things," said Pendry.

The example prompted David Smith of Duke University to build an invisibility cloak. "They went back and built the darn thing," Pendry added. In 2006, he unveiled the first cloak, which steered radiation around a copper cylinder, making it invisible to microwave detection. "I am optimistic work in progress will produce an optical cloak in the next six months," said Pendry.

Hermione to take on muggles at Cambridge

Emma Watson plays red-haired Hermione Granger

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In the Harry Potter series Hermione Granger is one of the star pupils of Hogwarts, the school for young wizards.

Now the girl who plays red-haired Hermione, Emma Watson, intends to be similarly studious in the real world of the muggles.

The 17-year-old actress plans to turn her back on stardom and a blossoming film career to study philosophy at Cambridge University.

She has played Hermione in all the Harry Potter films.

She is reported to have earned £2 million from the screen versions of the author JK Rowling's books.

However, she still wants to be a student at the world-famous university.

Watson revealed her plan to switch from the screen to academia during an interview with Tatler editor Geordie Greig. "Her next plan is to study philosophy at Cambridge," he said.

Watson is currently sitting AS levels in art history, geography and English literature. She got eight A* grades and two A grades at GCSE.

However, she will have to juggle her studies with the filming of the sixth instalment, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

Harry Potter's Quidditch comes to Welsh school

Harry Potter's favourite sport of Quidditch has become a reality for pupils at a secondary school after they devised their own "muggle" version of the game.

Similar variations were a hit in American schools Photo: GETTY

The sport - one of the most famous aspects of JK Rowling's bestselling stories - is the most popular game in the wizarding community, played by two teams mounted on broomsticks.

But Ferndale Comprehensive School in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales, has adapted the game for the non-magical "muggle" community after similar variations were a hit in American schools.

Muggle quidditch is not exactly the same as the wizarding version; as well as the absence of broomsticks and bewitched balls there is no "seeker," the position played by Harry Potter himself.

But the confines of reality have still enabled the school to keep most of the fictional sport's rules, ending up with a cross between dodgeball and handball.

Attacking "chasers" attempt to put the "quaffle," or ball, past the goalkeeper whilst the opposing team's "beaters" try to hit them with different balls called "bludgers."

Keiron Port, a Year Seven pupil at Ferndale Comprehensive School, said: "Quidditch is a good fun game, it is fast and has lots of exciting moments. My favourite position has got to be the chaser, I like it because you get to score most of your team's goals."

The development of Quidditch at the school is part of the 5x60 scheme, a Welsh Assembly Government initiative aimed at getting children active with new and different sports.

Ferndale Comprehensive School became the first school in Wales to bring in Quidditch as part of the 5x60 programme when PE teacher James Vale, who runs the scheme at the school, drew up his own rules based on American versions of the game.

He said: "When playing, standing still is not an option as doing so will certainly catch the eye of a beater and a bludger will be heading your way.

"This means that players are always on the go unlike in other sports where players are sometimes not really involved in the game.

"As well as improving general fitness levels the game also improves hand eye co-ordination, concentration, awareness and promotes team work. The year seven pupils have picked up the rules really quickly and have even thought of some changes to improve the game."

The 5x60 scheme, launched in October 2006 at a cost of £7.6 million, is already under way in 98% of secondary schools across Wales and is expected to encompass all schools in the country by the end of the financial year.

The 5x60 scheme aims to make sure all secondary school pupils do at least an hour of sport and exercise five times a week.

Each school appoints a 5x60 officer who is responsible for offering pupils a range of activities - not just traditional sports - and then organising the ones the children most want to take up.