‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ Play Will Follow Grown Harry + Son

Halloween has come early this year for Harry Potter fans everywhere.

Fans received their first treat on Thursday when Pottermore released the official artwork (above) for J.K. Rowling's upcoming play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The image was one of the first bits of official news about the play since Rowling announced back in June that it would open in 2016 at the Palace Theatre in London, The Huffington Post reports.

Substantial information about the play itself, however, was scarce. Rowling was purposefully tight-lipped for fear of spoiling anything for diehard fans, but she did reveal that "this untold part of Harry's story" is not a prequel. She also addressed fans' questions about why the story would not be a new book, assuring them that it is better suited for the stage than for print—something audiences would be confident of once they actually saw the play.

But Friday marked an even bigger treat with Pottermore's release of the official synopsis of the play! The synopsis confirms that The Cursed Child will serve as the eighth story in the official Potter canon. The story will also find the protagonist seemingly no better off than he was throughout the seven original books: "While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus [Severus] must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted."

The synopsis also hints at even more ominous elements, stating that Harry and his son will come to "learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places."

The play will be delivered in two parts, and the synopsis post promises cast lists to be forthcoming. Tickets are currently on sale through Pottermore.

Is the world of Muggles ready for this next installment in the Harry Potter series? If only we could divine the answer ourselves...

See These Celebrity Look-A-Likes