Today is an important day. Anyone who knows me well knows that I love to read. Reading has been a huge part of my life since I was a little girl. I can remember sitting in my sister's room at night while my mom sat in a wooden rocking chair and read to us before bed. "Winnie the Pooh," "The Chronicles of Narnia," and "Little house on the Prairie" are just a few things I remember. My mom instilled in all of her kids a love of reading. I started reading chapter books on my own when I was in Elementary school and I have found many "friends" in the literary world ever since.
I started reading Harry Potter in high school. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Today is the day that Harry and Ginny Potter drop their kids off at the Hogwarts Express and Albus Severus Potter starts his journey at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. (Spoiler alert for those who have not read the Harry Potter Books. Also, if you haven't read the Harry Potter series... WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING WITH YOUR LIFE?!?!?)
All around the world people are celebrating. It has been so so fun to watch the pictures and Instagram stories from "Pottermore" and the "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" cast in London. There was a celebration at King's Cross station in London. Tons of people came and there was even a conductor from the Hogwarts express who was there to blow the whistle at 11:00 as the Hogwarts express would have been leaving the station! SO COOL!
One of the best parts about the Harry Potter books is the amazing fandom world that has been created by the people who have read and loved the books. All you have to do is say you are a fan of Harry and you have an entire world that has opened up to you and a new friend. I can talk for hours and hours about the books and movies and not get tired. These are so much more than books. I can remember lots of midnight book openings at Barnes and Noble with my sisters as each new book came out. We would pre-order our copies and then go stand in line for hours with other Potterheads and wait for our copies only to go straight home and start reading. For a few days after the release of a new book, we would all be laying around the house in various positions reading. It was so hard cause we couldn't say anything until everyone else had finished reading cause we all had annoying things like work and eating that would get in the way of finishing the books all at the same time. It was so fun to talk about and share with my sisters and my mom. Still is, as a matter of fact.
My mom even crocheted scarves for all of us. Gryffindor colors of course. Pottermore didn't exist. Facebook and Instagram didn't exist. We all just assumed we would be in Gryffindor. I still have my scarf. I would wear it to the midnight releases of the books and, when the movies started coming out, I would wear it to the midnight premiers of the movies as well. And, a few weeks ago, I got to wear it to Harry Potter world at Universal Studios Hollywood with a few of my friends. It was so so amazing getting to walk through the gate and look up and see Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. I still want to go to the one in Florida, which is bigger. I want to go with my family. Harry and all of the Characters have been a part of my life and who I am for so long and I am now getting to share them with my kids. We started "Sorcerer's Stone" this year and are about halfway through "Chamber of Secrets" right now. It has been the absolute best to hear my kids ask to read and watch Harry Potter. To listen to my 7 year old laugh at Dobby and Fred and George. Also, reading it out loud is pretty awesome. It makes me concentrate on more details and really pay attention to every word.
I am going to share a few favorites for me with regards to these amazing books and movies.
Favorite Female Character: This is so hard to choose just one. I feel like I could write an essay based on each of the female characters. Character development is so strong in these books for all of the characters. So, just picking one is tough. But for these purposes I am going to say, I absolutely love Ginny Weasley in the books. As you know, there is a significant difference between Ginny in the movies and Ginny in the books. I wish they had had time to make Ginny in the movies more true to the book version. But there just wasn't time. Since she ends up with Harry, you have to know what an amazing person she is. She is smart, funny, sassy, brave. She is good at Quidditch and curses and she is fiercely loyal and roots for the underdog. She goes with Neville to the Yule ball. She treats Luna like a person and friend. She does a spot on impression of Professor Umbridge. "Hem Hem." I love that she never stopped loving Harry, she just found the confidence to be herself around him and, that's when he started to notice her for who she is and fell in love with her. She is funny like Fred and George and great with pranks and she stands up for herself and tells her brothers when they are being prats. She is pivotal in the Battle of Hogwarts and she stands by Harry when Dumbledore is killed. She is the best. I am so so happy that Harry marries her.
Favorite Male Character: Again, choosing one is so so hard. Apart from Harry, I will have to say that a favorite of mine is Neville Longbottom. Talk about character development. Neville starts out as a scared and bumbling kid who is trying to keep up with his year and prove his worth to his grandmother. He is not gifted in anything in particular except for Herbology. What he is good at is his fierce loyalty to his friends. Harry, Ron and Hermione take him under their wings and treat him like a normal person. They stand up for him and he returns the favor. He is loyal to Harry through everything. He could have been the one that Voldemort went after when the prophecy came out. It's crazy to think about what might have been if the tables have been turned. Neville is so pivotal in the battle of Hogwarts. He has no idea that Nagini the snake is a horcrux. But he is the one who kills it. The snake must be killed in order for Voldemort to be defeated and Neville is the one that does it. He is also a member of the DA and shows up when called. He and Luna help to save Harry in more then one way. I love Neville.
House I have been sorted into: Hufflepuff. Twice. Also I think that that is spot on for me. I am a super loyal person and I am smart but not over the top smart like Ravenclaw. I am brave but I have a lot of self-preservation...
Favorite books in order: Goblet of Fire (4), Half-blood Prince (6), Deathly Hallows (7), Prisoner of Azkaban (3), Order of the Phoenix (5), Sorcerer's Stone (1) and Chamber of Secrets (2). Disclaimer: I actually love them all but this is for sure the order of my preferences.
I have a lot of Harry Potter things. A lot. Another post, for another day will share some of my collection.
For now, here a few of my favorite Harry Potter Quotes.
One of the best parts about the Harry Potter books is the amazing fandom world that has been created by the people who have read and loved the books. All you have to do is say you are a fan of Harry and you have an entire world that has opened up to you and a new friend. I can talk for hours and hours about the books and movies and not get tired. These are so much more than books. I can remember lots of midnight book openings at Barnes and Noble with my sisters as each new book came out. We would pre-order our copies and then go stand in line for hours with other Potterheads and wait for our copies only to go straight home and start reading. For a few days after the release of a new book, we would all be laying around the house in various positions reading. It was so hard cause we couldn't say anything until everyone else had finished reading cause we all had annoying things like work and eating that would get in the way of finishing the books all at the same time. It was so fun to talk about and share with my sisters and my mom. Still is, as a matter of fact.
My mom even crocheted scarves for all of us. Gryffindor colors of course. Pottermore didn't exist. Facebook and Instagram didn't exist. We all just assumed we would be in Gryffindor. I still have my scarf. I would wear it to the midnight releases of the books and, when the movies started coming out, I would wear it to the midnight premiers of the movies as well. And, a few weeks ago, I got to wear it to Harry Potter world at Universal Studios Hollywood with a few of my friends. It was so so amazing getting to walk through the gate and look up and see Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. I still want to go to the one in Florida, which is bigger. I want to go with my family. Harry and all of the Characters have been a part of my life and who I am for so long and I am now getting to share them with my kids. We started "Sorcerer's Stone" this year and are about halfway through "Chamber of Secrets" right now. It has been the absolute best to hear my kids ask to read and watch Harry Potter. To listen to my 7 year old laugh at Dobby and Fred and George. Also, reading it out loud is pretty awesome. It makes me concentrate on more details and really pay attention to every word.
At Harry Potter World in LA wearing the scarf my mom crocheted me in high school.
Entering Hogsmeade. That is a happy girl.
Hogwarts. I went on the ride, it made me sick but I am glad I did it.
Favorite Female Character: This is so hard to choose just one. I feel like I could write an essay based on each of the female characters. Character development is so strong in these books for all of the characters. So, just picking one is tough. But for these purposes I am going to say, I absolutely love Ginny Weasley in the books. As you know, there is a significant difference between Ginny in the movies and Ginny in the books. I wish they had had time to make Ginny in the movies more true to the book version. But there just wasn't time. Since she ends up with Harry, you have to know what an amazing person she is. She is smart, funny, sassy, brave. She is good at Quidditch and curses and she is fiercely loyal and roots for the underdog. She goes with Neville to the Yule ball. She treats Luna like a person and friend. She does a spot on impression of Professor Umbridge. "Hem Hem." I love that she never stopped loving Harry, she just found the confidence to be herself around him and, that's when he started to notice her for who she is and fell in love with her. She is funny like Fred and George and great with pranks and she stands up for herself and tells her brothers when they are being prats. She is pivotal in the Battle of Hogwarts and she stands by Harry when Dumbledore is killed. She is the best. I am so so happy that Harry marries her.
Favorite Male Character: Again, choosing one is so so hard. Apart from Harry, I will have to say that a favorite of mine is Neville Longbottom. Talk about character development. Neville starts out as a scared and bumbling kid who is trying to keep up with his year and prove his worth to his grandmother. He is not gifted in anything in particular except for Herbology. What he is good at is his fierce loyalty to his friends. Harry, Ron and Hermione take him under their wings and treat him like a normal person. They stand up for him and he returns the favor. He is loyal to Harry through everything. He could have been the one that Voldemort went after when the prophecy came out. It's crazy to think about what might have been if the tables have been turned. Neville is so pivotal in the battle of Hogwarts. He has no idea that Nagini the snake is a horcrux. But he is the one who kills it. The snake must be killed in order for Voldemort to be defeated and Neville is the one that does it. He is also a member of the DA and shows up when called. He and Luna help to save Harry in more then one way. I love Neville.
House I have been sorted into: Hufflepuff. Twice. Also I think that that is spot on for me. I am a super loyal person and I am smart but not over the top smart like Ravenclaw. I am brave but I have a lot of self-preservation...
Favorite books in order: Goblet of Fire (4), Half-blood Prince (6), Deathly Hallows (7), Prisoner of Azkaban (3), Order of the Phoenix (5), Sorcerer's Stone (1) and Chamber of Secrets (2). Disclaimer: I actually love them all but this is for sure the order of my preferences.
I have a lot of Harry Potter things. A lot. Another post, for another day will share some of my collection.
For now, here a few of my favorite Harry Potter Quotes.
This next quote is on of the truest lines in the world. These characters have become real people to me. Hogwarts a real place. Dragons, unicorns and other Fantastic Beasts really exist. The things that happen to Harry happen to all of us. Love, loss, grief, fear and so many other things that makes us human. We are all so similar and we belong to each other.
I am grateful for this world and how it brings people together. It is so important to me and I am happy to be able to pass on my love to the next generation.
Stef
Bravo! Well said!
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