The Beginning of The End: Our History with Harry Potter
Roxanne
My parents had always given me things such as movies and books. They really took care that I learned good English. My literate days began with the American Girl books. Those were undoubtedly great books for my self-esteem but not in the literature lover way. It all started, actually, with Harry Potter. I received my first Harry Potter book when I was around 11 years old. My mom kept telling me her friends recommended it a lot. So I gave it a go. Man, oh man, I couldn’t believe how deep in it I got involved. Magic and witches and warlocks and a castle turned school?! I was sold! This book combined everything I loved from historic sites to the idea of the unimaginable. Needless to say I wasn’t… a normal kid.
Ever since then I had pre-ordered every book. I waited impatiently for the next one to come. I unconsciously slowed my reading when i was gearing towards to end so as to prolong the inevitable.
J.K. Rowling and her books taught me that my imagination could take me many places far beyond the Atlantic Ocean. That reading becomes a part of you as you let it carry you into a world parallel to reality. The escape was addicting. In between books I would search for that escape and found many wonderful books. In many ways, Harry Potter unleashed the creative person in me. I would start making up characters I could be in the HP universe. I made up stories that went beyond Hogwarts. I even decided that I would’ve probably been a Ravenclaw if I were in Hogwarts!
In short, I owe Harry Potter my two biggest passions: Reading and Writing.
Juan
Once upon a time, there lived a group of young people who loved Harry Potter. They all became friends because of their love for it (and other things), and regularly dressed up for premieres related to Potter. One of those young ones was me! I guess I should start by saying the HP series hooked me by book one in 3rd grade.
My teacher thought it was above my reading level, and even challenged me by asking me what random words in the book meant — like “sorcerer” and “forbidden” — but I obviously wasn’t stupid, so I was able to continue reading and loving the books! I dressed up as Harry once when I was young and got second place in a contest at school. Fast forward through me impatiently waiting for the books and dying inside every single time I had to wait for the next one.
Then the seventh book. I got to the mall at TEN AM, got my wristband ensuring I’d be one of the first 30 people in line, and stayed at the mall all day – waiting for the line to begin at night. I saw a movie, spent time with friends, and then – of course – dressed up in my Slytherin school outfit to get my book copy AND a poster of it!
Fast forward to the movie premieres from 5-7 in which I also dressed up as a Slytherin student, except for one time when I dressed up as Snape (which was plenty of fun)! Two of my friends and I actually had a fake duel in the theater and we got a small round of applause at that point and it was just so much fun.
Each year we have more and more people and it’s just an experience that brings us all together. All HP fans, all dressed up – we’re a family and we were coming home to Hogwarts. But the most emotional moment for me had to be walking into Islands of Adventure, knowing that I was finally going to be able to see Hogsmeade, Hogwarts and Platform 9 3/4. I walked through the enormous gates into the Wizarding World area of the theme park, took a deep breath, and starting crying.
It was just overwhelming just to be able to see everything actually existing. Everything I’d read, everything I’d seen – it was all coming true for me. That was probably the most fulfilling moment I’ve ever had related to Harry Potter. Just standing in front of the Hogwarts Express, crying and smiling, right before having Butterbeer, chocolate frogs, getting a wand, and visiting Hogwarts Castle.
Courtney
As much as I enjoy the Potter series, it is JK Rowling who has won my heart. I’ve gone through difficult times in my life, both through childhood and adulthood, but I learned not to use it as an excuse to not achieve my dreams.
Because of Rowling, I steal every moment I can to write. Because of Rowling, I know to learn from my failures, not deny them. Because of Rowling, I have the power to reach my goals. I hope to one day meet her–to shake her hand and tell her how she changed my life. For now, I’ll continue writing. Any time I think about giving up, I’ll remember Rowling–I’ll remember she didn’t give up. She’s one heck of an inspiration!
“U have this cute little picture there (i don’t know what they are called) I just wanted 2 tell U that it’s so cute! Hahahaha
Yeah his face expression was priceless! Lol!!”
“Thank you for saying that the avatar I’m using is cute, because I did it! :D I love his expression in that shot~ ;)
Keep in touch, will ya? I’m off to japanese class now… I need to review my lesson before my teacher beats me up, LOL”
xD
@Julili, LOL – I was studying Japanese at the time. GOSH! I don’t think my Japanese has improved much since…
by the way, the Swedish covers for the series are AWESOME.
I forgot to mention that the POA film at the time was the one that I loved the most and pissed me off too at the same time, lol.
@Rodrigo, I had an interesting experience with PoA. It’s my fave book, but also my fave movie. I think it really struck a good balance of the book, movie and being fun and fresh. I mean, besides from the lousy werewolf (poor professor Lupin, indeed), it still feels like I haven’t watched it more than twice.
@amy, There was some things the film didn’t translate from the book that I valued a lot. Eventuallly, I did thought of POA as the best Potter film (until DHP1)… but a few more tweaks, a bit more of extra time and it could have been easily above the 4-star rank.
Maybe I got enraged too at the time ’cause POA was the first Potter book I ever read. So amazing that Cuarón had to deal with an amazing book and adapting those was a hard task. Speaking of Cuarón, I wished he directed Deathly Hallows along with Iñárritu.