The Boy Who Lived

I remember the first time I met Harry Potter like it was yesterday. It was a book fair day, I loved book fair day. We all sat down on the floor in the library and had the first three chapters read to us. I have been in love with these books since that exact moment. Yer a wizard Harry. I was 9 years old. I almost skipped my annual summer re-read of the series, because I have a stack of books almost as tall of me on my “to be read” list. Then Pottermore put together the Wizarding World Book club, and I simply couldn’t miss that.

This series has been such a gigantic part of my life. I was at every midnight release, every early movie premiere. I grew up with Harry, Hermonie, and Ron. I think book Ginny is so much better than movie Ginny. I will always want to be the mom that Molly Weasley is. I will always appreciate the ridiculous sense of humor Albus Dumbledore had (why else would anyone hire Gilderoy Lockhart? It had to be a joke.) I will forever aspire to have the level of straight-faced-snark that Professor McGonogal possesses. I will keep the lessons taught to me by J.K. Rowling forever.

I read on the internet (because you can’t put anything that isn’t true on the internet) that people who read the Harry Potter series turn out to be better humans – and I believe that wholeheartedly. You learn lessons through this story about acceptance and loving every being regardless of their history or where they come from or how they talk. I will be forever indebted to this series. I will always watch the movies when they come on tv.

So, stick around. I will be rereading these books this summer and putting together a summary of the things I noticed this go round that I haven't before. Things that should have been in the movies but didn't make it, and things I'm maybe glad didn't make it in the movies. Are you reading along?

Happy birthday Harry Potter Universe, cheers to many, many more.