Four years since the last movie came out, but the fandom lives on, and will continue to do so. Facebook pages, Tumblr memes, Comic cons, fan fictions, merchandise, museums, and Pottermore! HP fans or “Potterheads” as we like to call ourselves have left no stones unturned. Our queen J.K. Rowling is talking to Pottermore and Twitter to share updates and short stories about the characters and locations, their future/past lives, even resolving heated conflicts among fans. Even though Harry’s story ended, J.K.R. gave us more insights into the wizarding world, with The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them (The movie version is coming out next year!! Yaaayy!! :D)
For those who haven’t read the books or seen the movies – I could speak for a week on what you’ve been missing your whole life. I was a skeptic once – just because everybody liked Harry Potter I didn’t want to follow the crowd, but when I started reading, I just had to join them! I couldn’t find many reasons to hate Harry Potter, but plenty of reasons to love it.
There are so many dimensions to the books, with each character leaving a deep impression. Harry Potter broke several stereotypes, right from how the world saw witches and wizards, to villains. Not all villains had cruel eyes and wore dark clothes. We all know who I’m talking about – the condescending Dolores Umbridge (and we won’t forgive J.K.R. for not killing her off).
The most mind-boggling thing was how Rowling had managed to create an entire world, complete with spells, institutions, sports and what not, parallel to the world we live in. Some people say, “It’s a children’s book”. I seriously beg to differ. Each book is so much more than just fantasy, and bring out the darker parts of life.
I often find myself looking for one of Dumbledore’s quotes when I’m off track, and finding solace in Fred and George’s pranks or Ron’s sarcasm.
The first and foremost thing that comes to me is the friendship and love that was shown so amazingly.
Not just the bond between Harry, Hermione and Ron but the tales of James, Sirius and Lupin amuses me. It not just showed us to have fun with friends but also to care for them and ready to risk our lives for them.
And when you have a godfather you definitely don’t want them to be any lesser than Sirius Black. Though Sirius’s part did not last for more than 3 parts, he lives in our hearts forever.
Talking about the love, the heart of Harry Potter is on this one line that – Lily protected Harry from ‘you-know-who’ with her love which ‘you-know-who’ would have never known.
Coming to mischief, J.K. Rowling never fell short of ways to show us how to break rules. If you only consider Harry’s rule-breaking activities, then we are on completely different pages.
The pranks and magic tricks James and Sirius have played are on a different level which stood as inspiration to our very own Fred and George (thinking of their names itself makes me burst into laughter :P) Not to forget, they also taught us “It is okay” to be expelled from school or let’s say set the school on fire and leave with flying colors to pursue what yours dreams take you to (like starting start-up in muggle terms 😛 )
It showed some petty things like how it’s important to listen in class
and how fun it is to break the rules.
Few people who just stayed in our hearts:
Dumbledore – The greatest wizard ever known and headmaster of Hogwarts with a bit of weirdness
Severus Snape – The greatest lover and the humblest of all. Never judge a person from how he looks is absolutely true on his part.
Hagrid – The gatekeeper who kept our hearts safe, harsh from outside and soft at heart.
Dobby – One of the weirdest creatures but whose death couldn’t stop us cry
Fred & George – The mischievous inseparable twins who parted away making the life lot so miserable for the other and all of us.
Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, the Weasleys are like family in the other world.
Realized that its okay for me to be different like Luna, or even a crazy fan like Colin. Neville is not always coward and dumb. Malfoy is not bully and awful all till the end. Being smart isn’t everything but it does rescue at times. That situations can make us do things we don’t want to do and once you repent, all is forgiven. Most of all, to be loyal.
On the darker side death eaters, dementors, Bellatrix, the Malfoys and not to mention the Lord Voldermort have given us enough goosebumps and rage to take revenge.
The books taught me how to live. To love. To respect. To believe in myself and never back down. To fight racism. To stand up against cynical authority. It showed us the pain of losing loved ones, the pleasure in saving a life, the sadness when betrayed, the joy of winning and too many feelings to jot down.
I laughed with Harry, got mad at him, cried with him and stuck with him till the end. It feels like we lived in a world where magic is an everyday thing, spells are taught in classes and you fight with real cruel witches and wizards.
The phenomenon has won a place in the hearts of its readership and its viewers. Though our journey has ended, the magic will remain forever and after all it feels proud to be a “Potterhead”.
