Over the last few weeks, I have been reacquainting myself with both the Harry Potter books and the films and found myself falling in love with them all over again. For those who haven't seen the films or read the books, do yourself a favor and just start watching and/or reading. It's been years since I looked at Harry Potter so it was a true delight to laugh at the jokes, cry at the more emotional moments, and cheer in the finales. Looking at the books, I still am awestruck at J.K. Rowling's writing, how she managed to juggle so many different plot threads throughout each book and even throughout the series with tiny moments made in book 4 only making sense by the end of book 7. She also managed to throw in multiple themes, a major one dealing with death and how to cope with it, and another dealing with bigotry. Not just with the whole blood status the books mainly deal with but also with inter-species relations such as how goblins, werewolves, and house-elves are all treated by wizards and witches, important lessons that has been made clear we all still need to learn. But the most important aspect are the characters, each one its own and unique. Each one with their own quirks and characteristics and each one with special lines that fans will remember for eternity. From Harry, the hero with the burden of the whole world on his shoulders, to Ron, the loyal, wise-cracking best friend, to Hermione, the logical and cool-headed know-it-all; each of the golden trio holds a special place for fans. And not just them but Neville Longbottom, Severus Snape, Luna Lovegood, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Fred and George Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Dobby, and so many others. Reading about all these fantastic characters over the course of seven books and then watching them be acted out on screen so perfectly is truly incredible. I grew up on these books, my parents reading them to me and my siblings since I was a baby. I remember going to the theater to see each film as a family. I remember when the final book came out, hanging onto every word as my mother read it to us all. What I'm trying to say is that Harry Potter will always have a special place in my heart. And while it is disappointing that in the last few months, Rowling has taken it upon herself to make controversial comments and insult the transgender community, I refuse to let it affect my view of Harry Potter. It's just too important to me. I'm the kind of fan who even after all this time can binge-read the entire series in less than a week even though he's read them countless times before and laugh and cry and cheer at the same moments all over again. The kind of fan who says the next line in the film before the characters can say it from having see it countless times before. So if anyone reading this post hasn't read the books or seen the movies or either, then I strongly urge you to do so immediately. They're just too good not to be experienced. Even though I didn't know it then, Harry Potter set me on the path to becoming a storyteller. It was just such a fantastic story that it made me want to tell stories to people and fill them with delight as it did to me. So thank you Harry Potter, for setting me on my journey and for still finding ways to delight me with your story even after all these years.
