"Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure." - Albus Dumbledore

I love this quote as well, for many reasons.
For one thing, Dumbledore understands how flighty that darn temptress is. I mean, really though. If you don't take an opportunity, it may never come around again. Even the most powerful wizard in the world, who has been on many adventures in his life, has never questioned the power of not knowing what will happen. Adventure is still a very important part of Dumbledore's (approximately one hundred and fifty year long) life. He never lost his young side, which is absolutely amazing to me.
Another thing that I like about this quote is that he is speaking to Harry when he says it. He is bestowing his knowledge unto yet another deserving pupil. This guy really does know what he is doing.
And then, he follows what he promises. Dumbledore and Harry do go on a fantastic adventure that night. One of the few times that Dumbledore follows through with what he says? Maybe. (Definitely.) But of all the things to follow through with, this does seem to be an important one.
Although, maybe Dumbledore only goes on this adventure because he know that he is going to die anyways. If he had the elixir of life, would he still go on this adventure? Or is he trying to pack in an extra fifty years in about a year of his remaining life? We may never know the answer (mainly because Harry Potter is fictional and we all have trouble dealing with that,) but what's important is that he included Harry in one of his last adventures.
Until next time, fellow Potterheads!

"Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." - Albus Dumbledore

Hello, fellow Potterheads!
I have been thinking about Dumbledore's quotes recently, and how true they are to life (either the wizarding or the muggle world.) Like this one above! "Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." How much more true can that be.
That being said, I think that for the next few weeks, i will be choosing some Albus Dumbledore quotes and just talking about them.
This quote has to be one of my favorites, because of how and when he says it. He says it during the feast on the first night at Hogwarts. He says it the best of reasons. He knows that dark times are coming, and that there is nothing he can really do about it. So he chooses to tell his pupils that they need to look on the light side of things during that year at Hogwarts. He cares so deeply about his students, that he comforts them before they are even in turmoil.
This is also a great use of foreshadowing by JK Rowling. There she goes, being absolutely flawless again. But later in the books, Dumbledore gives Ron Weasley the light-putter-outer Dumbledore uses when he places Harry at the Dursley's "home." When Ron (spoiler alert) leaves Harry and Hermione during their hunt for Horcruxes in the seventh book, he uses the putter-outer in order to find them again, and save Harry's life. They were in a very dark situation, but Ron literally turned on the light to make the situation ten times better, and all around more convenient for everybody involved.
So there we have it, the two reasons that I love the quote so much. I will probably come up with more reasons as my Harry Potter loving life goes on, but for now there are only two.
I have to admit, even through I am not a huge fan of the guy, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore can have his insanely wise moments. Like this one.
Until next time!

"Ah, music ... a magic far beyond all we do here ..." - Albus Dumbledore

Hello, fellow Potterheads!
I think that it's safe to say that all of you reading this have watched the Harry Potter movies at some point, or have at least watched some of them. But another magic that you have witnessed, possibly without even noticing, is the Harry Potter musical score.
The score for Harry Potter was written so well, the orchestra is flawless, and the music has brought me to tears. Especially the song Leaving Hogwarts. That song is so intense that it can still bring tears to my eyes. I mean, they play it at the end of the first movie right as Harry is saying he truly isn't going home, because Hogwarts is his home. *starts crying*
So three cheers to John Williams! You did an excellent job creating the score for Harry Potter! And I love you because of it.
But there are some songs that aren't composed by John Williams, and aren't performed by an orchestra. Several songs were featured in the fourth Harry Potter movie at the Yule Ball. The band playing at the Yule Ball was supposed to be the Weird Sisters, a band that it talked about throughout the Harry potter books. JK Rowling has stated in interviews that the Weird Sisters were Harry Potter's favorite band.
In the movie, the band played the songs Do the Hypogriff and Magic Works, but a song called This is the Night was also recorded. The band shown in the movie consisted of Jarvis Cocker (of Pulp) as Myron Wagtail (vocals),  Jonny Greenwood (of Radiohead) as Kirley Duke (lead guitar), Jason Buckle (of All Seeing I) as Heathcote Barbary (rhythm guitar),  Steve Mackey (of Pulp) as Donaghan Tremlett (bass),  Steven Claydon (of Add N to (X)) as Gideon Crumb (keyboards and bagpipes), and Phil Selway (of Radiohead) as Orsino Thruston (drums). I love that they went out of there way to book these actual popular band members in order to create yet another piece of magic for the Harry Potter world.
Until next time, Potterheads! Enjoy the music.

"Dumbledore is gay, actually," - JK Rowling

Hello Fellow Potterheads! I haven't written for awhile due to the break in classes, but I am excited and eager to start up my blog again.
Ok, so if you are a true Potterhead, you would know that JK Rowling outed Dumbledore as gay in 2007 at Carnegie Hall. The world was on fire that October evening, but I have to ask why. Why was it so important to the fandom that Dumbledore is gay? Does it change the plotline or character development at all? Why is it so horrible that Dumbledore just happens to romantically love males instead of females? Alas, it is not.
So many people were talking about this Dumbledore outing as this huge plot twist in the books, but in my opinion, they didn't change anything. He still left Harry on that doorstep the night Lily and James died, he still was Harry's only grandfather figure throughout the last years of his life, and he still led Harry to destroy the horcrux, and ultimately defeat Voldemort. He was still an amazing person who led a large and magnificent life. Who could doubt all of that because he was gay?
Don't get me wrong, Dumbledore isn't one of my favorite characters by far, but he was one of the most significant individuals in the series.
And I still don't agree with how he did it.
I know, here we go again, Elaine is hating on one of the main characters in her favorite series. Let me explain.
He hid so much from Harry over those years. He could have helped him out so much by just saying that he would have to be killed by Voldemort in the end anyways. He could have told Harry that he was a horcrux himself. But he didn't. Which makes no sense in my mind.
If you expect this kid to defeat the Dark Lord, how are you supposed to expect him to do that without all of the information needed. You can't. It is slowing down the process.
In that little rant I just had, nowhere did I say that I didn't like Dumbledore because he was gay. But after October 20th, 2013, a lot of people started hating Dumbledore for that reason alone: he was gay, and that wasn't right for them.
In which case, those "Potterheads" didn't learn anything from the Harry Potter series like they should have. Harry Potter is about being nice for your peers when they need it, it's about love, it's about acceptance. Harry Potter is about defeating evil, and letting love prevail. These people don't seem to realize that, which kills me inside. How dare they discriminate against Dumbledore, the brightest wizard who ever lived, and sometimes the entire series merely because Dumbledore is gay. That is an absolute pity.
Until next time, Potterheads.

"She looks beautiful!" - Parvarti Patil

One thing every girl seems to want from the Harry Potter movies is Hermione's ruffley pink dress from the Yule Ball. Even Emma Watson herself has said that she was afraid to wear it just in case she ruined it. The dress is even on sale for hundreds of dollars. But let me tell you a secret: I don't think the dress looked good. At all.

Call me a hater, call me whatever you want to. I think that it was great for Hermione to be beautiful that one night to show how she was growing as a young lady, but I think the movie didn't do the book's description any justice.

All the time, when I'm talking to fellow Potterheads, I always hear girls saying they want the dress. But do they really want the dress? Or do they want what it stands for? 

I'm not sure why I don't like it. Maybe it's beside it's pink, and pink is my least favorite color. Maybe it's because it's ruffley, and I can't deal with ruffles. Who knows? But I know I can't be the only one who doesn't like the pink wow-look-guys-Hermione-actually-IS-a-girl ruffle dress. I just can't be.

So the moral of the story is: no I don't like the dress, but I love what the dress stands for. 

Until next time, fellow Potterheads

"Blimey, Harry!" - Dean Thomas

Something that has disturbed me for a long time, ever since I joined the online, heavily communicative Harry Potter fandom, is the shocking amount of racism involved in the actors. 

At least three minor characters are portrayed by black actors in the Harry Potter films. These three are Dean Thomas, Kingsley, and Angelina Johnson. 

Dean was a somewhat major, yet kind of minor at the same time. He is mostly talked about in the fifth book and movie when he is dating Ginny Weasley. 

Kingsley was a very active member of the Order of the Phoenix, and has helped defeat the Dark Lord on many occasions. 

Angelina Johnson is a very good Quidditch player, and is a player on the Gryffindor team. 

There are also two Indian girls in the series: Padma and Parvarti Patil. They are twins and are in Gryffindor house with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

The majority of the other characters are portrayed as white in the movies. 

There are at least a few Harry Potter fans who do not think that having black or Indian actors in the films is acceptable. Why? Don't ask me because I don't understand. The books even said that these people were black and Indian, so why should it matter to them? If they had that big of a problem with it, why did they go see the film? They should have known it was coming.

Similar events of racism have happened in other movie adaptions of books. Take the Hunger Games for example. Fans were in an absolute uproar because Rue, Thresh, and Cinna were all to be played by black actors. While only some of these three characters were described as black in the books, I still don't believe that their race is that big of a deal.

One thing that I have been curious about for some time is a cast change in the middle of the series: Lavender Brown. In the first three or four books, Brown was portrayed as black. But as soon as she came to be a significant role, the actress was changed to a white young woman with long blonde hair. I can't help but wonder if this was a racial issue or a necessary change. I seriously doubt that this was a racial issue, but I still wonder. Tell me what you think in the comments!

Until next time Potterheads!

“Oh, are you a prefect Percy? You should have said something, we had no idea.” - Fred and George Weasley

Sometimes when people think of the Harry Potter series, they think of some serious school with series characters, and a serious plot. But people often forget that the series, especially the books, are somewhat hilarious. The characters always make sarcastic, humorous jokes that make me laugh as a read them. Even some of the situations the characters get into make me laugh. I think I'll share some of them with you today. (Some of these won't be funny taken out of context. they may be easier to understand if you are familiar with the series and the plot.)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone:

- Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march.
- "Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward the enchanted barrier. "When they hear what you did this year?"
"Proud?" said Harry. "Are you crazy? All those times I could've died, and I didn't manage it? They'll be furious..."

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets:

- Fred and George, however, found all this very funny. They went out of their way to march ahead of Harry down the corridors, shouting, "Make way for the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through..."
- They were almost at King's Cross when Harry remembered something.
"Ginny--what did you see Percy doing, that he didn't want you to tell anyone?"
"Oh that," said Ginny, giggling. "Well--Percy's got a girlfriend."
Fred dropped a stack of books on George's head. "What?"
"It's that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater," said Ginny. "That's who he was writing to all last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom one day. He was so upest when she was--you know--attacked. You won't tease him, will you?" she added anxiously.
"Wouldn't dream of it," said Fred, who was looking like his birthday had come early.
"Definitely not," said George, sniggering

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire:

- "Oh Professor look! I think I found an unaspected planet! Oooh, which one's that, Professor?"
"It is Uranus, my dear," said Professor Trelawney peering down a the chart.
"Can I have a look at Uranus too, Lavender?" said Ron.
-  "Wild!" he said, twiddling the replay knob on the side. "I can make that old bloke down there pick his nose again ... and again ... and again. . ."
- "Of course we still want to know you!" Harry said, staring at Hagrid.
"You don't think anything that Skeeter cow - sorry, Professor," he added quickly, looking at Dumbledore.
"I have gone temporarily deaf and haven't any idea what you said, Harry," said Dumbledore, twiddling his thumbs and staring at the ceiling.
- "What would your head have been doing in Hogsmeade, Potter?" said Snape softly. "Your head is not allowed in Hogsmeade. No part of your body has permission to be in Hogsmeade."

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix:

- A week after Fred and George's departure, Harry witnessed Professor McGonagall walking right past Peeves, who was determinedly loosening a crystal chandelier, and could have sworn he heard her tell the poltergeist out of the corner of her mouth, "It unscrews the other way."
- Mrs. Weasley let out a shriek just like Hermione's.
"I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!"
"What are Fred and I, next-door neighbours?" said George indignantly, as his mother pushed him aside and flung her arms around her youngest son.
- "Yes - yes, good point, Petunia! What were you doing under our window, boy?"
"Listening to the news," said Harry in a resigned voice.
His aunt and uncle exchanged looks of outrage.
"Listening to the news! Again?"
"Well, it changes every day, you see," said Harry.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince:

- "'Harry Potter knows that he can confide in me with complete confidence,' I told them. 'I would rather die than betray his trust.'"
"That's not saying much, seeing as you're already dead," Ron observed.
"Once again, you show all the sensitivity of a blunt axe," said Nearly Headless Nick in affronted tones.
- "Do you remember me telling you we are practicing nonverbal spells, Potter?"
"Yes," said Harry stiffly.
"Yes, sir."
"There's no need to call me 'sir,' Professor."
- "This is your copy of Advanced Potion-Making, is it, Potter?"
"Yes," said Harry, still breathing hard.
"You're quite sure of that, are you, Potter?"
"Yes," said Harry, with a touch of more defiance.
"This is the the copy of Advanced Potion-Making that you purchased from Flourish and Blotts?"
"Yes," said Harry firmly.
"Then why," asked Snape, "does it have the name 'Roonil Wazlib' written inside the front cover?"
"That's my nickname."
- [On a Weasley's Wizard Wheezes Ad]
Why Are You Worrying about You-Know-Who?
You SHOULD Be Worrying About
U-NO-POO -
the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!
- "Oh, very good," interrupted Snape, his lip curling. "Yes, it is easy to see that nearly six years of magical education have not been wasted on you, Potter. 'Ghosts are transparent.'"

Of course these are just some of the hilarious quotes JK Rowing came up with. I hope you enjoyed them!
Until next time, Potterheads!

"Which goes to show even the best of us eat our words." - Albus Dumbledore

The last two or three weeks, I have re read the first three Harry Potter books: the Socerer's Stone, the Chamber of Secrets, and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I have come to realize that some of what I said about Harry wasn't as true as I had previously thought. I have come to a new conclusion: I love book Harry, but movie Harry isn't my favorite after the first two movies.

I told you all what I thought about Harry, and I suppose I was only thinking of the movies when I said those things. While book Harry still isn't my favorite character, I dot dislike him as much as I thought I did.

The same could be said for the things I said about Draco Malfoy. I love the movie Draco to bits, and he is my second favorite character in the movies, book Draco is a little miserable twerp up until the last two books (in my opinion.) 

So Dumbledpre was right. Everyone eats their words at some point or another, and this is an example of me, eating my words.

Until next time Potterheads.

"There once was a boy named Harry destined to be a star..." - Jon Cozart

For all of you who obsess over Harry Potter has much as I do, you have probably heard Jon Cozart's Harry Potter in 99 Seconds. In the song, Cozart sings/tells the story of Harry Potter in 99 seconds with a pretty good result. The video has over 2 million views and many people have posted covers of this song.

Of course, I have memorized it and can sing it as well as most of my Potterheads friends. I will link the video so that you all can start memorizing it too. It doesn't even give away any spoilers for people just starting with the series!

Harry Potter In 99 Seconds

http://youtu.be/QVhpg-q6f2Y

Happy memorizing, fellow Potterheads!

"I'm the fifth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to." - Ron Weasley (SPOILER ALERT!)

Good morning fellow Potterheads! Today I'll be talking about one of my favorite wizarding families: the Weasleys.
The Weasley family consists of eight people: Molly and Arthur, the parents, Bill, Charlie, Fred and George (who are twins), Ron, and Ginny, the only sister. Bill gets married to a woman named Fleur Delacour, a minor character in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Unfortunately, Fred dies in the last book (last movie), which makes me cry almost every time. In the epilogue, Ginny ends up marrying Harry Potter, and they have three kids together.
I love this family because they are so wholesome and caring, even though they are the poorest people in the entire series. They all care so much about each other, even if they don't act like it all the time.
They also play some seriously big parts in the series (with the exception of Charlie, who is barely in the books, and isn't even shown in the movies.) I'll go through them all individually for you.

Molly: Well, at the very end, she kills Bellatrix Lestrange for messing with Ginny. That's pretty BA if you ask me. She also acted as Harry's only real mother figure in the series, and I think he really needed that, no matter what. She was always there for him, and I love that she cared that much about someone, even if he wasn't part of the family.

Arthur: Arthur was tortured in the Hall of Prophecy by Voldemort, and was attacked by his snake, Nagini. Even though he almost died (and would have if Harry hadn't known what was happening to him) he still didn't give up on the Order of the Phoenix, and didn't give up any information. I love him for that. He also warned Harry about Sirius Black in the Prisoner of Azkaban, even though he didn't have to. Harry wouldn't have had a clue about Sirius "trying to kill him" if Arthur hadn't told him about it. (We know now of course that Sirius would never try to kill Harry, but no one knew that at that point. Another reason to hate Peter Pettigrew's little rat-faced guts.)

Bill: Bill was a very active member in the Order of the Phoenix, and was present when Mad Eye Moody died. While he wasn't the biggest part of the series, he still was helpful in the downfall of the Dark Lord. and he protected Harry in the Deathly Hallows along with his wife, Fleur Delacour.

Fred and George: Of course I have to have these two in the same category. Fred and George provided Harry with the Marauder's Map, which allowed a ton of very important parts of the series to happen. they were also part of the Order of the Phoenix, and helped move Harry from 4 Privet Drive to the Burrow in the Deathly Hallows. Fred died fighting in the Battle of Hogwarts, which shows how strong his dedication to the good of the wizarding world was.

And lastly ... Ron: Ron was the most influential of all the Weasleys. He played a very big part in destroying all seven horcruxes and killing Voldemort for good. Even though he and Harry fought, as friends and brothers do, they were always able to push through it. He was Harry's best friend, and my favorite of the trio.

I hope you learned something fellow Potterheads! Until next time!
  

"You wish." - Harry Potter

 

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, I am not the biggest fan of Harry Potter. People think I am somewhat crazy because of this. “How can not like the main character,” they say. “He destroyed the dark lord,” they said. Well, thanks for stating the obvious, fellow Potterheads, but let me explain what I am thinking in my head.

Harry Potter is the biggest emotional pansy I have ever read about in my life. I understand being really upset and stressed and strained because of everything that’s been going on. But that doesn’t give him the right to complain about it to everyone that will listen to him.

In the Order of the Phoenix when Hermione wants Harry to form Dumbledore’s Army, he just has to be the most modest person on the face of the Earth and say that he’s not a good enough wizard to teach other’s what to do in the case on an emergency.

Are you kidding me?

You are obviously a fantastic wizard! Lupin, a fantastic person and wizard told you that you were fantastic, Dumbledore took you under his big, obscure, flamboyant bird wings, and you have the guts to say that you aren’t a good enough wizard?! Really though, you don’t even know. He only formed DA because his closest friends forced him to. Then he basks in all the glory like he wanted to teach his peers the whole time. Who are you really fooling, dude?

Then he decides to abandon RON, HIS BEST FRIEND in the Goblet of Fire. This kid has done everything for you and practically kissed the ground you walked on, and you blow up on him because of your name being in a freaking cup. Stop it. Just stop.

He can just be a bit of a whiner. And I don’t like whiners, even though I’ve been whining about this whiner for the last here hundred words. But still, you have to agree that some of the things he says and does are absolutely ridiculous. So yeah, I sometimes can’t stand the kid.

Oh yeah, and he never seems to know what anything is. If you found out you were a wizard, wouldn’t you want to do as much research on this whole new world as possible? Yeah that’s what I thought.

Good night fellow Potterheads!

"Scared, Potter?" - Draco Malfoy

                Hello fellow Potterheads! Sorry I haven’t blogged in a while, I’ve been extremely busy. More time to think about what to write about though!

                Today I’m going to address a question I get a lot: Why is Draco Malfoy your favorite character? Well, let me just say first of all that he isn’t my favorite character in the whole series, but he IS my favorite human (wizard) character. (Dobby is my favorite character overall, and I’m still extremely mad that he was killed off.)

                People often misunderstand Draco in my opinion. Sure, he is mean to Harry, and sure he was a Death Eater. But, let’s be honest, who would honestly choose being a Death Eater over being a normal wizard, especially at such a young age. He was forced to, and would have been killed if he didn’t make the switch. And as for being mean to Harry, I don’t really blame him. (You will come to learn that I’m not actually the biggest fan of Harry OR Dumbledore. They aren’t unbearable to me, but they aren’t my favorites. I will talk about this later in my posts.)

                Look, we all need to take a walk in Draco’s shoes. He had to become a Death Eater to protect his family and other people he cared about. Harry was someone who got in the way of that. I believe that Draco was only mean to Harry out of frustration. I only realized all of this after seeing the movies twenty plus times each. I had to dig deep, but I’m glad that I did.

                But who are people to judge me for loving Draco? People have some odd favorite characters, ones that make a lot less sense than Draco Malfoy. Scabbers for example, who, need I remind you was the man who BETRAYED JAMES AND SIRIUS AND LILY AND HARRY AND ALL OF HIS OTHER FRIENDS!! But let’s not get too off topic.

                At the end, Draco made the right choice. Draco would have stayed on the good side after the battle of Hogwarts had his parents not lured him to the other side. He realized that what he did was wrong, and just because of that, I think that he is a great character.

                I hope that people realize that Draco Malfoy isn’t that bad of a person after reading this. (Not to forget that he is the most attractive of all the Harry Potter cast, thank you very much.) Until next time, fellow Potterheads!

"Because I want to." - Me

Sorry to all of you that we're looking forward to another Harry-Potter-quote-titled blog, but I'm going to be selfish today. Because everyone has their own opinions, and I am determined to show mine.

So there I was, innocently reading the best series there ever was: the Harry Potter series. A classmate walks up and asks, "Harry Potter? Have you never read them before?" To which my response is, "Yes, of course I have." Then, their dreaded response to my response:

"Then why would you read them again?" 

There are many responses to this response to my response. And I have carefully crafted a list, so if and when you are ever in this situation, you know how to handle it. So here it is: my brilliant list.

1) The mafia is forcing me to.

2) I'm going to Harry Potter World for Spring Break so I'm preparing.

3) I'm looking for a newfound loophole.

4) The fates are forcing me to.

5) I have glass bones and paper skin. Selling Harry Potter books is the only thing that gets me through. (Props to you if you understand the reference)

6) The magic never dies, so why should the joy I get from reading die?

And of course, the title of this blog is my preferred response

7) Because I want to.

Sleep tight, fellow Potterheads! Don't let the nargles bite!

"Immerse yourself in the world of the spectacular Harry Potter film series..." - 'Harry Potter Film Wizardry'

As you all have probably guessed, I love reading. I can get into almost any type of book, and I almost always would rather be reading. I especially love going to the library to look around for my next amazing book find. 

So there I was, at the library looking for something to read. I was in the music section for a little while, and afterwards, I decided to go to the movie section to see what I would find to read. And then there it was, on display.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry: From the Creative Team Behind the Celebrated Movie Series

This magical (pun intended) book shows everything you would ever want to know about the Harry Potter movies. Stories from the cast, pictures of props and sets, special effects, and everything behind the scenes was packed into this book, put on a library book shelf, and presented, by fate, to me. So I checked it out and I read it. And I love it!
The book goes along with the movies as they are in order, and shows behind the scenes stuff in the order they appear in the movie. With some exceptions of course. One of the first pages is about Privet Drive and has a pop out Hogwarts letter and envelope.

The letter looks almost like it did in the movie!
As I read through the pages, I developed some favorite parts of this book.
I loved the page on Diagon Alley, because I feel that it would be one of my favorite places to be if I were in the wizarding world.

I loved reading about the cast's reactions to the set of Diagon Alley, and it was interesting to read the Borgin and Burkes pamphlet that is stapled onto the page.
The next page after that had a really cool picture of Hogwarts castle.

Another one of my favorite pages was about the giant chessboard in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Yes, they really did build all of those giant pieces.

And then the page about the Burrow. It was interesting to see how the scene where the Burrow was burnt down was put together. And they really did build a real burrow, then burn it down. "It took six months to build and six minutes to burn down," is a quote about this event from the book.

And if course I fell in love with the Dobby page. Because who doesn't like Dobby, let's be real.

It was really neat to read my next favorite page: Hogsmeade Villiage. The concept art (the first picture) is amazing. The set builders really brought the Villiage to life!

And next is one of my favorite pictures / artifacts. JK Rowling's hand written Black Family tree. Something from the very beginning. 

And of course ... The Marauder's Map

And last but so so SO not least. Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy. You will learn as these blogs go on that Draco is my favorite human character and Tom is my celebrity husband. He just doesn't know it. (I'm really not a stalker)

I loved this book, and I hope to get one for myself! Christmas or my birthday or Flag Day or any other holiday. Hint hint mom and dad!! See you next blog!

"They ship me with chicken," - Rupert Grint

Hi fellow Potterheads! As I may or may not have mentioned last week, I am an active member in the Harry Potter fandom. I read the books, watch the movies and read fan fictions on a regular basis. But part of being a Potterhead is having opinions on what JK Rowling wrote for us. Some of us choose to make up couples that would have made more sense to us. There are many of these, and we call them ships (short for “relationships.”) I am going to present you with a few, and tell my opinions on them so you will get to know them better, and hopefully, start to form your own opinions. So here they are!

Romione (Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger): One of my favorite ships in the series, Ron and Hermione. They seem like the perfect couple to me! I like that Hermione chose Ron, who has been accused of being a comic relief character, instead of Harry Potter, the obvious hero in the series. He loved her no matter what, even when he thought that she was in love with Harry near the end of the story, and the fact that they were together in the end anyways is a perfect ending to their relationship in my opinion.

Hinny (Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley): And this ship is one of my least favorite ships in the entire series, including the odd Bellatrix Lestrange and Voldemort ship. They just seem so awkward in the movies, that the ship was kind of ruined for me. If Bonnie Wright (the actress who played Ginny) had acted the part better, I probably would’ve shipped them together. In the books, I believe that Ginny is portrayed completely differently, and Hinny could potentially have been one of my favorite ships. However, in the movies, I ship…

Drarry (Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter): Some people think it strange, but Drarry has to be one of my favorite ships, even though it never happened in the books or the movies. For some reason, I could just see it happening. Maybe fan fictions have swayed my opinion a little bit, but I just think it could work out if the situation presented itself.

Wobby (Winky and Dobby): I personally think that this is the sweetest and cutest ship in the series, because it involves my favorite character, Dobby. Dobby always cared so much about Winky in the books, and while they may have been only friends, I think it would’ve been cute if they were a couple. Unfortunately, Winky wasn’t shown in any of the movies, so I couldn’t see how that aspect of the relationship would’ve worked.

Now, I believe that it is some people’s goals to make up the most ridiculous ships that they possibly can. While they may be odd, some of them can be funny. Some of them can also be disturbing. But that’s just how any fandom goes I guess.

Drapple (Draco Malfoy and a green apple): Draco has been seen eating a green apple at least three or four times in all eight movies. Some people have chosen to make it a ship. It’s ridiculous, and hilarious, and odd. I love it.

Chickron (Ron Weasley and chicken): Ron loves food, and food loves Ron.  This ship could make its own series, let’s be honest people.

And last but not least …

Hape (Hedwig and Snape): I can’t even with this ship. I think, unfortunately, this ship needs a visual (sorry).

Until next time!

"They ship me with an apple." - Tom Felton

Hi, guys! Today I'll be talking about fan fictions. As one of the most random, fun, and sometimes disgusting aspects of the Harry Potter fandom, I thought I'd write about it today.

Many Harry Potter fans have their own opinions about the series. Some of those fans want to write their own version of the story, and do it their way. fanfiction.net is a site that lets fans do just that: write the series the way they would like to have read it. 

There are many different types of fan fictions, from novel length ones to ones only a few paragraphs long, from ones originating from the books to ones originating from the movies, and ones written in different time periods. The opportunities are literally endless. 

So many people out there have written their own versions of the story. Some people ship different people together (meaning they think the characters should be together in a couple sort of way) and would like to write about it. 

Just a fair warning though: some fan fictions are insane. Some ships can be considered disgusting, and reading fan fictions about them is nearly unbearable. For example, the well known Hermione and the Sorting Hat fan fiction. I couldn't finish it. It was so gross and very very VERY inappropriate. Many of my Harry Potter loving friends think the same thing.

A few days ago, I also found a completely Potter-unrelated Jesus/Hitler fan fiction. It was a romance. Let's just say I didn't read it. 

Just remember that fan fictions are an awesome way to continue loving the Harry Potter series, but just be aware that there are a few that are very inappropriate. 

Until next time! 

"I am the character you're not supposed to like." - Alan Rickman

Hello fellow Potterheads! Today I'll be talking about house stereotypes.

Like I talked about in my last post, some people think that house sorting is wrong on the Pottermore website. Seven questions nor a hat can't possibly decide weather you're good or bad, right? In my opinion, that IS correct. Being in the Slytherin house doesn't make you a bad person. Just like being in Gryffindors doesn't make you a good person, Hufflepuffs aren't always the nicest people, and Ravenclaws aren't always the brightest of the bunch. 

I have two examples for this theory: Severus Snape and Peter Pettigrew.

Severus Snape, as said by the actor who played him in all eight movies, is the character you're supposed to hate until the last book, and he was in Slytherin. But was the reason most of us hated him wasn't because he was in Slytherin. It was because he was a little twerp. He was rude to Harry, constantly torturing him because of the ways his father acted, and appeared to be on the Dark Lord's side. Until the seventh book and the eighth movie, he was one of the most horrible characters in the series. He broke the stereotype of being a Slytherin. One of the most hated characters in Slytherin was one of the most influential people in deceiving the Dark Lord.

Peter Pettigrew in particular really grinds my gears. He was in Gryffindors with him three Marauders: James, Sirius, and Remus. When they all became animagi (wizards/witches who could transform into animals at certain times) in order to comfort Remus, a werewolf, Peter became a rat. They were all very close. When James wanted to keep a secret from the Dark Lord, he used a spell that made it so only Sirius could tell the secret. At the last moment, the spell changed so that Peter could tell the secret as well. It was a huge way to give Peter James' trust. But Peter ended up betraying and telling the Dark Lord the secret, then framed Sirius for it. Sirius was in the wizard prison, Azkaban for twelve years. Peter was in Gryffindor, a house known for being brave. This was one of the most cowardly moves in the entire series. Peter clearly didn't belong in Griffindor. He didn't deserve the honor.

These are two well-known examples of characters being supposedly put in the wrong house. They didn't belong in their respective houses as shown by their actions. 

See you all next time!!

“It's the same story with a few crucial additions; the most important one is you.” - JK Rowling

Hey guys! Today I'll be talking about Pottermore, an "online, interactive reading experience unlike any other," according to JK Rowling herself. 

Pottermore is a game online, where any Potter fan can go through the same steps an eleven year old witch or wizard would take in order to go to Hogwarts. Secret information from JK Rowling is also on the site. It is the ultimate website for all Potterheads! Currently the first three books and their plots are released on the site.

Released in July 2011 as trail run for the first million fans to sign up, Pottermore took the Harry Potter world by storm. When the website opened for the rest of the work in April of 2012, most Harry Potter fans rushed to their computers to sign up, including me.
Pottermore has been somewhat controversial among the Harry Potter fandom, however. Some say that the sorting hat quiz is unreliable, and that you can't base someone's house sorting on a mere seven questions. Some people were mad when they got the house they did when they answered the seven questions honestly, and they signed up again and again, until they got the house they wanted. I personally got Ravenclaw the first time I quizzed, and didn't feel the need to quiz again. I love the Ravenclaw house, and I feel that it suits me well.
Fans have also said that the site is disappointing, and that they expected much more. I don't know my personal opinion on that because I rarely make it on the site myself, but while I was there, I thought it was pretty fun. I liked playing the actual game and making potions and practicing spells, but my favorite part was reading and learning more about the world of Harry Potter from JK Rowling. She had all of this information about the wizarding world that she had never put in the books, and she was releasing it on the site. I loved that.
While I know that I'm a busy person, and I know that Pottermore shouldn't be my main priority, I really wish I had more time to spend on it. Until next time!

"It is impossible to live without failing, unless you live so cautiously that you may as well not have lived at all, in which caseyou have failed by default." - JK Rowling

As you probably could have guessed, Harry Potter is one of my many passions. I am in love with the characters, the plot, the setting, and the author. All of these things have shaped my life in a way I never expected they would, but in a way I am very grateful for. Although the stories of Harry Potter are extraordinary, there is another that is as equally extraordinary. That is the one of JK Rowling (given name Joanne Rowling), the amazing author of the Harry Potter series.
JK Rowling, born to an aircraft engineer and a stay at home mom in 1965, is one of the most influential people in my life. She faced many obstacles in her life, just as many of us have. She was born into poverty, and remained there until Harry Potter was published. But even as a girl, she knew her passion: writing. She wrote often as she grew older. One day in 1990, when she was 25, the idea of a small boy going to a school of wizardy popped into her head. Before she knew it, all of the characters and situations they would get into started forming. AS soon as she got home that day, she began writing.
While JK Rowling was writing the first book in the Harry Potter series, her mother passed away, without ever knowing that her daughter would grow to be one of the most famous authors of all time. JK says that her loss gave her a lot of inspiration for the series.
After her mother's death, Rowling was married in 1992, and she had her first daughter in 1993. After their daughter's birth, both JK and her husband were thrilled. She was happy in life, until her marriage began falling apart. Her husband was becoming abusive and going after her and her daughter. JK immediately got a restraining order and divorced her husband, taking their daughter with her.
JK Rowling has said that her daughter is the person that pulled her through this difficult time. She would have given up on her life and on Harry Potter if it hadn't been for her daughter. In fact, she continued writing because she knew that if she could get the books published, that she could support her daughter.
In 1995, the manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was finished, after being written on a manual typewriter and being edited for more than five years. Twelve different publishing companies read the manuscript, and rejected it. Finally, at the thirteenth publishing house, Bloomsbury, Harry Potter was given the green light to be published (along with £1500 in advance.) Is has said that the eight-year-old daughter of a Bloomsbury chairman was given the first chapter to read as a tester, and once she was done, she demanded the next chapter. Even though the book was to be published, the president of Bloomsbury advised JK to get a day job, because she "had little future in children's books." She was also forced to use a pen name (JK Rowling) becuase the publisher thought the book would sell better if it appeared that a man had written it. But in 1997, when the book was put on shelves, Rowling was given a £8000 grant, which enabled her to continue writing. Withing the first year, the book had won Children's Book of the Year, and Scholastic Inc. paid $105,000 for publishing rights in the US. Everyone all around the world went crazy for the Harry Potter books. the series ended with seven incredible books.
The book was a huge success. And JK Rowling was a huge success. The books were made into movies, which were just as big of a success as the books, and JK Rowling will never have to suffer again.
She is my absolute idol. she pulled off this major feat. She made this intricate book series with thousands of opportunities for loopholes. I personally have never found one. The plot is rock solid. Nobody seems to realize how complicated it must be to come up with such an elaborate plot. Most every fan has tried to look for some kind of loophole I'm sure, and no one has come up with a legitimate claim to one. She is magnificent to be able to come up with such an amazing plot line, entertaining and creative characters, and the most beautiful imagery I've ever known.
JK Rowling is a brilliant, kind, caring, and successful woman, and I am proud to call her my idol.

"Harry Potter ... the boy who lived." - Albus Dumbledore

Harry Potter is a phenomenon all around the world. It has changed people's lives with its powerful morals about love, war, happiness, and friendship. People's lives have changed because of their passion for the books and movies. But most importantly, it has helped people believe in magic again. 

Many people think that believing in magic is childish and immature, but for those of us who do know that it isn't. This blog is for the people that believe in house elves and hippogriffs and witches and wizards. The people who believe that love is the most powerful force in the world, and friendship will overpower all else. 

I will blog about all things Harry Potter, from house sorting, to magical creatures, and even to the infamous Twilight vs Harry Potter debate. There are infinite aspects to Harry Potter, and I'm here to talk about them. As someone who has been obsessed with the Harry Potter books and movies since a very young age, I feel I will do very well with blogging about them. Harry Potter has touched me on a very personal level, so I can't wait to share my thoughts, feelings, and loves with you all.