When I was younger I remember my Grandparents talking about a world full of Witches and Wizards, and a "Boy Who Lived Under the Stairs." A breath-taking adventure full of magic, castles and creatures and an intricate plot that keeps you on your toes. The characters are lovable, relatable and serve as excellent role models. Harry Potter is one of those books that never gets old no matter how many times you read it. I remember when the last book came out on July 21st, 2007, I went to Walmart at midnight to get the book for my Grandmother. The next day we sat at the table and me being in 4th grade tried to read probably the biggest book I seen in my life at that point. Finally a few years later I was finally aloud to watch the movies and fell in love. Fell in love with journeys, the characters, and the mystery that was at the end of every movie like whats going to happen next. So after 7 books and 8 movies here are some lessons I have learned from Harry Potter and his friends. J.K. Rowling once said that, "Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home" and I couldn't agree more.
1. It's okay to be different
Luna Lovegood taught us that being weird, quirky, unique it's all perfectly fine. She is blatantly honest, but she doesn’t have any malicious intent. She knows people make fun of her, but she knows who she is and never forgets it.
2. Teenage years are horrible.
Even though Harry Potter's quest was to defeat Voldemort, he and his friends still had to deal with hormones. He and his friends had to deal with all the consequences of relationships. Throughout the series, we saw characters fall in love and fall apart.3. Girls can be badass too
If there is any life lesson you take from Harry Potter it is that it's not just the men saving people and if you're Miss Hermione Granger, the entire magical realm. She is continuously tagged with the identifier of the brightest witch of her age. As a woman growing up with Harry Potter, I lived through Hermione thus believing in myself regardless of my gender.
4.You are never alone.
Everyone knows how it feels to feel alone in the world. Even if you feel as if there is nobody there for you, somebody always cares about you and is rooting for you.
5. Home can be more than one place.
The last lesson you can take from Harry Potter is home doesn't always have to mean that one location where your immediate family lives. It can be your house and you can call it home, but it doesn't mean it has to be the one and only. Harry states several times that Hogwarts is his home because that is where he feels safe and secure.
6. True friends will always stick with you to the end.
The beloved Trio is a true example of friendship. Despite his horrible childhood, Harry found two great friends who stuck by him with every decision and adventure. They taught him the true meaning of friendship and what it means to love.
7. Love is the strongest power of all
Love is what saved Harry Potter the night that Voldemort tried to kill him. Voldemort never knew what love was. He fed on fear and hatred. We learned through Harry Potter that even after death, our loved ones are still with us. They are watching over us and will forever be in our hearts.
