There are many things to love about Harry Potter and many things to cry in a corner about (poor little Dobby, Fred, and really the list could go on and on but I won't try to make you cry). Either side you're on, it's still a wonderful story that is loved and will most likely be passed on generations after all the ones who grew up with it are long gone. J.K. Rowling created a story that so many people have been able to connect with and take lessons from that helped each and every one of us. She spun a beautiful tale of loss, love, and sacrifice into seven books and none of us have been the same since.

We've all taken the test to determine which house we're in (Gryffindor for me and most of my family...except my mother, she was pretty upset when she got Hufflepuff even though there's nothing wrong with Hufflepuff), we've all found out what our wands are, which Ilvermorny house we're in (Thunderbirds where you at?), we've all used words and phrases from the series, and now recently, we've found out our patronus. We've all read the books hundreds of times and even watched the movies every single time they've aired on the Family Channel (which is all the time it seems, every holiday really). Yet, each time, it seems like we notice something new or learn something else from it. No matter how many times I read the books, it still hits me every time a character dies too.

But for those of us that have been there for every single book, movie, or occasion, there's something special for us. We waited patiently for each new book to come out and then waited anxiously for the movies. We've sat rereading oh so very patiently while we drove to the movie theatre for the newest movie and we've spent the week before a new book release rereading all the books before the new one. Our lives have been a series of reading and then rereading over and over and over and I highly doubt any of us would choose anything else to do because for us, each time was a new adventure. A new lesson with Hermione, a new meal with Ron, a new Quidditch match with Harry. We lived through each prank with the twins and we felt Ginny's embarrassment from her crush. And to tell the truth, we all felt the resemblance to Luna at one point in time (don't deny it, with all her quirks about believing in stuff that no one else could see, very similar to us believing in Harry Potter, we were all Luna).

We have lived through the story just as Harry lived through the curse that was meant to kill him. We have repeated words and sayings from the books like huge nerds ("Always." "Muggles." “Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love.") We have gone on this adventure with him and yes, it was sad when we read the words "The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years. All was well." but it was a good sad because it we all knew at that moment, that this adventure with the trio was truly over but it would never be forgotten.

So the fact that we'll never get our Hogwarts letter hurts very much. Maybe that's more J.K. Rowling's fault....but still, we'll never get our letter and really, that hurts more than not getting financial aid for school. And the fact that we'll never read these books for the first time again (unless by some accident we all hit our heads and suffer from amnesia) and live through the adventures in our heads is sad. Also to the ones who laughed at us for reading this story and believing in it without a shadow of a doubt in our minds, in the words of Albus Dumbledore, “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”