Fellow millenials, I know you miss it.

Privet Drive to Diagonal Alley to the Forbidden Forest to the Ministry of Magic. The sweet house elves and misunderstood hippogriffs and haughty centaurs. Harry, Ron, and Hermione- the original squad- getting into all kinds of mischief as Dumbledore watched from the wings.

I was right there with you when the sixth book, Half-Blood Prince came out and all our lives were forever changed. I was there, getting to the movie theater hours early to be first in line to see the Deathly Hallows on the big screen. I was there when Pottermore was launched and we all found our houses (Gryffindor represent) and could somewhat relive those golden days.

And now that I'm a college student, dealing with everyday reality checks and the ever growing turmoil of our political and social world, I feel myself slip every now and again into that magical world.

So that being said, it makes sense that I would create an understanding of the 2016 election through the lens of Harry Potter. While Hogwarts and the wizarding world may seem very far off from where we are, the parallels are more evident than you could've imagined. So, here's an explanation of the presidential candidates (as I see them) as different Harry Potter Characters.

Bernie Sanders as Albus Dumbledore

Dumbledore was long the humble leader of Hogwarts, asked many times by the Ministry of Magic to take up the position as Minister (*cough* President *cough). But, when Dumbledore started talking about things that the Ministry would rather have ignored (the fact that Voldemort was still alive), he was ostracized by the establishment.

Bernie openly talks about things the establishment would rather ignore- such as income inequality, Super PACS, and overall corrupt politics. While somewhat ostracized from the mainstream Democratic party because of his outspokenness, he continues to preach loudly and proudly about "political revolution." And just as Bernie sees that we can't keep going with "politics as usual," Dumbledore saw that the Ministry couldn't just ignore the problem and keep going with their daily lives. Or else the problem at hand would get even bigger. And who is that problem? Lord Voldemort, or should I say, Donald Trump. Which brings me to...

Donald Trump as Lord Voldemort

With Voldemort it was mudbloods and "muggle lovers." With Trump it's Mexicans and Muslims. Slytherins are know for their ambition, for their belief that individual success should be rewarded, not punished, and that we shouldn't have to bear the burden of other people's hardships and misfortune. To me, that sounds a lot like the modern day Republican party. And what better way to rouse that party than to say that a specific group of people is at fault- that the immigrants are taking our jobs, or that the mudbloods are taking away the purity of the magical race. Either way, it's a way to unite your people under a common interest- whether they be right wing radicals sick of political correctness or former Slytherins, sick of seeing their race being so casually tainted by non-wizarding blood.

Hillary Clinton as Dolores Umbridge

Now, this is a bit of an exaggeration, as I don't think Hillary is quite on par with the sickening, blood curdling manner of Umbridge. BUT- like Umbridge, Hillary is quick to pick the winning side (rather than the right one). When Voldemort was still in the shadows, Umbridge fit very neatly into the establishment of The Ministry of Magic. She adhered to Cornelius Umbridge (*cough* Obama *cough*), the minister at the time, denying the fact that "He Who Must Not Be Named" was still alive. Not that she necessarily believed this, but unlike Harry and Dumbledore, she was eager to maintain the status quo, whatever the cost. And then, when it was made evident that Voldemort was alive, and the Ministry of Magic was taken over by his underlings, Umbridge casually readjusted herself to that structure without a blink of an eye.

Now, many accuse Hillary Clinton of political expediency. They say she changes her mind on key issues depending on what is practical, convenient, and what looks better for her as a politician- rather than taking up a position because it is moral and "right." I would tend to agree with this, as we've seen her stances shifting back and forth on DOMA, the Keystone Pipeline, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. When they benefitted big corporations and influential interests, she was all for them. But as soon as the public eye became critical, she shifted her stances to make sure she could still get elected.

They're both so cemented into the establishment, that basically everything they say comes off as dishonest, condescending, and surface level- at least to the millenials I know.

(P.S. And just like you shouldn't respect Umbridge just because she's a woman, you shouldn't vote for Hillary just because she's a woman...)

Ted Cruz as Professor Quirrell

We all remember him, the stuttering Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who secretly had Voldemort attached to the back of his head. No, that's not creepy at all. But Ted Cruz, some might say, equals that level of creepy. And while some may say that Cruz and Trump are at odds, Trump's finger pointing and bullying is very obviously being constantly whispered in Cruz's ear, influencing his far right positions (as Voldemort whispered in Quirrell's ear). I don't know about you, but if I had to debate Donald Trump on a regular basis, I might go a little crazy too.

As this analysis makes apparent, yes, I am very obviously feeling the Bern. And as Super Tuesday showed, we might just be going into a battle between Umbridge and Voldemort pretty soon, two different evils but evil all the same.

BUT, there is a wizard who has yet to be seen in politics, a wizard said to have power above them all, and that wizard is, you guessed it, Harry Potter himself.

So let my fellow Berners have some faith in JK Rowling's foresight. Bernie might have some bright young kid under his wing at this very moment, telling him about that strange scar on his forehead, looking into those bright and compassionate green eyes, thinking about when the right moment will be to tell him he is the Chosen One...

And in however many years, that messy-haired, ambitious kid could very well be in the race for the White House. Goodbye Voldemort, hello President Potter.

Dumbledore would be proud.