The past couple of weeks have been huge for Harry Potter fans. July 31st was J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter’s birthday, which always prompts aspiring wizards to don their house robes and make butterbeer, but this year was extra special; it was also the release of the script book of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts 1 and 2.”
Fans around the world rushed to get their copies of the book, many attending bookstore release parties and posting their excitement extensively on social media. While I didn't attend any of these events, I can say that I love all of the people that did, and I’m so thankful to be a part of the community that loves Harry Potter.
Anyone who has read the books, or even seen the movies, knows that they’re full of important lessons about happiness, bravery, love, perseverance, and of course, friendship. Plus, they tell an amazing story with a world so complex you feel it must be real. But what makes people that love Harry Potter so amazing?
First of all, we understand compassion. These books are full of people that have their own issues, but we love them all unconditionally. Not many authors can make you love the good guys AND the bad guys, but Rowling does it perfectly. Except Umbridge. No one likes Umbridge.
We also have a profound appreciation for friendship. The whole series revolves around the friendship between Harry, Ron and Hermione, who are basically friendship goals. They’re willing to be honest with each other, but they also stand together, even through things that might not be the best idea, such as seeking out activities that could get them killed, or worse, expelled.
Plus, we know the value of kindness. Being kind can get you a long way, as evidenced by so many of the characters throughout the entire series. Sure, magic and trickery can get you a long way too, but kindness is so much easier, especially for those of us whose Hogwarts letters never arrived.
The Boy Who Lived also taught us that new experiences are not a bad thing, but are often great. Leaving everything you’ve ever known to go to a new school with people you’ve never met and have a bunch of strange adventures? Terrifying. But also cool. Wait a minute, that’s college! If Harry go from living with the Dursleys to Hogwarts, I can certainly go from living with my family to college.
Finally, we appreciate magic and mystery. Sure, most of us will never cast spells or make potions, but we are able to devour the books with open minds and talk about them freely. While we won’t get to visit Hogwarts, we can silently cast spells on the people that annoy us and buy cute socks that remind us of our fictional home-away-from-home.
Harry Potter nerds might not be the most grounded individuals, but we perceive the world in a different way than others because we’ve expanded our minds to appreciate all kinds of things. We are kinder and more accepting because we love this fictional world. We might just be Muggles, but I like to think we have a little more magic in our blood than the average person.
