Unless you've been hiding in an Albanian forest for the last 15 years, you're familiar with the phenomenon that is "Harry Potter." Your friends cancel plans with you to stay home and watch ABC Family's "Harry Potter" weekend marathons, they debate whether Crumple-Horned Snorkacks really exist during lunch dates, and the girl who sits next to you in English class always wears her Gryffindor scarf. But you just can't relate. Although "Harry Potter" is a hugely popular franchise, not everyone caught on to it in the beginning. I am guilty as charged. So I, at the ripe old age of 21, decided to give it a go (after my boyfriend gifted me the books and left me no other choice than to do so), and I don't regret it. So this is for the minority of the muggle population like myself who just discovered the magical world of "Harry Potter." You are not alone.
One day, you let it slip that you never got into Harry Potter and everyone was like:
Hardcore Potterheads take offense to those who aren't fans. If you aren't at least open to becoming a fan, you might want to keep this to yourself.
Your friends then make it their mission to try to convince you that you'll love it, and you're just like:
"Magic? Wizards? Witches? Nah, count me out."
Then you start to feel left out...
So you think "hey, maybe I'll just give it a shot."
Your friends are all like "OMG" and excited for you to start it because they know you'll become obsessed with it, and you're just like:
You went into it with low expectations because you've rebelled against it for so long, and you don't want to admit you were wrong.
Then after you finish the second book, you become obsessed and want to read it every chance you can.
You can finally partake in discussions with your friends, and after the fourth book you're all "Sirius is so cool! Dumbledore is just so wise! Dobby is my favorite! Fred is hilarious! I really am starting to like Lupin!" and your friends just side-eye each other and try to warn you...
You encounter spoilers on the internet almost every day and you're like:
People seem to think that since the books have been out for almost 10 years that spoilers are fair game.
However, spoilers don't even prepare you for how heart-wrenching some moments are.
Just when you don't think it can get any worse, it gets worse. Come on, J.K., enough!
You talk to your friends about losing your favorite characters like:
And they roll their eyes because they've already been there...10 years ago.
You regret not reading the books sooner, and you reflect on your life and imagine how it would be different if you had.
I'd be so much wiser if I had grown up with "Harry Potter."
You love the books so much, so you watch the movies and are just like:
They're rather lackluster, aren't they?
So you stick to the books and all the life lessons just seem to hit you harder as an adult...
Love, Harry, Love!
And you try to apply the philosophies to your everyday life like:
Your parents are annoyed at you for thinking you're some kind of Socrates even though it's their fault you never experienced this sooner!
Then you finish the books and don't know what to do with yourself.
But you're glad you finally got to experience this special world.
Why can't real life be this magical?
