It's a Sunday and I have inevitably fallen into the hole that is a Harry Potter marathon. Even though I have seen the movies again and again, it never quite gets old. The lovable trio, the enviable magic tricks, and the mystery that is the wizarding world will never fail to enchant me.
I think everyone I know has one time wished that they could get their own letter for Hogwarts, or that maybe a real world like the one in the books could actually exist. Obviously we can't linger on those thoughts too long without getting very frustrated that we apparently have not been chosen to be a witch/wizard (still bitter), but it doesn't mean that we don't enjoy wasting a day delving into a world we've now known for over a decade.
Whether you're a die hard fan, or a newcomer to Harry Potter, it is a world that has captured the hearts of millions. But why have people become so obsessed? Buying thousands of copies of the books, watching the movies multiple times (try thousands of times), getting HP tattoos, and even naming pets after the lead characters. It's safe to say that the world has an obsession with Harry Potter, but what is truly behind the madness?
1. The best trio
The friendship that we see between Harry, Ron, and Hermione is one of the best friendships that has ever been captured in books and on screen. These characters have grown with each other, and in a way have become our friends too. We watch them deal with pain together, support each other, and even fall in love -- shout out to HermiRon (better couple name needed). They show what everyone wants in a true friendship, and it made us fall in love with them.
2. The magic
The books and the movie have so many awesome things going on, but the most obvious one is the idea of magic. Magic is just cool. If you meet someone who doesn't think the magic in "Harry Potter" is like the most badass thing ever, don't be friends with them. They're weird.
3. It lets us be kids
No matter how old you are, you want to be a wizard when you're watching the movies or reading the books. Your imagination begins to run wild just like it did when you were a kid. For a little bit, you can play make believe. You are in a whole new world with a whole new set of rules, and everything else falls away. Honestly with all the crazy things that go on in the world today, I'm not surprised I still like to escape to Hogwarts every now and then.
4. The lessons
Mainly because Albus Dumbledore is the wisest guy out there (and everyone's dream grandfather), we really get a lot of lessons and knowledge from the "Harry Potter" series. We learn what it is to be courageous, morally aware, and most of all that anyone can be the chosen one if you allow yourself to be chosen. It's hopeful, and meaningful, and honestly if it was Dumbledore nominated for president, we'd all elect him in a heartbeat, and I don't even care that he's from England because Dumbledore doesn't play by our old annoying rules. #Dumbledore2016
5. Harry Potter is our childhood
If you're in the same age range as I am, we both grew up with this series. We grew up along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and as their troubles became more serious, and their minds became older, ours did too. As they were figuring out that the world isn't always a happy and innocent place, so were we. We discovered it together, and ultimately, Harry Potter helped ease us into that realization. Life is hard (but low-key, it would be a little bit easier if we had magic).
6. It's a light in the dark
Even though a thousand things could be going wrong, our favorite characters may die, the wizarding world is falling apart, the Dark Lord starts to take over, the main characters still realize what is important is the ones they love. They show us that in the darkest times, if we have each other, and our families, and friends, we can always make it through. Our world is a pretty dark place, but there is nothing that we can't overcome together.
Also, if there is a wizarding world out there, and you happen to see this article (way better than Rita Skeeter, I'd say) if you could cast a spell on Donald Trump we'd be very grateful. Thanks.
