Growing up with Harry Potter

Megan Coffey, Social Media Editor

BY MEGAN COFFEY (’18)

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

Wizards and quidditch and horcruxes, oh my!

These enchanting things are just a glimpse into the wonderful world of Harry Potter.

When I first ventured into the chapter book section of the library back in elementary school, the thick, hardcover books fascinated me. In the third grade I choose a book with a boy on a flying broomstick on the cover. Little did I know I had just picked up a book that would become my favorite.

I read that book, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”, faster than I had ever read a book before. I was so entranced with the magical world that J. K. Rowling created that I just couldn’t put it down. As soon as I finished I moved on to the next book and so on and so forth. As the movies came out I watched those too. I was completely captivated by Harry, Hermione, Ron and their adventures.

BY MACKENNA FINLEY (’17)

Sorting Hat Quiz

Gryffindor. Hufflepuff. Ravenclaw. Slytherin.

Find out where you belong at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Ravenclaw

Congratulations on your admittance into the house of Ravenclaw!

Ravenclaws are most well known for their brains and wit. However without the quirky individuality and accepting nature of the students, Ravenclaw just wouldn’t be Ravenclaw.

Hufflepuff

Congratulations on your admittance to the house of Hufflepuff! Hufflepuffs are known for their kind hearts and loyalty. The patient and tolerant students of Hufflepuff are easily some of the most welcoming people at Hogwarts.

Slytherin

Congratulations on your admittance to the house of Slytherin! Slytherins are known to be ambitious and cunning. With their wit and rationality, Slytherins are natural born leaders.

Gryffindor

Congratulations on your admittance to the house of Gryffindor! The students of Gryffindor possess a famous (and often infamous) bravery. These daring students will never shy away from adventure.

Which of the following traits would you least like to have attributed to you?

Which of the following do you place your faith in?

You believe a friend to be cheating on the O.W.L.s, what do you do?

What trait best describes you?

What season most appeals to you?

What do you want to be your legacy when you die?

Which pet will you take with you to Hogwarts?

You are granted one wish… what do you wish for?

What subject do you prefer in school?

How do you prepare for your exams?

Finally, what house would you most likely to be placed in? (The sorting hat always takes your opinion into consideration)

As I grew up, the Harry Potter novels were always there with me. Whenever I wanted an escape from the mundane, I reached to my bookshelf and opened one of the novels. I dove into the silly Hogwarts pranks, the serious battles of good versus evil and the otherworldly spells. J. K. Rowling and the Hogwarts crew gave me a way to explore my imagination. For me, Harry Potter was an outlet for my overactive mind. I dreamed of getting a Hogwarts letter in the mail, I loved to recite spells and I tried to be as smart and witty as Hermione. The Harry Potter books gave me access to another world. A world full of excitement, role models and world where anything was possible.

When my younger brothers entered the third grade I felt a sense of satisfaction as I passed my books onto them. I smiled when they began to read them and ask me questions. I loved watching the movies with them after they had finished the corresponding novel. I was so thrilled that they had also fallen in love with a world that had given me so much joy, and I hoped that it would do the same for them.

I was never bored with the Harry Potter novels and the excitement they brought me. In fact, to this day I still reread the novels and re-watch the movies because J. K. Rowling’s magical world still challenges my imagination. The books were there for me when I first started my journey with literature and they are there for me now. Hogwarts truly is my second home.