Fantasy Friday is my own feature, posted every other Friday. It’s pretty self-explanatory: I do a feature on something to do with the genre. Sometimes it will be a book recommendation, sometimes showcasing a book or series I’ve loved and other times it might be a discussion post. You’re more than welcome to join in with this feature, let me know if you make your own Fantasy Friday post!
Today I want to talk about: growing up with Harry Potter.
I am of the opinion that I am part of a very lucky generation, because I got to grow up alongside Harry Potter, watching him change from this young orphan, to a boy wizard, from a hormonal teenager to someone who saved the world. I was seven when the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was released, but I don’t think I started reading the series until a year later.
At that point, I was a little younger than Harry and his friends, my eight to their eleven. However, with the breaks in between books as they got longer and longer, I soon caught up – and the films were perfectly timed. When I went to see the film of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, I was just about to turn eleven, and was eagerly awaiting my own Hogwarts letter. Still waiting for that, by the way…
It was truly magical (pun totally intended) being the same age as these fantastic characters, at this amazing school and being TOTALLY jealous of them. I could identify with so much of what the Golden Trio were going through (you know, encountering three-headed dogs, fighting off a Basilisk, the usual) which made it even more appealing. That year that Harry was super moody and hormonal because, despite being a wizard, he was also a teenager? That was me. I liked that Harry’s first kiss was super awkward and not this amazing life-changing moment that so many books portray it as, because it was realistic. For a series that was about a magical school where teenagers could learn to be witches and wizards, there were so many moments like that, so many realistic moments.
Harry Potter is definitely a series that changed my life and had a HUGE effect on my childhood and teenage years – like so many others, I have to thank J.K. Rowling for so much. They are books and films I know I can re-read or re-watch again and again, and I’ll always have those warm fuzzy feelings that come with them. The first shot of Diagon Alley will always be breathtaking, the first sight of Hogwarts makes me feel at home, the loss of Sirius, Dumbledore, Fred, Lupin, Tonks, Snape (ESPECIALLY Snape, ‘The Prince’s Tale’ gets me EVERY time) and so many other characters makes me cry, even though I know it’s coming.
Seeing my beloved book characters on the big screen, at times going through what I felt I was going through, was so wonderful. Here was a series that understood what it was to grow up, and it was growing up right alongside me. As the wonderful J.K. Rowling once said:
“Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.”
Rinn Reads 
I can absolutely understand this feeling, because I also grew up with this series. I loved every minute of it and I do feel like Hogwarts is my home. We are indeed very lucky to be part of the Harry Potter generation which definitely defined a huge part of what we are today.
Yes, absolutely 🙂 I really think JK helped to inspire a whole generation of new readers as well, people would probably wouldn’t be that into reading with HP.
I came to the series pretty late because of my hype allergy, so I think I was maybe 17 when I started them…and read every one that was out in a couple of days. I do wonder what it would have been like to grow up with these, but I am just as glad that I got over the allergy and read them already because I love these books so very much. I am re-listening to them for about the thousandth time right now do. Do you like the audio books as well? I never quite got into the movies, they’re ok, but my heart is really all for the audio books. Going to be starting book 3 tonight.
Ahh, so you had the pleasure of being able to go straight to the next one 😀 I’m not an audiobook fan, I just end up basically ignoring them so they’re no good for me. I love the films though. At first I really hated the first 3, but now I kind of love them just because they are Harry Potter, and they started things off. They get much better from the 4th onwards.
YES YES YES AND ALL THE YESSES! I just published my stupidly biased review of GOF so this is terribly interesting! YES! I agree with every sentiment!
Eeeeeek ❤ I miss having a HP book to look forward to each year, even though it's been forever now…
I feel so similar to you about this series. I was 7 when it came out too and started reading it when I was 9. The logic of the person who bought me it being that because it had 9 3/4 on the cover, it was suitable for 9 year olds… who am I to complain?? Lol R x
Haha, that logic is amazing and it’s so lucky they felt that way, right? 😛
This reminds me I should do a blog post on our trip!!! You forgot to mention our childhood recreations of Hogwarts at your house 😛
I’m still never getting over the fact that horrible woman killed Dobby… That was just uncalled for!
Haha, my garden was the perfect Hogwarts, right? 😉
I wish I had been able to read Harry Potter as a child. It would’ve been so magical. I didn’t experience it until I was in college before the movies even came out. I am still glad though I got to experience the movies and books!
Was it popular amongst people at your college? What I’ve found at university is that people seem to get very very nostalgic, or enjoy things that might be aimed at younger audiences! 😛
I experienced Harry Potter when I was in college so I feel sad that I can’t quite relate to your post but I loved reading how it felt for you to grow up with the series! I feel like growing up with Harry would have been a fantastic experience for me. Although I am still hopeful for a Hogwarts letter. 😀
We’ll get our letters soon… they’ll be offering us PhDs, right? 😉
I never even read Harry Potter HAHHA the series that changed me was The Night World Series by LJ Smith. I’m proud to say a not so popular series converted me into a bookworm. LOL the first book I ever read was 800 pages HAHAH I then fell in love with vampires and magic, I owe it all to LJ Smith
I’ve not heard of that series, is that the same author who wrote the Vampire Diaries?
Oh my god The Night World Series! I fell in love with that one too. Although I had the same experience as you Rinn. I feel like the HP books were my teenage years and am thus very sentimental/obsessive over them 😉
I have met very few people my own age who don’t have strong feelings about HP ❤
I started Harry Potter when the first 3 or 4 books were already released. My mom bought the first book for herself as it was on the popular shelf in a bookstore. I had nothing to read and asked if I could read it, once I was a few pages in I was hooked and read the next few books back to back and only after that had to wait for the next book to get released. I never thought about how my age related to the characters and I can’t remember exactly how old I was when I read those books.
I have to agree with you that the Harry Potter series was pretty realistic beside being about a wizzard and I liked that his first kiss was awkward. Great post!
The times where you had to wait for a new book to come out were PAINFUL! And then it was a race to see who could finish it first, so you didn’t encounter any spoilers.
I know how you feel. I think it’s magical how we all grew up with HP, it’s almost like it connects us even more 😀 It’s a shame my children will miss this excitement, but I’ll make sure that they grow up with their share of Harry Potter 😉 They might not be able to feel the thrill of waiting for a new published book, but I want to share my love for that world with them. HP will forever be an important part of my life and I don’t think there will ever be a moment where I’m done with this fandom.
Yes, such an integral part of our childhood! I’m sure they’ll have their own Harry Potter, and also the series will still be a huge thing I bet 🙂
LEAVE ME ALONE, RINN *WEEPS*
NO, WE CAN WEEP TOGETHER ABOUT THE LOSS OF OUR CHILDHOODS.
Even though I too was growing up during HP generation. For some reason I missed the HP boat! Yes I absolutely adored the movies as I grew up and I read the first four books twice (the last ones once) but when I hear lots of people my age go ‘omg harry potter. So amazing. For life!’ I’m like, ‘That’s me with LoTR… Where the hell did I go wrong?!’ For some reason; what HP means to almost everyone my age; is what LoTR means to me! How that happened, no idea. Maybe it was simply they came out first and my whole dad’s side of the family were huge fans and so we watched them all the time (even though at my mother’s house I’d watch HP almost every night!). I dunno, but it’s turned out that I completely don’t understand the entire hype for HP (especially since it’s been years now that it ended and while I did cry when the last book and movie came out, I got over it within a week!), I can understand it because it reflects what LoTR is to me.
I was also totally obsessed with LotR when I was younger (and still am <3), so happy to meet someone else who went through the same phase!
Glad I’m not alone xD
Yeah, a lot of people just didn’t understand my fascination with it 😦
Haha I’m actually watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix right now 😉 How funny!
Yay, I really love that one! 😀 I love the Umbridge theme too, it’s wonderful.
I so enjoy reading people’s Harry Potter stories. I finally had to post my own a while a go: http://anniejacksonbooks.com/harry-potter-story/
I think it would have been so interesting to grow up with these books, to be able to relate to them in such a direct way. It was great to hear how magical it was. And I think cool because it creates this sort of haven for your different memories and experiences growing up that you can always revisit. That’s kind of awesome.
Yes, I think every generation needs something like this to grow up with – something that speaks to them on so many levels.
This perfectly sums up my Harry Potter feels. We were incredibly lucky to grow up with him, although I am still waiting for my letter (really miffed about that!)…
The owls just got lost, right?? 😉