My Love of Magic

Harry Potter. How to start?

I was first introduced to the Wizarding World during Primary school. I can’t remember how old, but I remember reading the series slowly through the years (because it wasn’t my assigned book, so I always had to read the school book first before I could read my own).

There’s this one moment I specifically remember, not long after starting middle school (at nine years old). The registration groups at my school were mixed years, and I was sitting beside a boy who was about thirteen. We always had reading time every week for about half an hour. While I was struggling to dig Order of the Phoenix out of my schoolbag, he was opening a Kipper book beside me. I remember him looking at me in disbelief, being four years his junior with a book the size of my head. I remember because he thought he needed to explain to me, a nine year old, why he had a smaller book - he picked the shortest one in the library, because he hated to read.

And it's not that I thought I was better than him for reading a bigger book. It's the astonished look on his face at the book I'd chosen, and was enjoying. I felt proud of myself at that moment, because he was what? Shocked? Surprised? He hadn't expected it, and I felt so cool right then. And I associated that feeling with those books.

The stories were an escape for me, and obviously, for thousands of other people too. They introduced me to the fantasy genre, and opened my eyes to the amazing worlds that could exist in one’s mind. I’d already decided I wanted to be an author when I was about four years old, and reading those books just solidified my stance. Harry Potter is the reason for my continued love of all things magical, and the reason I aspire so far and so hard with my own writing abilities. I’m fairly certain that any fantasy series I might one day write would never come close to the fame, adoration and pleasure that the Harry Potter universe has brought the world, but I aspire to change people, just as the books changed me.

I think they are fantastic, not only because of the break from reality they provide, by carrying us up to rural Scotland to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, or far below London to the Ministry of Magic; but also because of the oh-so-important messages they send to anyone who reads them. Despite the characters being fictional, the real-life events and people they reflect teach us very valuable information that helps us to feel less alone in the world.

From sadistic teachers who revel in punishing innocent children, to the corrupt and blatantly ignorant politicians enforcing their own beliefs and silencing other voices, I feel that anyone who has read the books (or even watched the movies - not forgetting about those fans too!) can relate to the characters. We’ve all known a teacher that hates teaching, who clearly has it out for certain students that they've made it their mission to break. We’ve all seen/read the news in recent years, of the idiotic decisions being made by people in power, who are capable of thinking of no-one but themselves.

The Harry Potter books are a fantastic creation, and I for one wouldn’t be the same person without them in my life. Though, with how well-known the series is nowadays, I think they are rather hard to escape, so I’m hoping that many people have had their minds widened by the fantastic tales of Harry, Ron and Hermione on the adventures they face while growing up.

The coming-of-age story helped me significantly through my teenage years, and now into my twenties I will continue to read and re-read the books, because I learn new things each time. The messages I take from the books change as I get older, and I can’t wait to see how I react to them in my sixties.