Hello fellow Potterheads! Today I'm participating in Aentee from Read At Midnight's #PotterheadJuly! I'm going to be talking about my journey with Harry Potter! Where mostly I just babble about Harry Potter related memories I have!
My first introduction into the wizarding world of Harry Potter was when I was ten and my mom gave me the first book to read. You'd think that's where the love story begins, right?
Not so much. I read the first chapter and thought it was so horrible and dull. I gave it back to my mom and was like, "Thanks, but no thanks." Flash forward to November and my 11th birthday. My mom wanted to take me to the first movie. She was so excited to see it, how was I supposed to say that I would really rather not?
Well, friends, the movie is what sealed the deal for me. I was ENTHRALLED with that movie from beginning to end. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. And by the time it was over, I was hoping for my own Hogwarts letter. I was the right age at the time!
It pains me to think of what amazingness I would have missed out on if I had stayed in my little hater corner.
Okay, so I think that was my 5th grade year. That same year in school, my grade put on the school's annual 5th grade bake sale. All the money raised from it was used to take the whole class to the bookstore and let everyone pick out a book. What did little Cyra pick out?
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, of course! That was back in the day when I didn't believe I needed to read the first one since I had seen the movie. I'm pretty sure I just read the second one and went from there. It's been so long since I read the books, I honestly don't remember if I ever actually read the first one.
Anyway, despite possibly not having read it, I did acquire a copy of the first book shortly after. My teacher in 5th grade gave out points for good behavior and these points translated into cold hard cash that we could use in an auction he held twice a year. One of the items up for auction was a paperback copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
It ended up being a little bit of a bidding battle, but I ended up victorious and went home with my now VERY beat up copy of the first book.
The other memorable acquisition of a Harry Potter book for me was when I got my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I think it was the summer between my sophomore and junior years of high school when it came out. Two of my friends and I went to Walmart for their midnight release of the book. I remember telling my mom that that's probably the time when all the weird people with brightly colored hair and crazy facial piercings come out. I think the most interesting person there just had on really brightly colored tights.
That wasn't the most exciting release in the whole world. I think they just had chairs set up near where they were going to hand out the books so we just sat there til midnight and then went on our way.
I think all but one of the movies came out around my birthday. So my gift every year from my grandma was going to dinner and the new Harry Potter movie. I always looked forward to that so much!
I remember the last movie came out after I met my boyfriend and we went to see it at the drive in theater near where I live now. Those are not movies to see at a drive in theater because they're really dark movies. The drive in theater doesn't wait for it to get dark enough to see that kind of movie so I mostly listened to it that time.
As I was writing this post, I remembered that back in the day, I used to write Harry Potter fan fiction in a little notebook I carried around with me. I'd generally stick to the storyline, but insert myself into it somewhere. This is mortifying because I read it out loud to my grandma on an eight hour car ride. Ugh.
And the journey is going to continue this month because I'm going to hit up the midnight release party for The Cursed Child at Barnes and Noble in Bismarck, ND! I'm so excited. I talked the BF into going with me and staying the night up there so it's going to be a fun little trip. I am even toying with the idea of ordering a set of Hufflepuff robes complete with tie and sweater vest looking thing. It's only like $35. I think I need it to wear to the release party. Scratch that, I KNOW I need it.
And then there's the release of the Fantastic Beasts movie this year! I think I'm going to be able to go to that with my grandma again like the good old days! I am so excited!!
And the journey is going to continue this month because I'm going to hit up the midnight release party for The Cursed Child at Barnes and Noble in Bismarck, ND! I'm so excited. I talked the BF into going with me and staying the night up there so it's going to be a fun little trip. I am even toying with the idea of ordering a set of Hufflepuff robes complete with tie and sweater vest looking thing. It's only like $35. I think I need it to wear to the release party. Scratch that, I KNOW I need it.
And then there's the release of the Fantastic Beasts movie this year! I think I'm going to be able to go to that with my grandma again like the good old days! I am so excited!!
What is your fondest Harry Potter memory? Are you hitting up the midnight release for The Cursed Child? Excited for the movie?
You read self-insertion HP fanfic to your grandma on an eight hour car ride? XD ^.^ That is just about one of the most amusingly delightful things I've had to read in this series so far! Still, I think you have nice stories related to getting into the series. I also liked what you had to say about the opening parties because those people who dress up and do exciting things don't seem to exist when you think they will show up. It's the oddest thing. I hope you enjoy the Cursed Child party at the end of the month!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to be that person who dresses up at the release party I'm going to because I finally took the dive and bought the Hufflepuff robes I found on eBay. I'm so excited. I'm so buying a wand when I get there too! And yeah, I kinda wish I would have never remembered about the fan fiction because ever since I did, I have been suffering serious secondhand embarrassment for little Cyra. Hahahaha!
DeleteProps to your mom and grandma for inspiring and encouraging your love for all things Harry Potter! I've actually met quite a few people who were turned off by the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I don't know if I'm just more patient than the average reader, but I didn't mind the opening chapter.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't as big of a reader at age ten as I am now. I guess I must have just thought that that chapter was about as good as that whole series was going to get and decided it wasn't for me! Oh little Cyra, you are silly. I'm sure I wouldn't mind it as much now if I were to reread it (which I someday will). But yes! Definitely props to my mom and grandma! They know what's up!
DeleteMy Harry Potter story actually sounds similar to yours. When my dad was reading the books, he showed me Prisoner of Azkaban and tried to convince me to read them. I told him no because the books looked thick and boring (which is interesting since I already read a ton at that age). It wasn't until the first movie came out that I turned around. I wanted to spend the night with my grandparents, and they said I could as long as I went to the movie with them. My papaw had read the books and wanted to see it. I begrudgingly agreed and then came out of the movie a fan.
ReplyDeleteI think it's funny that they're children's books, but they just must not have looked appealing to us as children! They did GOOD with that movie. I'm glad I couldn't tell my super excited mother that I didn't want to see the movie she was dying to see! I'm gonna have to try the other books my mom tried to get me to read back then that I was like, "Weeeelllllll, no." I bet they're probably pretty good too. One of them was The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy!
DeleteFear not, I also liked to create HP fanfiction where I put myself in the story and become the 4th member of the golden trio xD I was too young when the final book came out, so I can't joined the midnight release, but I remember saw the report about it everywhere and it looks so much fun! It called Chasing Harry Potter, where the participants get clue to find the 7th hp book (and 7.7 billion IDR money!!!) And now, whenever I saw a car with "Chasing Harry Potter" sticker, I get really jealous because I knew I missed it *cries* I also get into the series because I watch the movies first, instead of reading the books. I think that's because the book is intimidating for children, while the movie looks much more interesting :)
ReplyDeleteTasya // The Literary Huntress
I definitely think the books are intimidating to children, just look at how big they are! That Chasing Harry Potter thing sounds so cool! I hope that the release party I'm going to for The Cursed Child is as cool as that!
DeleteAw, yay! I've really enjoyed sharing my HP enthusiasm with my fiance. I don't recall how I came to the series, but I'm not of the lucky generation who grew up with the books, same age as Harry. I do wish I lived closed enough to see The Cursed Child in London. I doubt it'll still be playing there next year, when we go for our honeymoon...but maybe!
ReplyDeleteIt would be super awesome if it was still playing! I have tried to share my HP love with my boyfriend, but I don't think he cares that much. Haha. He refuses to say any of the names right just to drive me nuts. He calls Voldemort 'Baltimore' and Dumbledore 'Elvis Dumbledore'. He does Professor McGonagall wrong too, but I can't remember what he says. But what can you do? Growing up being the same age as Harry in the movies was pretty awesome! :)
DeleteWhat a lovely journey you've had with HP! You're not the only one who didn't read the books until the first movie came out. I was dragged along by my cousin and I'm so happy she insisted. It was magical! I love your story about reading fanfiction to your grandma. I'm sure years from now you'll look back on the exchange fondly.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy my mom insisted that I go to the movie too! I hope someday I can look back on reading fan fiction to my grandma fondly. Hopefully by that point, I won't remember what I wrote. Haha!
DeleteYes! You need to dress up for the release party! I love that you go to the movies with your grandmother. <3 My ex used to take the day the movie came out off, and we would get Sebastian out of school at lunchtime, go the the movie and then out to lunch. We also got to go to all of the B&N midnight parties because we got into the books just before Prisoner Of Azkaban was released and Goblet Of Fire was the first drop party. I think Sebastian was eight. Although we never got inside B&N for Deathly Hallows because they never got below the Fire Marshal occupancy number before midnight. Ha ha. We had to go to an all night grocery store and get our books. I am so glad you decided to go to the movie and then read the books. :D
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping that my robes will be here this week! I am so dressing up. I'm so excited! I hope that the size I picked fits right! That's a fun reason to get to miss school! We always go on the weekends! Not even Harry Potter could mar my perfect attendance! Haha! This will be the first real release party that I get to go to. I see that B&N has all sorts of fun things planned and I'm so excited! I need to get my hotel reservation made! I am SO excited!
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