by Kasey Endsley

Created on: December 01, 2008

The Harry Potter books have worked literal, magical wonders on me, the lest of them being my founding of a Quidditch Team.

When I was young, I would always read. I cleared out the library at every school I transfered to within the first year. Nothing, however, could fully sate my thirst. I'd always get angry when I found a series I moderately liked, only to find it stopped after two books. Short series always annoyed me.

When I heard about Harry Potter in say, fourth grade or later, I thought it was the worst thing I'd ever heard of. At that point, I had a college reading level, so I automatically thought anything the other children were reading would be below my standards. I can't remember how I finally got around to picking a copy of the Sorcerer's Stone up, but I do remember the intense love I felt for the book. Of course, I got the rest of the series as fast as I could. I think, at the time, only the first four books had been released, if I remember correctly.

There's so much magic in these books. Everyone knows it, adults and children alike. Who doesn't like the likable characters? Is there honestly one person who didn't, in some way, still have a soft spot for Professor Snape, because you just knew he had a hard life and it wasn't his fault? Is there one person who honestly didn't wish for their own school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, with a crazy, cryptic headmaster included? Is there one person that honestly didn't develop some sort of crush one at least one of the characters? (I was always a Fred and George girl, myself.)

I love the plot lines. There are clues throughout the whole series that lead up to the ending - we were just too dim witted to recognize most of them. It certainly gave us Potterheads something to consider and anazlyze between books. I loved watching everyone in the story progress and grow. I loved that when I read these books, I, too felt like I could perform magic. In fact, I was eleven years of age when I first read these books, and I was waiting for my letter of acceptance to Hogwarts up until my twelfth birthday. Needless to say, I was very disappointed.

I also loved the sad parts, in some way. I openly cried when Dumbledore died in the sixth book, and when Sirius died in the fifth. I cried throughout the end of the battle scene in the seventh book shamelessly, and I laughed at all of the silly quips the characters had. In fact, I was rereading the seventh book recently in front of a friend, and laughed out loud at one of the jokes. My friend Ryley stared me down in disbelief before he asked, "Is it SERIOUSLY still funny the hundredth time?!?" I went on to rant about the end of the book to him, and how beautiful and strong it's message of unity was, to which he pointedly ignored me.

Let's not forget the other thing that made Harry Potter so great: Potter Puppet Pals.

Who doesn't love the genius behind both Potter Puppet Pals and the Ultimate Showdown? I remember watching my first Puppet Pals episode and laughing so hard I literally almost fell out of my seat. It's not only J.K Rowling that made Harry Potter so great; we all helped, as well.

Harry Potter gave me something to believe in as a child, and I know I still believe in magic today.

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