Getting Into Harry Potter

Discussions About the Harry Potter World

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Mia Vardales
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Post by Mia Vardales »

Well, I could say Harry Potter saved my life. Almost.

It was my last year in high school (I think it was probably 2002) and I was invited to a party by a girl I didn’t like very much. After an hour or so me and a friend of mine got very bored and decided to leave the party; we headed downtown, planning to hang around in some pub or something like that.

We just forgot it was Monday night and virtually everything was closed. It was a very cold night (it was December, if I recall correctly) and we couldn’t do anything but walk up and down the streets, searching for someplace to get a warm drink or something like that, but we found none. We were really starting to freeze when we noticed a movie theatre that was open. It featured “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secretsâ€￾. It wasn’t the kind of movie I was interested in at the time, but my friend and I decided that it was better than just stay outside in the cold. Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed the movie, and that was the time I first become interested in the Harry Potter world, but since school was getting very hard (in Italy at the end of high school you have to take a very tough exam about a lot of subjects, it’s kind of difficult to explain), I had to keep focused on studying. It was not until three or four months later that I stumbled into Harry Potter again.

I decided to better prepare myself for my English exam, and I thought that maybe reading a book in English could help. So I went into a bookstore, and on a shelf in the “Foreign Languagesâ€￾ section I noticed “Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stoneâ€￾. I thought: “Why not? If anything, it could be fun.â€￾ So I bought it and… I become addicted, seriously. But I’m not gonna complain, you know. Harry “savedâ€￾ me that one December night, so I kind of owe him, don’t you think?

Mia Vardales (mi919, Slytherin, Italy)
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Mia Vardales|Second Year|Deputy Leader of the Sneer Squad

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Ariel Kingston
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Post by Ariel Kingston »

Well my story is not terribly interesting but here we go. My Senior year of high school I was in a humanities class which was being taught by one of my most respected teachers. I had also had her for AP English and I knew she was brilliant and had very good taste all around. Well I had been hearing from my peers about this new book series called Harry Potter after discovering it was classified as juvenile I snubbed it. I thought it was going to be childish and not my cup of tea. So one day in class my teacher announces that we would all read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer Stone. Mind you I was still skeptical but I valued her opinion greatly so I gave it a show. I was then hooked and have been ever since. When I was younger I related to some of the students at Hogwarts but has time has gone on I have come to appreciate the books in an all-new way as I have become enamored with the adult characters. The book is truly imaginative and one of a kind and I am so glad someone introduced it to me.
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Megaera Selwyn
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Post by Megaera Selwyn »

My story is relatively straightforward.

When I was 11, I was desperate for well-written, engaging and challenging books to read; unfortunately, at the time, most books with those specifications were for adults and it bothered my dad to see me reading "grown-up" books. (Note that my mum never cared - it's obvious in our house who actually read my report cards.)

"You're too young to understand those!" He'd snap when he caught me reading something like The Hobbit at age 7 or Ender's Game at age 9. Then he'd shove a random, dumbed-down fairytale into my hand. I'd smile brightly at him and take it, because, as one of my favourite characters in a book once said, I've found that if you act like a moron, adults tend to leave you alone. It's when they think you might be as smart as they are that they give you a hard time.

Every Saturday, I'd bolt for Barnes and Noble to feed my starving imagination. Yet almost every Saturday, it was the same: nothing exciting in the kids' section and I couldn't reach the higher shelves in the adults'. I'd have to settle for old favourites.

Then one day, I saw a poster as soon as I walked in the door, advertising Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I noticed it was in the children's area and I was intending to forego it due to that, but a friend cajoled me into reading it; claiming it was right up my alley. So I did.

Lo and behold, I loved it. I was captivated from page one. The author had a dry sense of humour that I could relate to perfectly. The world was so well-developed and interesting. I buried my nose in the fresh and thought-provoking plot and didn't come up for air 'til I was done. Best yet, it was a series!

I'd found what I'd been looking for - I boarded the Harry Potter Express in 1997 and haven't got off yet.
Last edited by Megaera Selwyn on Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
Meg | me891
"School, nuthouse, what’s the difference when you get right down to it? Dumb rules and bad food in both places.â€￾ ~ Marco, Animorphs
Gabrielle Findley
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Post by Gabrielle Findley »

My cuzin,Kiersten, got me into Harry Potter at a very young age. Ever since then I have loved Harry Potter and I always will. I have all 7 books even though my 2nd one has been through some rough treatment but other than that my books r in good condition. So far I have gone to only 2 or three of the release parties. Both of them w/ my grandma and after the first one she said she would never go again, but after making a deal she took me to the release of the Deathly Hollows. After I got it I just couldnt stop reading it! I even read it all through the night! I think it only took me 2 or 3 days to finish it! That is a world record for me! I hav read all the books at least 4 times. Sometimes I get yelled at when Im at school or at home b/c i just wont stop reading! And its is not just Harry Potter, I have at least 3 or 4 series at once. Im the odd ball of my bro and I, I LOVE to read! And my bro doesnt! Thats my Harry Potter story.
Gabrielle Findley
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Kelly Oliver
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Post by Kelly Oliver »

I got into Harry Potter in 1999, when I was eleven years old, just starting fifth grade. Prisoner of Azkaban had just been released in the US, and one of my friends recommended that I read the series. I asked my parents to buy me a paperback copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and I've been hooked ever since. We had a whole group of people in our fifth grade class who loved Harry Potter. We would spend recess discussing the books, and we even talked our teacher into a class project. It took a long time, but our class created a script, worked out costumes and props, rehearsed, and finally put on a Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone play for all the other fifth grade classes and our parents.
Oliver Pendrix
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Post by Oliver Pendrix »

I remember getting into Harry Potter when I was about 7. At the time I lived down near London. I had never before read the books so I did not know what to expect. When the trailer came out me and my mam decided it was a film worth seeing, it wasn't until the second one came out that we relised that the pair of us were hooked. I had always liked anything to do with magic and this film was unique and we were drawn to it. Who would have thought that 9 years later we were still waiting patiently for the next film to come out while reading all 7 books at least a dozen times.

XD
The end?

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BeckyJay Winchester
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Post by BeckyJay Winchester »

Hmm, how did I get into Harry P? Well, my mum brought Philosophers Stone for my brother when it came out (why, I do not know, because he doesn't read, cause he has no taste in books.) I wasn't intersted in Harry Potter at the time. It was only when we went to Makro (a big cash and carry place near where I live) and they had Chamber of Secrets on sale, I bugged my mum to buy it for me, and she did. It's only when I went to read it in the car on the way home that I realised it was the second in a series, and the title of the first one sounded familiar. Turns out my brother had it, so I stole kindly borrowed it from my brother, really enjoyed it and waited eagerly till the next one came out.

I think I became really obsessed with Harry Potter around the time Prisoner of Azkaban was realeased in cinemas. And my obsession has lead me to go stand in torrential rain and thunderstorms for the Half Blood Prince premiere, and will lead me to do it again for the remaining two Harry Potter films :) YAY! (Even better if I get to see more of Rupert Grint than his head...)
Silde Owen
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Post by Silde Owen »

I was 12 when Prisoner of Azkaban came out in 1999. My friends and I frequently shared books and one of them had this new book that she said was really good. I don't think she mentioned that it was the third in a series! I really enjoyed it anyway so then I had to read the first two as well. That's pretty much it! I withstood the teasing from my family when Harry Potter got really popular and everyone was reading it... in my family you get mocked for going "with the flow".. cos I think the books are just downright enjoyable.

I've never been so into the films as I prefer everything the way I imagined it.. and I think they could have been made better. I saw Philosopher's Stone when it came out in 2001, but I didn't go to the cinema for any of the others. In fact I saw both Chamber of Secrets and Prisoner of Azkaban in German before I saw them in English, when my German teacher let us watch them in end-of-term lessons.

Silde, England
Roxanne Black
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Post by Roxanne Black »

Well, my story is pretty normal, but here goes -

I forget when exactly I got the first HP book. I believe my mother found it for me (she's a flight attendant and brings me back lots of cool stuff) and thought I would like it. I read it and really got into it. As the series went on I got more and more addicted to it, and pre-ordered the last three books months before they came out (both to save 40% and read it ASAP) Even when I was at a summer camp when the book came out (which happened 2 of the three times) I had my mother get it the day it came out and wanted that book IN MY HAND when I got picked up. I have loved all the books and movies, re-read them many times, and even got to go to the HP exhibit in Boston with my mom as a Christmas Present this year. It was awesome!
Tensai Seiryuu
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Post by Tensai Seiryuu »

I was seven years old when it all started. The year I turned seven was the year Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone movie released. I watched it in the cinema and I fell in love with Hermione! :D I bought the movie as a VHS tape and watched it time and time again on my TV. It was the first movie I've ever watched that didn't have a particularly happy ending so I was intrigued.
At the beginning of September 2001 my brother told me that there were four Harry Potter books so far and that there were more coming. I was so excited! "In fact," he told me,"I have three of them, and I'm currently on the second one. I could let you start reading them if you want to?" I was ecstatic. I started reading the first book at once! I finished it and had to wait two hours for my brother to finish the Chamber of Secrets so that I could start reading it. Longest. Two. Hours. Of. My. Life! I finished the Chamber of Secrets before my brother started reading the Prisoner of Azkaban. After that, my first theft ever happened. I stole The Prisoner of Azkaban from my brother and put it in my bedside table. That way I could read it before him, without him getting upset. When I finished it I took it out and put it under his bed. He found it fast enough and muttered to himself:"It was too dark last night, guess that's why I didn't see it."
That's the phase of my childhood I remember best. After that I remember I waited for months for my mom to take me to a big store and she bought me Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire there... I remember finishing the second chapter while I was sitting in the cart before we left the store.
After that my parents always bought me the next Harry Potter book as soon as it released so that would be the end of my story.
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Pia Hwang
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Post by Pia Hwang »

i knew harry potter when i was 11yo :) and i started to like Harry Potter. i just LIKE harry potter. and when i tried to buy a Harry Potter book (Harry Potter and The Order of Phoenix) and read it until finish.... i was like ... THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. i feel like i was a part of Harry Potter story when reading it, and how could i not know that harry potter is that awesome?! +_+
after i read the order of phoenix book, the movie released xD i couldnt watch the movie since i was still a school student and the theater in my city wasnt as update as like now.. :S
then i bought the Half blood prince book. i was crying for real at Dumbledore's death part.. ;A; and i went gloomy for many days bcs of that part ;A;
and after the 7th book released, i didnt buy it.. =_=" (surry) i borrowed it from friends.. and i borrowed it and read it for more than once.. lol
i got excited with the story and really cant wait for the movie to be released XDD

now, i already watched all the HP series... and the Deathly Hallows part 2 is the BEST ;A;
Deborah Athena
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Post by Deborah Athena »

For me it was when my friend insisted that Harry Potter was the best series. Having not read it before, I immediately refuted by adamantly announcing that Narnia was the best series. She told me, "Sure, Narnia's good, the plot is fun and the characters lively. But Harry Potter! Have you even read it yet?" After telling her no, I had not read it yet. She told me, okay. Go read the series. When you're done, come tell me again. If you really find Narnia better. Then so be it.

For about a fortnight, I did not read the series. However, one day, I found myself staring into empty space with nothing to do, when I remembered that my friend wanted me to try reading the series. So I started, and I did not stop until the very last word of the last book.
Joanna Wester
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Post by Joanna Wester »

I think when I was 9 years old, I watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's, I wasn't really impressed though. But, when I walk into a bookstore and found the novel, and how jerk, sold out all the way. I fell in love with Oliver Wood like lol. I started to share about it everyday, everytime, til my friends get all bored. And then, I found out that one of my friend have it too. I started to borrow her novel and read it and like it.
Bellatrix Rose
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Post by Bellatrix Rose »

I had basically been living under a rock, meaning that I had never really heard about Harry Potter until my cousin introduced me.

It was Thanksgiving 2001. I was kinda upset. I had just moved back to California that summer after living in Arizona for the past six years. Needless to say, I was not thrilled to be back. I missed my friends. But I was happy to see my extended family again. We went up to their house a couple of days before Thanksgiving and they said that they were going to a movie, that they wanted us to see with them. When I asked what that was, my cousins said it was the first Harry Potter movie. When I gave them a black look, they asked me if I had ever heard of Harry Potter. I said no. Immediately, my cousin ran to her room, grabbed the first book and came back… She handed me the book, begging me to read it… I sat down in a chair and was hooked.

Seeing Sorcerer’s Stone the next day in theatres solidified it. From the moment of the first paragraph in the first book, I knew that my life would never be the same.

Bellatrix Rose
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Resyarrina Elora
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Re: Getting Into Harry Potter

Post by Resyarrina Elora »

Actually I already submit this into the library, but here am I sharing with all of the HOL fellows here!

When I was younger, reading is not my favorite activity, even tough I still read some books, but it must be a light one like comics and magazine which words combine with pictures, so when my older sister coming home borrowing the first book of Harry Potter from her friend, the book doesn't make me interested at all, it was so thick with all words, no picture.
My older sister spending three days to finish the first book and then what she was talking is just about Harry Potter, how cool the wizarding world is, how amazing the story is and then.. while hesitate at first, i decide to give it a try, well, i can just stop if it feel hard to finish the book, right? So I began to read.. and that's just what you need to fall in love with Harry Potter!

Because of some age difference, i actually not that close with my older sister but because of Harry Potter's topic, we become closer than ever. We also watch the movie together and end up owning all the books and until now, i still re-read the story so many time.

I hope there is another story like Harry Potter and you will not know how much i'm happy when Fantastic Beast come out as the movie. I really hope magic world never dies. :wub:
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Amy Hart
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Re: Getting Into Harry Potter

Post by Amy Hart »

My aunt bought me the first book when I was around 8 I think. I only read through the first chapter and I thought it was super boring (I know, what was I even thinking right?) I forgot all about it until I was either 12 or 13 when I was cleaning my room and found the book lodged in the back of my closet. I decided to give it another try and I fell in love. I spent literally everyday in high school reading the books over and over again :)
Iverian Gnash
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Re: Getting Into Harry Potter

Post by Iverian Gnash »

I got the first book back in January and at first, I just thought there were too many. I was finishing the 6th book in the Chronicles of Narnia series when I decided to give Harry Potter a try. I read the first book and instantly fell in love with the series. I told myself to finish the 7th Chronicles of Narnia book before reading on because I hate starting a series and then not finishing it. I quickly read through the seventh and then went straight back to Harry Potter. I had finished all of the books by April. (I know, I know, about 3 1/2 months, but I like reading slowly through books to really appreciate them and have more time to process what's happening) When I was reading the third book, I had been raving about them up to this point to my siblings, I got my brother to start reading them. He loved them! Eventually, my other brother started to read them too. My sister told us she thought it was goofy and would never read them, but finally, we were on a trip and, bored, she picked them up and began reading. Now all five of my siblings love the series, with 3 of them having read all the books, one of them starting the 2nd and the other having watched all the movies and is getting ready to start reading the books. :D
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Sadie Bean
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Re: Getting Into Harry Potter

Post by Sadie Bean »

I got into Harry Potter when I was 2 3/4. My mum was lent the book by one of her workmates and has read the series since. When the first film came out, she was lent a copy on VHS by my Gran and put it on one night. My younger sister was a newborn and I was only young. My mum put the VHS on thinking I would go to bed, but she was wrong. I sat up all night watching Harry Potter and I was glued to the TV.

When I grew old enough to read, I started to read the book series and developed a love for it myself. My friends had nicknamed me the 'Potter Maniac' and when I left secondary school, I was given an award for being the biggest Harry Potter fan.

Sadie Bean, Hufflepuff, U.K, sadiebean00
Hayley Grace
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Re: Getting Into Harry Potter

Post by Hayley Grace »

When I was a kid I wasn't much of a reader, not like I am now. I ended up getting grounded during the summer and had nothing to do but read in my room. I ended up reading Harry Potter and got addicted.

It got to the point where I would read the books over and over again even when school started. I would hide them under my desk and read them during class. Especially the Chamber of Secrets and Order of the Phoenix, which were my two favorites. One of my teachers noticed and had me turn in my books before entering the classroom each day.

My cousin and I are similar and age, but he lived in another state. Each time one of the books would come out, he would come down on the train with my Aunt and we'd go to the release parties at the local bookstores. We would each compete to see who would read the book first. He would read it on the train home and I would read it at my home. We spent a lot of time messaging each other back and forth just to show we were further ahead in the book than the other.

I became a huge reader after getting into Harry Potter and have been ever since. I now have over a thousand books in my personal library (I have to use an app to keep track of them all so I don't buy doubles) and was at one time reading four-five books a day.

All because I got grounded and read my first Harry Potter book. :D

Hayley Grace, Slytherin, USA
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