Harry Potter

I know. It's pretty much everyone else in the world's favorite, too. Except my best friend, Skye, who, in her own words, never, ever wants a ticket to a Harry Potter movie, or anything to do with the story at all. She's missing out, if you ask me.

I started reading the books when I was in fifth grade. My teacher recommended them, as they were the big thing at the time. Who knew that they would still be the big thing 11 years later?

I read the first couple then, but after that, I just gave up. To this day, I don't really know why. I watched the movies (which really aren't good as far as movies are concerned, and certainly don't stand alone), but I never read the books. My sister did, though, and I made her tell me everything that happened. Even that Dumbledore died! And then, after I watched the fifth movie, I decided to read the books again. And I'm very, very glad.

Now I'm on my third time reading the series through. I'm on Goblet of Fire, which, along with Deathly Hallows, is my favorite.

I'm a bit obsessed, to say the least.

But it's really strange for me, because I hate fantasy. But Harry Potter is so cool, because it's so real. There are these kids who are way too brave for their age, and they go to school and they have crushes on one another and they laugh and have fun and grow up. And that's what I love about it.

Well, all of that, and the fact that there are no talking animals. Give me wizards and goblins, but talking animals I can't stand. I mean, come on.

Obviously I think the Harry Potter series is the most incredible series of all time. Yes! I said it. Tell me all you want that J.K. Rowling can't write or that the story lines are stolen, but I'll back her up to the death.

And here's why: J.K. Rowling somehow changed the entire world of literature. She made kids want to read again. I know people who have never read a book outside of class, but they read Harry Potter and enjoyed it. And I have the utmost respect for her because of that.

I mean, how does a book series get that huge? Movies get huge because there are commercials and trailers, and the same with TV shows. But no one's recording a trailer for a book series, are they? It's a testament to how interesting and exciting her stories are that the books have become so legendary.

When I read them now, I think, "Oh my gosh, these are little kids! They're way too young to be fighting dragons and sounding this old!"

But the fun part is, when I was eleven and reading about Harry when he's eleven, it didn't seem like he was too old. Because when you're eleven, you feel old. And you feel like you could do all that stuff. Assuming you were a wizard, I mean.

And that's what's great about Harry Potter. No matter how young or old you are, you can relate to these kids. I do feel a little old when I think of these eleven year olds. But when I think about how I felt when I was that age, I realize that even I look at kids as being too young sometimes. When I was fourteen, I acted (besides the whole high-school-freshman-syndrome thing), pretty old. I could have totally been running around doing missions in a wizard tournament. I mean, I ran track and all.

So, what's my favorite thing about Harry Potter? Besides Harry and Ron and Hermione and Fred and George and Mrs. Weasley and Dumbldeore and Sirius Black and... well, you get the point, right?

My favorite thing about the series as a series is that it makes me feel young. It makes me feel excited. It lets me escape the world for a little while. And I really, truly believe everything that happens, one-hundred percent.

Because sometimes it's nice to believe there's a Wizarding World and a giant castle with a Room of Requirement and house elves in the basement that cook you feasts.