Re-reading and watching Harry Potter

J. K. Rowling. I wonder if she ever realised what a phenomenon that little boy with the lightening scar and his stories would become. 

The first book came out when I was about 6 or 7, so I’m of the generation who well and truly grew up with the Harry Potter books and then the films.

But what is it about the wizarding world of Hogwarts and Harry Potter that still keeps us so captivated?

I don’t have the answer, but I felt the need to put down here just how much I love the books and (although to a lesser extent) the films.

They formed such a huge part of my fictional world as I grew up, and the anticipation for each new book was huge.

I have all the books sitting on a shelf back at my parents’ house, the final few particularly special due to the little birthday messages from my lovely grandad in the front who always used to encourage my love of reading.

I guess the point of this post was that I realised over the last few months that none of my love for the Harry Potter series has dwindled. Now in my early twenties and years after enjoying the stories for the first time, the series still holds a special place in my heart.

After years of wanting to visit, I finally headed to the Harry Potter Studio Tour in Watford, and it was miles better than I had even hoped.

The magic, the beauty and the spectacle of this incredibly crafted world was being displayed and celebrated, and I of course couldn’t help myself from leaving with a Hermione wand – what girl my age didn’t want to be Hermione?!

The studio tour visit reminded me how special the books had been to me, and I spent the next two weeks of commuting re-reading the entire series back to back. I followed that by re-watching every film, back to back.

And it’s a world that just keeps on giving – the possibilities really are endless. The new series of films - kicked off by Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - looks set to be brilliant, and I don't want to wait for the second installment.

When the tickets for The Cursed Child were released, I didn’t care that the first dates I could get were in April 2017 (about 18 months ago at the time) – there was no doubt in my mind I needed to secure those tickets and be a part of the audience.

I’ve got to say, I’m getting more and more excited now more and more people have seen the shows, and now we're only a couple of months away. It will be hard to resist reading the script which is sitting on my bookshelf, but I think I’m going to save it and wait to experience it for the first time in April.

Were you a part of the ‘Harry Potter generation’? Do you prefer the books or the films? And will you be heading to see The Cursed Child?

I can’t wait!



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