The biggest takeaway from my Harry Potter book and movie marathon is that I, a designated Hufflepuff, was able to witness the power of writing that can and has changed lives. Well, I was not able to read it in my childhood and when I started reading regularly during my college final year, I always looked forward to the day when I would have read all 7 Harry Potter books. And that day has arrived finally. And the journey was more magical than I would have ever thought. And yes, Pottermore put me in Hufflepuff. Surprising, but I love it and embrace it with all my heart.
The first two books, Philosopher’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets were literally the screenplay of the movies. So the gradual journey really geared up when I was witnessing some changes here and there in Prisoner of Azkaban. As I went on to Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix, I understood how vivid and grand those two books were and I was immersed in the wizarding world created by JK Rowling. Regarding the last two books, Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows, I was not able to keep those down. I read those two within a week. That’s how excited I was.
Well, these are some of the moments/dialogue that I love but weren’t in the books, only but movies.
The four main aspects that I found new from this journey were the life and fate of Neville Longbottom, whole new reasons to love already adorable Molly Weasley, Petunia saving Harry just by letting him inside her home, and the backstory of all those Horcruxes of Voldemort. Even now when I think that Neville was so damn close to becoming the Chosen One, I am so awed. It was so great to read and I won’t ever forget the impact that I got when I first read that part. Voldemort chose Harry Potter. Voldemort literally wrote his tale himself by choosing Harry over Neville.
Regarding Molly, what I want to talk about now is the two hugs between her and Harry. When Harry is wailing from the thought that Cedric might have died because of him, she brings him within her embrace as a shield. The second one happened when she and Arthur gifted Harry a watch when he came of age and was doubtful whether Harry liked it or not but Harry cut short Molly’s speech and hugged her. These two moments made me cry so much and I would do that all over again and again.
Petunia was jealous and she hated Lily all her life since Lily boarded that train to Hogwarts. But somehow she was family. As said in books, she was the only living person other than Harry who was connected to Lily by blood. And the fact that Lily’s sacrifice did not end in vain by the slightest possible love shown by Petunia to her nephew, man how did JK Rowling even think of this kind of magic and the bonds that love holds?
And finally the backstory of the Horcruxes, it was a quest like no other. Was so good to know the burning desire of Voldemort to not just create those Horcruxes but to create them in style with legacy items that signified his association with Hogwarts, his legacy as the heir of Slytherin, and the prophecy that led to the creation of an unintended Horcrux on a Halloween night at the Godric’s Hollow.
As Robbie Coltrane said, I am surely gonna pass this treasure to my next generation, who will pass it on to the next. We won’t be there to see all that. But Hagrid will. Harry will. Hermione will. Ron will. Dumbledore will. Snape will. The Weasleys will. Neville will. Luna will. Sirius will. Lupin will. Even Lord Voldemort and the Malfoys will. And I just hope these words I wrote or typed will become a part of this universe and will live along with all these characters and the magical world of Harry Potter.
Read more from zigarthanda on Instagram too!