User blog comment:JoePlay/Wizarding World Giveaway/@comment-4142011-20110713064216

I started reading the Harry Potter books when I was eleven years old. Could you imagine the excitement when I realized Harry Potter was eleven as well? He was a person that thought that nobody loved him. He was sad and confused. Then one day he gets a letter. He didn't have anyone that would write him. Who could it be? Those letters persisted. He kept trying to get one. One of thousands and it took a giant, Hagrid, knocking down the door and saying those beautiful words that would change his life. "You're a wizard, Harry." He was eleven and was being thrusted into this whole new world of magic, literally, and wonder. He got his robes, his trunk, his books, his wand and his ever loyal pet owl, Hedwig. He made his first real friend in Ronald Weasley who, like myself, was terrified of spiders. He brought down a 12-foot-mountain troll and made another friend in Hermione Granger. He destroyed the Dark Lord himself, Voldemort. He did all of this when he was eleven. I was hooked. From then on. Six more books. Eight movies. I can't get enough of it. I was inspired to be more. I was only eleven and I realized that if Harry could do all that, that if Neville could stand up to his friends, that I could do anything even if I was only eleven. I'm twenty years old now, twenty one in August, and I have been to get the books at midnight like all the others. I have dressed up as Harry Potter. In 6th grade I was Harry for Halloween and when everyone asked me why I wasn't Hermione I said, "Because I want to be Harry." And that's true. He showed more courage and determination in the face of death than I ever thought possible. I wanted to have that strength and that fire. I grew up with Harry Potter. I grew up along side Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. Even the actors are close to the same age as me at this point in my life. I lived this series. I will forever live this series because I cried when Cedric was killed. I wept for his father and asked my mom why. Why had he died? He didn't do anything. I screamed that it wasn't fair. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time and Voldemort doesn't show mercy. I screamed out loud when Sirius fell through the veil because he was just out of reach, but he was gone. When Dumbledore fell I couldn't believe it. I couldn't breathe. When everyone I had grown attached to in the 7th book fell I cried. Hedwig, Dobby, Fred, Remus, Tonks, Snape.... I didn't just cry I felt like I was mourning old friends that passed away suddenly. Because they were my friends. All of them. One of the first thoughts I had when Fred died was, "What will George do?" That was his brother and his twin. That's how real these books are to me and that's how real they will always be. I love JK Rowling for her brilliant mind that sparked so much love and adoration and wonder in my heart. I have been changed for good by this series. I will read them to my children and watch the movies for years to come. Harry Potter means everything to me.