User blog comment:JoePlay/Wizarding World Giveaway/@comment-4135122-20110711021405

Now don't worry, I am not about to ramble on about some fabricated story about why Harry Potter is the reason I married some guy or something like that, what I am going to do is share my opinion on why the Harry Potter series is more than a series of reading books. The Harry Potter series has taught me more in life than I ever thought a series of books would. J.K. Rowling was able to create a world where the reader could escape and transform themselves into their own character within the series.I felt like I was actually a student at Hogwarts. I would imagine myself in Ollivander's Wand Shop having a wand choose me, I could picture myself camping with Ron, Harry, and Hermione searching for horcuxes. It was never hard getting immersed in chapter after chapter wanting to know who was the next butt of Fred and George's jokes or who Harry would encounter next. For the past twelve years of my life I have been involved with the franchise and to me it has been much more than a brand or series of books. Lessons are taught throughout the chapters whether it is how to work together, deal with grief, or have fun when times are tough. The characters demonstrate courage, love, leadership, hope, trust, love, faith, bravery, wit, and most of all friendship. Hermione was always demonstrating and attempting to convince the others to do the right thing, Ron always knew how to lighten the mood and was never afraid to stand up for what he believed in, and Harry displayed leadership, perseverance and courage. He knew to always have faith in those he trusted and to never give up. As for the other characters Luna knew how to be entirely honest while remaining sweet and whitty, Neville proved everyone wrong and turned out the be the bravest of them all, and Snape remained loyal to Dumbledore and showed what true love really is about. Dumbledore himself even had flaws and was able to show Harry that a person can go from being naive and selfish to extraordinarily wise and trustworthy. I can honestly say that I would not be the person I am today without these books and I thank Rowling for gracing the world with her talents and imagination. Harry Potter has expanded my imagination and, was and is, capable of transforming even the darkest of my days into bright happy ones. It does more than impact. It magically inspires. To children, my childhood self included, the books ARE their childhood. For adults they're away of returning to their childhood. Through the books I have created so many bonds with friends and strangers alike. As the franchise comes to an end I have realized one thing. That just because there are not any more books or movies to be released that it doesn't mean that everything that I have been taught no longer exists. I will always carry those lessons with me and I will always know that on even the dreariest of days I can always pick up a book again (for the umpteenth time) and hop right back on the Hogwarts express straight into my favorite part of my imagination.