Happy 20th Birthday Philosopher's Stone!
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| A quickly made college, photos can be found on my instagram @CarenzaOnBooks |
It's crazy to think that the series that got me into reading has turned 20 years old. Harry Potter has and always will be a huge part of my life. I can't remember a period of my life where Harry Potter wasn't important to me. I am proud to say that I am part of the Harry Potter generation and even though I've grown up and can appreciate these books as an "adult" (I'm no an adult, but I'm more mature than when I first read them), I still love Harry Potter.
Harry Potter introduced me to the magical world of reading. If it wasn't for these books I would probably not have started my book blog (I'd also have more money and more bookshelf space, but let's not read into that). These books gave me friends when I felt like I didn't have any. These books gave me a place to escape to when I was having a bad day. These books made me feel at home when I was reading them.
I have so many fond memories of reading the books and watching the movies. I completed the books by the time I was 9 years old (which some told me was very advanced and I should be proud of) and by then, I had been converted to being a Potterhead. 8 years later, I am still a Potterhead and if anything, I'm more of a Potterhead than I was aged 9. Reading the books was something I did and bonded over with my family. I have fond memories of being told I wasn't allowed to watch the movies until I read the books, even though my peers were all watching the movies. I can vividly remember, to this day, walking out of a cinema somewhere in Scotland (I believe it was in Glasgow) crying my eyes out at the events of the Half Blood Prince.
Since joining the book community, I have met so many other Potterheads. I am nowhere near as extreme as some who have multiple editions of the complete series, but I am slowly catching up to them. In the past two years, I have had a Potter identity crisis and have no clue which house I belong. I have visited the Studio Tour near London and am visiting it again on my birthday. I'm going to see part 1 of Cursed Child. I'm most likely going to the exhibition at the British Library later this year. This year has been the year of Harry Potter.
Harry Potter will always hold a special place in my heart. From the moment it had an influence on me as a 7 year old to the moment I die. And when I'm 80 and surrounded by my family and still reading these books, I can imagine them asking me "After all this time?", to which I'll reply "Always".
Carenza x
