Hermione Effing Granger

This is the quote on my Harry Potter calendar today, and it just hit me in the good way.  Thought I'd share.

"I came here once with my Mum and Dad, years ago.  It's just how I remember it.  The trees.  The river.  Everything.  Like nothing's changed.  Not true, of course.  Everything's changed.  If I brought my parents back here now, they probably wouldn't recognize any of it.  Not the trees.  Not the river.  Not even me."

gif via weasleyfireworks.tumblr.com

Day 30 – Your favorite book(s) of all time

I don't think this should come as a surprise.  I have said all of this before.  There is only one thing left to say.

image from Expecto Patronum

After all this time?

Always.

Day 16 – Favorite female character

I recently bought 3 prints from Nan Lawson.  Her work is my favorite, and she also has really excellent taste because she tends to illustrate all of my favorite characters.  The reason I bought those specific prints is so I could frame them and hang them somewhere in my house that would constantly inspire me to think of my favorite strong female characters and inspire me to write and read and basically get things done.  First is Elizabeth Bennet, and I will speak more about her at a later date.  Second is Katniss Everdeen, and I spoke about her on Day 01.

In the third spot in the frame sits this girl.

Hermione Granger
(image courtesy of featherofthephoenix.tumblr.com)

Reasons Why Hermione is an Excellent Role Model
-She's brilliant.  And by brilliant, I mean she's the smartest person that you've ever met.  She thinks of things you haven't even thought of before.  Her brain works in a way that can't be understood by Muggles; thus, she's a witch.
-She doesn't realize just how brilliant she is.  This makes her more brilliant in my eyes.  She doesn't get cocky or conceited about her brains.  They are simply who she is.
-She stands up for what she believes in.  S.P.E.W.  Telling Harry when she thinks he's right and when he's not.  Going with Harry and Ron in the search for the horcruxes, even though that means leaving school.
-She doesn't lay down and die when she doesn't have a man.  I know that the relationships are not the same, but Hermione had been in love with Ron for many years at the point in Deathly Hallows when he leaves the group.  He and Hermione had been flirting around each other for years, and by this point, it was clear to everyone that they had feelings for each other.  So, it's no surprise when Ron asks Hermione to leave with him.  But, since Hermione stands up for what she believes in (this time, it's the mission), she stays behind.  She begs Ron not to leave, but he does anyway.  What does she do?  Does she stare off into space for months at a time?  Or does she mourn his loss, cry her tears, and keep moving toward the goal?  (Full disclosure: I've been through a terrible break-up where I lost months without realizing they were passing, so I know how it feels.  But also?  I didn't have a life-or-death mission to save the world to complete, and my behavior during that time isn't something I'd want anyone to use as a model ever.)

Hermione is amazing.  She proves that time and time again over the seven years we are lucky enough to spend with her.  She inspires me by being brave and loyal, honest and true.

"I fell asleep watching Veronica Mars again..."

In my post-Potter world, I've been looking at life differently...

Sorry, couldn't help myself.  Honestly, it was quite an experience to see the movie, and I loved it to little tiny bits, but I'm not suffering from Post-Potter Depression.  It was a lovely conclusion, and now I'll look forward to Pottermore.  I didn't really have anything to say of any importance, but I felt I should update the blog to let my oh-so-many followers know that I wasn't about to self-Avada Kedavra.  Currently, I'm just suffering from Extreme Comic-Con Jealousy.  I'll make it there one day... ONE DAY...

So, to thank you for reading this entry, please enjoy this video!  It's currently my favorite song.

ReRead 2011: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Okay, seriously, just read the books.

I don't even have the words to give justice to my feelings about this.  You may think I'm exaggerating, but I'm not.  Reading DH is an experience, and it has yet to be matched with any book I've ever read.  I had spent a little more than 5 years with these characters when I first read this (still a newbie by lots of HP standards), and joining them on their journey is no easy task.  From start to finish, this is a action packed, emotion-filled roller coaster of epic proportions.  And I love every word.

First, my own personal midnight story: I made plans to get the book from a local Barnes & Noble with my buddies Katie and Doug.  We went to B&N, and it. Was. CROWDED.  There were people errywhere, and the chances of us getting a book and getting out of there unscathed were slim.  Sitting in the parking lot, we made an executive decision.  We knew there was an unfrequented Wal-Mart nearby, so we went to check out the crowd there.  We found a crowd... of 3.  The lady at the front of the line was hardcore super crazy, but she made sure each of us got all 4 of the house wristbands that Wal-Mart would have handed out if the crowd got insane.  We had the books in hand and paid for by 2 minutes after 12.

So we head back to their place to make like a Strawberry Debutante and readreadreadreadreadreadread.  We all sat together in a room and snacked on delicious junk food and read like mad.  Katie reads the fastest, so she got a few pages ahead of us, and every time she gasped or laughed or anything, I was like, "OMG WHAT NOW?"  At the first death (HEDWIG!!!), we shed a tear, and we knew no one was safe.  Finally, something happened where Katie slammed her book closed and walked upstairs, yelling, "NOPE!" as she went.  I couldn't imagine what would be so terrible that it would drive her out of the room.  I found out just a few pages later, tears streaming down my face.

It's long been told on this blog that I am an epic crier.  This book... holy crap, I'm crying from start to finish. Hedwig.  Mad-Eye.  The attack at the wedding.  Ron and Hermione holding hands while they slept.  Ron LEAVING... but showing up just in the nick of time.  Hermione beating the crap out of Ron (those were tears of laughter).  Blow after blow after blow.

The worst (before the Battle of Hogwarts) comes in the form of a free elf.  Poor, sweet, selfless Dobby shows up just in time to save his friends while sacrificing himself.  For a character that irritated me endlessly upon introduction, I didn't expect to openly weep at his death.  In fact, during this past reading, I started to cry when he first showed up in the dungeon!  Before anything bad had even happened to him!  And when Harry, Ron, and Dean all give him clothes to wear when they bury him?!?  Oh, just leave me here to drown in a sea of my own tears.  Dobby's death is an important moment in Harry's journey as well as really freaking sad.

The absolute worst worst most terriblest of deaths in the book, however, is Fred.  It's so... oh, it sucks so bad.  I know when I see this part in the movie that I will officially be done.  Like, stick a fork in me because I might be dead on the ground from over-crying done.  I can't say anything more about that.

And so we reach the end of Harry's journey, where he faces Voldemort one last time, and he defeats him in a glorious way.  He chose love, his family, his friends over anything else, and that was the best decision in the end.  He fought through the hardships, destroyed the Horcruxes, avenged his parents, showed how very strong he was, and it all paid off for him.  I would love to know what Harry did over those next 19 years- the changes he and Ron made to the Auror office, the toast he gave as Ron's best man at Ron & Hermione's wedding, the cheers he made up while watching his wife Ginny rock the Quidditch pitch as a Holyhead Harpie.  However, I am totally satisfied with the epilogue Jo provided, bringing Harry completely full circle back to Platform 9 and 3/4, this time with his own family, a family that truly loves him.  Rumor has it a certain sob-inducing song will play at the end of the film, and, if this is true, I will be a steaming hot mess of tears.

I know they are fictional characters.  I know it's a series of fantasy books originally written for children.  I don't care.  These stories inspire me, these characters affect me like nothing has before.  In that way, they are real to me.  I adore this series more than any other, and I cannot wait to read these tales to my own children someday.  Tonight's movie will be a fitting end to this beloved story of the Boy Who Lived.

Thanks for staying with me through this.  Until the very end...

ReRead 2011: Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince

Um... you know what I'm gonna say!

The closer we get to next Friday, the harder and harder these things are to write.  I can't believe the movie is almost HERE.  I can't believe any of this.


So, what are my thoughts on HBP?  Well, first, here's my own personal buying story.  When HBP came out, I was working at a tv station, and my shift started at 4 am (YEP, 4 AM!!).  There was a Books-A-Million right next to the station, so I went there at midnight to get my book, and I hid from our cameras who would be running the midnight book buying story on the morning show.  From there, I sat at my buddy's desk for the next 4 hours until my shift started, reading and eating peanuts.  Then, I sat in the audio booth and read in there until the show started at 6 am.  Then, I read during commercial breaks.  I'm amazed the show even had audio, to be honest.

The moment I finished the last sentence of HBP and closed the book, I couldn't think.  I couldn't even move.  This one hit me hardest of them all (until Deathly Hallows came around).  It's very clear that the end is so near, and yet there are so many questions that need to be answered and so many things that need to be addressed before the fans would be satisfied.  However, if the journey would be anything like this one, I would definitely be there for the ride.  HBP dove into Voldemort's past, showing the unsavory roots of the most terrifying wizard of their generation.  And what's worse- Jo actually makes you feel kinda bad for him.  He grew up in a terrible environment, feeling abandoned by his family and knowing he was destined for something greater.  However, it becomes abundantly clear that life is all about the choices you make, and he... chose poorly.

The most interesting and important aspect of Voldemort's past, however, is his creation of Horcruxes, the pieces of his soul that must be destroyed before he can officially kick the bucket.  Dumbledore reckons there would be seven, since it's a magical number and all (though I'm partial to three meself).  Either way, between the diary from CoS and the ring that Dumbledore found and destroyed, looks like that's 5 to go, essentially turning Deathly Hallows into a road book with a mission.  And that's just fine with me!

I truly love so many things about HBP, from the reveal of the identity of the Half-Blood Prince himself to Hermione's complete and total girly anger over Ron's snogging of Lavender.  All of those are reasons why HBP stole the throne of Jeskuh's Favorite HP Movie Adaptation from PoA (also for this scene).  BUT, the thing I love the MOST?  HARRY AND GINNY FOREVER AND FOR ALL TIME.  I've read on the interwebs before that many fans thought it would be Harry & Hermione together.  Those people are, frankly, idiots.  Ginny has always had The Feelings for Harry, and she's awesome, and if they are together forever and for all time, that makes Harry OFFICIALLY Ron's brother and Molly & Arthur's son.  It's a no-brainer.  Plus, reading how his crush slowly develops is really fun, especially when he doesn't even realize what's going on.

The best part of this book, however, is the relationship between Dumbledore and Harry.  It really grows and blossoms over this story, though it becomes quite clear that he's setting Harry up to take over for him.  And with good reason.  Severus Freakin' Snape just up and kills him.  Double U.  Tee.  Eff.  The death itself isn't what always gets me in this book, though it is quite sad.  It's the funeral; more specifically, the description of Hermione sobbing into Ron's shoulder while a single tear falls from his the end of his long nose.  For whatever reason, that's the moment I join the Golden Trio in their tearful sorrow.  Bucket for my creys.  At least it prepared me for the extreme and total cryfest that would occur from Deathly Hallows.  But, you have that to look forward to with the NEXT entry, which will most consist of me telling you all the times I cried.  Spoiler alert: THERE ARE A TON.

FAVORITE MOMENT: Amortentia
I love the idea of a love potion that has a different aroma for each person, so it smells like whatever attracts each person the most.  I love how that's one of the first obvious signs that Harry's got a crush on Ginny.  I LOVE that Hermione thinks of something and immediately blushes and shuts up.  I ESPECIALLY LOVE that I recently found out (via Tumblr, OF COURSE) that the third thing Hermione smells in the potion is Ron's hair.  That's so damn precious.

FAVORITE CHAPTER: The White Tomb
I've already stated why this chapter makes me cry, but it's also just so... final.  It's our main three characters, all together, deciding to go on their one final mission.  To quote a TV show I used to watch so much back in the day, you think you know... but you have no idea.

My next and final HP ReRead post will be very soon.  It'll be up next week, hopefully at least before I head out to the movie...

ReRead 2011: Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix

Great big angsty spoilers.

I think Order of the Phoenix gets a bad rap.  In my informal polls, it was constantly showing its face in the Least Favorite category.  My pollsters claimed it was too whiny, that Harry needed to shut up and deal with his business.  While I certainly agree that the Harry we see in this book is quite the complainy brat who needs to put on his big boys pants, I also cannot fault him for said complaining.  He has a LOT to deal with coming off of the events from GoF.  I'm not saying there weren't better ways for him to act, but still... give Harry a break!

See, I sort of love OotP.  It was the first of the books I had to actually wait for, so the experience of getting it was the first time I felt a kindred spirit to the other Potterheads out there.  I was desperate to read it, and I got duped into ordering it from Amazon rather than going to the bookstore to get it.  The book didn't show up at my house until almost 4 pm, and I had company to entertain at the time.  I didn't get to read any of it until that night before bed, and I read most of it the following day.  Oh, I was so so mad, but I definitely learned my lesson.  You'll hear more of the book buying tales of HBP and DH in a few entries' time.

You still with me?  I do love my tangents.  Anyway, like I said, I sort of love OotP.  I do understand all the complaints, and I have a few of my own, but I just love how totally dark it is.  Everything is just so morose, from the beginning where Harry is feeling so isolated to DEMENTORS IN LITTLE WHINGING to his time at Grimmauld Place and the sadness he feels there and finally to his fear over his hearing.  So much happens before they even leave for school, adding to the extreme density of this story.  This is the longest of the books, coming in at a whopping 870 pages for the US version, and it's chock-full of details from start to finish.  So many details, a good reread REALLY helps to accentuate the important ones.

With so much information to take in, this entry is hard to keep focused.  First, I'll talk about what I love.  Again, I know I'm entering the broken record zone, but I do love the Weasleys, ESPECIALLY Fred and George.  Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes!  And, Dumbledore's Army!  It's here to stay!  Despite their main reason for creating the group, I absolutely love how the students form Dumbledore's Army.  They do need to know defense spells to protect themselves, but I think it's cool that they all get excited about learning.  That doesn't happen often.  And Harry finally getting to mack on Cho Chang, only to have the world's most cringe-inducing date and end up as nothings.  Meh, I never really liked her anyway.

One of the things I don't love is (duh) Umbridge.  Holy poo on toast, does that lady blow!  She is AWFUL.  Nothing about her is redeemable to me- NOTHING.  I cannot abide her in any way.  She's not misunderstood or broken or sad.  She's just a mean lady who is mean because she thinks she is better than everyone else.  No, thank you.  When she finally gets carted off by the centaurs, I practically cheered.  I know that's the intent, but still, SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

Another thing I don't love is... the death of Sirius.  Literally, when I first read it, I screamed, "Oh no!"  My roommate at the time was reading the book in her bedroom, and she yelled back, "Crap, who died?"  It is such a painful read, such a dissatisfying moment.  It is quite heartbreaking for him to disappear through the creepy veil, never to return again.  The closest thing Harry's ever had to a father, snuffed out in a moment.  Yet another significant and terrible death at the hands of the Death Eaters.  This will surely not be the last...

Again, in times like these, it's no wonder Harry's pissed.

FAVORITE CHAPTER: The Department of Mysteries
Come on, this is epic.  This is real life awesome sauce.  Part of the reason I like this book is because of this sequence, where the kids get to show how they can fight, how they can stand up for themselves.  Granted, it causes a crapton of problems for the Order, but it still kicks ass.  I also like all of the allusions to the things that are studied in the Department- time, love, thoughts.  It's all written so well, it plays out like a movie in my head every time I read it.  Love it.

FAVORITE MOMENT: Snape's Worst Memory
Okay, I know that's a chapter.  But, I'm counting the whole memory as a moment.  I loved the opportunity to see the Marauders in their school days, especially through Harry's eyes.  I also love how the reader knows it's Snape's worst memory, but he never states to Harry that it IS.  I know that Snape will have a redemption, and I know that lots of people end up loving Snape, but I still have a hard time with it.  This scene is one of the only times I actually feel sorry for him.  Because his own pride and idiocy caused his worst memory...

Half-Blood Prince time!!  Two weeks until the movie!  Man, I'd better get reading!

ReRead 2011: Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire

Do I really need to say this?  Spoilers, people!  SPOILERS.

I took an informal poll via Facebook and asked my fellow Potterheads what their favorite and least favorite books are and why.  Turns out, everyone says something along the lines of, "I love Deathly Hallows, but my other favorite is..."  Also, it turns out that almost everyone's favorites are PoA and GoF.  It's interesting to me that the reasons for the favorites are mostly the same: that either PoA or GoF are the first in the series to delve into the deeper topics and feel less like a "children's book."  While I personally think it starts with PoA (as I stated in my last entry), I wholeheartedly agree that GoF is definitely more adult than any that came before it.  And it starts right from page one.

There are about a million things to love about this book, but I'll start with my first favorite thing: the Weasleys.  We get to see all 9 Weasleys together for the first time, and I love the family dynamic.  Everything about it is so true to life, how a big family operates.  They each have their place, and they are glad to have it.  I especially like the little things that Jo writes to show their personalities, like how into Quidditch Charlie is (since it's already been established that he was a top-notch player at Hogwarts) or how Ginny clearly worships her biggest brother Bill.  Everyone should have friends like the Weasleys.

I also adore all of the new characters introduced (or reintroduced).  Krum, Fleur, Cho Chang, Cedric Diggory, even the Patil twins.  Each one of them brings a new side to the story, and I think it's a real testament to how creative Jo is that she can write all of these fully developed, awesome characters.  They stand out in a crowd when they could so easily be one-sided and boring.  Take our Golden Boy Cedric Diggory.  He could be written as a one trick character so easily, and it wouldn't have made much of a difference.  By showing how honest and caring he is while also showing his fighting side (as a Hogwarts Champion), it proves that he's not just your usual Hufflepuff (though I hear they are particularly good finders!).

Which makes it all that more sad and terrifying when he dies, quickly, needlessly, unceremoniously.  It is a big, bright, blinking turning point in the series, right before the biggest, brightest, blinkingest turning point: the return of Lord Voldemort.  Holy crap, that's some intense stuff.  Between Voldemort getting his body back, to the duel in the graveyard, to the brief and ghostly reappearance of Cedric and the Potters.  Yowza.  My personal story: I was reading this book for the first time at my friend's sister's house in Radford one balmy summer evening.  It was about 3 am and I was totally exhausted, but I couldn't stop reading because I was so into this and so terrified for Harry.  I had to read until he got back to Hogwarts before I could finally go to sleep.  As soon as I closed this book, I knew dark times were coming.  Very dark times.  And I couldn't wait.

FAVORITE MOMENT:"Mrs. Weasley... put her arms around Harry."
Between the Tri-Wizard Tournament tasks, the Quidditch World Cup, and the Duel in the Graveyard, it was damn near impossible for me to pick one moment that was my favorite in this book.  However, I keep coming back to Mrs. Weasley and Harry in the hospital wing.  It breaks my heart to think that he is fourteen years old before he knows what the love of a mother feels like.  Poor sweet Harry Potter... Ugh, those Dursleys, man.

FAVORITE CHAPTER: The Yule Ball
So. Many. Great. Moments.  Mostly, though, it's all about Ron and Hermione and how they are just so freaking blind.  I always feel so bad for Hermione, because she's always the girl with the two dumb boys.  Sure, she has Ginny as a girl to talk to (and this is the first book to consistently refer to the fact that Hermione and Ginny hang out), but she considers Harry to be her best friend... and his best friend is Ron.  And Ron's best friend?  Harry.  So she's just looking to have that one normal high school moment, just like another kick-ass dame.  AND, like Buffy, she got her brief happy moment, only for it to be ruined by... a big ginger idiot.  RON.  YOU LOVE HER.  FIGURE IT OUT.  Also, extra love for Fred & Angelina's dancing.  And Herm-own-ninny.

And now, the angsty greatness of Order of the Phoenix!

Issues!

Having a hard time coming up with my entry for Goblet of Fire.  Don't quite know what it is.  Could be that I'm not READY FOR HP TO END!  Could be that I'm lazy.  Could be because, after going to see X-Men: First Class, I have reignited my McAvoy Fever.  So I watched Atonement.  Which never fails to make my brain ache and hurt for days and days.

So... while I struggle to string words together, please watch this sad, pretty video of Robbie & Cecilia.

ReRead 2011: Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban

Warning again: if you haven't read HP, take notice.  Here there be spoilers.

In preparing for this entry, I started to really think about why I consider Prisoner of Azkaban my favorite in the series, why I love it so much, why I always come back to it.  Much like CoS, there are many reasons why I love it; some petty, some not so much.

The first and the most basic reason is that, to me, it's the first time that I didn't feel like I was reading a kid's book.  It's not that the language suddenly expands or becomes overly complicated- not at all.  It's simply that the plot and mood of the whole series get darker, paving the way for what's to come.  It introduces more layers to Harry's background, showing that he lost far more than his parents that Halloween night in 1981.  This is very evident in the movie, and PoA held the title of Jessica's Favorite HP Movie Adaptation for a wicked long time (I just recently changed favorites; keep on reading these entries to find out which one!).

In that same vein, I love this because PoA is when it truly becomes Harry's quest and mission to defeat the enemy.  Yes, he chose to go after the Stone in order to save it and to go into the Chamber in order to save Ginny, but he had no idea at either time that the enemy was Voldemort.  In this, though he chose to go into the secret passage to save Ron and he didn't know who the enemy would be at the end of the tunnel, he DID know who Sirius Black was, knew his history, and knew that he would come at Sirius with all he had in order to end him.  Voldemort may have "pulled the trigger," but he believed Sirius sold his parents out, and that was just as bad.

Finally, I love this book because, quite simply, I love Sirius Black.  Love him.  He is so broken and sad and I just want to give him hugs and carry him around in my pocket.  He is the closest thing that Harry has ever had to a true father figure, and he has loved Harry his entire life.  Plus, I bet he's super hot once he gets back to his fighting weight and takes a shower... Along with Sirius, Harry meets his dad's other BFF, Remus Lupin, who is also awesome in a million different ways.  He's a great teacher and he was a great friend to Harry's parents, another awesome dude for Harry to look up to.  Love it.

I also really like the importance placed on time, how it can make such a difference.  Just when they think all hope is lost, Dumbledore's like, "Turn it, Granger!"  And they save the day!  Granted, there are times when I find the Time-Turner plot to be the deus ex machina of the whole thing, but most of the time, I think it was a fun and interesting way to change what you thought you knew.  This is one of the things I think was shown better in the movie than in the book.  I've actually taken classes in Film Adaptations before, so I know just how difficult it can be to perfectly capture the words on the page.  The PoA movie really enhances this scene, IMO.  (Mostly, I just like SEEING Hermione punch Draco and hug Ron.)

I'm getting a little rambly about this book, but I can't help it.  There are so many things to love about it; sometimes, it's hard to pick just one.  That's why the Favorite Moment and Favorite Chapter were SO TOUGH.

FAVORITE MOMENT: "You truly are your father's son."
This line always gets me, partially because it's so sweet and partially because... well, I love Sirius Black.  This seems like something you know Harry loved to hear, and you know he replayed it over and over again that night in his head.  Harry's always wanted a loving family, and this guy, this crazy misunderstood guy, knows exactly who Harry is after spending barely any time with him.  It is a shame that Sirius got so much time with them and Harry so little.

FAVORITE CHAPTER: Owl Post
In keeping with my theme of loving the moments where Harry gets to be a normal kid, I love this first chapter where Harry gets to be a normal kid.  I love that he doesn't even realize he's been 13 for an hour.  I love what he writes for his witch burning essay.  I love how Hedwig had the forethought to go to France to get Hermione's gift.  I love that he is so happy just to receive birthday cards!!  And, I love how happy I get when I read this chapter.  I just... well, can you tell I love it?

Up next, Goblet of Fire.  Many things to love, especially that sparkly Cedric Diggory who is so in love with Cho Chang from Bangkok to DingDang.  Now I'm off to get this song unstuck from my head.

Hermione is the Coolest Girl in the Whole Wide World

Been watching A TON of A Very Potter Musical and A Very Potter Sequel lately.  This is my favorite thing ever right now: Hermione Can't Draw, and Hermione's Song.  Love it.

ReRead 2011: Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets

If you haven't read any HP books, be warned: spoilers abound.

In every list, there must be a first and a last.  CoS is what I consider my last place Harry Potter book.  There's nothing wrong with it on the whole- it's written just fine, it forwards the plot, it's got lots of great sequences and moments.  It's just not my favorite.  Some of the reasons why have already been mentioned in the previous entry, but the rest are below.

For starters, the most petty and silly reason: it is standing in the way of me and my favorite book in the series!  I'd rather skip this book and just go right to Prisoner of Azkaban.  YET, I never do because I simply cannot skip one or read them out of order.  Yes, I know I have problems; so does everyone. 

Secondly, I remember the first time I read this, and I thought the plot was pretty weak.  It's like, oooooh a book that is EVIL!  Scaaaarrry.  So this was the Dark Lord's big comeback plan?  To start life again as a TEENAGER and just... be evil?  No offense, Tom, but that plan is pretty lame.  Granted, CoS becomes quite important to the bigger storyline at hand, but I didn't know that at the time.  Once you know why it's important, it makes it SLIGHTLY better, but it still doesn't fully redeem it for me.  Plus, the movie?  No bueno.  It's like everything I don't like about the book times ten.  Harry and Ron are like Captain and Lieutenant Obvious, repeating every single line and every question to make sure the viewer UNDERSTANDS WHAT IS HAPPENING.

And then there's Dobby.  I have been known to refer to him as this series' version of JarJar Binks.  Every time he showed up, I was like, DUDE, you have got to be kidding me.  I was not a fan.  HOWEVER, this opinion is one of the many that changes over the course of the series, like "complete 180" changes, and let's just say Dobby's reinvention is perfect and awesome and I should probably stop talking about it...

There are a few redeeming things about CoS, though.  The readers get their first glimpse of Ginny Weasley, the first girl to be born to into the Weasley line in generations, the super awesome chick who can hold her own against her six older brothers.  We get to see The Burrow for the first time and see how an awesome wizarding family lives.  In the same vein, we get to see Mrs. Weasley treating Harry like a surrogate son for the first time, which is so sweet.  She even butters his toast for him!!  Also, we are introduced to the fabulous yet awful Gilderoy Lockhart, who cracks me up with every rougish wink and cheeky grin.  He's so ridiculous, you just have to love him.  I particularly love Kenneth Branaugh's portrayal of him in the movie, especially after the "accident" with Ron's busted wand.  Jo had said before that Lockhart is the only character fully based on a real person, and you just know she had fun skewering that idiot.

FAVORITE MOMENT/FAVORITE CHAPTER: Dobby's Reward
Yeah.  I know.  I just talked smack about how I didn't like Dobby, and yet he is the double winner of this book.  This just goes to show you how much my opinion of him changed by the end of the series.  Dobby under the thumb of the Malfoys is annoying.  Dobby as a free elf is AWESOME.  I especially like the way Harry tricked Lucius into freeing Dobby.  It was so simple and yet so effective.  However, knowing that house-elves are freed by receiving the gift of clothes... do they do laundry?  I guess if they aren't receiving it as a gift or being presented with it, then it wouldn't matter.  These are the things I think about...

Plus, one of the other reasons this is my favorite chapter is because it's the last chapter of the book, meaning it's over and that means it's time for PRISONER OF AZKABAN!  And I so love the Prisoner of Azkaban, both the book and the person to which the title refers.  It's going to be near impossible to pick favorite moments and chapters for that one...

ReRead 2011: Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone

The first two books in the series are the hardest for me to get through for a couple of reasons.  One: as mentioned in the previous entry, I've read the books repeatedly since I bought the first 2 to read on the family vacay to Hawaii in June 2002 (though, I finished them both before we even landed in Dallas, where we would catch our connecting flight TO Maui, but that's another story).  Therefore, I've read them the most times, and I already know every little detail about what's going to happen.  Two: they are the most "juvenile" of the entire series, and it's tough for me to get through them because I know the amazing-ness that awaits after they are done.  However, in contrast to that, one of the many, MANY reasons I love the series is that the books grow with the reader.  A kid who started these at age 11 would thoroughly enjoy this book at their 11-year-old level, and by the time they get to Deathly Hallows, they'd be 21 reading an extremely dense and intense book not written for or catered toward children.  It's not a 21 year old reading a book written for an 11 year old anymore.

Still, all that aside, this is the beginning, the one that started it all, and despite everything I just said, I still find that it's so lovely.  It's every kid's dream to find out that they have some kind of special power they never knew they had, especially to be a freakin' witch or wizard.  I am so glad I was in college when I started this and not a sad kid whose 11th birthday would come and go without one stinking owl.  I love so much about this book, from the introduction of the beloved characters to the first glimpses of some of our favorite places (Hogwarts, Diagon Alley) to the spells and lessons and Quidditch and... shall I go on?  It's a wonderfully (pun warning!) MAGICAL start to an epic and fantastic series.

FAVORITE MOMENT: I award 10 points to Mr. Neville Longbottom.
I became a HP fan because my buddy C invited me to come see the movie with her and her roommate at the late great second-run theater in Harrisonburg.  The first movie was the only one that was released when I started to read the series, so the visuals in it became very important.  Why am I telling you this?  Because this moment is made for me because I always picture the look on Neville's face when it's announced that he is the reason Gryffindor wins.  The first movie isn't known for its acting, though I think the cast of kids do an amazing job, considering this was their first foray into the industry.  However, chubby little Matthew Lewis has the most perfect expression of shock and happiness on his face, and it always brings a tear to my eye.  Now that I know what Neville will become over the course of the series, it manages to REALLY affect me.  (Confession: I saw a promo still for Neville during the Battle of Hogwarts, and I almost burst into tears.  I am going to be ONE HOT MESS on July 15.)

FAVORITE CHAPTER: The Mirror of Erised
Why?  It's funny, it's deep, it's sweet, and it's full of little details that you don't realize are important until later.  To me, it's the embodiment of the book and what's to come of the series.  For humor, we have one of my all-time favorite Fred & George sequences (Christmas morning, Gred & Forge frog-marching Percy out of the dorm).  For sweet sentimentality, we have Harry having his best Christmas Day ever, where he gets actual presents from people who love him (including his very first Weasley sweater) and a group of redheaded boys that treat him like a brother.  And those details?  Well, you'll just have to figure that out for yourself.

What always gets me, though, is Harry's discovery of the Mirror itself.  The descriptions of his feelings after he realizes it's his family in the Mirror breaks my heart every single time.  All he ever wanted was to be loved, to have a true family that treated him with kindness and love and respect.  To see that literally reflected to him, along with Dumbledore actually stating that it's the "deepest, most desperate desire" of his heart... well, that's something so tangible and REAL for a so-called "children's book."  The entire chapter is so easy to lose yourself in, which happened to me despite the fact that I read the chapter on my morning commute while standing up and squished in the corner of the Metro.

Now, onto Chamber of Secrets: my least favorite, even though it's my girl Ginny's first year AND even after I found out how important it was to the series.

[Side note: the first chapter of SS takes place on the day after Halloween in 1981, which Jo claims is a Tuesday. Sadly, she is mistaken, because I was born on the day after Halloween in 1981, which was a Sunday. And what a wonderful Sunday that was, even for the wizarding world!]

Harry Potter and the Great Re-Read of 2011

In preparation for the final Harry Potter movie, I'm rereading the entire series.  Now, I've basically been reading HP since the summer of 2002, and as soon as I would finish whichever books were available at the time, I would take a cue from Brian McKnight and start back at one.  I kept up this trend until about a year and a half ago, when I started getting into more books and decided to give Harry + Co. a well-deserved break.  That being said, I've probably read the entire series about a billion times (both the US and the UK versions).

Since I have read them so many times, I tend to lose the meaning and the importance of the words on the page, letting my eyes run over them in a familiar manner without letting anything really sink in.  I started thinking about this a few months ago when my mom was reading the series for the first time, and I had the chance to see it through her eyes.  She'd make a comment about certain passages or plot points, and I'd think, "Man, how could she tell that from so far into the beginning?"  I felt as though I were taking these characters for granted, treating them like comfort food more than anything else. 

With that inspiration and keeping those thoughts in mind, I am doing this reread slowly and carefully, trying to fully appreciate the words on the page and the deeper meanings to them for the first time since I cracked their spines.  I also plan on writing an entry for each novel and talking about my favorite chapter after I finish each one.  In order to do this before the movie comes out, I've got to read about 4 chapters a day.  So far, I'm at a good pace, and I can probably finish before the deadline (which is about a week before the movie is released).  I haven't purposefully done this before any of the other movies, mostly because I didn't want to ruin a movie by noticing all the things that were changed and/or omitted.  I'm kind of excited about this.

Also, if you happen upon one of the 7 entries, please feel free to post your own thoughts about the books, whether they are telling me that you agree with my choice or telling me that I need to find a hobby, mate.  I'm so very anxious to see this film, and I'm hoping I won't be the worst crier in the theater...

Busy busy JBS!

Happy December!  I can't believe how fast this year is going.  Blah blah blah!  I have had so many ideas lately of blog topics, but they all tend to get lost in my brain at some point before I get to a computer, and then when I get home, it's all "ooh, Bejeweled Blitz!" or "ooh, knitting!" or "ooh, Navy Seals!" and it's a fail.  Therefore, I haven't updated in a while.  So, here's what I've been up to:
*went to see Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 1.  I enjoyed it quite a bit, especially the more and more I think about it.  We went to see it at midnight here in town, and the place was just crawling with college students.  Almost everyone was dressed in costume, either as a Hogwarts student, a Death Eater, or... a house elf.  It was pretty bizarre.  Saw our friend's name in the credits for his visual effects work, which was awesome.  Is it July yet??
*went to in-laws for Thanksgiving, which was super fun.  The actual T-Day was delicious and relaxing, up until the dog decided to take a little neighborhood excursion all by her lonesome at dusk.  Not so good when you're a BLACK LAB, mutt.  She was found quickly and successfully, only to start being barfy a few hours later.  Dog decided to eat... something unknown on her trip... it was gross.  On Friday, Hubs, Hubs' BFF, SIL, and I stayed up not so late (though it felt REALLY late) playing King's Court and opening champagne with knives (note: everything about this video cracks me up bc this is EXACTLY what we did) and (they were) drinking 4Loko.  The next morning, Hubs' BFF stated that no 4Loko would ever pass his lips again.  That's probably a good plan.
*Wednesday, Hubs and I made the trek to Richmond to see Dashboard Confessional (my choice!).  10 years ago, he released his first album, The Swiss Army Romance.  He played the entire thing, just him and his guitar like the good old days.  Then, he played a few other gems, and personally, I loved it.  Singing along with Chris and everyone else in the crowd made me feel 19 all over again.  Love.

Now, just looking forward to the holidays.  Possibly time to relax.  Possibly time to run around with arms waving.  Possibly going to stand arms akimbo, left foot forward.

"Anything can happen on Halloween..."

I am so dang excited to leave tomorrow to go on our mini-vacay to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  Yes, we are technically going to Universal Studios Orlando, but eh.  For me, it's all about Hogsmeade, baby.  We're kicking it off by seeing Muse tonight, which will be epic.

So, to celebrate the awesomeness that will be the next week of my life (and the last week of my 28th year) and to commemorate the Rocky Horror Glee Show from last night, please enjoy this video of Tim Curry being awesomer than you.  And me.  And everyone.

Best Week Ever (Is Coming Soon).

I'm fairly certain that the week of October 24th will be my best week ever of 2010.  Why is this?  Let me explain.
*Oct 24- Birthday of one of my best friends.  We will certainly celebrate in style, of that I am sure.  Even if "in style" means eating a basket full of fried pickles.  That's style to me.
*Oct 26- Glee's Rocky Horror themed episode.  Granted, this may anger a lot of people.  I'm not one of them.  I love Glee, I love Rocky Horror, I love this night.  I'm really looking forward to "There's a Light (Over at the Frankenstein Place)," which is my fave RHPS song.  I don't care who sings it.  Yay.
*Oct 27- MUSE!  Yay!  Also, who's opening for Muse?  METRIC.  SUPER YAY.
*Oct 28- We leave for Florida to spend a long weekend at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  True, there are other parks at Universal.  I've seen all those before.  I'm eating breakfast at Three Broomsticks.  That immediately means I'm cooler than you.

Seriously... the days can't go by fast enough!