For the month of April, I’m breaking out of my usual “format” and showcasing one of my favorite fandoms a day, so I will have shiny things to make me smile every day of my birthday month. When I sat down to write the list of my top 30 fandoms, I found the task terribly hard. How do I choose just 30? My apologies to all my beloved fandoms left off the list. I’m using random.org to determine what fandom gets what day.
Harry Potter
Favorite Quote: “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” ~Albus Dumbledore
Favorite Book: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Favorite Movie: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Favorite Character: Remus Lupin
Favorite Moment: The Shrieking Shack scene in book 3.
How I Got Into It: I thought the books were for kids and I was in college. My best friend assured me college kids were reading them, but I didn’t bite. My parents read the first few books and insisted I do similarly. I read some Remus/Sirius fanfiction and fell for the characters. I decided I had to give the books a shot if I loved the fanfic that much… so I sat down one day and tried the first book. I almost gave up in the first chapter; boring people. Ick. But my mother insisted I keep going. So I did. I made it through the first four books in one week and then had to wait years through an extremely long summer for Book 5 to come out.
Fangirl Intensity (scale of 1 to 10 with 10=full-out obsessed): 19
How I Fangirl: How don’t I? I write more Harry Potter fanfic than anything else. I make crafts. I build things out of LEGO and display them at conventions. I memorize entire chapters word-for-word. I am the assistant organizer of a local Harry Potter meetup group and organize meetings several times a month with other fans in my area. I am involved in the Harry Potter Alliance. I own, like, 7 wands and Hufflepuff school robes. Heck, I self-identify as a ‘puff before almost any other way of identifying myself in this world. I’ve driven a day to go to a Wizard Rock concert or the Harry Potter exhibition (which I saw twice). I’ve spent hundreds of dollars on Wizard Rock and merch and couldn’t be happier about that. I took the train the Hogwarts (to both the Wizarding World theme park and the UK studio tour). I spent a total of 5 days in London and went on 4 different Harry Potter tours in that time.
Favorite Merch I Own: I might have to go with a wildcard here and choose my badger, Berger. He was repurposed by a Wizard Rocker and sold on etsy with a handmade Hufflepuff scarf. I love him very much.
Favorite Fandom Creation: pervy_werewolf community where we had lots of fun with Remus, especially during the month of May and, also, my meetup group, DADA, for bringing me so much Harry Potter fun for years and great friends I’ve made to enjoy it with
Why I’m Glad I Fangirl It: Every time I read the books, I get something out of them, in addition to the obligatory laughter and tears. It’s an amazing story JKR imagined and told to us and I’m so lucky to have finally found my way into it. The story easily keeps itself alive in my heart, but it’s great that I have a loving community who enjoys keeping it alive and doing fun & great things in its name. It’s helped me open up, made me create some amazing things, taught me what bravery and sacrifice are about and taught me who I am as a person, given me amazing characters I’ve learned from, given me so much to explore and have fun with in other states and countries, and has given me friends across the world.
How can I not comment on this one? It’s my original fandom. I was pulled in at the age of 8. I’m one of those who grew up with the books and movies. It introduced me to fanfiction.
Though like you I almost gave up on the first chapter – it’s just not that interesting until you’re reading it in retrospect.
I can’t possibly pick a favorite book, but my favorite movie is Deathly Hallows pt 2 because I’m a sucker for epic battles and final confrontations and sacrifice.