The Boy That Lived

Journalling: "I can still remember the very first time I had my hands on a Harry Potter book. My uncle Scott had bought it for me for Christmas after seeing that it had won the 1998 Smartie Award. I thought it was pretty cool that the sticker said for ages 9 and over, where I was a mere 8. Haha. It took me months to read the first book, but after I had finished I started to re-read it immediately. I was hooked. I remember taking it into class and India being the only other student who had even heard of them by then! After Mrs Elphinstone gave it a once over she decided it would be a wonderful class novel and I was feeling mighty proud of myself. Then the madness hit - it was announced that the series was going to be made into movies and suddenly I wasnt just scoping the books out at the shop across from my bus stop, but all the merchandise started flooding in. I remember recieving birthday cards, card games, sticker books and figurines. I even had a Bertie Botts tshirt!
My love of the books simply grew over time, with each new book and movie growing up with me. The Prisoner of Azkaban was by far my favourite book, when Sirius died in the next installment I was beside myself.
I will never forget finishing the 7th book. It took me only 7 1/2 hours of non-stop readng. I had actually intended on drawing it out - but woke up in the middle of the night and couldnt put it back down. I cried. Not really because of the characters who died, or the friend Harry had lost, but because it was the last book, my last fix of a story that Id become friends with over the years, best friends. After being imersed in this story for 8 years of my life, I didnt know what to do now that it was over. So I cried.
Right now my books are in my Nans cupboard on the other side of the country... when I move to Perth next year that will have pride of place on my bookshelf, all together at last. Then Ill be able to visit my friends whenever I want."
Credits: 'Platform 9 3/4' by Em Merritt & Valorie Wibbens
'Teeny Tiny Alpha' by Zoe Pearn
Brown alpha from 'Funky Munky' by Lauren Grier & Christy Lyle