Who’s Ready for Wizard Wednesday?

What is Wizard Wednesday you ask? Well, I have finally taken the bait and started reading Harry Potter. For years I was completely against it. For years I said, “I don’t read the books because it ruins the movies!” Finally thought, I am reading (well, listening) to the books and am excited to share my thoughts every Wizard Wednesday.

When I said that reading the books would ruin the books it didn’t make sense because I saw the movies in the weirdest order: 3, 2, 1, 4, 5, 6 and stopped. Why did I stop? Because leaving the movie I was shocked that (spoiler alert) Dumbledore died. Everyone leaving the movie wasn’t shocked at all because they had read the books. They knew what was going to happen. To this day I still have no idea how it all ends.

Since I saw the movies in that random order I really don’t remember anything from them. I barely remember characters names. This excited me because I was going into it knowing nothing and ready to finally figure out why all the hype.

Being a busy dad (working a full time job, running a side business, and parenting three kids) I figured listening to the books on my way home from work would be the best. That meant I would put them on during my drive home.

Every Wizard Wednesday I will share what I have read that previous week. Questions I have from the reading and what shocked me. Does that sound fun? Well, whether it does or not, that’s what’s happening so here we go.

***SPOILER ALERT*** If you haven’t read the books or seen the movies, first of all, why are you reading this? Second of all I am going to be telling you things that happened so just know that in advance.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Chapters 1-5

First of all, how did it slip by me that Harry’s parents died? First reading that is what shocked me. I had no idea. I also didn’t know that his (who I thought were parents) aunt and uncle were so rude to him. Really, did I even pay attention when I saw the movies? Clearly I don’t think so.

So his family is super rude, especially his cousin. For me I am not a fan of this for the reason that he is basically adopted, then treated like crap by the family that took him. But they also took him with the intention of not letting him know who he truly is.

This made me think a ton. What if I would have never known I am adopted? Would that have changed my life? Totally! So when Harry finally gets his letter (which was also annoying—let the kid get his mail already) that would blow my mind. You are finding out that your parents didn’t die in a car accident, but by some evil wizard that didn’t want them around any longer.

Which, I didn’t realize that is how Harry got that scar on his forehead that is so famous. Clearly, I knew something had happened, but I didn’t remember what it was from. You see that every say thinking about a car accident that you were never in. Then you find out your parents were murdered and you have this scar because this person was trying to get rid of you too, but for some reason you wouldn’t die.

Harry finds out he’s a wizard because this guy, Rubeus Hagrid, is told that he needs to get Harry this letter to come to Hogwarts (the wizard school). Harry’s uncle did everything in his power to not let him get his letter, but you can’t stop Hagrid.

Quick question. Hagrid talks about how he was expelled from Hogwarts, but he didn’t’ go into detail about why. Will that come out eventually? For some reason I was interested in that.

Hagrid takes Harry to get his stuff for school and this is where things finally were getting interested (aka chapter 5).  What was the biggest part that blew my mind? He gets a list of things first-year students are required to get: uniform, books, wand, cauldron, etc. But they said he needed the book, “Fantastif Beasts and Where to Find Them. I am pretty sure they released another movie about that.

So I asked around and heard that movie is about the guy that wrote the book. This is about a guy, in a book, that wrote a book. What???? Basically, inception!

Okay, so things I am assuming, but don’t know for sure:

• Pale kid he talks to is that bad kid that no one liked.
• Harry does not get into Hufflepuff, but I don’t know which school he does go to.
• Snake that he talks to at the zoo is someone, maybe Voldemort?
• His family will be in the rest of the series, even though he has left them. They have to be more than just a beginning character, right?

Now that he is going to be going to the school and in this different world the story is getting more interesting. I am sure I will go a lot faster through the books, but for now that’s what I have.

In the comments (which I finally got working) let me know why you love Harry Potter, when you first read it, but please no spoilers. I really am reading this knowing nothing and excited to see how it goes.

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