As promised, I am reposting this challenge to correct some minor viewing glitches It is still on my
favourite book series: Harry Potter (but with some changes haha)
Day #1 First Encounter With This Series (i.e. how you discovered it, first episode you watched, ect...)
It was 1999, in an attempt to lure me away from my boyband
obsession, my aunt bought me The Philosopher’s Stone as my 13th birthday
present. I have never looked back since, and to this day my aunt wasn't sure
whether or not she regrets introducing me to this mania.
I’m still a huge fan of the Backstreet Boys and Westlife though :D.
Day #2 The Moment That Made You Fall in Love with this Series
I cannot be sure when. But I know it was around the first
book- Philosopher’s Stone. It might be when Hagrid took Harry Diagon Alley, and
the rich way Joanne Rowling described the wizarding shops and people
entranced me to push further. It might be her description of Hogwarts at the
beginning of chapter 8 ("The Potions Master") made me fall in love
with Hogwarts in whole. It might have been on Harry's first Quidditch Game,
when he swallowed the Snitch instead of capturing it.
All I know is, the moment I finished that first book, I was
clamouring for more. And the very next day I begged my parents to buy me the
next two books in the series: The Chamber of Secrets and The Prisoner of
Azkaban. By the time my 14th birthday rolled in, all I wanted was The Goblet of
Fire (which was released the same year). In a way, the Harry Potter books also began my ritual of having at
least one storybook as my birthday present every year.
Day #3 Favourite Female Character
This is a toughie. Loads of people might say Hermione or
Ginny or even Luna. While I like them all just fine, I do not really have a
favourite female character. If I have to really choose, I have to say it is
Professor Minerva McGonagall. I like her stern, steadfast character, her sharp
sense of judgement, and her loyalty to the school. Her role as Dumbledore's
second in command cannot be easy either. Her finest moment had to be when she
led Hogwarts in the battle against the Death Eaters in the seventh book, while
allowing time for Harry to muster his advantages to fight Voldemort.
Day #4 Favourite Male Character
Ron's frustration to being the wallflower of the bunch was
obvious time and time again throughout the series, particularly in later books
when Harry was pushed further into the spotlight and Hermione's intelligence and
blossoming beauty caused her to be noticed by boys and adults alike. In his eyes, everyone gets
more attention than him, be it his best friend, love interest, his sister or even his many brothers. He clings to his moments of glory (like when he helped
won the Quidditch Cup for Gryffindor) fiercely and protectively.
Ron is not the most rational of all the main characters. He has more tendency to flare into tempers, likes to jump into conclusions, and he has an occasional mean streak (as pointed out by Luna Lovegood). His resentment
has sometimes caused a rift with Harry or Hermione or both. Harry because of
his uncontrollable jealousy of his fame and fortune, and Hermione because of
his inferiority complex that he might never be good enough for her. It came to
a point where he thought both Harry and Hermione were seeing each other behind
his back, and caused him to walk away from the team.
But to me,
these are the things that makes him human. Out of all the main players in the story, he is the character that made the
story most real and believable. Ron echoes the human side of us all, whether it is good or bad. Be it in his choices (he chose the Elder Wand because really, who in their right mind does NOT want an Unbeatable Wand?) or the way he reacts to things (with that hilariously snappy humour to boot), he is what makes the Harry Potter stories relatable to me. Moreover, Ron showed me that it is okay to make mistakes, as long as you
learn from them and went back to do the right thing. All these human qualities
in Ron made me feel more attached to him than the rest, and I am so glad
Rowling refrained from her decision to kill him.
Day #5 Favourite Romance/Rivalry
I would love to say Luna & Neville. But alas, apart from
that one tender moment during Dumbledore's funeral where Luna helped Neville to
his seat, this relationship was never again mentioned. Neville went on to marry a
Hufflepuff classmate, Hannah Abbott post-war, while Luna married Rolf Scamander.
The only consolation was that the romance was continued in the movie version of
the series.
Day #6 Least Favourite Female Character
An obvious choice here would be either Dolores Umbridge,
Petunia Dursley, Pansy Parkinson or Bellatrix Lestrange (There's so many
hateful female characters! Is Rowling secretly a chauvinist? Hmmm...). However,
Umbridge is simply one that goes without saying and she is just too cliche of a
choice. Petunia is a debatable choice, because we know why she was nasty
throughout Harry's life with her family. Pansy simply had no character
development to speak of, just being there as Malfoy's female admirer or to give
Hermione grief. Bellatrix is actually a character I'm amazed at, because of her
maniacal loyalty to Voldemort which bordered on rabid love.
Being honest here, I would say my least favourite female
character is Ginny Weasley. I find her annoying, especially towards later books
when she suddenly gone from Harry's fan to a blooming beauty that suddenly made
Harry in love with her. I mean really, what are her traits? What's so special
about her, apart from being Harry's courageous female counterpart? And while
she did join in the battles against the Death Eater at Hogwarts and the
Ministry of Magic, what, exactly is her special skills apart from Bat-Bogey
Hex? Oh, and another thing, does she really have to be so critical towards Ron?
Molly Weasley can be very annoying too. I guess like mother,
like daughter.
Day #7 Least Favourite Male Character
I have to think really hard on this one. Voldemort is not a
choice. He is the main antagonist and is necessary to the storyline. Plus, we
know by the Half-Blood Prince that his inability to truly love can be
contributed to his parents' history. Draco Malfoy, I actually have a soft spot
on (I will elaborate in later points). His father, Lucius, is just an
opportunist. As is Wormtail.
Raking my brains, I will have to settle on Gilderoy
Lockhart, self-promoter extraordinaire, and Vernon Dursley, because he is
simply an unrepentant idiot.
Day #8 Least Favourite Romance/Rivalry
In writing this, I have sealed myself as a Ginny-hater
(apologies to all Ginny-lovers out there), but I think her romance with Harry
is not properly spread out throughout the series. To me, in the end, she is
just someone Harry could be thinking of during cold nights or when Hermione
& Ron gets too overwhelming. She is conveniently necessary to Harry, and
nothing much more.
Day #9 Funniest Moment
Most of my favourite funny moments involve Ron, whether in
deed or words. Most of the things he said is hilarious, and combining his
ignorance, sarcasm and bewilderment with Hermione's frequent exasperation, they
make a comical pair.
Since I will not pick one Ron moment over others, I will say
that the funniest moment would have to be in the Order of The Phoenix, when a
tattered Umbridge spent her first day as Hogwarts' 'beloved' new Headmistress
putting away fireworks set by Fred and George all over the school. The finale
was when Professor Fillius Flitwick thanked her after a difficult piece of show
in the Charms classroom, in sweetness dripping with sarcasm, and told her that
he "could have got rid of the sparklers myself, of course, but I wasn't
sure whether I had the authority..." and slammed the door to Umbridge's
snarling face.
Oh bravo Professor!
Day #10 Saddest Moment
There are many deaths that can be mentioned here as the
saddest moment in Harry Potter history. Cedric Diggory, the first death witnessed
by Harry in Goblet of Fire. Sirius Black, who is the closest thing Harry had to a father figure. Albus Dumbledore, who chose death for 'the greater good'.
Dobby, whose last breath was for helping Harry escape the Malfoy Manor. Remus
and Tonks, whose son inherited Harry's fate as an orphan, though probably not
his hated and neglected condition as a child. And Snape, who died loving Harry's mother
Lily.
I mourn for all these characters, but for me the saddest
death belongs to Fred Weasley. Fred has a twin, and they were two halves of a
whole. I cannot imagine how George felt in the aftermath, having to live
without his twin, who really is an extension of himself. Futhermore, Fred had
just reconciled with his estranged older brother Percy. To be taken away after
only just gaining back one family member is just sad.
Day #11 Something You Wish Hadn’t Happened
I honestly can't think of anything that I wish hadn't
happened, since the Harry Potter series is like a well-arranged domino set, in
which every turn of events affect something. I would like to say I wish Cedric
hadn't died (it'll be good for Harry to have a strong, talented ally on his
side that is a Hufflepuff, as Luna is representing Ravenclaw), but without his
death Harry would not be able to see the Thestrals and might not have all the
emotional angst that is necessary to his development in the Order of the
Phoenix. Fred could also not have died, but that might have the books feeling a
little too convenient. The Weasleys are in the thick of the events, they can't
come out without losing someone.
Day #12 Something You Wished Would Happen But Never Did
Ahhh... I have been waiting for this question. I know
exactly what I would really love to have: Draco Malfoy turning over a new leaf and
join the rebellion against Voldemort.
Draco Malfoy had been Harry's rival throughout school. He is
everything Harry is not. Sneaky, a bully, rich with a doting mother and
imposing father. Surprisingly I find Draco and Ron have a few similar personality traits, in which both were mean when they want to be, and the inferiority complex that they feel over Harry. Draco leads a group of Slytherins whose sole purpose is to make
all the other houses miserable. Draco's favourite targets are the timid Neville
Longbottom, the underprivileged Ron and the Muggle-born Hermione, and he hated all the
glory given to Harry as the Boy Who Lived. He is very proud of the fact that
his family are pure-blood Slytherins through and through, has powerful
influence in the wizarding community and he supports Dark Magic the same way
his parents have.
However, beginning at the Half-Blood Prince, things weren't
so rosy for Draco. With his father in disgrace, both with the wizarding community and
with Voldemort, he was tasked to kill Dumbledore and find a way into Hogwarts
for the Death Eaters to lay siege for the first time. Determined to
restore his family into Voldemort's favour, he worked at both his tasks, but
with extreme difficulty. But for all his talk and swagger, in Draco's heart he
finds killing repulsive and torture disgusting. Throughout that book and the
Deathly Hallows, and through Harry's eyes, we can still see this constant
struggle in Draco. At a climatic scene where he held Dumbledore at wand's end,
with no one watching (except Harry, who was under an invisibility cloak), he
almost dropped his wand, not wishing to continue with killing Dumbledore.
For all that his family were Dark Wizards, Draco was not
evil. He could be nasty, but then again Ron can be nasty too.
At the end of the books, Draco subsided into a cowardly character who
struggled to ally himself with the winning side, despite no longer being sure which one it was. He was spared most of the
Death Eater's fate when his parents walked away from the war during the Battle
of Hogwarts. He lived indebted to Harry, Ron and Hermione, who saved his life twice, but they never become friends.
I was disappointed with this substory, if only just a
little. I think it would have been better if Draco openly turned against
Voldemort and joined Harry and the rest in the fight somewhere in The Deathly
Hallows. He could be partners with Neville, calling Voldemort out in the scene
where Harry was believed to be dead. Oh, what an epic scene that would be!
I know that Hollywood toyed with that idea. In one of the
making videos of the Deathly Hallows movie, Draco can be seen shouting,
"Potter!" and throwing his wand to Harry as he returned from the dead
to face Voldemort. Unfortunately it never made the movies. Such a pity.
Day #13 A Song That Reminds You of this Series
"Hedwig's Theme"- easy!
Day #14 Favourite Villain
Bellatrix Lestrange's twisted character is always
interesting to watch. Here is a character that is evil, plain and simple, no
excuse given. Even Voldemort has a sympathetic angle to him (although he
would probably Avada Kedavra anyone who said so to his face). Not Bellatrix
though. She likes Dark Magic, is a Pure-Blood fanatic and thrives in claiming someone's life.
Day #15 A Character Everybody Else Loves That You Hate
Day #16 A Character Everybody Else Hates That You Love
Most probably Peeves, but does anybody actually hate Peeves?
Day #17 The Character You Love To Hate
I know I probably should hate Lavender Brown, like many
Ron/Hermione shippers who hissed everytime she jumped on Ron. Also, she is
whiny and clingy and... seriously, baby names? But the thing is, I don't hate
her. Not really. Ron needed her
whininess and clinginess to realize what a complete prat he was when it comes
to girls. In that sense at least she taught him a lesson.
Day #18 The Top Three Things on Your To-Do List if You Suddenly Found Yourself in the Series
a) Figure out whether I'm a Muggle or a Witch
b) i) Muggle- pray that Dementor of Death Eaters won't get
to me, and try to befriend Hermione's family
ii) Witch- Go to
Hogwarts, get a wand, help Harry in whatever quest he's in at the time, knock some sense into Draco's head if I can. Not in any particular order
c) Find Harry and tell him he's got to get all the seven
items on the Horcrux list and where he can get it. Even if he was only 11 at
the time (I am SO going to be a walking encyclopedia to Harry in this series)
Day #19 A “Ship” in the Fandom You Can’t Stand (canon or non-canon; of characters or actors)
CAN WE STOP WITH THE HARRY/DRACO SHIPPING ALREADY? It drives
me nuts!!
Day #20 The Worst Fanfic You’ve Ever Read of this Series (include links if possible)
I don't really read Harry Potter fanfic, because I think the
story is already complete in itself. But really, any Harry/Draco fanfic make me cringe. And I can only imagine what Lucius Malfoy would react, if he truly exists. ("MY SON AND POTTER? TOGETHER?" *Dies*)
Day #21 On a Scale from Secret Admirer to Panty-Sniffer, How Obsessed Are You with this Series?
I wait at my window for owls to send letters from Hogwarts (even though
I'm past school age). I'd go even if it means becoming Filch's assistant. Does that count?
Day #22 The Character You’d Want as a Drinking Buddy
Day #23 The Character You’d Want as a Fuck Buddy
Day #24 The Character You Find Most Relatable
Had to be Luna Lovegood. Dreamy, weird and isolated. I sound
a lot like her. Although I find it hard-pressed to imagine myself as a Ravenclaw.
Day #25 Favourite Object/Prop
The WAND! Most important equipment for a witch!
Day #26 Favourite Costume
Harry's Triwizard champion outfit or Quidditch uniform, if
they are anything like the one in the movies
Day #27 Favourite Quote
"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are,
far more than our abilities." - Albus Dumbledore, The Chamber of Secrets
Day #28 Favourite Climax (i.e. series finale, battle, conclusion of a subplot, etc…)
The battle at the graveyard in The Goblet of Fire was both
gory, suspense and heart wrenching.
Day #29 A Moment That Made You Question Whether You Would Continue Reading/Watching…
None
Day #30 Will Anything Ever Replace this Series for You?
While The Hunger Games and The Song of Ice and Fire came as
close second and third, nothing would really replace Harry Potter for me. It
represented my childhood and moulded me into what I am today.
