Harry Potter and Love

Just recently I’ve decided to go back and reread the Harry Potter series. I’ve always really loved the series and I thought it would be a good idea to go back a reread them all before the new book and movie came out so I could be reminded of all of the details of the series. As I read the first one, a stumbled across the little details and jokes that made me fall in love with the book series the first time. Like this:

“And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!” cried Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the teachers’ smiles had become rather fixed.
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a log golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.

“Everyone pick their favorite tune,” said Dumbledore, “and off we go!” And the school bellowed:

“Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald,
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling,
With some interesting stuff,
For now they’re bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we’ve forgot,
Just do the best, we’ll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot.”

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing alone to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped the loudest.

“Ah, music,” he said, wiping his eyes. “A magic beyond all we do here! And now bedtime. Off you trot!”

I absolutely love the Harry Potter series for many reasons. I love the humor and writing styles J. K. Rowling uses throughout her books. I also find that I can relate to the many topics she discusses in her books. I think out of all of them, my favorite is this reoccurring theme of the power of love. If you don’t know the main story line, and I promise I wont ruin anything, but the big struggle that Harry has is that his parents were killed when he was a baby by the main antagonist Voldemort but somehow Harry escaped with only a scar on his forehead. He finds out early in the series that the reason this was so because his mother gave her life so he could live. Her sacrifice provided the ultimate protection for him all because of her love for him. I think this is one of the best lessons of life. In my opinion, love is one of life’s hardest lessons, but is the most important. We all have people in our lives that we love, so I honestly believe that this is an important topic. Dumbledore explains this to Harry in the first book:

“Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realize that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign . . . to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good.”

It such a sad story, but it’s very true. The love that Lily Potter sacrificed for her only son is unreal. I believe that if everyone could learn this lesson, life would be so much easier. There wouldn’t be so many arguments and people just being hateful towards one another. Everyone has a desire to belong and to be loved. It’s amazing how complex but yet simple love can be. Everyone wants it and everyone can give it, but at times we don’t. I know it’s really hard to love everyone that you come into contact with, trust me on that one, but you can always try. I guess that’s all I’m really trying to say with all of this. As we go into our summer plans and maybe spend more time with parents and siblings than we did during the school year, just try to remember that. Our parents love us unconditionally, whether we would like to admit it or not, so try to remember that as you get crammed into a car or plane with them to go on your vacations. Try spending more time with them because I'm sure they would enjoy that. Believe it or not, our parents are not that much different then we are and went through a lot of the same things we did. That’s one thing I learned this year and whished I had figured out earlier. I hope that you all have a wonderful summer break and do some fun stuff. If you have some extra time, I highly suggest that you pick up the Harry Potter series and read them. It’s a wonderful book series and well worth your time! :]

Those who are faithful know only the trivial side of love; it is the faithless who know love's tragedies. ~Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1891

(another really good book if you're looking for one. :] )