Interview with Harry Potter Fans

With her popular Harry Potter series, JK Rowling created a world rich with magic, suspense, terror and plenty of laughs as well. She did such a good job creating this world, it gave birth to an active and varied online community. Look up Harry Potter on the internet and you'll find enough fan forums, RPGS and news sites to keep you busy for years to come. Each community is different, but they all have one thing in common: they're wild about Harry. Being new to the world of Harry Potter, I decided to check out one of these communities (www.potterforums.com) and talk to them about how they found the series, what has made them such devoted fans and what they expect out of the final book of the series. This is what they had say...

1) How were you introduced to the Harry Potter world?

astults13: I was introduced by my school, where I found the books in the library. At about the same time, I had seen the first movie and I thought it was really interesting.

irock: My fourth grade teacher made us read for a half an hour every day. I did love to read. One day, I was looking through the books on the shelf, and I saw Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and decided
to read it. I immediately fell in love with the story, and have stayed in love with it ever since.

kelsey: I was first introduced to Harry Potter during 8th grade by one of my friends. I had heard of the series in 5th grade, but was never really interested until my friend said I should. After reading the first book, I was hooked.

2) What is your favorite aspect of the Harry Potter stories?

astults13: I really like how there is an ongoing battle between good and evil. Many people think that well, this is in a lot of books so what makes this so special, but by the way JK Rowling writes it makes it seem so real. The characters relate to me and the people around me as well. It just goes along so well, I can't not like Harry Potter.

irock: The characters all seem so real and dynamic. I got to watch Harry grow. I grew up with him.

kelsey: The story of Harry Potter is so different than any other series I've read. Everything is new, the characters, the potions, the wizards, the magical items....they are something no one is familiar with until we are explained what it is by J.K. Rowling. It's so imaginative which is why I love it personally.

3) What inspired you to take such an active role in the Harry Potter fandom?

astults13: Well I got obsessed with the Harry Potter 'empire'. The books were so creative and awesome that I wanted to go further into Harry Potter. The feeling I get after reading one of the books or seeing one of the movies is overwhelming, and it makes me want to do more things about Harry Potter.

irock: I have a bit of a Harry Potter obsession. I read a lot of fan fiction, check news sites daily, and post on Potterforums, of which I'm a Mod at. I just get bored and decide to google Harry Potter. That's really how it started.

kelsey: I was curious after reading the 6th book what theories and such people had such about the last book and that is where I found the Potter Forums.

4) Why do you role play Harry Potter?

astults13: Because I think JK Rowling set up such a good basis to start with you can further her ideas into awesome adventures, or roleplays. I like to take on a character that has the same abilities as people in Harry Potter.

irock: I don't, actually. Although, I do sometimes read the RP threads on Potterforums.com. Watching them do it is fun.

kelsey: I personally don't Role Play Harry Potter, but I think people enjoy doing it because they too wish they could be part of the Wizarding World.

5) Has your involvement in RPing Harry Potter enhanced your creativity?

astults13: I think it has a lot. I am more creative in the way I think and how I act. It is easier for me to come up with ideas that are fiction because you can easily take one little bit from Harry Potter and make a huge story out of it.

6) Do you enjoy the movies or the books more?

astults13: I definitely enjoy the books more because they are so more interesting and lengthy. But I really like the movies because it brings the magic to a whole new perspective, and it really makes you excited.

irock: The books, definitely. The movies are good, but I prefer the books, because I get to picture things how I would want them to look in my head. JKR is a very talented author.

kelsey: I enjoy the books more....the movies leave out too much.

7) Have you had the opportunity to attend Harry Potter events? If so, which ones? Can you describe what the events were, the people there, etc.?

astults13: I have never been to a formal Harry Potter event. The closest thing to one is when I went to Wal Mart to get HBP and there were a lot of, well, weird people dressed up in Harry Potter clothing, etc.

Irock: I go to the Midnight Madness book releases are Borders. There are all kinds of people there. I've seen people of all ages. It's fun to see all the different types of people gathering in one place to pick up the same book.

kelsey: I live in a small town so we didn't have anything like that.

8) Who is your favorite character and why?

astults13: I'm going to have to say Luna Lovegood. She brings a whole way to think about everything. She never really puts you down, but she inspires you to further your thoughts on things, and I think she makes you feel better and laugh.

irock: Severus Snape. Honestly, I'm not sure why. There is just something mysterious and intruiging about him. And in the films, his voice. Oh, his voice. Beautiful and silky. He's just a very interesting character.

kelsey: I really like the character Ronald Weasley because he is like me in a lot of ways. Scared of spiders, very sarcastic, humorous. His personality is very well rounded and fun to read.

9) Has anything fun or unusual happened to you while attending a Harry Potter event or chatting with other fans? If so, please share if possible.

astults13: Well, after talking about if for a while we go into ludocrous topics like Dobby is Metro and such, and these type of threads are funny.

irock: I've come across Harry Potter fans in some very interesting places. So many different types of people are interested in Harry Potter, it's incredible, really. At the last Midnight Madness party at Border's, we were making wands. There was a group of really punk
looking teenagers making pretty little wands. It was entertaining to watch them.

Kelsey: Well actually the unusual has happened to me. On my day to get the Goblet of Fire DVD I had a deer run into my car. Then about a week ago I'm my way to see the new film I got into a car accident and never made it. I've joked with my friends that Harry Potter has cursed me.

10) What are you hoping will happen in the final installment of the Harry Potter series?

astults13: I really hope that evil doesn't prevail. Harry has to survive, and Voldemort has to die. It would just make everything play out normally, but Harry has to lose someone close if he is going to lose Voldemort.

irock: Really, I just want Harry to live. I don't think JKR would kill him off. I hope not, at least. I hope all of the trio makes it out of the war alive. Also, Snape better be on the good side.

kelsey: I'm hoping Harry will defeat Lord Voldermort, but keep himself and Ron & Hermione safe and alive.