I remember on my first day of university, the day I moved into halls, being incredibly nervous. Who isn't? But once I found out that one of my flatmates was just as big a Harry Potter fan as me, I knew it would be OK. A couple of years later we made a trip to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour together (one of the best days of my life), and a few years later still I am lucky enough to call her one of my best friends. I reckon HP had a small part to play in that!
So this post is for all of you whose childhoods involved poring over the books continually, dressing up as Hermione when you went to see the film at your local Odeon (no, just me?) and queuing outside book shops to get your hands on books 5-7. Here are the 10 reasons why I wish Harry Potter was real.
1. Diagon Alley
Image credit -
The first time I read about Diagon Alley, I was desperate to go there. Fellow book lovers will appreciate how much I want to visit Flourish and Blotts; you'd probably be able to nab a free cone or two at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, and who isn't curious about the Love Potions, Extendable Ears and Ten-Second Pimple Vanishers from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes? Also, there's Ollivanders - of course I want a wand!
2. Owl Post
Image credit - harrypotter.wikia.com
I love receiving post! Not bills and junk mail, but postcards and handwritten letters. It's a lovely, traditional thing to receive a notecard or similar, isn't it? Well now imagine that an owl brings these to you instead of your regular postman (no offence, Royal Mail). Wouldn't that be incredible?
3. Howlers
Image credit - harrypotter.wikia.com
OK, so I mainly want this one to be true so that when my boyfriend doesn't text me back (which is A LOT, if you're reading this Mr), I could send him a Howler. The thought of one of these turning up at his office would make him reply, wouldn't it? However, the thought of an unpaid bill turning up like this is pretty terrifying.
4. Butterbeer
Image credit - iconoblastnews.blogspot.com
Butterbeer sounds amazing. It is apparently served "hot in foaming tankards" - so I'm imagining it to be a bit like mulled cider, in that respect. We did try some of the butterbeer at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour and it was the yummiest drink I've ever tasted. I'm not even exaggerating. Apparently buttered beer was a genuine thing in Tudor times, made with beer, sugar, eggs, nutmeg, cloves and er, butter. Maybe I'll try recreating it...
5. Mrs Weasley's Washing Up Spell
Image credit - harrypotter.wikia.com
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, we catch a glimpse of Mrs Weasley's dishes washing themselves. I NEED this spell in my life! Do you think you could extend this to all household chores? Hoovering? Ironing? I would say I'd like a house elf, but that would make me sound a bit cruel...
6. Hermione Granger
Image credit - deathbattlefanon.wikia.com
Hermione and I are alike in very many ways. At school I was a goody-two-shoes, I'll admit, and I would agree that I too am bookish. I think Hermione and I would be great friends. I would have loved having her as one of my school pals.
7. Quidditch
Image credit - tuesdayswithhorry.com
I'm not really into watching sports - football, rugby, cricket, golf, F1... They all pass me by. I do watch the tennis, and sometimes athletics, but that's about it. However, if Quidditch was real then I could become very sporty, very quickly. Although what with the Bludgers, I can imagine it is quite a violent game to watch sometimes...
8. Apparition & The Floo Network
Image credit - harrypotter.wikia.com
The morning commute would be so much rosier if you could just apparate or use the Floo Network, instead of getting the crowded Tube (I bet there's never a Floo Network strike) or being stuck in rush hour traffic. It would also be better for the environment, perhaps? I'm not sure about those green Floo fumes, but I bet they'd be better than lots of trains and cars. So more fun and a potential solution to global warming? Get me on the phone to the Prime Minister now.
9. OWLs and NEWTs
Image credit - harrypotterfanzone.com
I know Harry and Ron whinge about them in the books and films, but I swear OWLs and NEWTs are a lot more exciting than GCSEs and A-Levels. Transfiguration, Care of Magical Creatures and Charms sounds a lot more exciting than Maths, Biology and Spanish. The practical exams involve demonstrating correct handling of a Bowtruckle and performing a Patronus charm - my practicals involved telling someone about my holidays in French, and heating up powders with Bunsen burners. I know which of those sounds more fun...
10. The Gryffindor Common Room
Image credit - www.dailymail.co.uk
Is this not one of the cosiest, most welcoming rooms you have ever seen? So this is making the massive assumption that if the world of Harry Potter was indeed real, I would be sorted into Gryffindor (I really don't think I would be - I'm pretty certain I'd be a Ravenclaw) BUT let's ignore that small fact. So many of the films feature this lovely common room with a roaring fire, wizard chess and people curled up in the squishy armchairs. I'd love to snuggle up with a good book and my knitted jumper from Mrs Weasley in here.
I think you'll agree that life would be awesome if all the above were true. Why do you wish Hogwarts, wizards and all things HP was real? Please do share your reasons with me, I'd love to read them!
As a teen I would have loved learning potions or care of magical creatures over things like maths! xx
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it have made school so much more interesting?! X
DeleteDid you know that Hogwarts students don't go to platform 9 3/4 anymore? That's because to many muggles go there now!
DeleteUm Hogwarts is real, I go there no offense! Go ahead... don't believe me! It's supposed to be secret anyway. (I'm 12 years old.)
ReplyDeleteBetter hide from Headmaster Dumbledoor the Second! Notice that he doesn't have an "E" at the end of his name!
ReplyDelete