Probably the millionth post about Harry Potter you will read today

 

It's like my birthday and Christmas all at once today! Words can't even begin to describe how excited I am to read this book. Unfortunately for me, I did not plan very well. I have four other books that have to be back to the library by Tuesday. So as much as I would love to just drop everything, pour some wine, and herd my children off with their father, I can't. I have to finish my library books first. Don't worry about me. This just means I have until Tuesday to pick out the perfect bottle of wine. What kind of wine pairs well with magic?

 

It's not just the idea of wine that makes me excited for this book. It's the nostalgia that comes with it. I wouldn't say I am close with any of my four other siblings. We all just sort of put up with each other because we share genetic material. There is one thing that brings us together. That one thing is Harry Potter. 

 

I picked up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on a whim one day at the library. I couldn't even tell you what inspired me to pick it up. When the book was first released in America, I was in 14 and in the eighth grade. I had stopped browsing books in the children's section of the library. A teen or young adult's section wasn't even a thing. For some reason I was drawn to this book. I devoured it in a day. That's pretty impressive when you consider I had the book taken away from me three time at school for reading during class. Who wants to know what x equals when you can read about Harry's first trip to Olivanders? After finishing, I raved about this book to anyone who would listen. At some point during the week, my library book went missing. By the time I found it again my brother and sister had both read it. My youngest brother who was 10 at the time and struggled to read anything was already half way through. That was all it took.

 

Soon after, my mom was pre-ordering each one of us our own copy of the latest books. It was torture to go into the post office on a Friday and see the boxes sitting behind the counter, knowing they wouldn't be in our hands until the following Tuesday. As soon as those boxes were open, it was a race to see who would finish first. I would like this opportunity to brag about my unbeaten streak. I had to finish first. I couldn't trust my siblings to keep the spoilers to themselves. 

 

My current youngest brother (He's only 13. He was a late addition to the family), has shown no interest in Harry Potter. He's only my half-brother so I excuse him. However, my mother will still buy me the latest Rick Riordian novels as they release so my brother and I can race to the finish. I have to beat him. He's worse than the internet after the newest episode of Game of Thrones. Today when I called my mom to tell her I skipped church to go buy the latest Harry Potter book, she informed me that my sister had already called her to say she had her copy. My mother also went on to inform me that both of my brothers could be expecting their copies by the end of the day. I'm hoping that at this point in our lives, we all have enough adult things going on to delay reading for a day or two. Game on. 

 

How is this post any different from any other Harry Potter post you might right today? It is possible it isn't. Maybe you have read the same post a hundred other times. Personally I find that idea encouraging. It just goes to show the power books have. Right now the world is so full of garbage and horrid things. Maybe what we all really need right now is a book. Just one book that makes everyone forget their differences for an hour. One book that brings us all a little joy. 

 

P.S.- My copy from Target came with a pretty awesome poster. A poster that I am told will not be hanging in my bedroom because I'm not a 14 year old girl. This coming from the 32 year old who has Star Wars movie posters hanging in his office at work.