On the bed, getting rained on, talking Potter. Yep, sounds about right.
The Potter World Cup is like two dozen kinds of crazy (here's the bracket) and actual Harry Potter did not even make it to the Final Four. I feel kind of bad for him, seeing as he is Harry Potter and all. I just kind assumed he'd get in because there were no real powerhouses in his region of the bracket. The closest competition would be #2 seed Snape, but he's kind of a semi-non-entity movie-wise, and book-wise he's kind of a jerk. Surely he would not get more votes than Harry Potter, right? Right?! Wrong! 39.85 to 60.15? Ouch!
This is pretty terrible because he's up against Hermione, and, though I don't participate in Potter fandom, I know enough about what happens in it to know that she's got no chance against Snape. Does she? I don't know. Also, I kind of don't really care about that side of things. What I'm worried about is the other bracket. The one where Sirius Black squeaked by Draco (49.81 to 50.19) to get a Final Four face-off with Ron. Again, not in the fandom, but I already know Sirius is insanely popular. I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I just don't get it. Man, if this dude rolls over Voldemort, Draco and the last Weasley standing to get the Win? Outrage.
Anyway, enough of that, how about I talk to you about my favorite characters?
Day 3 (July 7th) - Favorite characters and why
5. Draco Malfoy. In the movies he's kind of a snotty little punk, like a rich kid who had everything handed to him and, as such, spent all of his free time practicing being obnoxious and condescending. He's so good at that that sometimes I forget I like him and want to punch him in the face myself. That's some good acting. He's resourceful. He bribes his way onto the Quidditch team. Why try out when you can... man, I really wish "buy out" was appropriate. He's got an entourage of lackeys to do his dirty work. That's smart villainy right there. You always want to have plausible deniability. He signed up for Umbridge's crew though. Points off for that. When he really came into his own though was The Half-Blood Prince, when he was fiddling around with the Vanishing Cabinet and struggling to deal with the incredible task he'd been given by Voldemort, I was pretty excited because he was finally really getting to do something. Of course, we had no idea what it was, but it was heavy stuff and reading (not watching) him struggle with that was the first time I really felt like he was being used at his full potential. Plus, we both share a mutual disdain for Potter.
4. Severus Snape - Another Potter hater? What's wrong with me? Oh, I know. I like villains. As evident by the pre-cut text, I'm not one of those crazy "Oh! Snape is the best!!" type Snape fans. Yes, he's not as bad as some people make him out to be, but he not all that good either. That makes for fascinating stuff. I don't see him as some misunderstood hero who's just misunderstood. Nope. Snape is creepy... and mean. Let's be honest, he's a grown man whose main pasttime seems to be bullying a kid. Yeah, sometimes he mixes potions and saves the day, but that does not make him not a jerk. But he's a smart jerk, and I like smart. And jerks. (This list is three-fifths jerk.) My "Severus Snape: Friend or Foe?" Borders gift card is my official go-to HP bookmark. (For the record, I was always "Friend. But the kind of friend you may need to keep an eye on so that he doesn't 'accidentally' push you down the stairs") Plus, he is the only character not named Harry Potter to get his name in a book title, that's gotta count for something.
3. Remus Lupin - Why Lupin? Hmm... you know, I just asked myself that and all I could come up with was that he was my favorite of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, he made the class fun, without letting the kids forget how serious it was and he was the first adult who was not Dumbledore, Hagrid or a Weasley to really reach out to Harry and make him feel like he had a family, you know? He just seems like a cool guy. I know that I do like him, but unlike the rest of them I don't have a big list of reasons. It seems like that means he should be lower, but I like him more than the last two and less than the next two, so I can't do that.
2. Lord Voldemort / Tom Riddle
I will always support a good villain, and Voldemort's one of the best. He had people so scared they would not even say his name. He had a legion of followers who remained loyal even though they thought he was dead. They hung out with him even though he looked like the stuff creepy, creepy nightmares are made of. Sure his list of accomplishments reads like an application to get into the Who's Who: Super Evil Edition, but you don't get to be the most powerful evil wizard ever without stepping on a few toes along the way. Name another evil wizard! I tried, but all I came up with was "I know there is one Lord of The Rings, the the anti-Gandalf", but I don't even know his name, so he does not count. You know who I know? Voldemort and Followers of Voldemort.
While both Draco and Snape have their moments where you can see that they are still capable of good, Voldemort's all bad all the time. Completely rotten through and through. He has no redeemable qualities, unless you count contempt for those less competent than yourself as redeemable. He does not stand for any foolishness, will not allow his minions to make him look bad, and the only thing he ever gave anyone (aside from that silver hand) is a hard time and death. Yet, as terrible as he is, I root for him in every battle. Diggory in the graveyard? Voldemort. Dumbledore in the Ministry? Voldemort? Potter at wherever it was at Hogwarts they had their final showdown (seriously, I've read it twice and I just can't recall the details of that book!) Voldemort.
Bonus reason: Ralph Fiennes. When they announced that Voldemort had been cast and they said Ralph was doing it, I could not have been happier. I will watch that dude in almost anything. Seriously. I watch and enjoy "Maid in Manhattan".
1. Ronald Bilius Weasley
The first time I spotted this kid in The Sorcerer's Stone, I said "Oh, he's going to be annoying!" Looking back, yeah I was wrong. In fact, I think that opinion did not even last until they de-boarded the Hogwarts Express. By the end of the first movie he was my favorite character, my reasoning being, "He's funny and he's poor. I can relate." He often gets labeled with the sidekick tag, but Weasley (I call him Weasley more Ron. Yes, I know there are like 7.5 dozen Weasleys, but if I say "Weasly", this is the one I am talking about.) is so much more than that.
From the day they met, it wasn't just that Ron was fascinated with Harry for being the Harry Potter, but Harry was equally in awe of Ron because he had always known he was a wizard, he'd grew up surrounded by wizards and he had all of this insight into things Harry could not even dream of. Even though Potter was the chosen one, he was a newcomer to their world, and he was not going to be able to make it without some help. That help was a redhead kid with hand-me-down robes, a shaggy nine-toed rat and a wand held together by Spellotape. Upon first glance, not the best option.
I am often drawn to that kind of not-blood-but-still-brothers relationship, so it's no wonder their friendship if my favorite relationship in all of their world. They are not always on the best of terms, but even when they're fighting, you can understand the reasoning behind it and you know they're gonna make up. There is a reason that in The Goblet of Fire he was the person Potter had to rescue in the second task.
He takes a while longer than some of the others to mature, but once he starts to build up his confidence, and realize that he's good for something more than being "Harry Potter's friend", he takes some pretty big steps towards becoming an adult, eventually becoming both a prefect and an Auror. Weasley's got a quick temper, he can act without thinking and says stuff without thinking about the consequences. He's also stubborn and jealous and quite often immature. But he's a teenage boy, and most of them are all of these things too. Plus, have you seen what life if like in The Burrow? He's sixth son of seven children. You probably have to be a little bit of a crazy person to make it in that environment. But Molly and Arthur didn't raise no fools (no, not even Percy). Ron's also loyal, and brave and smarter than he gets credit for. He's an integral part of Harry's success, a very important part of why I enjoy both the books and the movies and,seriously, if he loses to Sirius Black in that tournament...
Day 4 (July 8th)- Top 5 favorite HP fan artworks
Day 6 (July 9th)- Top 5 favorite HP fanfics
Day 7 (July 10th)- Top 5 favorite HP fan made media (videos, songs, plays/skits, etc)
Day 8 (July 11th)- Year, age, and reason you started reading HP
Day 9 (July 12th)- Your Top five favorite HP moments (books or movies)
Day 10 (July 13th)- How would you say the HP series and fandom has affected you?
Day 11 (July 14th)- What scene are you looking forward to most in DH2?
Day 12 (July 15th or whenever you get to see DH2)- Describe your experience watching DH2. What was your favorite scene?
This is pretty terrible because he's up against Hermione, and, though I don't participate in Potter fandom, I know enough about what happens in it to know that she's got no chance against Snape. Does she? I don't know. Also, I kind of don't really care about that side of things. What I'm worried about is the other bracket. The one where Sirius Black squeaked by Draco (49.81 to 50.19) to get a Final Four face-off with Ron. Again, not in the fandom, but I already know Sirius is insanely popular. I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I just don't get it. Man, if this dude rolls over Voldemort, Draco and the last Weasley standing to get the Win? Outrage.
Anyway, enough of that, how about I talk to you about my favorite characters?
Day 3 (July 7th) - Favorite characters and why
5. Draco Malfoy. In the movies he's kind of a snotty little punk, like a rich kid who had everything handed to him and, as such, spent all of his free time practicing being obnoxious and condescending. He's so good at that that sometimes I forget I like him and want to punch him in the face myself. That's some good acting. He's resourceful. He bribes his way onto the Quidditch team. Why try out when you can... man, I really wish "buy out" was appropriate. He's got an entourage of lackeys to do his dirty work. That's smart villainy right there. You always want to have plausible deniability. He signed up for Umbridge's crew though. Points off for that. When he really came into his own though was The Half-Blood Prince, when he was fiddling around with the Vanishing Cabinet and struggling to deal with the incredible task he'd been given by Voldemort, I was pretty excited because he was finally really getting to do something. Of course, we had no idea what it was, but it was heavy stuff and reading (not watching) him struggle with that was the first time I really felt like he was being used at his full potential. Plus, we both share a mutual disdain for Potter.
4. Severus Snape - Another Potter hater? What's wrong with me? Oh, I know. I like villains. As evident by the pre-cut text, I'm not one of those crazy "Oh! Snape is the best!!" type Snape fans. Yes, he's not as bad as some people make him out to be, but he not all that good either. That makes for fascinating stuff. I don't see him as some misunderstood hero who's just misunderstood. Nope. Snape is creepy... and mean. Let's be honest, he's a grown man whose main pasttime seems to be bullying a kid. Yeah, sometimes he mixes potions and saves the day, but that does not make him not a jerk. But he's a smart jerk, and I like smart. And jerks. (This list is three-fifths jerk.) My "Severus Snape: Friend or Foe?" Borders gift card is my official go-to HP bookmark. (For the record, I was always "Friend. But the kind of friend you may need to keep an eye on so that he doesn't 'accidentally' push you down the stairs") Plus, he is the only character not named Harry Potter to get his name in a book title, that's gotta count for something.
3. Remus Lupin - Why Lupin? Hmm... you know, I just asked myself that and all I could come up with was that he was my favorite of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, he made the class fun, without letting the kids forget how serious it was and he was the first adult who was not Dumbledore, Hagrid or a Weasley to really reach out to Harry and make him feel like he had a family, you know? He just seems like a cool guy. I know that I do like him, but unlike the rest of them I don't have a big list of reasons. It seems like that means he should be lower, but I like him more than the last two and less than the next two, so I can't do that.
2. Lord Voldemort / Tom Riddle
I will always support a good villain, and Voldemort's one of the best. He had people so scared they would not even say his name. He had a legion of followers who remained loyal even though they thought he was dead. They hung out with him even though he looked like the stuff creepy, creepy nightmares are made of. Sure his list of accomplishments reads like an application to get into the Who's Who: Super Evil Edition, but you don't get to be the most powerful evil wizard ever without stepping on a few toes along the way. Name another evil wizard! I tried, but all I came up with was "I know there is one Lord of The Rings, the the anti-Gandalf", but I don't even know his name, so he does not count. You know who I know? Voldemort and Followers of Voldemort.
While both Draco and Snape have their moments where you can see that they are still capable of good, Voldemort's all bad all the time. Completely rotten through and through. He has no redeemable qualities, unless you count contempt for those less competent than yourself as redeemable. He does not stand for any foolishness, will not allow his minions to make him look bad, and the only thing he ever gave anyone (aside from that silver hand) is a hard time and death. Yet, as terrible as he is, I root for him in every battle. Diggory in the graveyard? Voldemort. Dumbledore in the Ministry? Voldemort? Potter at wherever it was at Hogwarts they had their final showdown (seriously, I've read it twice and I just can't recall the details of that book!) Voldemort.
Bonus reason: Ralph Fiennes. When they announced that Voldemort had been cast and they said Ralph was doing it, I could not have been happier. I will watch that dude in almost anything. Seriously. I watch and enjoy "Maid in Manhattan".
1. Ronald Bilius Weasley
The first time I spotted this kid in The Sorcerer's Stone, I said "Oh, he's going to be annoying!" Looking back, yeah I was wrong. In fact, I think that opinion did not even last until they de-boarded the Hogwarts Express. By the end of the first movie he was my favorite character, my reasoning being, "He's funny and he's poor. I can relate." He often gets labeled with the sidekick tag, but Weasley (I call him Weasley more Ron. Yes, I know there are like 7.5 dozen Weasleys, but if I say "Weasly", this is the one I am talking about.) is so much more than that.
From the day they met, it wasn't just that Ron was fascinated with Harry for being the Harry Potter, but Harry was equally in awe of Ron because he had always known he was a wizard, he'd grew up surrounded by wizards and he had all of this insight into things Harry could not even dream of. Even though Potter was the chosen one, he was a newcomer to their world, and he was not going to be able to make it without some help. That help was a redhead kid with hand-me-down robes, a shaggy nine-toed rat and a wand held together by Spellotape. Upon first glance, not the best option.
I am often drawn to that kind of not-blood-but-still-brothers relationship, so it's no wonder their friendship if my favorite relationship in all of their world. They are not always on the best of terms, but even when they're fighting, you can understand the reasoning behind it and you know they're gonna make up. There is a reason that in The Goblet of Fire he was the person Potter had to rescue in the second task.
He takes a while longer than some of the others to mature, but once he starts to build up his confidence, and realize that he's good for something more than being "Harry Potter's friend", he takes some pretty big steps towards becoming an adult, eventually becoming both a prefect and an Auror. Weasley's got a quick temper, he can act without thinking and says stuff without thinking about the consequences. He's also stubborn and jealous and quite often immature. But he's a teenage boy, and most of them are all of these things too. Plus, have you seen what life if like in The Burrow? He's sixth son of seven children. You probably have to be a little bit of a crazy person to make it in that environment. But Molly and Arthur didn't raise no fools (no, not even Percy). Ron's also loyal, and brave and smarter than he gets credit for. He's an integral part of Harry's success, a very important part of why I enjoy both the books and the movies and,seriously, if he loses to Sirius Black in that tournament...
Day 4 (July 8th)- Top 5 favorite HP fan artworks
Day 6 (July 9th)- Top 5 favorite HP fanfics
Day 7 (July 10th)- Top 5 favorite HP fan made media (videos, songs, plays/skits, etc)
Day 8 (July 11th)- Year, age, and reason you started reading HP
Day 9 (July 12th)- Your Top five favorite HP moments (books or movies)
Day 10 (July 13th)- How would you say the HP series and fandom has affected you?
Day 11 (July 14th)- What scene are you looking forward to most in DH2?
Day 12 (July 15th or whenever you get to see DH2)- Describe your experience watching DH2. What was your favorite scene?