Harry Potter Meme: It All Ends 7.15 ϟ
I got this 30-question meme from simply_magic. It was meant to be posted every day starting 30 days prior to the release date of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, but I decided to just answer all the questions in one entry and post it now...12 hours before I see the final film in the Harry Potter saga.
Feel free to post this meme on your own journals. I'd love to read about your own personal journeys with Harry Potter and what the fandom means to you. ♥
01. Discuss how you got into Harry Potter. And how long have you been a HP fan?
I've been a HP fan for about nine years. I wasn't into Harry Potter when the books first came out. I originally thought it was just an overhyped kids' book. Then I saw the first movie and thought the characters and story were cute. My friend let me borrow two of the books in 2002, and I was hooked. I immediately bought all the books (four at this point) and pre-ordered the rest when they came out in the years that followed.
02. Your favorite book and your favorite movie (or a list of your top 7 in order of preference).
My favorite book is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. My favorite movie is probably Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix or Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (despite its variations from the book). Actually, wait...Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 was pretty fan-freaking-tastic too. Ahh, I can't decide!
03. Which Hogwarts house do you belong to?
Ravenclaw. Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure.
04. Choose a magical object, a spell, a potion, a location, a magical animal and a wizarding snack.
Invisibility cloak, Reparo, Felix Felicis, Honeydukes, Crumpled Snorkack and Butterbeer.
05. Your favorite male character(s).
So many to choose from! I obviously love Harry. But I ♥ Neville Longbottom the most. He grows so much throughout the series - from the awkward, clumsy, scared little boy in Philosopher's Stone to the BAMF in Deathly Hallows.
06. Your favorite female character(s).
Luna Lovegood! She's so odd and adorable, and she seems to lighten the darkest of situations with a random saying. No one can ever feel sad when she's around because she just exudes a light no other female character has. I also like Hermione because she's so brave, loyal, hard-working and intelligent.
07. Song that reminds you of HP.
"Missing" by Evanescence. I saw several fanvids (most notably the one below) made with that song many years ago, and it will forever remind me of Harry Potter. Watch it, it's so good! It's about Hermione going missing during the Quidditch World Cup, and Harry & Ron try to move on without her, but she didn't really disappear after all. Ooh...chills! (This vid was made right after the Goblet of Fire film was released.)
Click to view08. Your ship(s).
Ron/Hermione, Neville/Luna, Sirius/Remus.
09. What shape does your patronus take? And which animal would you turn into if you were an animagus?
My Patronus would be a dog. If I were an Animagus, I'd probably turn into a hamster.
10. Favorite book moment(s).
In book 3 when Harry learns that Sirius Black is his godfather and is innocent of the crime for which he was sent to Azkaban. In book 7 when Ron and Hermione finally kiss (I read that scene over and over again).
11. Mischief managed! Who's your favorite marauder?
This is a tough question. Probably Sirius Black. He's just so bad-ass! I like Lupin as well.
12. Favorite movie scene(s).
I'm sure there are better scenes that I can't recall at the moment, but the scene below from Deathly Hallows: Part 1 made me LOL so much. It was very Rupert/Dan.
13. Least favorite character(s).
Dolores Umbridge. I can't stand her. Jo created an excellent character to hate in Umbridge. She's so mean, sadistic and unsympathetic.
14. Moments in the books/movies that made you cry.
All from the books: 1) In HBP when Dumbledore and Harry are in the cave trying to retrieve the Horcrux, and Harry forces Dumbledore to keep drinking the potion even though it's agonizing to see his headmaster suffer. 2) Dobby's death and funeral in DH. 3) Neville coming through Ariana's portrait hole in DH. 4) The Forest Again - need I say more?
15. What character would you say you are most like?
Probably Hermione Granger. I love to read and I can sometimes be a know-it-all. ;P
16. How have you participated in the fandom over the years?
A long time ago I was an administrator for a Harry Potter/Daniel Radcliffe forum. I've dressed up to midnight movie screenings, attended the final midnight book-release party, encouraged friends and coworkers to read the books, did a complete reread of books 1-6 with read_hp prior to the release of the final book...just to name a few ways. ;)
17. Your favorite celebs from the movies. And which director did you like best?
My all-time favorite celebrity from the movies is Dan Radcliffe. I also think Rob Pattinson is funny and cute. Emma Thompson has always been one of my favorite actresses. Oh, and Maggie Smith is awesome (partly because she mothered my favorite OBA Toby Stephens). As for directors - I know a lot of fans had issues with David Yates, but he's my favorite of the four. I appreciate what Columbus, Cuarón and Newell did for the franchise, but I liked Yates's vision the best.
18. Hogwarts subject you would most like to take? And who is your favorite teacher?
I'd like to take Charms so I could learn how to make objects do things like fly across the room. My favorite teacher is Professor McGonagall - she's got that whole "tough love" thing goin' on. She's fair and just.
19. A photo or poster of the saga you really like.
Dumbledore's Army at their first battle!
20. A favorite quote(s).
"It is our choices, rather than our abilities, that show what we truly are." ~ Dumbledore
21. How has the HP fandom connected you to other fandom, interests, or people? How much has it changed your life?
When I first got into the fandom, I joined a message board (this was before I even knew what LJ was) and connected with a lot of new friends there, a select few with whom I still keep in touch. It has led me to other fandoms like BBC's Merlin and Twilight*, which I probably wouldn't know about if I hadn't participated in online HP communities.
*I was only part of the Twilight fandom very briefly after Rob Pattinson was cast...and then I abandoned the fandom.
22. Your favorite villain.
Severus Snape. Even if he did have honorable intentions all along, he was a brilliant bad guy!
23. Out of the characters who have died, if you could bring back one, who would it be?
Fred Weasley. The Weasley twins need to be together.
24. Do you prefer the books or the films?
The books, obviously. But the films helped bring the books to life, so I love them too (just not as much as the books).
25. Would you rather own the invisibility cloak, the resurrection stone or the elder wand?
Invisibility cloak - oh, the interesting stuff I would see when hidden under the cloak. ;)
26. What aspect of the books has been best translated to film? And most poorly?
The growing friendship and close bond between Harry, Ron and Hermione was done well on the big screen. The relationship is very strong in the books, and Dan, Rupert and Emma have portrayed that closeness really well. The thing that translated to film the worst, in my opinion, is Harry's and Ginny's romance - it's all awkward and boring in the films.
27. If you were a Quidditch player, what would be your position?
Seeker. I'm small and sometimes fast. I could never be a chaser, beater or keeper because I'm bad at throwing balls, hitting things with a bat, and blocking people from scoring goals.
28. Tell a HP-related anecdote(s) that happened to you.
Just several days ago I went to the opening of the Harry Potter Tribute at Gallery Nucleus with pochacco906. It was insanely busy. The line for butterbeer was so long, extending from the second floor of the gallery to first, that pochacco906 and I ended up helping to serve the free butterbeer to the visitors. One teenager dressed in a Gryffindor uniform asked me if her friend could take a picture of us together (she assumed I worked there), and I obliged. So, thanks to Harry Potter and my awesome Ravenclaw uniform, I was a gallery employee for a short period. ;)
29. Finish this sentence: You know you are a huge Harry Potter fan when…
...someone says anything insulting about the series, and you get really defensive and, under your breath, call them a Muggle.
30. How much does Harry Potter mean to you? Describe the saga in just one word.
Love ♥
It's been quite a ride. I've enjoyed the books, the movies and all the wonderful friends I've made because of our shared love of all things Potter. ♥ Thank you, Jo Rowling, for creating such an amazing world that I know will live on for generations.
Note: None of the graphics used in this post are mine. I gathered them from various LJ/Tumblr sources. No copyright infringement is intended.