15 Years of Harry Potter Fandom
Wow, so this week it has been 15 years since Harry Potter mania started. In some ways it seems longer than that since I can't remember life before the Chosen One. My daughter asked for the Harry Potter books when she was twelve, around the time that Chamber of Secrets came out in 1999. I hadn't read any reviews - it was all word of mouth from librarians at school and friends. We still had a toddler in the house - my youngest who is now almost 18! With three kids, I had limited time to read anything, and we didn't even own a computer till the year 2000. My two older kids devoured HP, wore Hogwarts t-shirts, ate Bertie Bott Beans, and dressed like Harry for Halloween. By the time Goblet of Fire came out, we were the first in line at the bookstore, and still had to wait in line half the night. I remember a store employee reading "The Riddle House" to the kids while the parents waited in line.
I officially entered fandom on August 3, 2003 when I joined Chamber of Secrets Forum. That's also my wedding anniversary! :) I was compelled to talk to other fans because OotP wasn't exactly what I expected. I'm really here because of Occlumency and Snape's Worst Memory. Why was the author giving Harry and Snape so much page time, instead of Remus Lupin and Sirius Black? Well, now we know.
And no one could survive fandom without some true friends, and that has been fandom's true gift to me! Meeting some people who are like daughters to me ~ Ignisia, Norbertha, Aluna, Waddiwasi ~ and many more who are like sisters to me! Discovering major clues, fighting forum wars and trolls; from becoming "Snape's Army" to rebuilding Harry Potter Network (twice now - thanks Olwen, Nicc, Nyctalus, and Ianus), from attending a crazy HP conference where Subtle and I were banished to a literal dungeon under a mall, to sight-seeing all over Chicago (thanks Chievrefeuil! - unforgettable), to running out of gas at the side of the road in the middle of Nowhere, Kentucky, because we were so engrossed in Half-Blood Prince (I'm still sorry about that, Subtle Science) - this has become my life!
Which character does J.K. Rowling miss the most after 15 years? Dumbledore.
(What were you expecting? Snape? Never!)
I officially entered fandom on August 3, 2003 when I joined Chamber of Secrets Forum. That's also my wedding anniversary! :) I was compelled to talk to other fans because OotP wasn't exactly what I expected. I'm really here because of Occlumency and Snape's Worst Memory. Why was the author giving Harry and Snape so much page time, instead of Remus Lupin and Sirius Black? Well, now we know.
And no one could survive fandom without some true friends, and that has been fandom's true gift to me! Meeting some people who are like daughters to me ~ Ignisia, Norbertha, Aluna, Waddiwasi ~ and many more who are like sisters to me! Discovering major clues, fighting forum wars and trolls; from becoming "Snape's Army" to rebuilding Harry Potter Network (twice now - thanks Olwen, Nicc, Nyctalus, and Ianus), from attending a crazy HP conference where Subtle and I were banished to a literal dungeon under a mall, to sight-seeing all over Chicago (thanks Chievrefeuil! - unforgettable), to running out of gas at the side of the road in the middle of Nowhere, Kentucky, because we were so engrossed in Half-Blood Prince (I'm still sorry about that, Subtle Science) - this has become my life!
Which character does J.K. Rowling miss the most after 15 years? Dumbledore.
(What were you expecting? Snape? Never!)
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