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On 2nd May 1998, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were seen destroying horcruxes and avenging the evil that reeked through Voldemort. It’s been twenty years hence, and it still seems as though this sequence of events is taking place right now. As we lament the deaths of those characters who faced an untimely end, today marks the anniversary of one of the greatest moments in the Harry Potter universe.

It would be an understatement to say that the Harry Potter series has inspired me and a million other children across the globe – an entire generation has grown up immersed in the wizarding world’s shenanigans. This is the same generation which has ever so patiently been waiting for their Hogwarts acceptance letters to arrive, has thrived on every piece of trivia supplied to it through Pottermore, and has taken multiple quizzes to find out which Harry Potter character they were. This is the Harry Potter generation. A generation that consists of people of varied ages, races, and countries with an equal and undying sense of loyalty towards the books.

I can proudly affirm to the fact that I belong to this generation, and that Harry Potter taught me lessons that no teacher could teach me patiently. The books were those comforting friends that helped me steer my way through middle-school crushes and high-school heartbreaks, through the rough times in friendships and all personal lows. Those of us who grew up reading this magical series, spent months waiting for the next movie in the franchise, and re-read parts from Snape’s memories on the days when we felt like crumbling in our own living hells. J.K Rowling weaved an entire universe of intricate details and complex characters that it’s compelling enough to forget our mundane problems for a long while.

The first book in the series taught me that it’s alright if you disagree with your friends, like Neville stood against the trio. It taught me that it’s okay to be yourself and embrace your uniqueness like Luna Lovegood. The seventh book taught me that the hero might not always be the knight in the shining armour, and the fifth Book taught me that every great personality started from a place we are at now. As each day passes, there’s something new that I learn and connect from each of the books, which is why this list is inexhaustible. If I were to write down all the lessons I gathered, no thousand-page thesis could ever do justice.

Bhavya Banerjee, an avid reader of the books, shared her story, “Harry Potter has been much more than just a story for me. It gave me another universe where I could exist and grow up with all the characters. Hermione taught me to find a friend in your books. Ron taught me it’s okay to prioritise food over people and Harry taught me how to bounce back from mistakes. Harry Potter has essentially been a very important influence in my life.”

Vineeta Rana, another potterhead in Delhi University, sat up excitedly when I asked about her learnings from Harry Potter. She said, “Harry Potter has taught me the value of friendship. The books taught me the importance of staying loyal to your loved ones, and that anything is possible in Hogwarts, provided you’ve got enough nerve.”

A million more stories like these and an equal number of lives shaped for the better, entirely on the basis of one brilliant mind and her idea of such a world.

Until next time, when we take a few minutes from our lives to acknowledge the beauty of those seven books, we can drink Butterbeer while re-reading about Voldemort’s obsession with a teenage boy, and lazily dream of entering the magical world through platform 9¾.

 

Feature Image Credits: Flickr

Vijeata Balani
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