Thanks to Summer @xingsings for tagging me on The Harry Potter Tag. And Summer, I hope you don’t mind but I totally stole your booktag picture. Because it is gorgeous. Lovely job.

I love Harry Potter. I could talk about Potter forever. These are beautiful books with wonderful themes and mysteries and lessons, all tied up with a magical bow.

So let’s get on with the questions. As always, I will do my best to keep this spoiler free. Just in case you haven’t read it. And if you haven’t read Harry Potter, I cannot recommend it enough. Such a great series just waiting for you. I wish I could read it again for the first time.

The Questions

1. Favorite book?
The Prisoner of Azkaban. I love this book for many reasons. The big ones are that Harry finds his father within himself, and the time travel aspect. Books with time travel are my favorite.

2. Favorite movie?
NOT Prisoner of Azkaban! I really didn’t like that adaptation, they left too many important parts out (cough, cough, Marauders!). I’m going to go with The Sorcerer’s Stone simply because Richard Harris was Dumbledore. I wish he would have been able to be in all eight films. He was perfect.

3. Least favorite book?
It’s tough to pick a least favorite. I mean, they are all terrific. Probably The Chamber of Secrets. I found the plot in that book to be the least interesting of the lot.

4. Parts of the books/movies that make you cry?
I don’t have enough room here in this post to detail that information. Oh my goodness, So. Many. Feels. (And I admit, I tend to be a crier.) I always cry on Azkaban when Harry realizes that it wasn’t his father who cast the Patronus across the lake, but it was himself.  And every single death in each book makes me cry. Don’t even get me started on Deathly Hallows. I’m a blubbering mess by the end of that book. It’s not pretty. Not pretty at all.

5. Favorite character?
Fred and George Weasley. I love the lightheartedness and fun they bring to each book.

6. What would your Patronus be?
This has been a tough one. I’m not sure. I’d like to say a tiger, because I love tigers. They are so beautiful and majestic. But it would really probably be a dog. Either my loving, faithful cocker spaniel, or my wonderful chow-chow mix that left us about five years ago. Yeah, I think it would be her. Honey Bear.

7. If you could have the Resurrection Stone, the Invisibility Cloak, or the Elder Wand, which one would you choose?
I have no interest in the Elder Wand. I think I would like the Resurrection Stone, but then there is the danger of not living your life because you become swept up with your loved ones who have died, and miss out on the living. So I guess I would go with the Invisibility Cloak. Let’s face it – it would be pretty awesome to be invisible.

8. What House would you be in?
Ravenclaw.

9. If you could meet any member of the cast, who would it be?
All of them! OK if you’re going to make me choose, James and Oliver Phelps. (I feel like they come as a package.) Or the lovely Emma Watson. Dame Maggie Smith would be fantastic too. No, no – Alan Rickman. Ack! Don’t make me pick just one!

10. If you were on the quidditch team, what position would you play?
I’m not good at sports, so I seriously doubt if they would let me play on a quidditch team. I’ll say Chaser. At least until one of the Beaters (from my own team) forces me off the field to become the team cheerleader instead.

11. Were you happy with the ending?
Mostly happy. I really wish she wouldn’t have killed some of the characters. And to keep it spoiler free, I’ll leave it at that. (If you haven’t read Deathly Hallows, just be prepared for a blood bath. And I’m pretty sure “blood bath” are the words J.K. herself used to prepare us before the last book came out. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.)

12. How much does Harry Potter mean to you?
As an adult, I picked up the first four books in 2000, right after The Goblet of Fire came out. I finally decided to see what all the hubbub was about. Of course I loved it, and quickly devoured all four books. To my disappointment, I discovered that there was no release date in sight for Book Five. My husband had no interest in the series, and my friends hadn’t read them (“they’re children’s books!“) so I had no one to discuss Potter with. It was then I found The Leaky Cauldron. (Today’s page very different from what it was back then.) There were so many fans out there. Passionate fans! Theories. Essays. Potter news. Group reads. Fan art. I had found a fandom, and it was so great. My favorite was when Leaky started doing PotterCast, a weekly podcast for all things Harry Potter. The hosts were fun, and they always had fantastic segments lined up. The buildup for each new book release was so much fun. J.K. Rowling has revealed a title! The publisher has news on a new character! Have you seen Jo’s new website? She’s planted clues on the next book! The speculation and theories would run rampant at these little announcements. Oh my gosh, I loved it.

And now, I get to share Harry Potter with my two boys. My oldest has read them all, my youngest is on The Order of the Phoenix. I wish they could have been around for the initial excitement, and the agonizing waiting period for the new book to come out. My little guy was just a baby when The Deathly Hallows was published. But now as they are reading the books, I feel a bit like J.K. Rowling must have felt when she would answer fan questions. Hmmm…can’t say too much about that. Ah! Good theory, we’ll have to wait and see if you’re right. No, I can’t tell you if Harry will make it to the end of the last book. I love to talk to them about the books and enjoy their excitement as they discover this world. And the wonderful world of books. They are hooked.

And now for the tags.

If you love Harry Potter, I tag you. Yes, I’m looking at you. The one right there reading this post. Please answer the questions and then post a link in the comments so we can see your Harry Potter love, too. What a ride it’s been.