I want to put up a small series of posts about my thoughts on the Harry Potter series, since I'm rereading them!

Bought this on a whim just because!

I know I've already put up one short post about reading them in the past, but I only got to about the middle of the fifth book before getting distracted (again). But now, I want to pause every book or so and give a little more insight about some things I've noticed.

It's been more than fifteen years since I borrowed Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (yes, the British version) from my then best friend in sixth grade. I've since then fallen madly in love with the series. I mean, who hasn't? And what book lover hasn't read the series yet? This could very well be considered a classic. The magic never wears off.

But when I was reading Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets, even when I know what's going to happen, it gave me a different sort of feeling, like browsing through an old photograph album of the most obscure, yet memorable parts of my life. I found myself thinking, Oh yeah, that happened!

It was like reminiscing with a childhood friend who remembered everything while you didn't. Yet with every memory she brought up, you found yourself living in that particular situation, clear as day.

Then there's also the movie stigma. The movies were all modified and different from the books (of course), and after seeing all of them, you can't help but picture the book as it went on in the movies, with Daniel Radcliffe as Harry and my long love Tom Felton as Draco (yes, I fell in love at first premiere with Tom). I also remembered scenes that should have been there, or weren't supposed to be there at all.

I've also realized, that after reading the whole series, reading it again raised some questions in me, but also answered some that confused me the first time I read them.

So like my Divergent post, I will just randomly talk about them, in no particular order, I'll lay them out as the come to mind.

When Harry confronted Quirell below the trapdoor with the Mirror of Erised, I can't help but think, the menace from Voldemort wasn't that prominent yet. I mean, if I were Voldy, as evil as he is, and I saw face to face the person who caused my downfall, I would try to kill them as quickly as I can, then try to regain my power. I mean, he could possibly thwart me again, so why not kill him ASAP? That's probably just me and my thirst for revenge.

I can't help but notice the shortness of the first two books, compared to the intricate details of Goblet of Fire and beyond. I could've finished both in a day, if it wasn't for work. The story was quickly jumping from term to term, with not much activity in each. The ambiance of the books weren't as dark as the last of the series.

I wasn't as scared to read Chamber of Secrets as I used to. I avoided reading it in the dead of night because for some reason it creeped me out, but now I wasn't anymore. 

Hellz yeah

After knowing the different dark curses and spells that have spread throughout the course of the seven books, it occurs to me now that the enchantments guarding the stone was pretty lame. I mean, three eleven year olds got past all of them, how can that prevent the most cunning, most evil wizard of the century? Anyone (in the wizarding world at least, apart from squibs) can conjure flames to kill a plant, use Accio to get the key for the door, even a muggle can win a chess game, kill a troll or Fluffy with Avada Kedavra, and solve a riddle. It didn't need all that. The mirror alone, I bet, was enough to conceal the stone. Being sucked in forever at a vault in Gringotts is scarier, I think.

Lockhart was really annoying.

I think Oliver Wood should have gotten more mention (and more attention) in the forthcoming books. I nearly forgot about him.

Such a keeper.

I've always wondered where the Gryffindor shower rooms were. The one and only time a shower was mentioned was in Goblet of Fire. Have they not been keeping up with their hygiene on other times???

When Ron and Harry were driving the flying car to Hogwarts, I never realized what a high altitude they were flying in. Wouldn't it have been hard to breathe above the clouds? And that's at least an 8 hour ride if the Hogwarts Express leaves at 11 and arrives around dinnertime at the castle.

It makes me wonder how it's like to live in a co-ed dormitory 24/7. To see how your classmates live, have your laundry done, not to cook, stuff like that. But of course, the important question is, I wonder how many kids have done it in the Room of Requirement. Maybe it'll look like the Red Room of Pain when they do get in *wiggle eyebrows*

I've been thinking how the basilisk was able to attack all of those students. I mean, it's not exactly a small snake, right? And it was staying inside the plumbing, but it's not like the pipes were exposed, nor would I think there are tree trunk sized holes gaping along the school walls. The attacked students mentioned seeing a pair of big yellow eyes, so the snake can't just be looking through a keyhole. If Ginny was doing the attacking by controlling the snake, how the fuck did she do it?

But then again I forgot it's the wizarding world, so one can just simply say 'It's magic!'

So yes, so far these things came to mind after finishing the second book. The first two were fairly short reads, and it didn't have much scenarios in it, so it didn't pose much questions. But reading them again is very fun and anyone who's loved them before will surely love them again!

I'm a quarter into the Prisoner of Azkaban, which is one of my favorites in the series, so I'll be talking about that in the coming post! :D

Edit: I also forgot to include pictures of the books. The US editions are better than the UK ones, imo