First Contact with the HP franchise
Do you still remember the first time you've read the books? Or did you watch the movies first? What were the circumstances of you entering this wonderful fandom?
As for me, I was aware of the franchise in the early 2000's, but I didn't really care. Then my mum bought the Chamber of Secrets for my name day when I was in the 2nd year of middle school (high school for you western friends), only to realise it was the 2nd book in the franchise, so we went to the bookstore together to buy the Philosopher's Stone as well. And I was hooked.
The Order of the Phoenix was the first book I've read in English, and I bought it in Berchtesgaden, Germany, where I was stationed for 3 months for my work experience.
I've received the Deathly Hallows novel on the eve of its release, as I was living in Scotland at that time.
This is the only book I don't re-read on a regular basis.
I vividly still remember it. I was 7-8 year at that time and my mom brought me "Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone " translated version. I didn't knew about HP at that time. Binged the book and instantly loved it. It was followed by me watching movies and books translated ones till 2011. I didn't do deep analysis at that point and Snape wasn't my favourite in long shot. 2012 onwards I read books in English, analysed them and gradually started liking Snape and here I stand. 😸
I don't remember when my grandparents got me the movies or books, but I'm the same age as Philosopher's Stone. All I know is that I was sitting in bed one night with a flashlight reading Prisoner of Azkaban when I should've been sleeping; this would've been around the time the film version came out, which caused me nightmares. Good times.
I think I randomly decided to read the Harry Potter series in Year 11 (Junior Year?) in high school. I remember reading through physics lessons (either Book 1 or Book 2), and then binging on The Goblet of Fire during pointless mindfulness lessons. I was very quickly hooked from the start.
I can't recall the exact first time I read the books. Or at least, not all of them. You can't think of my childhood without thinking of Harry Potter in some fashion, it shaped my generation.
I wasn't the biggest Potterhead by far when I was growing up, that title belonged to my childhood best friend. Although, I could arguably give her a run for her money now.
I was always an avid reader, so I'd already read the first three books by the time of the first film's release. I do recall reading Philosopher's Stone over and over, practically studying it, in 2001. I was six at the time.
I know that by the time the film was out that Severus was one of my favourites, but I saw too much of myself in Hermione so she took top spot.
My family wasn't well off, quite the opposite actually, and I, quoting my mother one day in Target, "read too quickly for buying books to be worth it".
I, uh, acquired some of the early books as a result. It wasn't until Order of the Phoenix, and after years of begging as getting library copies of any Harry Potter book required almost physically fighting for, that my mother finally relented and bought me copies. Day one usually because I was insistent on being amongst the first to read them.
Half-Blood Prince in particular stands out due to the "Snape Kills Dumbledore" spoiler reveal which was being literally shouted across school grounds. I read that book in less than a school week during my drives to and from school, refusing to bring it onto the grounds and have it suffer the same fate as OotP which already looked like it had lived through war before my dog got to it and bit off part of the spine. (It's hardback.)
I cried at the end of the Deathly Hallows Part 2 film, not because of the characters, but because my aforementioned childhood friend and I didn't know a time without waiting for the next book or film. Our childhood ended the same time that Harry's did.
I never actually read the first few books, I got those on audiobook as a young kid. I listened to 1-3, and then read 4-5 when I discovered them in my older sibling's small library. When my parents realized my interest (unlike my sibling who actually got the books, hah), they gave me 6 and 7 as Christmas or birthday presents, can't really recall which. I haven't read the books since, but I watch the movies from time to time every few years.
Quote from Naaga on June 9, 2024, 11:49 pmI vividly still remember it. I was 7-8 year at that time and my mom brought me "Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone " translated version. I didn't knew about HP at that time. Binged the book and instantly loved it. It was followed by me watching movies and books translated ones till 2011. I didn't do deep analysis at that point and Snape wasn't my favourite in long shot. 2012 onwards I read books in English, analysed them and gradually started liking Snape and here I stand.
Yeah, those books are really bingable. I remember finishing the first one in about two weeks, reading in my bunk bed at the boarding house. And they read well even now. I re-read vols 1-6 about every three years.
Also, starting to like Snape through analysis sounds really neat. 👌
Quote from The Gestalt Prince on June 10, 2024, 3:38 amI don't remember when my grandparents got me the movies or books, but I'm the same age as Philosopher's Stone. All I know is that I was sitting in bed one night with a flashlight reading Prisoner of Azkaban when I should've been sleeping; this would've been around the time the film version came out, which caused me nightmares. Good times.
Secretly reading PoA at night with a flashlight is such a vibe... ✨
Quote from mmlf on June 10, 2024, 4:29 amI think I randomly decided to read the Harry Potter series in Year 11 (Junior Year?) in high school. I remember reading through physics lessons (either Book 1 or Book 2), and then binging on The Goblet of Fire during pointless mindfulness lessons. I was very quickly hooked from the start.
Reading them through physics lessons.... that takes some guts.
(But what the heck were mindfulness lessons about?)
Can't tell you, as I wasn't listening half the time. I got more into the zone by reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, especially during the resurrection of Lord Voldemort, than by breathing in and out.
