Four Fictional Characters

Day 2 – Four Fictional Characters

More often than not, fictional characters have a lot of impact in our lives. We look up to some, we cast aside some and some of them leave us in tough positions as to whether they are lovable or not. There have been debates about certain fictional characters and the debates will be there as long as the books keep taking the rounds. For instance, Snape-James debates. Oh! I witnessed ‘word’ wars in their names.

I relate, not to the heroes. I adore some of those supporting, special characters for their simplicity and straightforwardness. Here are four such fictional characters I adore. If you know them all, you’ll know the underlying connection between them too:

1. Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter – She is weird, she accepts that and doesn’t change herself to suit the rest. She knows that people make fun of her, play games with her (remember she was searching for her lost shoes and found them hanging from the ceiling?) and that does not disturb her in the least. She continues wearing her radish earrings, spectrespecs and she keeps talking of nargles and wrackspurts that make no sense to anyone else.

Image courtesy: Buzzle.com

While the rest write her off as weird, she has the insight at times to solve certain mysteries that even Hermoine couldn’t solve. Yet, Luna talks of them as though they are the most obvious things that anyone could think of. One such instance is when she helps Harry find Ravenclaw’s Diadem.

Courtesy: quotesgram.com

There isn’t much that Luna says, but every word is filled with wisdom and every other unintelligible word portrays how it is okay to be yourself. I Love her!

2. Phoebe Buffay from FRIENDS – Not a book character as most of will know. Phoebe Buffay had her own beliefs and no matter how weird they were, she stuck to them. Like Luna Lovegood, even though she knew that people found her weird, she wasn’t bothered. She was very compassionate towards animals and refrained from using woollen clothes or  eating meat.

During one instance, during her pregnancy, when she had a craving for meat, she ensured that her share of animals were not killed by requesting Joey to refrain from eating meat during that period (He is too adorable to have helped her considering how much Joey loves food).

Image courtesy: news18.com

She believed in being herself. I adored both her moralistic and the effortlessly humorous side!

3. Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones – Here is Tyrion Lannister’s most famous quote; a lesson for each one of us.

Image courtesy: Indianexpress.com

Tyrion not only knows his flaws, but also, he is aware of his strength. He is well read and cunning. His wit and knowledge are his sword and shield. Surely, we do see how he wages wars with words. That brain of his has helped him escape some tough spots more than once.

There aren’t many people who love Tyrion Lannister and yet, he fights. He lives among cunning lions, he knows he could be killed any moment, yet he is compassionate to the weak and righteous. The poison in the family doesn’t spread to him. Perhaps, it could be because he is the oppressed one in the family. Even so, he is one character that you cannot help but love.

Oh! And how could we miss those sarcastic one-liner jabs?

4. Ian from The Host – The Host is a book which has not reached many. You can read about it here and I am sure you will love it if you like fantasy, alien invasion & a bit of romance.

Ian is a young man who is one among the humans who are hiding from the aliens. When an alien walks into their midst, he hates her at first. But with time, he begins to understand her, empathises with her and gradually falls for her. The alien is nothing but a soul, and Ian isn’t bothered about her not having a body. He is in love with the soul alone and that speaks volumes about him.

The soul of the alien resides in the body of Melanie alongside her soul and Ian doesn’t care about Melanie’s form for it is only the alien part of her that he loves. The alien tells him that her soul is a ‘reflective silver living ribbon with nearly a thousand thin feathery attachments’ and yet, when he eventually holds the soul in his palm, he holds her with love.

He loved her personality rather than her form.

If you are the kind of book lover I mentioned earlier, please do read The Host. It takes a while for the plot to sink in. But after that, it is worth it.

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This is Day 2 of Four Things Ten Days Challenge. If you like this, you can read the first day’s post here – Four Likes Four Dislikes.

PS – If any of you want to join the challenge, you can start right away. This is for 10 days and you’ll have only 4 things to list each day. I’m not revealing the remaining list now. You can discover it with each day. You can either join the challenge in your blog or in the comment section. 🙂

10 Life Lessons From Harry Potter

I keep telling people to read the Harry Potter books because there are a lot of Fantastico lessons in them. You get the essence of it only if you read. The emotions and reasons behind certain things are clearly given in the books. By lessons I mean deep lessons that could come handy in life. This is where Harry Potter series stand apart from the regular children’s books. It is meant for all. For all those who believe in magic:

• Love Surpasses Power – Voldemort wanted to be the most powerful wizard of all times. He believed that power was everything and wished to rule the world until he got in the way of a mother and son. When Lily Potter sacrificed herself to protect her son, that kind of love left a mark. Not the scar. But an invisible protection whereby it was difficult for Voldemort to kill Harry initially.

Courtesy: www.geocities.ws

Voldemort was incapable of love and he believed that love was for the weak. It was proved otherwise.

Takeaway from the book: In current scenario, we see wars, rapes and murders. There is the hunger for power. If there was only love, will any of these problems exist?

• Money can’t always buy happiness – True happiness is where love is. When Harry realised that he was a wizard, he had lots of money in his vault in Gringotts wizarding bank. But he found true happiness when he met Ron & Hermoine, received presents from Molly, lived in the Burrow and become one among the Weasleys. They were an average family struggling to make their ends meet; the children using second hand robes and books. But they were rich with respect to happiness and love.

A loving boy informed his mother that his close friend never got presents. Since she makes jumpers for her children, every Christmas, he asks her to make one more for his friend.

Takeaway: I don’t completely say that money can’t buy happiness, but happiness isn’t restricted to money. Spend some time with your loved ones, find happiness in little things. You’ll know what I mean.

• Believe in yourself – Harry pours a drop of Liquid luck in Ron’s drink. He sees it and gobbles it down. The matches that were awful for Ron until then, turns out to be fantastic. But towards the end, Ron realizes that Harry had just pretended to add the potion. It was Ron’s confidence and capabilities that won them the cup.

Courtesy: centralvapors.com

Takeaway: Think that you have a liquid luck in a vial and pretend to drink it. Believe that it will be your lucky day. In the end, you’ll know that you are your own luck.

•Teamwork – The danger was apparent and the faculties in school had changed. The students weren’t being taught to defend themselves because of the Devil in Pink – Umbridge. To learn to defend themselves, a team is formed. They begin to learn spells, curses & jinxes from Harry and work as a team to conduct the sessions. By the time, the team is caught, they know how to find and evidently the knowledge comes in handy during the battle of Hogwarts.

Image courtesy: darkwizardcatcher09.deviantart.com

Takeaway: If you cannot achieve something alone, form a team and work together. There is no other propelling force like teamwork and unity. 🙂

• All doors do not close at once, there is always a door that opens unexpectedly – Snape is about to die and he asks Harry to take his memories in a vial. None of us saw what was coming, did we?

Takeaway: Whenever you are stuck in a problem and if you have the best interests at heart, you will find a way out. Just think hard enough or believe that you will find a way and it will happen. As Paulo Coelho put it, the universe conspires for you to achieve it.

• Never under-estimate a child based on his inability to study – Neville Longbottom is the best example. He kept forgetting things, he was clumsy, timid and a slow learner. He was intimidated by some of the teachers and it made things worse for him. But, he had to be the one to kill Nagini.

Takeaway: Be a friend to children first. Let them feel like confiding in you. Then gradually, build up their confidence. If they are unable to study, it will have a reason behind it. Not every child is the same. You can’t expect everyone to top the class! Stop intimidating them and you will be astounded by what they are capable of.

Image courtesy: moviepilot.com

• Depression, if ignored, sucks the life out of a person – J K Rowling said that Dementors symbolize depression. They suck the happiness out of you. We are told in many parts that the worst part about Dementors is their kiss. Once they administer the kiss, the victim becomes soulless; a mere vegetable.

Image courtesy: nerdist

Takeaway: Fight depression whether it happens to you or to a loved one. They will forget to be happy. Don’t let them. Do what is necessary. You do not want them killing themselves or worse, existing without happiness. Understand that it isn’t a mental illness, but definitely an illness that requires care & medication.

• With good friends around, problems in life will be easier to handle – The book screams friendship! Ron is the compassionate boy who gave Harry a family. Hermione was the most intelligent witch who had an answer for every question. Their problem was the Horcruxes and they would never have found them all if not for the trio.

There was another group. One was bitten by a werewolf and he transformed into one every full moon. Inorder to make this easier for him, his friends became animagi & transformed themselves into animals too. This was supposed to be very difficult for kids their age. Friendship, huh?

Takeaway: It is pretty clear isn’t it? The books have emphasized the value of friendship over & over again.

• If you have to change your true nature to be accepted, you don’t need that kind of acceptance –

Luna Lovegood was strange. She had her beliefs, she was called names, kids hid her stuff and played pranks on her. Most of the people never understood what she said, yet Harry respected her. Many of the valuable help came from the most unlikeliest of places, her being one.

Takeaway: If you know someone quirky, let them be. If you are weird, don’t try to fit in. Changing yourself for others will make you unreal, unlike you. After a while, you will feel frustrated. Be yourself & as long as you don’t hurt anyone, you are good. People who love you, will accept you as you are.

Harry Potter! You listen to me right now! Don’t you remember what Cho said about Rowena Ravenclaw’s diadem? There’s not a person alive who’s seen it. It’s obvious isn’t it? You have to talk to someone whose dead.

• No creature is inferior – Elves were treated as slaves. Harry changed it. He treated Dobby as an equal and he surely proved by his deeds that he wasn’t inferior. In many circumstances, what wizards couldn’t do, Dobby did.

Image courtesy: tumblr.com

Takeaway – I know a lot of people who treat other men or children with contempt, as though they are inferior. People watch quiz shows and belittle the contestants if they don’t know an easy answer. People belittle coolies, maids, construction workers and waiters. You came from nothing and will eventually die. What makes you greater than any of them, ultimately? Think over it.

 If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.” –Sirius Black

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

The Man Who Made Snape Immortal

Last week this day, the Harry Potter Fandom was left speechless with a heartbreaking news. You know what I am talking about. The death of a truly great soul – Alan Rickman.

It wasn’t one, but two people died that day – Alan Rickman and Professor Snape. I, along with many other Potterheads realised that for us, Severus Snape was actually alive through this great actor. The impact was huge considering the weight of the character Snape and the person that Alan Rickman was.

Many celebrities – Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Evanna Lynch etc – shared their experiences with Rickman and it reminded me of the day when Robin Williams died. I know! They are two entirely different entities known for entirely different things, but the weight of the sorrow was the same.

Here is an excerpt from Daniel Radcliffe’s note:

He was so encouraging of me both on set and in the years post-Potter. I’m pretty sure he came and saw everything I ever did on stage both in London and New York. He didn’t have to do that. I know other people who’ve been friends with him for much much longer than I have and they all say “if you call Alan, it doesn’t matter where in the world he is or how busy he is with what he’s doing, he’ll get back to you within a day” (Source: radiotimes.com)

This is what Evanna Lynch had to say:

He gave me the loveliest acting advice I’ve ever gotten,” Lynch wrote. “‘People think that they’re watching this’ he said waving his hand in front of his face, ‘but really they’re watching this’ and he pounded his fist on his heart centre.

While this, sums up my thoughts. The moment I heard the news, I remembered these words and with a heavy heart, I told this to my sister.

The harsh finality of death is apparent in these words. We plan things for ourselves and in a jiffy, everything ends. He was 69 when he passed. In eleven yeas’ time, we will have memes that say, ‘Today, Alan Rickman should have been sitting on his arm chair reading Harry Potter.’

Professor Snape

Those vaguely connected to the world of Harry Potter will know that the fans weren’t really happy about the movies. To begin with, most of the cast did not match the book description. Many subtle but important parts that had to be portrayed were not shown in the movies leading to underrating of the series. If there was one thing that the fandom agreed upon, it was Snape.

Courtesy Here

Beginning with a character that was loathed by the readers and movie-goers alike, Rickman did a wonderful job spewing the hatred. The low, drawling, menacing voice, the expression that alternated between suspicion, pure hatred and nothing at all, the acts that revealed that the three protagonists weren’t in his favorites’ list were all well portrayed and there was no other to take his place. When it was made worse by Dumbledore’s murder, Snape was branded the worst villain until the moment of his death!

The truths that were revealed in that short span of time was enough to shake any Potterhead. It just took a short while for the villain to turn into a hero. The face that we loathed suddenly looked tired, helpless and pained with years of unrequited love. Severus Snape had a tender heart, buried deep somewhere beneath the black cloak. The feelings were that of Snape’s. The expressions were that of Alan Rickman’s.

Those who have read the book will agree with me. Snape and Rickman aren’t two different individuals. The latter gave form to the former and when I say Snape’s expressions, I mean Rickman’s expressions. For someone who believes that magic is real, that the world of Harry Potter is real, I believe we lost more than a person that day.

While the entire world was mourning, there were some optimists who came up with a quote said by Albus Dumbledore.

Image courtesy: Here

 That had me thinking. What if Alan Rickman belonged elsewhere? His duty here was to play his part as Severus Snape and to make the character immortal. He left a part of his soul, a horcrux through the character here, and is off to create another. He isn’t truly gone. He is the most bravest and cleverest wizards of his time and unlike Voldemort, he is tender-hearted. Who else would think of creating a horcrux in a movie character?

I raise my wand to a great man. RIP Alan Rickman.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Day 35 – Watching Harry Potter Movies Back to Back

100 Happy Days – Day 35

Happiness is a Harry Potter Marathon – Sisters only!

How many of you have things that you do with your siblings only? Have you done them together any time recently?

It took me a while to realize that my sister won’t be with me forever. When she was 6 years old, I left for my higher studies and we were apart for 5 years. I came back and slowly we started bonding. We couldn’t do many things together because either of us were busy. We made lists and plans of things we should do together. Now, as we started doing them, the tables turned.

She completed her schooling and in another 18 days, she will leave for her college. It does make my heart sink. But we decided to make the maximum use of the time we have. This is where the Harry Potter marathon enters the scene.

Not exactly the marathon you think. It will not be possible for us to do a 19 hour Harry Potter marathon, watching all the 8 movies in a row. Mainly because, we are not alone at home. It becomes difficult when there are other people. But hopefully someday, we will do it.

Right now, we are watching the movies continuously but not strictly in a row. We stop when we want to, and resume the next day. I had gone to the supermarket, bought drinks, nachos, biscuits, cup cakes, chips etc and filled our cupboard. After midnight, we began watching the movies. Yesterday, we watched until half of Chamber of secrets.

Harry Potter – both books and movies – is an important part of our lives. I was the one who forced my sister to read the books. Needless to say she loved them. We went for some of the movies together. We often talk about all the characters, the unfortunate events. We share the fan fictions that are really touching. Sometimes, we go hours and hours, discussing Harry Potter, the characters, the plot, some revelations. There was one point of time when we kept talking and both of us were moved to tears as though we were talking about a close family.

That is how it is for us. Our close family. Or rather, a friend that brought us close.

Many things reminds us of our siblings. In my case, Harry Potter will be one. This will be a memory she will be taking for herself and leaving for me. We also took an unbreakable vow. In future, wherever we are, we will meet every year to watch Harry Potter together.

I know many siblings who don’t even call each other. It might be ego problems or tiny misunderstandings or sometimes, due to lack of time. But if you were close once, you can be close again. All you need to do is relive those days. Pick those moments you had fun, do those things you did together, give a call, send a message, look at those albums for heaven’s sake. Time is flying. My baby sister is going to college. Our siblings are moving apart. Don’t let them go. Keep them in your heart and keep in touch.

Watching Harry Potter Movies will be our way. What about yours?

PS – I call her Rosta and she calls me Bisista 😀

Day 25 – Chocolates

100 Happy Days – Day 25

Happiness is eating chocolates.

I am wedded to dark chocolates and all other chocolates are my lovers. Nothing can replace my love for chocolates. When I need one, I can’t rest until I get one.

My personal favorite is Bournville Cranberry, followed by other Bournville chocolates and Dairy milk fruit & nut. I’m not a fan of foreign chocolates unless, they are dark. 😉 For those who don’t know, I have read that dark chocolates can cure headaches. You don’t need any other reasons to have them.

I don’t judge chocolates by their wrappers. But the gold coins always excite me. I had forgotten all about these babies until yesterday when Anu (my best friend about whom I have mentioned several times) brought me some of them.

I have always admired the way they made the coins look real. As I child, I thought these chocolates might cost a fortune since they were made of gold. I used to open them carefully and save the wrappers.

Wrappers bring me to my weird chocolate wrapper collection. I consider gifting chocolates to be an act of love. When it happens to be Dairy milk or dark chocolate, it is the ultimate gift people could give me. Hence I used to save the wrappers of all the big chocolates.

Nowadays, I don’t save all. But when I want to remember the reason why they gave me the chocolate, I save them and keep a note inside with the date, giver’s name and occasion. 🙂

Chocolates have a lot of influence on me. As I used to tell my friends, a guy has a better chance proposing me with chocolates, purple flowers or anything related to Harry Potter. I said this around 6 years back and gladly, it still holds true. 😀

Day 30 – Many Questions, One Answer

30 Days’ Book Challenge – Day 30 – Many Questions, One Answer

I had saved the last post for a reason. I prepared this list of 30 Days’ Challenge from various prompts. Since you all know that I am a crazy Potterhead, it would be only obvious that for most of the prompts I came across, the only answer I had was Harry Potter.

So I had a tough time finding prompts that wouldn’t just give the same answer and kept this post for the last. In this, I will do the opposite of what I did all these days. I normally listed the books that I thought suited well for a prompt. But here, I will list all the prompts for which I believe Harry Potter Series is the answer.

Courtesy: harrypotter.wikia.com

And so, the 30th Day of the Challenge is in the name of Harry Potter. Here goes the list:

1. A Book that I have read more than 3 times – Probably this is why I haven’t read many books. Every time I get a chance I read Harry Potter books. They are so loaded with twists and interconnections that I find new things every time I read them.
2. My Favorite Series –  Harry Potter
3. Favorite book turned into a movie – But the movies have only 20% of what is in the books. They don’t talk about the characters in depth. You can never understand Lupin, James, Lily, Ron, Luna, Hermione, Snape, McGonagall, Dumbledore, Malfoy, Hagrid… what am I doing? I can’t list them all. You don’t know any of the characters in detail unless you’ve read the book.
4. A book that you wish more people would have read – All the seven books. There is a lot you’re missing if you haven’t read them.
5. Favorite book universe – Hogwarts
6. Your Hogwarts house – Hufflepuff.
7. Favorite platonic friendship – Harry and Hermoine
8. Favorite fantasy book – No guesses!
9. My comfort books – I am not sure what this means. But yeah I am more than comfortable reading Harry potter. 😀

If any of you are planning to read the series for the first time, a word of caution. The first book is a bit dragging because it takes time for the setting to sink in. Do not stop reading until Harry reaches Hogwarts. You won’t stop after that.

It is amazing, how a little baby with a scar became such an important part of my life.

courtesy: moviepilot.com

However, the other day, a friend told me that he thought that Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was overrated. I believe many people think so. Here is what I feel. The Harry Potter series is loved by all and the rating goes to the entire series. Almost all the HP fans have agreed that this book was a bit boring (including me). So, it truly cannot be called overrated. 🙂

Finally, the 30 Days’ book challenge ends. I can’t say I completed the challenge in 30 days. But I did post everyday. 😉 I was unwell for a couple of weeks and yet I managed to post. 😛 Many of you don’t know that I started this blog in 2010 when I used to have only about 12 posts a year. Last year on wards I picked up pace and here I have 30 posts a month! I’m impressed!

I got many blogging friends through this challenge. I came across many book lovers, I learnt more about the books I should read (And I shouldn’t). Many thanks to all of you who encouraged me to complete this.

Lots of Love

Rangelz 😉

Day 27 – Favorite OTPs

30 Days Book Challenge – Day 27 – Favorite One True Pairings

This might be a repetition of characters and books. But I can’t help it. They deserve the best. By the way, I just can’t stop with one OTP. 🙂

1. Holly and Gerry from P.S I Love you

Image courtesy: http://www.fanpop.com

 

2. Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks from Harry Potter

Image courtesy: pixgood.com

I am not going to offer any explanation here. All I say is that, the movies never brought out the struggles of their relationship well. Those who have watched only the Harry Potter movies, there is a lot that you have missed. To know why half the world read it, why half of them keep writing fanfics and why I love it so so so much, do read the book. Read it until the very end. I promise you won’t regret it.

PS – Yesterday, my sister and I talked until 2 am about Lupin and Tonks, about their love, their death and their child. The talks never end. We can write books about each Harry Potter character. It is that deep.

 

3. Noah and Allie from The Notebook

Courtesy: rebloggy.com

 

Hi all! I’m held up due to work and so haven’t been able to visit your blogs or reply for the comments. Will get back to it asap. Lots of Love! 🙂

Day 25 – Favorite Female Characters

30 Days Book Challenge – Day 25 – Favorite Female Character

Molly Weasley from Harry Potter  

Oh that Woman is tough! She is everything. She loves her family and would do about anything for her loved ones. Anything includes cooking, cleaning, all the chores, fight, fight real bad. If she has an opinion about you, you would hear it loud and clear. Dare touch any of her family, and you would be subjected to her wrath!

You might enjoy these 😉

Yes! She is 😀

Image courtesy: www.firstcovers.com

When Bellatrix aimed a spell at her daughter. 😉

Image courtesy: favim.com

Hee hee

Image courtesy: www.punditry.ca

Also, Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter. I am not writing about her again since I have said more than enough in THIS post. 🙂

Day 21 – My Favorite Author(s)

30 Days Book Challenge – Day 21  – My Favorite Author(s)

Enid Blyton

Because she made my childhood beautiful. I could go on and on about the books I read. But sadly, I don’t remember half of them.

Courtesy: wikipedia

I enjoyed. Yes, a lot.

A LOT.

So much that, I had begun to write a book about 5 Brownies named Hy, My, By, Fy, Dy.
Um… dont know what happened to them 😛

J. K. Rowling

How can ‘My favorite author’ not comprise her. It is as though, Enid Blyton realized that I was too grown up for her books and handed me over to JKR. That must be it. Though, I don’t believe that anyone would be too old for books. I still read teenage books. 🙂

courtesy: wikipedia

I heard about Harry Potter when the 1st movie was released. My dad asked me,
“Do you want to watch Harry Potter?”

“No.”, I never watched English movies then. They never interested me.

“It is good I hear.”

“It’s alright. I really don’t want to.”

Kids my age, many of them had watched it. I thought it must be a story about a Pot maker wala Potter. Why would I want to watch stories about pot making!?

Later, I saw my classmates reading the book. They were discussing animatedly about it. I observed them for a couple of days and the words ‘Magic’, ‘School’, ‘Witch’, ‘Wizard’ etc kept popping up. Finally, I picked up the book from the library, to never stop. 😀

It has been 12 years since I got the letter to Hogwarts. I remain loyal. 😀

Day 13 – Characters From Books You Would Want to Meet

30 Day Book Challenge – Day 13 – Characters From Books You Would Want to Meet

Luna Lovegood From Harry Potter

Maybe because I never belonged to any group in the school.
Maybe because, when our class consisting of odd number of students
where asked to pair up, I was the one without a partner.
Maybe because I wasn’t interested in things my classmates liked and vice versa.
Maybe because the friends I made were weird, always.
Maybe because, I am weird, sometimes.
Or maybe because, even today, I find it difficult to belong! Anywhere!

I would love to meet Luna Lovegood not for being weird. But for accepting the fact and not changing. For her belief. And for the ease with which she accepted things. 

 

Image courtesy: likeimgs.com

 

 

“_{Nobody’s ever asked me to a party before, as a friend! Is that why you dyed your eyebrow, for the party? Should I do mine, too?}”

 

Image courtesy: http://www.pinterest.com

 

Image Courtesy: http://www.fanpop.com

 

There must be thousands of millions of characters around the literature world. Yet, what made me want to meet her of all? Maybe because Harry Potter has become a part of me. If you ask Loona, I know what she’d say;

Image courtesy: imgarcade.com

For those who don’t know what that is, worry not. We don’t know either. 😉 🙂

Ooh Look! A Blibbering Humdinger! 😛

Day 4 – Most Emotional Death

30 Days Book Challenge – Day 4 – Most Emotional Death

Spoiler alert!!! If you haven’t read Harry Potter or The Fault in Our Stars, and intend to read them, please skip this post since you lose the whole point of reading them once you’re done with my post.

It is humanly impossible for me to stick to one emotional death. So here goes plenty…

1. The Fault in our Stars – Augustus waters (Gus)

Image courtesy: wallpaperscraft.com

Because it was unexpected.

2. Harry Potter – Sirius Black

Until the very end of the book, I thought he will come back. 😥

Courtesy: http://www.fanpop.com

After I read this part, I clenched my stomach for a long while and sat silently. But, THIS was what was happening inside me.

http://www.fanpop.com

 

3. Harry Potter – Albus Dumbledore

He said, ‘Severus, please.’ We didn’t know what it meant until the last book.

Image courtesy- https://twitter.com/pottermemory

Dumbledore was blasted into the air. Then, he fell slowly backwards, like a giant ragdoll over the battlements and OUT OF SIGHT.

(And I wept…)

4. Harry Potter – Dobby

Courtesy – imgarcade.com

And  he tried… again… and…

5. Harry Potter – Fred Weasley

Fanfics is what made Fred’s death so dramatic.

Image courtesy – polyvore.com

That is about it. 🙂

Day 2 – The Most Wanted Fandom Item

30 Days Book Challenge – Day 2 – The Most Wanted Fandom Item

Yippee! I am excited. Fandom Item, Fandom Item, Fandom Item! How can someone ask me to choose just one? Okay, you are hyperventilating… Come on… Relax… Inhale deeply… Exhale…

First, let me explain why this excitement. I am craaazy about Harry Potter! Aha. That is right. I am a grown up. Yes, I still behave like a teenager when someone talks about Harry Potter. I can see that mocking smile. And I am familiar with this scenario but, I don’t care. I love the way I am! 😛 So, until further notice, you will have to endure many more Harry Potter rants here.

So, my excitement. That was because, I am asked to pick my ‘most’ wanted Fandom item and I haven’t given it a thought. I never knew I’d be facing this question and now, I am confused. 😛

Let us see my options;

• A wand (My wand is made of Redwood with Dragon core.)
• A Broomstick
• A Time turner? (Hmm…)
• An Invisibility Cloak

There are many other items in Harry Potter. But these four top my list. Of these, as I think now, I would first acquire A Wand.
Why? No surprises there. If I acquire a wand, I could make the broomstick appear and soon the time turner too. 😀 However the cloak? I doubt it. That being said, do you want to know about my wand? Here it is.

My wand Specifications:

Wood: Sycamore
Core: Unicorn hair
Length: 11 1/2 Inch
Flexibility: Surprisingly Swishy

You can get your wand details in Pottermore if you’re interested. And remember, your wand chooses you. And it all depends on your personality. 🙂

For instance, I’ll tell you about my wand properties.

Sycamore – “The sycamore makes a questing wand, eager for new experience and losing brilliance if engaged in mundane activities. It is a quirk of these handsome wands that they may combust if allowed to become ‘bored,’ and many witches and wizards, settling down into middle age, are disconcerted to find their trusty wand bursting into flame in their hand as they ask it, one more time, to fetch their slippers. As may be deduced, the sycamore’s ideal owner is curious, vital and adventurous, and when paired with such an owner, it demonstrates a capacity to learn and adapt that earns it a rightful place among the world’s most highly-prized wand woods.“

So I’d better go on with my quests lest my wand just decides to burst into flames. And I should remember not ask my wand to fetch my slippers. Hmm…

Unicorn Core – Unicorn hair generally produces the most consistent magic, and is least subject to fluctuations and blockages. Wands with unicorn cores are generally the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts. They are the most faithful of all wands, and usually remain strongly attached to their first owner, irrespective of whether he or she was an accomplished witch or wizard.

Minor disadvantages of unicorn hair are that they do not make the most powerful wands (although the wand wood may compensate) and that they are prone to melancholy if seriously mishandled, meaning that the hair may ‘die’ and need replacing.

Oh my! Oh my! Both my wand wood and core have the capacity to die. Um… I’m not the mishandling type. Yet, I need to be careful.

So that was about my Day 2 Challenge. Do let me know about your most wanted Fandom items too. Wands are too common. I’d love to know about others too. 🙂

Wingardium Leviosa

Hey Good day guys! Just practising my Levitation charm. 🙂 It not only keeps me confident about my spells, but gives me a handsfree reading. 

I love everything about the spell. Firstly, the way it is pronounced, ‘Wingardium Leviosa’ (Wing-aar-dium Levi-ousa. It’s Levi-yousa. Not Leviosaaaaa 😛 ). secondly, the way things slowly levitate. Isn’t that a lovely sight?

I once tried reading Harry Potter by placing it inside my academic book. I managed to levitate both in such a way that the book inside was well hidden. At the same time, I performed the charm on a cup of coffee, a pen & my rough note book. And I must say. At first, it was a bit difficult focussing on all of them. But now, it’s all under control. 🙂

And most importantly, if I happen to encounter a troll in the dungeons, well, you know, just swish & flick! I have mastered the spell out loud. Now, I’m trying to master it using my mind. After this, I’ll be working on performing multiple spells at once. Cia! Got to practice. 😀

*Wingardium Leviosa*

There. My post just levitated & got updated. 😉 

Note: The spells discussed here cannot be used outside Hogwarts by the students. If so, you will be expelled. The adults must not use magic before muggles. They will be stripped off their wands & further punishments would be initiated by The Ministry of Magic.

Drinking books isn’t injurious to health!

Close your eyes (er not literally, you have to go on reading this). And imagine you are in a room. It is dusty and old with cobwebs hanging here and there. You have no idea how big orsmall it is because you are flanked by tall racks. The ceiling is far atop and before you there is one small window through which the sunlight is filtering in. There are no sounds to be heard except that of the ceiling fans creaking noisily somewhere, probably two or ten of them.

As you turn to ur right or left (I leave that to you), you see the racks filled with books. Hundreds of thousands of them. Some old, some very old, torn & yellowing. Arranged neatly along in alphabetical order. And the room smells of books.

‘Sneeze!!!!!!!’

😀 I love books but I sneeze when I smell them. Still, I love the smell.

The imagination session is over. And I know some of you reading this will be revolted at the idea of a room full of books. Your first instinct would be to flee. But there is another half who are still enjoying the vision. Those who feel at home when they are in such a room. Must say, book lovers are distinct species of humans whose feelings towards books cant be understood by anyone else.

When I enter a library, I prefer taking a list with me, asking the people there to pick the books I want and walk out. If those books aren’t available I am doomed. I’ll have to find and pick one myself & going near the racks is like going for shopping where you are allowed to take only two garments while you’re confused between too many. I run around picking every possible book, unable to decide which one.

Reading books is like drinking alcohol ( I feel so, from hearsay about drinks. No personal experiences :D). At first you don’t enjoy it much, you take time to get used to the flow of it. Slowly, you lose yourself in it & come under the control of it. Then your mood, temperament, thoughts are all affected by what is in your hand. It rules you. You forget all your other worries, your problems and the reality. You feel this is much better than the reality.

The truth is, most of the readers use books as a means to escape from reality. (Like drunkards) Sometimes when being yourself hurts, you choose to be someone else even if that means being your favorite character from a book. As each of the pages get over, we get all the more tempted to reach the end & the book gets irresistible. And once it gets over, there is a satisfaction about knowing the end at the same time a strange sadness that the story is over.

During the Harry Potter book releases, there were advance bookings and queues outside bookshops all over the world for grabbing the book & being the first ones to read. People queuing outside beverage shop is a day to day sight. What a striking similarity.  😀

             

Jeez! I know I sound like categorizing the two species into one. But I found the similarities amusing and just expressed it in here. ‘Drinking is injurious to health’. Most of the addictions are. But Lo and Behold! We have one that isn’t hazardous. This can also be used as an alternative to alcohol as I have pointed out :P.

Image courtesy: timescontent.com, i.telegraph.co.uk

‘Harry Potter!’ – J K Rowling’s Spell on us ;)

What will you do if some day you find such a letter addressed to you, at your door?

My dream Letter 🙂

My question clearly is to the Potter fans. I’d swoon! 😛

In between my search for good books Harry Potter fell into my hands. Of course it’s famous now. But there was a time when it was just on its path to glory. That was when I happened to get a copy of it.

The first part of the first book wasn’t all that great, but as I read further it was magic in its real sense. I’ve never come across anything else so beautiful or so involving.

Those who haven’t read the book believe it’s childish, not worth the time, useless fiction, mad man’s land :D. But I’ve never felt anything childish about it. In fact I loved the way JKR depicted the war between good and evil, love and power. How can that ever be childish?

Considering the fictional part, It is true that magic doesn’t exist, a school of magic doesn’t exist. It’s all our imagination. But reading it, I appreciate the way she’s made it so realistic, relatable and simply perfect! The way she has threaded and interconnected every character – to be specific, what surprised me was the part were Sirius’s name is mentioned just once in the first part and it is in the third part that we get to know he has such a great role to play. How well planned that should’ve been?

It takes you to a different world, away from reality. What is wrong with that? Even movies do that to you! Though for a shorter period. Ultimately if we enjoy what we do and if it isn’t harmful, if it lets us forget our fears, relaxes us, if it takes us away from reality (For which people resort to much harmful measures), does it make a difference just because it’s fiction?

Every spell she created had a meaning, every name she allotted to the characters had a reason. Every clue and writings -from the mirror of ‘erised’ which is desire spelt reverse to the writings that appear on the golden snitch in the seventh part – has a meaning. Hang on! Did you ever think that the first golden snitch would’ve had such a role to play?

Did you ever think of a Snape who loved Lily?

What moved me the most was, ‘Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realize that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves its own mark.Not a scar, no visible sign…to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection foever. It is in your very skin.’
How subtle and simple!

 

 

I read it many times. I don’t have the personal copy (I wanted them badly, but unfortunately didn’t get). Each time I read the series, I discovered something new. It made me wish magic was real, that Harry, Ron and Hermione were real, that my school was Hogwarts and that my house was Gryffindor.

The book in itself is platform 9 ¾ and the Hogwarts express. The muggles never believe it. Those who believe it are the witches and wizards 😉 (You know what I’m).

The book is a Portkey 😉 It glows blue each time I see it & when I touch it, I get transported.

JKR has made it that perfect. It isn’t a book. It’s a wand. It’s her spell 😉