Reliving The Magic: The Goblet of Fire

"But Ron was staring at Hermione as though suddenly seeing her in a whole new light.
'Hermione, Neville's right - you are a girl...'"

Ron, Chapter 22, The Unexpected Task

Hello dear reader!

It's that time again. Yes, indeed, I've been doing a big nerd all up in this book and I've powered through
number four of the wondrous Harry Potter series.

Now, I'm going to be honest with you, when I was younger and read this book for the first time round, it took me well over a year to finish it. I think this is due, in part, to the length of the story, as well as the heavy footing in the politics of the wizarding world. At the time I found it more difficult to engage with and trickier to understand. Not to mention the physical problem of holding such a huge book.

However, now that I'm older, wiser and more patient I sat down to enjoy this book full of excitement and ready to give it another go.

Fleur Delcacour, as played by
Clémence Poséy.

Unsurprisingly, my excitement wasn't unwarranted and I absolutely adored this book. It's at once funny and dark and manages to capture that difficult age in a young man's life when he first starts to notice girls. Indeed, Rowling excels at this, giving both Harry and Ron incredibly truthful and believable troubles with the farer sex. From Harry's pining over Cho Chang to Ron's confused feelings for Hermione, Rowling makes tangible the feeling of emotional unrest within these two young men.


On top of all this, she weaves an interesting thread from the very beginning. Indeed, the inclusion of both the Quidditch World Cup and the Tri-Wizard Tournament is a wonderful way to broaden the wizarding world beyond the realms of the school. Of course, the real broadening of this universe comes in the form of the beautiful Beauxbatons students and the fierce forms of the Durmstrang clan.

I find this to be a really exciting move in the series in that, as I've said before, it widens the world in which the Potter saga is set. Never before have we considered, for any great length of time, the idea of there being other wizarding schools throughout the world, but then again, once it's mentioned, it seems like such an inherent part of this world that you almost feel silly for not thinking of it before now!

Robert Pattinson as  Cedric Diggory.

Everything in this book works well and there are some lovely finer details in the book which (unfortunately) couldn't be included in the film. I understand that, of course, what does irk me slightly, is that (to my mind) in the film they've made Cedric far more likeable that he seems to appear in the book. In fact, they do this to the entire Diggory family; in the cinematic itteration of Amos Diggory, we have a loving, doting father whose heart shatters at the end of the first task, giving us some of the finest acting seen within the films franchise, a character with which we can empathise and sympathise.

In the book, however, Amos comes across as an out and out tosser. He's constantly reminding Harry about

The vile Rita Skeeter, played
with relish by Miranda Richardson.

how Hufflepuff had beaten Gryffindor in quidditch, due to Cedric's prowess on a broom and he takes every opportunity to boast of his son's successes. Now, don't get me wrong, a proud parent is fine, but this is absurd.

Then we come to Cedric himself. For the most part I found him smarmy and big-headed (which is ironic due to the fact that everyone believes these to be traits of Harry's, thanks to a run-in with Rita Skeeter). He also lacks any real charm he's supposed to possess. However, I'm sure he only comes across this way because we're viewing him from Harry's point of view. I'm certain if Rowling had given us an unbiased standpoint, Cedric would've seemed to deserve every bit of popularity he'd supposedly garnered.

It's also difficult to separate the image of Cedric Diggory with that of Robert Pattinson. Don't even get me started on that guy!

The soon to be reborn Voldemort,
held aloft by the ever-faithful Wormtail.

Another note I must make when talking of The Goblet of Fire, is how,
for the first time, I felt fear when we encountered Voldemort. The slow and menacing description of the proceedings once Harry and Cedric are transported via Portkey to the graveyard is chilling to read, yet one can't help but take a great deal of glee in the wondrous Machiavellian happenings inflicted upon both Harry and his fellow Tri-Wizard champion.

All in all, this is one of the strongest outings for our Hogwarts-going pals and I feel that I've enjoyed it just about as much as is humanly possible, and that, my friends, is a great deal.

Until next time.

P.S. On a personal note, I'd also like to mention that I recently graduated from university after three long years of study. Given that I had to wear robes on the day, I chose to wear my Gryffindor tie. I attach a photo for your geeky pleasure! Enjoy.

No! It's not Ron, Harry & Ginny, but Lewis Gott, Myself (the author) and
my fiancé, Amber Dewey!
(You can see her blog at: http://thewayamberseesit.blogspot.co.uk/)

Reliving The Magic: The Prisoner of Azkaban

"'We'll see each other again,' he said. 'You are - truly your father's son, Harry...'"

Sirius Black, Chapter 21, Hermione's Secret.

Hello again, dear readers.

I've literally just closed my copy of 'Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban' and by golly I was thrilled with it. This is the only Potter book I can vividly remember reading as a child and, thus, has always held a special place in my heart.

Remus Lupin as portrayed by
David Thewlis.

Upon rereading I realised that another reason I adore this particular instalment above all others is because it introduces two of my all time favourite characters within the wizarding world. Now, those that have been following my twitter feed during the reading of this book will probably have guessed that, certainly, one of those is Professor Remus Lupin. Never before in the Potter series have we seen a teacher so quintessentially Professorial and I absolutely worship Lupin for that. His robes are tatty and threadbare, he is dishevelled and unkempt but, amazingly enough, he knows his subject which, at Hogwarts, seems to be a slight rarity... *cough* looking at you Trelawney *cough*

Aside from being an absolute boss of an educator, Lupin is also hardcore enough to be a mother-flipping werewolf! Now, this is a detail I love and think expands the Potter-Verse while simultaneously adding depth to the character. Good job JK. As well as all this, we have the further historical detail involved; most noticeably, the inclusion of the Marauder's Map and those behind the writing of it. Wonderful stuff!

Sirius Black as portrayed by
Gary Oldman.

Another wonderful inclusion, of course, is the prisoner of Azkaban himself, the (supposedly) dastardly Sirius Black! Of course, as one nears the end of the book it becomes clear that not all is as it seems and that Black has, unfortunately, taken the fall for a crime he didn't commit. The character is oozing in style and literary wit and feels fully fleshed out (for lack of a better phrase) even though we only really get to know him the last two chapters of the text. We go from being scared of him, to being uncertain of his motive, to adoring him unreservedly... Not many writers can do that!

The Time Turner.

On top of all of this wondrousness, we also get the inclusion of the o-so-important Time Turner... While I love it as a piece of wizarding tech, I'm slightly taken aback that Professor McGonagall allowed Hermione to have one for the sole-purpose of attending more classes than otherwise physically possible. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate that Hermione wants to be the best witch she can possible be, but the fact that she's been allowed to play around with time in order to achieve that smacks of the deepest levels of irresponsibility... even if it was okayed by the Ministry of Magic!

All in all, I adore this story and will, undoubtedly, hold it in my heart for as long as I live. I know for a fact my future children will be read the Potter series at bedtime and I will, certainly, do a little fanboy squeal when we can move onto 'The Prisoner of Azkaban.'

Until next time.

Reliving The Magic: The Chamber of Secrets

"Harry Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!" he sobbed. "Farewell, Harry Potter!" 

And with a final crack, Dobby disappeared.

Chapter 18 - Dobby's Reward

Well then, it hardly seems it but year two of Hogwarts is over. Less than a month ago I picked up 'The Chamber of Secrets' for the fair old price of 50p from a charity shop and got stuck in. What followed was an entirely entertaining, heartfelt and wondrous journey.

Naturally, year two for our favourite bespectacled wizard is harder, both in the way of school work and the emotional unrest he faces, especially when he is suspected of being the heir to Salazar Slytherin. The tone for the book, overall, is darker, grittier and more focussed on the truly dangerous nature of Hogwarts.

Gilderoy Lockhart, as portrayed
by Kenneth Branagh.

As well as this deliciously morbid twist, we also find a dizzyingly wonderful widening of the wizarding world; with the first proper meeting of the entire Weasley family, (not to mention their charmingly ramshackle house, The Burrow), to the fantastically pompous Gilderoy Lockhart, who doesn't enjoy his self-obsessed and bragging nature? When you find his students laughing behind his back, so do we, the readers. 

Not to mention, of course, we meet the deliriously Machiavellian Tom Riddle which gives a clever twist on the all-to-easy "Voldemort is back" story line, saving us the boredom of simply rehashing 'The Philosopher's Stone. The fact that we're dealing with a big-bad not far from Harry's own age makes for even more scintillating reading and the final confrontation in the chamber had me on the edge of my seat!

With all of this in mind, it's incredible to note that, even after all these years, for me, the most impressive thing about these books is how utterly enthralling, engrossing and entertaining they are. They truly give an immersive experience, Rowling not only writes the world within her books, she brings it life. Many lesser author's would've been content to write a "children's" book and be done with, however, what Rowling achieved with the Potter books is a cross-generational experience. 

The wonderful JK Rowling.

Having read them from the age of 11, and rereading them now, nothing has changed for me. We often find, when revisiting childhood loves, that some of the shine has gone, we can see them for what they truly are. Not Harry Potter though, they still glint and gleam and catch the light of imagination, just like the Golden Snitch.

On top of all this Potter related fun, my fiancé (did I mention I got engaged the other week?) introduced me to Pottermore. By golly what a game! Sad though it is, I've found myself utterly obsessed with it since I set up my profile just the other day. I've played right the way through book one and am a couple of chapters away from book three. If you're a Potter fan and fancy more magical fun, do give it a try. Be warned, however, it's incredibly addictive!

Oop, it looks like my Polyjuice Potion is ready! Until next time, chums.

Reliving The Magic: The Philosopher's Stone

"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love."

"Oi, Potter!" - I get that a lot.

Well then, that was a bit of bloody good fun, wasn't it?!

This was literally the second time I've read this book and, when I was younger it was my favourite (I've always been a big fan of origin stories) so this was a real treat for me.

What surprised me was how little of the detail I actually remember, within the book we learn about Uncle Vernon's job and Harry's school life before Hogwarts, whereas in the film a lot of these smaller details are, (understandably), omitted. It was, however, in light of my decade's worth of knowledge and wisdom, an incredibly easy read. Unsurprisingly, the language is stripped down and simple and, given that Rowling, throughout the series, allows her readers to grow up with the characters, it's easy to see why she started on such a basic level.

With this in mind, however, I must stress that while the language is fairly primitive, (a niggle I found even at the age of 11 or 12), it is still, to this day, one of the most gripping and original books I've ever read. From the moment Harry starts receiving his letters from Hogwarts I felt that familiar stirring in my stomach that meant we were in for a ruddy good ride.

And that's true, from Hagrid finding the Dursley's on the little island in the middle of the ocean, to their trip to Diagon Alley and the vaults of Gringotts, it's a warm, enchanting and thrilling experience.

When we get to Hogwarts, of course, not much changes, only now we have the added level of danger and
the wonderful ability to loathe Draco Malfoy who, thanks to 'A Very Potter Musical', I couldn't help but imagine, not as Tom Felton, but as the wonderful and hilarious Lauren Lopez.

Lauren Lopez as Draco Malfoy.

It was intriguing to see how quickly the story moves and, as a result, how quickly I read it. I'm currently very busy with dissertation writing and all that lark, but even then it took me just a few days to power through it. As a child I think it took me a lot longer, mainly because I wasn't as well-read and verbose as I am now, and probably because I was often because I was quite lazy when it came to reading. A few pages would often constitute 'a lot' of reading for me, but ho hum.

If anybody is considering restarting the Potter books, I'd strongly recommend it, now it's a great time to do
it, especially as the films are over and if you are, like myself, part of the original generation, it'll be a warm and happy experience still full of excitement and wonder, even now I'm 21 and graduating from university in a couple of months, I couldn't help but be transported, time-turner-esque back to those wonderful, seemingly sunny days when I couldn't want to join Harry and the gang back at Hogwarts for a game of Quidditch.

I'm still hoping for that ruddy Hogwarts letter. Maybe I can do an MA there? I'm sure I'd be great at potions!

See you next 'term'!

Reliving The Magic: Prologue

“There was a lot more to magic, as Harry quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.” 

This coming week I'll turn 21.

This means, officially, I'll be a grown up. I mean, I've been like a grumpy old man for as long as I remember, but on paper, I'll finally be classed as a proper grown up. With bills and responsibilities and keys.

So, it's only natural, as I begin the earnest and encroaching march towards the grave, that I look back upon something that formed a strong and important part of my childhood and that is why I'm embarking upon this project; 'Reliving The Magic' - Starting today I'll begin rereading the Harry Potter series and blogging about each book as I finish it.

Now, I won't be rereading each book in succession, unfortunately, I lack the appetite or the resolve to read each book one after the other, so naturally there'll be periods of time between each post where I'm doing other things, but don't panic, even if this project takes an absurd amount of time, they will be read and blogged about, and, if you fancy it, read along too.

I will, naturally, be blogging about other things in the meantime, however, do know that I'm starting this now and I'll almost certainly be tweeting about my progress.

See you at Platform 9 & 3/4s!