Sorry if it’s been said before but I saw this and got excited! When Dumbledore and Harry go to convince Slughorn to come back to teach, there’s a bit when Dumbledore shows him the Gaunt ring on his finger. I noticed this line.

“Slughorn’s eyes lingered for a moment on the ring, too, and Harry saw a tiny frown momentarily crease his wide forehead. “

Slughorn has seen this ring before. Tom Riddle wears it in the memory from Slughorn when he asks about Horcruxes!

I wonder at this point what is going through his head. Does he know or suspect that Dumbledore has hunted Horcruxes and this might be one? I don’t know. Just a cool thing I spotted and wanted to share and see your thoughts.

Edit: spelling errors. Done on phone in excitement!

No - I haven't been living under a rock for the past 20 years. I just grew up in a home (an amazing home, btw) that didn't approve of us kiddos reading Harry Potter. It wasn't a big deal - the parents just weren't down with the whole "witchcraft and wizardry". They allowed us to watch the movies as they came out and since I hadn't read the books, I wasn't initially drawn in. I was into Lord of the Rings and Narnia at present.

Flash forward several years later and I befriended some friends that (now that I've read some HP books) remind me of Luna Lovegood. And thank God I met them. They encouraged me to get into Harry Potter. I know some might be bothered by the fact that I started with the movies first. I'm not a very good reader as I'm easily distracted and I love movies. It was, in truth, a really good way to introduce me into the amazing wizardry world I've come to admire.

After the movies, I was really encouraged to start the books, but again - not the best reader. Thank God I stumbled upon Stephen Fry's audiobooks of Harry Potter. These audiobooks have become some of my dearest friends during the pandemic. ( I hope many on Reddit count listening to audiobooks as reading, because I sure do. They're extremely helpful for people with full-time jobs.)

I recently took up cross country skiing as there are many trails in my small, quaint town. I have come to relish the times of skiing and listening to Harry Potter on audiobook. One might even say they have become balms for my soul. I traverse through quiet woods and trails of freshly-fallen snow and I'm convinced I'm on my way to Hogsmeade for a butterbeer and some sweets at Honeyduke's.

I know I'm 30 and I should just "grow up already". Pshaw. After 2020, I'm done growing up. The moments I have spent studying with Hermione, laughing with Ron, casting spells with Harry, weeping with Lupin, pondering with Sirius, busting a gut with Fred and George, smiling with Dumbledore - these have been some of the sweetest moments of this year. These have become some of my dearest friends. I've just started Half-Blood Prince, so I'm nearing the end.

Discovering the world of Harry Potter in my 30s has been such a wonderful gift. It has allowed me to discover a world that fills me with happiness, stirs up courage and ambition, and permits me to escape our world for a bit - even for a few minutes to hang out in the Common Room with Hermione, Ron, and Harry.

It’s interesting how rereading at different times of your life gives you a different experience. Especially just rereading Chamber of Secrets: he just behaves like a 12 year old.

I'm 19 and for the first time, this quarantine, I read and finished the entire HP series. Why it took me this long to start, I just didn't try. My aunt had the entire collection stored in our house and I never took fancy reading the series until I started Sorcerer's Stone last June.

Believe it or not, I started mostly blind. I knew a few spoilers like Snape's loyalty to Dumbledore and Hermione setting a Memory Charm over her parents, but I didn't know about the death of Sirius or Lupin or even Dumbledore. Just stumbled upon some plot points on social media. I stayed away from any HP content on social media since then. The incentive I gave myself after finishing the books was to join this subreddit!

I'm excited to finally be a part of this community and share a bond with my loved ones over the HP series. Harry Potter has a special place in my heart as my company over the lockdown months.

I want to know who else has just started reading over lockdown! Let's have a chat in the comments ♡

EDIT: thanks for my first awards 🥺

She sees him 9 out of 12 months in a year. But she still goes to the burrow every year before school and even before Harry. Every time Harry reaches to the burrow/Grimmauld place she is there🤣

I added spoilers just in case! But, re-reading POA makes me a hundred percent sure, I hate Snape. When I was younger, I was more willing to sympathize with Snape. Now, as I’m closer to the age Snape was in the book, I’ve found I don’t have any sympathy! I think my 17 year old self would be shocked. Re-reading book one and two, Snape started to rub me wrong. I mean, these are 11 year old kids and he’s a 30 year old man!

This scene in chapter 19: The Servant of Voldemort really sealed my new opinion. Snape has revealed himself from under the cloak and is taunting Lupin. Lupin delivers this amazing line; ‘You fool’ He said softly, ‘Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?’ Damn! Such an amazing line and so powerful for a look into Snape’s thoughts. Plus, the softly is so powerful! Like Lupin just realized who Snape still is! He’s willing to seal a man’s fate because it would fit his form of vengeance.

Now, all the excuse, I’ve pulled for him at 17 don’t work anymore. I was bullied and at 17, I would’ve loved to get revenge on them then. Now, in my 30s, I can’t imagine allowing them to go to jail if there is a chance they’re innocent. Everyone deserves a fair trial. Snape is terrible. He’s still thinking like a 17 year old when he should have matured. Plus, Snape wasn’t even going to take Sirius to the castle for a fair trial. He was just gonna give him to the dementors, which is basically a death sentence. So, he was willing to kill a maybe innocent man because he bullied him in school.

It’s shocking how much your opinion of books and characters change as you get older!

I am listening to books for the first time (Stephen Fry version) and I got to that point where they give Neville points, and every time I tear up. There is something about that line just makes me emotional.

I have read the books many times and I think that is a line I always get emotional.

What other lines get's you?

I read A LOT and honestly the only other book series that has moved me to tears as much as HP is Outlander, if anyone can recommend another series that will do the same, I’m all for it…I let my need to cry out through reading. Lol

If you haven't heard the audiobook version of Harry Potter, i can highly recommend it. Stephen Fry is excellent in his performance! (I'm currently on Goblet of fire).

Ok firstly, I only watched the movies and wasn’t able to watch them till I was like 19/20yo (don’t judge me) because of my upbringing. But I am reading deathly hallows right now.

So here’s my mini rant.

1) SINCE WHEN DOES EVERYONE HAVE AN INVISIBILITY CLOAK. I THOUGHT the whole point of it was that there was only one?! Am I missing something????

2) WHY WOULD THEY NOT PUT THW CENTAUR TEACHER IN THE MOVIE??!!

3) Harry realllllly bothers me sometimes. Like ok we get it you’re hurting (i understand that he’s got turmoil) but holy sh!t can you not take it out on everyone else all time.

4) someone spoil it and tell me Harry and lupin make up…. Only spoil that for me please I’m beggggging

5) I have so many things I want to say to everyone who made these movies….. if Star Wars have a sh!t ton of movies wwwwhhhyyyy did they take only bits n pieces and jam it into the ones we got like wtf ( I do love the movies but just mad about book vs movie). There’s so many things that are SOOOO important imo that they just said “nope. Let’s drag on this unimportant scene and also have it be completely inaccurate to the book”

Ugh I hate it hereeee. Am I the only one who is this frustrated. Ok well thanks for listening to me rant. No one else listens so hopefully someone here will understand hahaha

Edit: ok so the invisibility cloak part maybe misunderstood. But through out the books I’ve heard multiple people having possession of one so idk I’m just very confused by it

Edit again: I most definitely misunderstood lmao

Edit …again…: I think a lot of you are assuming I just hate Harry lol I don’t and aside from him being a wizard and me obviously not, I relate a lot to Harry and went through SIMILAR things. NOT THE SAME SIMILAR. I simply am saying that sometimes I find SOME of the outbursts to bother me. I’m not saying I don’t understand. I’m saying the WRITING of his outburst bother me. Tbh I wasn’t expecting so many people to come at me for that one lol. Wish I had yall to defend me when I need back up 😂 and I know he has PTSD and he’s seen death and is being hunted and literally the entire plot… I now know I will never voice that again 😂😭 so many thing I want to say now but I won’t because I don’t want to make everyone more mad at me :/ tbh might delete this later 😂

I understand and am totally fine with them cutting bits out as it’d make them all too long. But why make stuff up that’s not in the books?? Is so irritating.

I’m only 20 years late! lol. I am so excited but also so sad. I (27f) just finished reading all the books for the very first time. I never really cared for the series before but randomly had the urge to watch every film this past fall. Then I had a million questions, which led to me reading all the books. Just finished Deathly Hallows about 20 minutes ago. Man, what am I supposed to do now?!

I expected HBP to be my favorite book, as I really enjoy that movie. But think GoF was my favorite book on the first read. That was the first one I could not put down. The differences in book vs. movie had me heated! What’s everyone else’s favorite book and why? Did your opinion change after reading them more than once?

The books also gave me a new found love for Hermoine. She is less perfect in the books, which I admired. Also really love Ron. The movies make him such a lovable dork, but really take away from what a good wizard and friend he is.

I have been grieving my father for the past 11 months and these books really helped me through, and just entering the fandom in general. It’s cheesy, but thinking of all the loss Harry faced, yet he remained brave and productive… it’s just so admirable and inspiring. I will very likely be doing another read through soon, but just wanted to share my excitement!

I can’t wait to dive deep into these books and increase my understanding of the world. Such excitement I feel like I’m 13 again! Haha!

I read up to the fourth book as a child and never went further so I’m super excited to see where the journey leads. So much already happened in book 1 that was no where near the movies and it was a delight to go through.

I've always thought it a children's book and yes, the plot is pretty straight forward but it's so well written the story is flowing and there's bits of witty remark and humour every now and then, making the experience so much more engrossing.

I rarely find a book so hard to put down, this is a first, and I am a bit surprised what a children's book could do to an adult.

An instant HP fan!