Fan Focus: Julie – June 2, 2003

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JULIE
Age 14 – Tennessee, USA

Well, my love for Harry Potter is truly…uh…unique. Not everyone has their entire room covered (completely) with posters, newspaper articles and pictures of every character from the movies and books under the sun. But I do. My friends call me “the Harry Potter geek”, and I don’t deny it. I know the books practically inside out, backwards and forwards…you get the point. My friends and family know what to exactly to get me for gifts — anything Harry Potter and I’m one happy girl. I have all the books, the movies, and I rent the books on tape from the library every so often. It re-introduced me to British society and everything, and now I am determined to go to college in England. I’ve written my own fanfiction, created my own web page, and submitted this Potter Profile…. So I guess you could say I’m obsessed.

How and when did you get into Harry Potter?

I got into Harry Potter in 6th grade. I’m in 9th right now, and I will never forget how it happened. I was sitting in library class one day, and my teacher popped in a tape previewing the new Scholastic books coming to the book fair. I was, first of all, sitting next to my crush, and I was a tad nervous. There was an interview with J.K. Rowling and she was telling all about her book “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” I told myself, “Ok, this is going to be weird. might as well get in my beauty sleep now…” But the more I watched it, the more I was interested. Soon, the little movie was over, and my eyes were locked to the screen. And I had my hand on my crush’s knee. The rest, they say, is history.

Which Harry Potter book is your favorite?

My favorite Harry Potter book is The Prisoner of Azkaban. I really like it, because of all the twists and turns, especially with Scabbers/Pettigrew. (<cringe>) It is also funnier than the others.

What character can you relate to most?

I think I can relate to Ron the most. He tries to be brave, but in ways he isn’t. He loves sweets, so do I. He hates spiders, and I can’t count how many I’ve had to kill, screaming. He has a great sense of humour (which I think I do…), and sometimes things just don’t work out the right way for him.

What do you think of the inevitable boy/girl stuff coming in book 5?

Oh jeez. The boy/girl stuff. Well, I think it is going to be almost impossible to say that Ron and Hermione aren’t going to hook up. They fight like they’re already married! I don’t especially like it, but who am I to say that?! Harry probably will hook up with Ginny. You can tell! I think it’s really cute how all the boys and girls fight and flirt so much. It makes me laugh just thinking about it!!

Who do you think Harry will “hook up” within book 5? What about Ron?

I think Harry will hook up with Ginny in future books. Ron with Hermione.

What character do you think will die in book 5?

I honestly think that Dumbledore will die in the 5th book. I think that maybe the Order of the Phoenix is something Dumbledore gives Harry on his deathbed. Dumbledore, as you know, owns Fawkes, who is a phoenix! Hagrid said at the end of the fourth book, that things are probably going to get worse. Things get worse when Dumbledore isn’t around!

Which school house would you want to be in? Do you think the Sorting Hat would place you in that house?

Well, I would like to be in Gryffindor, because it is good and Ron, Harry and Hermione are in it. However, the way I am, I like to win a lot and I pick my friends well, I think I just might be in Slytherin. But I don’t know. We may never know!

Do you have any interesting HP stories to share?

Interesting Potter stories…Well in 8th grade we had to write a speech on anything that we wanted and present it to the class. We would be judged and then would go on to another competition. I decided to do a persuasive speech on why banning Harry Potter books is pointless and totally stupid. I told the entire thing from memory with out note cards. I won out of my class, and went on to conquer the school. I did, but in the state competition, I messed up and didn’t go on. I did make interesting friends though!!

Do you have anything else you’d like to add? Maybe a theory you’ve concocted, a shout-out?

I don’t really have anything else to add, except never let anyone else tell you that something you like is stupid, and you should stop doing (or in my case, reading) it. Believe in your self, and you can do extraordinary things!!