Fan Focus: Rute – July 24, 2011

19-year-old Rute from Portugal

 

First off, how did you become a Harry Potter fan?

I became a fan of Harry Potter and I don’t know how it happened, it just did. One moment I was reading a novel about a boy wizard, the next, I was so attached to the story, that there was no turning back. I was connected to Harry Potter. I was connected since Hagrid told Harry he was a wizard since I knew (by Dumbledore) that every kid in the world would know his name, which is, in fact, truth. Everyone had heard about Harry Potter, on tv, the internet, radio, everyone had heard that it all ends now. Harry Potter fan is a thing I acquired so naturally that I embraced it without knowing. I think I don’t know how I became a Harry Potter fan, but I certainly know why, and I think the answer for that is a simple word, that means so much in the story, and mean so much in the world: love.

Deathly Hallows Part Two comes out this month! How are you feeling, with the end of the movies so near?

I am writing this as I got home after watching the Portuguese premiere of Deathly Hallows Part 2. And I think I could never answer differently as I watched it now, and I am still crying. I am feeling like Harry felt when he knew he was a wizard, I am feeling how Harry felt when he stepped the first time at Hogwarts, I am feeling like Harry felt when he defeated Voldemort, I am feeling like Harry when all is loved ones died, I am feeling the way Harry felt as he watched Albus Severus going away at Hogwarts Express. It is all well. But I am feeling overwhelmed right now. I feel that it is not ended… Maybe I am in denial, I know… But I have a better answer for it… I think Harry Potter will never end, and this is not a childish dream, where I can say that Jo is going to write another book, nothing like that at all… Harry Potter will never end as it has such great fans that will always have it in their hearts, Harry Potter will never end because one day we’ll be telling the story of the great wizard to our kids and grandkids, and telling them to read the books, and watch the films. End of the movies… It has been quite a journey… And I admit, stepping my feet out of the cinema for the last time after watching a film for the first time didn’t feel good… It was more something I had to do… I had to let go. I was the last person leaving the room… I stood there watching the credits, and when it ended I just thought “All was well.” I got up, got out of the theatre, and left with a smile on my face.

Of all the things Dumbledore left the trio in his will, what would YOU prefer to get? The Sword of Gryffindor, the Deluminator or The Tales of Beedle the Bard? (Submitted by Liam McBey)

I think I would prefer the Deluminator. I guess that’s because I already have The Tales of Beedle the Bard… I’d love to have the Deluminator because it’s such a unique item, it was designed by Dumbledore himself, and I could find people that I lost a long time ago. It would be perfect. Turning on and out lights would be pretty cool too.

Much like Godric’s Hollow for Harry, where is the one place you’ve yet to visit that holds significance in your life?

I can’t recall a place that holds significance in my life like Godric’s Hollow does to Harry. I guess you’ll think it’s a bit forced that I say I’d love to visit London. But, the thing is, I can only think of London when I think of a place I would love to visit. I think mainly it’s because of Harry Potter, but I always had such an enthusiasm for visiting London. I’d love to go to the streets of London trying to find the Leaky Cauldron and go to King’s Cross… I think you’ll think I’m just saying this under the circumstances, but I really am not. I think the significance I give to London (and all UK) it’s because of Harry Potter.

You’ve just learned about the Deathly Hallows from Xenophilius Lovegood. Which do you wish you could possess?

That would be difficult. For a second I thought “Resurrection Stone”, so I could have my mother back, but I think I would not want my mother like that, she’d never with me like she was before, and I think I didn’t need that. So I guess the Invisibility Cloak, so I can hide whenever I want. I could do the most amazing things with the Cloak, as no one could notice me. Everyone thinks it’s the less special Hallow, but I really think it’s amazing, look at how great it was to Harry, Ron and Hermione. It has always been useful for them, and I think it could be useful for everybody.

The locket Horcrux affects each wearer differently. Do you think it would affect you as much as it does Ron? If you were the one to kill it, what images and ideas might it first taunt you with? (Submitted by Lauren Watson)

I think it would not affect me as much it did to Ron, because it really affected him in a way I can’t even imagine I could be affected. I really think I would never leave my friends, as I did a promise… But the circumstances could change, I don’t know if I was hunting for horcruxes, and I got nothing, no clue, no way to find them, no way to destroy them, I will not say “I would never abandon my friends” because I think there’s no judgment for what Ron did… The images and ideas that would taunt me would be my mother, I am absolutely sure of that because she died and I really miss her.

What do you believe King’s Cross Station represents for Harry? (Submitted by Hannah89)

I think it represents his scape for a new life. His scape for Hogwarts. He changed his life as the passed through the platform 9 and 3/4. I think it appears to him because it was such a turning point in his life, that changed it forever, but really, I think it holds significance to Jo. I think when she first thought of the Harry Potter story at a train, it made her have so much faith in King’s Cross. I think it represents his main change in life, so I think it could represent also another main change in his life: not having part of Voldemort inside of him, so he could be free… Like he was free of the Dursleys when he went to Hogwarts for the first time.

Do you have anything else you’d like to add? Maybe a theory you still believe to be true, a shout-out, praise for yours truly?

I think it’s crucial that I say that, today, at this moment, I don’t think Harry Potter has ended. The tagline “It all ends” it’s not real. You know when Harry asks “Is this real, or is it just happening inside my head?”, I think Harry Potter is a thing that happened inside all of our heads, but it doesn’t mean it’s not real. It is real, it has been real for me since 1999, and I really think it’ll be real for me forever. It will never end. It will never end as Harry’s got true fans. It will never end as we all are going to tell Harry’s story to our kids and grandkids. It’s not because there’s the last film out that it had ended. I am feeling overwhelmed really, I feel so many things I can’t even say what I feel… It has been such a journey. I think it will never end, just because we know the end of the story. It has been so real to all of us, it has been so real to me, that I am not giving it up just because I just watched the last movie. It’s the last, there will not be the thrill of watching another HP, or reading another book, but I think it’s a way for us to grow up. We know that all is well, we know that it’s all going to last.