Fan Focus: Madeline – July 13, 2014

MADELINE

Age 27 – Netherlands
HUFFLEPUFF

How did you become a Harry Potter fan?

Harry Potter 1 came to me on my 14th birthday in 2001, I loved it, borrowed books 2 en 3 after a sleepover and soon owned them plus book 4 myself, in Dutch. It became a happy escapism for teenager me. An obsession that sometimes slept but always ignited again. Then 3 book releases (6 if you count the Dutch ones) 8 movies, a full Harry Potter book shelve and 13 years later, I managed to rediscover Jo’s world through Stephen Fry. I even started reading them to my partner who loves it too.

What would your patronus be and why?

It would be a rabbit or a hare, they are my favourite animals and their extrovert body language resembles how I am. My current pet rabbit resembles me a bit.  I am very enthusiastic and driven in everything I do, he does to. I once did an online test on the Northern Lights series and my daemon turned out to be a hare! My Chinese horoscope (1987) is also a rabbit.

What Potter fandom memory would you keep in your Pensieve?

My first search word was Harry Potter when we got our first internet connection 13 years ago, and I ended up on HP Galleries which contained a photo with the text and a link “Thanks to Thomas from Zweinstein (Hogwarts) Club”. I clicked it and ended up in a place where I found others whom were as obsessed with Potter as me! A happy place considering I was an outsider at school and no-one my age cared about Potter in my “real” word. I have shared loads of discussion, speculation and more happy thoughts and memories with my fellow Harry Potter fan friends since that day I found that link all those years ago and some friendships still exist nowadays. A happy memory to cherish forever!

What was your reaction to the news about Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them?

I am excited about it, especially because Jo will write the script herself! I really, really enjoy the extra content on Pottermore and it makes me hungry for more. Always found New Scamander an interesting person and am really curious about his life.