Name: Emily

Age: 17

Locaton: US

"Emily, you're a witch," Hagrid tells me in my sleep induced stupor.

As I comprehend this revelation, an incessant beeping noise starts while Hagrid reaches into one of his many coat pockets. Instead of him pulling out my Hogwarts acceptance letter, he pulls out... my alarm clock.

This frequently reoccurring dream is the best, but sometimes can feel like the worst and most upsetting, way to start my day that always revolves around the wondrous world of Harry Potter.

It all started in my preteen years where I succumbed to the latest craze of reading Harry Potter. However, I did not just become someone who "liked" Harry Potter like most of the people who were reading the books. I became a complete, utterly crazed obsessive fan.

Along with two of my best friends who I met over Harry Potter, my obsession grew into a lifestyle. We deemed ourselves the DA of the muggle world, but everyone else knew us as "those Harry Potter girls" because everything we said or did was related to Harry Potter. We made our own wands, created complicated back stories to how we fit in the wizarding world, played quidditch, wrote fanfiction, and invented crazy adventures like ones that Harry, Ron, and Hermione go on.

Since my initial burst of obsession, I have matured a teeny bit and I don't go around brandishing a wand to protect myself from anything that seems dangerous, but I still love Harry Potter just as much, if not more. I have religiously attending midnight book and movie releases since I have been old enough to. Also, my friends and I have made numerous video parodies on the movies, where I have played roles such as Neville, Quirrel, Bellatrix, and Umbridge. I also have a Harry Potter costume collection where I go through my dad's old ties to find the Harry Potter looking ones, buy countless clothing pieces, and design my own costumes, including finding the appropriate attire, making it if need be, and styling wigs and make-up.

However, nothing can compare to my ultimate Harry Potter fan experience: meeting J.K. Rowling herself. In December 2008, I was one of five winners in the United States to win Scholastic's Tales of Beadle the Bard Essay Contest. The topic was on how you've helped people and I wrote about the book drive that I do in memory of my grandma called BookGrams4Grandma. My grandma fostered my love for reading and always supported me with my Harry Potter obsession. When she was diagnosed with AlzheimerÂ’s disease, I wanted to do something in her honor. With my twin brother, we started a gently used book drive program for AlzheimerÂ’s awareness. Whenever I'm at book sales looking for new books to donate, I always make sure to scout out the Harry Potter novels because I know it is my duty as a Harry Potter fan to spread the love of reading and the novels, and it was also important to my grandma.

It was so rewarding to meet my idol for two things I love the most, my grandma and Harry Potter. However, it is not just the tangible items and the exhilarating times that I have through Harry Potter that makes me love it, but the messages that the series presents. ItÂ’s an archetype for coming of age which has provided me guidance in my own maturation. Also, it conveys messages about love, family, friends, courage, and the drive to do anything that you set your mind to it. It gives me something to look to when I'm down and inspiration when I'm stuck in tricky situations. I just think "WWDD"- what would Dumbledore do! Additionally, Harry Potter and Ms. RowlingÂ’s messages have provided me with mantras that I live my life by, such as standing up for what you believe in, achieving your dreams no matter how hard it is, and giving back to the community.

Even though I donÂ’t go to Hogwarts and live an actual life as a witch like my dream insinuates, I am still one of the most obsessive, basically mentally ill, Harry Potter fan. Every time I hear someone say Harry Potter, or make any obscure reference to it (and trust me, I catch every single one), a smile comes on my face because I love everything about Harry Potter. If I had to make a list of five things I could not live without, it would be air, food, family and friends, sleep, and Harry Potter. Harry Potter has given me inspiration, determination, friends, and so many great memories. My life is overrun by Harry Potter in the best way possible. But, I don't just read the books, search for fanficiton, and go on Mugglenet all the time. I take the messages the books so eloquently present to heart and apply them to my own life. I don't know what kind of person I would be if it wasn't for the effects Harry Potter has had, and continues to have, on me. I am also aroused to attempt to give back to the world like J.K. Rowling has taught me by spreading the joy of reading and Harry Potter. But most importantly, no matter how old I get, I will always to continue to be that fanatical fan that you'd probably find at your local grocery store trying to relate muggle food items to ones found in Harry Potter and rushing out everyday to check my mailbox to see if my Hogwarts letter is there, no matter how many years late it is.