How and when did you get in to Harry Potter?
The first time I heard of this boy/book/story called Harry Potter I wasn't that interested in it. Then I saw the German version of "Big Brother" where one of the "locked in" read the books all the time so I got a little (really just a little bit) curious in the story, but I thought these books were just for kids. Well, I said to myself, go to the cinema and watch Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. A cinema ticket isn't that expensive so I wouldn't have lost anything if I hadn't liked it. All the little kids were wearing hats and capes (it wasn't the premiere!!) so I thought, "Oh dear, what did I get into here?" Anyway, I took my seat and when I stopped ducking (I ducked so that none of my dear friends could see me watching Harry Potter in the cinema — they all didn't know him, they also thought it would be children's stuff and would have surely have laughed — like me at the beginning), I saw that there were also a lot of "older" people watching the movie. I felt a lot better then. ;-) Well, I saw the movie and a new fan, no, not just a fan, a fanatic, obsessed freak was born. The next day I ran to the nearest bookstore to buy the first three books. I read them within 2 1/2 weeks (only at night, because of work). I was that impressed!! Even more than of the movie, and the movie was that wicked. The fourth, that had been sold out, followed soon. A few weeks later I booked a journey to London to visit some Harry Potter locations. We (a friend of mine went with me, not because of Harry, just for London) were in London in June 2002. I was so obsessed, I bought everything there was with Harry in it, on it, with it,...which was really not little. I also bought the English versions of the books there...I can say, London is a paradise for HP fans ;-). And the story went on and on. When the 5th book came out (in Austria also on Friday, June 21st at midnight — the English version), I read the whole night, all Saturday and Sunday, and was done with the book on Sunday/Monday morning at 3 o'clock (with the English version,for a German-speaking person not too bad, ha? ;-))

Which Harry Potter book is your favorite?
I love all five books — of course. People can learn from these books much more important things for their lives than from some well-educated teachers — in having respect for each other, having self-confidence, building and developing friendships, believing in themselves,...neverthless, Order of the Phoenix been my favorite book so far. Harry is now a teenager with all the upcoming problems a teenager has — and of course all the problems a "normal" teenager doesn't have to deal with. Sometimes I laid on the floor laughing because of the twins and their jokes, then I cried with Harry when Sirius died, then I wanted to jump into the book and kill Umbridge with my own hands when she gave Harry and the twins a lifelong ban from Quidditch or when Harry had those nasty, cruel detentions. In this book you can live out all your emotions. It's just great — and of course long. The longer, the better!!!

What character can you relate to most?
Well, I had to think of this question very long but I think it would be Professor McGonagall. She's very strict but always fair. She always tries to lead Harry on the right way and helps him in every situation he gets into. I think it is not that obvious, but she does everything she can and that is in her power for her Gryffindors (especially concerning Quidditch). But she also cares about people that she doesn't really have to care for. For example, Trelawney, Hagrid, and the other students of Hogwarts. She's really cool, too. I mean she is so sarcastic. Please think of the scene in PoA, when the shocked and terrified Gryffindors told her about the "prophecy" from Trelawney, that Harry would be the one to die this year, or when she helps Peeves to make a mess in the school, or when she lends him her stick to drive Umbridge out of Hogwarts...I completely fell in love with her when she said that she would make harry an Auror even if it was the last thing she did...she's really great.

Are you satisfied with the handling of the "boy/girl stuff" in book 5?
Yes I am. The scenes when Hermione always tries to explain the feelings of girls to Harry and Ron and the boys do not get anything are soooo funny. "You have the sensibility of a teabag" she said once (is teabag the correct word? I can't remember, but I'm sure all of you know what I mean). JKR must have had a really good time when she wrote this. I also like Ginny's new self-confidence. She isn't the little girl that Harry is the hero for anymore. She got dates and is, concerning love-stuff, much much higher developed than the trio - even Hermione. The Harry-Cho story is very amusing and nice. Harry got his first kiss and got butterflies in his stomach but I think it's over now. Cho wasn't the right girl for him. He needs someone who knows and understands him and his situation. This girl (if Hermione isn't the one) also has to understand and accept that Hermione is one of Harry's best friends in the world and mustn't be jealous like cho was. All in all I'm very glad that this love-stuff didn't take over the whole story.

What did you think was the most exciting thing that happened in book 5? What was the most disturbing? What left the biggest impression on you?
I've got two most exciting scenes in OotP. The first one was in the first chapter, called "Dudley Demented". My dad drove me to the bookstore, where I bought OotP, and back, because I wanted to start reading even in the car. I read the first headline and was so shocked and terrified. My heartbeat was over 200 and sweat was on my forehead and on my hands. Could it be? Could Dudley really get the Dementor's kiss? Could dudley be the one who gets killed in the book? And all this in the first chapter???? I read the first lines but then I wasn't able to read anymore because I felt really sick and got a headache because of reading in a driving car — it drove me crazy!! Well, when I was at home and started reading once again, I ended the chapter with a deep feeling of relief in my heart. I have liked Dudley a lot and wasn't prepared for the possibility of his death at all. The second most exciting scene in OotP was — of course — when the DA went to the Ministry to look for Sirius, when they got the prophecy and all of a sudden they had to fight against the Death Eaters. First I felt deeply sorry for Harry because he realized that he just walked into a trap by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. This recognition must have been dreadful for him. He put not just himself in high danger but also his best friends. When the members of the Order then came to their rescue and Tonks, Moody and Kingsley got seriously injured and Sirius lost his life, Harry's sense of guilt must have been even stronger. It was so horrible...and when Dumbledore came to their help and fought against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named I couldn't even blink, I was so excited and impressed.

The most disturbing? I can't think of anything that I felt was really disturbing and JKR could have let out of the book...OK, perhaps Grawp. I think Hagrid didn't think about the consequences of his making the trio Grawp's nanny if he got expelled. He knows very well that Harry, Ron, and Hermione have many problems and have their own responsibilities. And of course it is their O.W.L. year...so I must say that I found this part of the story a little bit disturbing. But I'm sure that Grawp will have an important part in the upcoming books

The most impressive part? I have to say that the whole book left one big impression on me. I was definitely impressed when I realized that Harry had just used an Unforgivable Curse (crucio on Bellatrix) and that he will most probably have to use another one to kill He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named (but I'm sure JKR will go another way to destroy You-Know-Who, "just kill him" would surely not be her message to all of us). This prophecy has to be a very large burden for Harry, the prophecy and the deep mourning about Sirius. I'm wondering how Harry can stand this all. If this all would happen to me, you could put me into St. Mungo's right next to Gilderoy Lockhart.

Was the character that died the one you thought it would be? (Be honest now!)
No, definitely not. I read through the internet and all the characters were candidates to be killed in this book, except Sirius. Nearly no one thought of him. I really thought it would have been Hagrid. No, I was sure it would have been Hagrid. Of course I was shocked and very sad because of Sirius' death. But the saddest part for me was not the moment when Sirius died himself (I'm sure he will return), but when Harry found the mirror that could have had prevented the whole tragic story, or when he ran through the castle to find Nearly Headless Nick to ask him if Sirius could be a ghost now...I have to say, I shed some (ok many, many, many) tears. ;-(

Which house would you like to be in and why? Do you think the Sorting Hat would place you in that house?
Of course I would like to be in Gryffindor House but I think I would be sorted into Hufflepuff. I'm not the bravest person in the world and every time I have to make an important decision I have to sleep over and over it. If you're in Gryffindor you have to decide and act quick and clever and so I think the Sorting Hat wouldn't dare to put me into Gryffindor. I'm also not likely to be sorted into Ravenclaw because I'm afraid I'm not smart enough (hey, when even Hermione isn't in ravenclaw?). And Slytherin? NO WAY!!! I'm way to good-natured for this mad, nasty, vicious house and I also wouldn't want to live in the dungeons!! ;-) Well,like the Sorting Hat's song says: "Helga Hufflepuff takes the rest and teaches them all she knows", so it isn't that bad, is it?

Do you have any interesting HP stories to share?
Well, like I said above, my friend and I were in London, where I bought so many things of Harry that on the day of our arrival I had no cash anymore. I had to use my credit card from then on, but after another two days I asked my friend to take my credit card otherwise I wouldn't have had any money left when I returned to Austria. ;-)

Also very interesting was the 21st of June 2003. I pre-ordered the book on the day the release date was made official. So I was sure that there wouldn't have been any problems. But on this important Friday I got a very bad feeling so I went to the bookshop on my lunch break and asked if all the books had arrived. Then the nice lady told me that the books hadn't arrived yet. I thought, OK, there's still a lot of time left until midnight. Then she told me that she would only receive 6 books from an outlet and the rest would arrive on Monday. There were about 500 pre-orders, so she would have to sell them first-come, first-served. I got a little bit nervous (OK I was nearly freaking out). I called my dad to tell him that we would have to get there much earlier than expected. He calmed me down and promised to be there at about 7 o'clock. When we arrived I was very shocked because there were about 10 people waiting. I cannot describe here what I thought at that moment because I'm sure children will read this as well. ;-) Ten people were 4 too many to get one of the 6 copies. After some very nervous hours I was the 5th person to get a book. There were — to my luck — some people just accompanying someone else. Puhhh!!!

Do you have anything else you'd like to add? Maybe a theory you've concocted, a shout-out?
Well, I have a lot of theories about the following books, but I'm afraid one is more improbable than the other ;-) One's for sure: Sirius will return and will lead Harry along with Lupin through the following two years and through the final battle with V- V- ...He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Like I said above, this will not be a regular battle or fight, Harry will use some other method to (no, I won't say kill) get rid of You-Know-Who. I also think that Neville and Luna will have big parts in the upcoming books. But these are just speculations. For sure is that JKR will, without any doubt, create another two great, fascinating, overwhelming, magical books where we all will sink in and never wanna get out again.

Again, many, many thanks to all of you for selecting me. It's a big pleasure and honour to be posted in THE greatest Harry Potter site on the WWW. [Editor: *blushing*]

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