Potter Profile - Sydney

January 17, 2010
First off, how did you become a Harry Potter fan?
When I was little my sister used to sit in her room for hours reading
and rereading the HP series. She NEVER put them down. I used to be
dragged into her room to show me JK Rowling's website post or the new
website she had found, which had ironically been Mugglenet. I didn't
really give any of it a second thought, since I was still around the
age of 6. My sister slowly grew out of her obsession and I became
interested. I read up to the half of the fourth book with my father,
and a year later I picked them back up again. The only thing I can
remember about the 7th book being released was I was at camp on the
release day. I was so jealous of my sister and as soon as I got home
I was barraging her with questions. I didn't really become a fanatic
until I learned that HBP had been pushed back to the summer of 2009.
I was infuriated and ran around the house crying and ranting about it
to my sister. It just picked up from there I guess. I think that
the HP books have given me something that I wouldn't have gained
otherwise. The passion for books. I think some people are mistaken
when they say that they hate books. I just don't think they've found
the kind of book they'd enjoyed, and that's my biggest regret for the
youth today. They don't try to find books that they would enjoy and
would enhance their knowledge, but that's what HP has done for me. I
will forever be thankful to JK Rowling and to my sister who brought
this wonderful story to me.
It has been over two years since Deathly Hallows came out and we found out
how the series ended. Do you have the same reaction to the ending now, as
you did then?
I had kind of a flabbergasted feeling when DH came out and I think
the book startled me when I first read it. I couldn't fully
comprehend the meaning of the book then, but when I reread it a year
later the meanings sunk in, and there were more than enough tear
stains on the book. DH definatly gave me the feeling of closure and
I felt as if I had been taken through an amazing journey, but it
hadn't ended yet. I still had the fandom to discover. After DH I
saw how JK Rowling had progressed in her writing style and how she
had progressed the characters through their school years. DH really
left a great impression on me, and I think it'll be hard for a series
to do that again.
Exciting things are happening in 2010! What event makes you tinkle with
excitement?
Just the fact that WB is finally starting to bring HP to a close in
the movies. It's the fact that the ending is finally coming. It's
not really the ending, but just another beginning for the series, but
I still find myself sad that the movies will be done, but the
excitement that we'll have finally reached the end of Harry's quest
to defeat Voldemort. I'm looking forward greatly to DH Part 1 this
Fall, and I'm still trying to convince my parents of a midnight
show. I think that the actors, producers, crew, and everyone
involved in the final movie will give it 110 percent. If they do
that then I'll be more than happy with the movie. Some people say
that it needs to be true to the book, but I don't think any movie can
really be true to the book. They have done an amazing job just
creating JK Rowling's world and atmosphere. I think I'll be happy
with the movie no matter what, especially if WB gives it their all.
Harry Potter: The Exhibition is moving to Ontario, Canada in the spring.
If you have made it to the exhibition, what did you think? If not, where
do you hope it travels in the future?
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it to the exhibit while it was
still in Chicago, but I heard about it on MuggleCast. Where I hope
it travels in the future? I just kind of hope that it travels across
all corners of the globe, reaching out to every fan, as an experience
that will be cherished. It would bring some sort of connection to
the HP fans, knowing other fans have seen this exhibit all over the
world, and giving them a sense of unity. I would hope that's what
the exhibition will do, and not just keep it in a few select countries.
Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is being released later this year. We know the WB
is trying to make the best true-to-the-book movie as possible, but if they
had to leave something out, it should be...?
Good question. Well, if something had to be left out of the movie I
think it should be something that hopefully I wouldn't notice.
Everyone would really enjoy that every little detail be added in the
movie, but that's almost impossible. I know they'll have to leave
things out, but I think it should be something small. Something like
a small scene included in the book just to make a small point, not
something that leaves you saying, "WTF?" I know we've all done that
at least once in the past movies. For me it was the attack that the
Burrow in HBP, and leaving out Dumbledore's funeral. I think that
whatever they leave out it will all be for the best. I don't really
think you can judge what they are going to do about it since they
have the time to put more in, since they're making it into two
parts. I think we'll just have to wait, at least until Part 1 this
November.
Harry Potter Word Association: Sorcerer's Stone
(Type the first word that comes to mind - no cheating!)
A. Discovery - The look on Harry's face when he gets his first wand,
with the sparks flying everywhere and the look of sheer amazement on
his face.
B. Friendship - During the chess game, when Ron tells Harry that
he'll sacrifice himself so Harry can go on. (That always make me go
all soft and I can't help but think, "Oh, Ron!")
C. Bravery - When Neville stands up to Harry, Ron, and Hermione when
they go off to find the stone. I always loved what Dumbledore said.
"It's hard to stand up to your enemies, but even harder to stand up
to your friends." That takes some real courage, Neville. Way to go!
If you Twitter, who is your favorite Potter star to follow and why? Do you
follow MuggleNet? Staff?
I don't have a Twitter account, but I do follow Mugglenet and
Mugglecast pretty closely. I always like to read up about the staff
and I like to look at all the Youtube videos of the staff to see just
what kind of people are behind Mugglenet and Mugglecast. I love how
different you all really are, but HP has brought you closer and has
helped to make you all really good friends. It has given you an
amazing opportunity to work with all these people. I think that's
what HP does for people, it brings people closer together.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I just want to thank you Kat for giving me the opportunity and honor
of being Fan of the Week. I sent this application in quite a while
ago and had forgotten about it after a few weeks after I had sent it
in. I literally burst out laughing when I saw the email in my
inbox. The irony of it was amazing, and I was stunned to read my
original application and how some of the things had stayed just the
same and others had changed.
Their are a few people I sincerely need to thank you for enduring my
"diasese".
Kathryn - My best friend in the whole wide world. She understood my
obsession with HP and immediately accepted me. We have grown to
become the most great of friends over the past year. She really
endured through my endless rants on the awesomeness of Snape and how
he didn't deserve to die. It has always been a ruthless battle
during HP Scene it and their is still the argument on who is better
for Hermione. Ron or Draco? She still denies the fact that Ron/
Hermione is canon, and therefore is set in stone. haha. No one ever
understands what we are talking about and that's fine with us as long
as no one insults Snape. and she has become one of the few people
that I trust fully. Thanks, Kat for everything you've done for me.
Thanks for always being there for me, especially when I most needed it.
My cousins - 5 girls. All of them HP fanatics, except one. What do
you get when you have 6 girls playing Harry Potter Clue? A LOT of
squealing, screaming, crying and a WHOLE lot of, "Neville!" or "Draco
would NEVER do such a thing!" or occasionally a "NO! RON CAN'T DIE,
HE'S INVINCIBLE!" I just want to thank my cousins for endless hours
of laughing and entertainment. Especially my cousin, Megan, who
always ends up singing Harry Potter Puppet Pals with me in random
places.
Lesley - My sister. An amazing person that introduced me to this
series. The fanatic who passed down her passion to me. She has put
up with these years of when I will burst in her room at 1 in the
morning screaming about some new HP news. She has put up with my
condition and has found a way to live with it. Thanks for
everything, Lesley.
Jo Rowling - For the books, characters, everything. Thanks for
giving me the inspiration I still carry with me today.
'
Everyone that made it to the end of this - Thanks for taking the time
to read my ALMOST complete life story. The HP fandom wouldn't be
anything without all of you, out there supporting HP until the end.