When I had started blogging (though, it’s been only 3 months!) I had sort of sworn to myself that I won’t post anything about Harry Potter, not that I am loathsome about him but because every second person is a Potter fan and among his fans whosoever is into writing can’t help writing about him. So, initially I didn’t want to be a part of this entourage. But then, having read Harry Potter and not mentioning him in my blog is a sin in itself.
I was in class 8 when I first laid my hands on the series; read 6 of them in a month. I fancied myself as a marathon reader during that one month – used to sit in the last row of the class to skip lessons and read the book, used to miss sports to read it, used to read the book during my prep time. I know there are zillions of others who read the novels with the same fervour. I remember reading the 7th book while standing in a long queue; it had been only 6 days since the book had released and there comes this guy who tells me – “you are a very slow reader!” And a few days later his comment echoed back in my ears when I read – “Started on 12:00 am, 21st July; finished reading the same day at 7:00 am.” written on the inside cover page of one of the copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Whoa! The news of JK Rowling confirming that she won’t write any other Harry Potter book was like someone telling me, all the libraries of the world were going to be closed. I had this dilemma of how would I survive without knowing what’s happening in Harry’s life. Believe me I am not exaggerating; but then that was a 15 year old kid’s doleful tale. People don’t know the name of their great grandfather but know the full name of Dumbledore. JK Rowling has certainly cast a spell on the whole world. There are schools in the United Kingdom which have Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as their A-Level English syllabus. I wish the Kapil Sibbal gets inspired from the Brits and makes Harry Potter part of the Indian curriculum as well. The popularity of Harry Potter is x --> ∞ and will be eternal.
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, there is this part in which Ron tells that Voldemort’s name had been jinxed. I thought that JK Rowling was hinting to the origin of the term ‘Voldemort’. It made a very obvious impression in my mind that ‘Voldemort’ had been the name of some ancient spell which when casted disrupts the ambient enchantments, and that Tom Riddle had purposely chosen this spell to be his name. Doesn’t it sound more astounding? But my piece of fantasy bit the dust. But I still think this ancient spell thing was worthy enough to earn a place in the novel.
Though it’s peculiar, but I found Harry’s character proves dominating only on a broomstick and in fleeing away dementors. The meagre ‘Expelliarmus’ against the jet of green light sounds too coward. Harry uses ‘Sectumsempra’ against Malfoy but only a disarming spell at the person who had killed his parents and was then after him. Avada Kedavra from Harry’s wand would have proved more heroic in the final duel between him and Voldemort. But then JK Rowling is far great a writer to disapprove what she has written and anyways these are my personal take on the scenes.
I know of people, and that includes myself, who have an utter desire to live within the enchanted walls of Hogwarts, who desire to have a wand, who desire to play Quidditch, their aspirations pile on and on. Imagine, the sorting hat resting on your head and placing you in Gryffindor. My ‘engineering mind’ (though I am not an engineer, but because of the fact that I study in an engineering college, I am allowed to use the term) thought of transfiguring this day dream into reality; and it thought of ‘simulators’. We surely have heard of flight simulators. Why not a ‘Hogwarts Simulator’? People would go into a room with walls covered with 3D screens, with movable floors having numerous axes of rotation. Some laser technology (like they have in Laser Tag) to imitate spells being cast out of wands. The idea is very vague but what an impact it would create on the world if implemented! And people would expect engineers only to make this ‘wonder’!
Parting with the boy who lived is sorrowful but someone has rightly said – “All good things must come to an end.”
I was in class 8 when I first laid my hands on the series; read 6 of them in a month. I fancied myself as a marathon reader during that one month – used to sit in the last row of the class to skip lessons and read the book, used to miss sports to read it, used to read the book during my prep time. I know there are zillions of others who read the novels with the same fervour. I remember reading the 7th book while standing in a long queue; it had been only 6 days since the book had released and there comes this guy who tells me – “you are a very slow reader!” And a few days later his comment echoed back in my ears when I read – “Started on 12:00 am, 21st July; finished reading the same day at 7:00 am.” written on the inside cover page of one of the copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Whoa! The news of JK Rowling confirming that she won’t write any other Harry Potter book was like someone telling me, all the libraries of the world were going to be closed. I had this dilemma of how would I survive without knowing what’s happening in Harry’s life. Believe me I am not exaggerating; but then that was a 15 year old kid’s doleful tale. People don’t know the name of their great grandfather but know the full name of Dumbledore. JK Rowling has certainly cast a spell on the whole world. There are schools in the United Kingdom which have Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as their A-Level English syllabus. I wish the Kapil Sibbal gets inspired from the Brits and makes Harry Potter part of the Indian curriculum as well. The popularity of Harry Potter is x --> ∞ and will be eternal.
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, there is this part in which Ron tells that Voldemort’s name had been jinxed. I thought that JK Rowling was hinting to the origin of the term ‘Voldemort’. It made a very obvious impression in my mind that ‘Voldemort’ had been the name of some ancient spell which when casted disrupts the ambient enchantments, and that Tom Riddle had purposely chosen this spell to be his name. Doesn’t it sound more astounding? But my piece of fantasy bit the dust. But I still think this ancient spell thing was worthy enough to earn a place in the novel.
Though it’s peculiar, but I found Harry’s character proves dominating only on a broomstick and in fleeing away dementors. The meagre ‘Expelliarmus’ against the jet of green light sounds too coward. Harry uses ‘Sectumsempra’ against Malfoy but only a disarming spell at the person who had killed his parents and was then after him. Avada Kedavra from Harry’s wand would have proved more heroic in the final duel between him and Voldemort. But then JK Rowling is far great a writer to disapprove what she has written and anyways these are my personal take on the scenes.
I know of people, and that includes myself, who have an utter desire to live within the enchanted walls of Hogwarts, who desire to have a wand, who desire to play Quidditch, their aspirations pile on and on. Imagine, the sorting hat resting on your head and placing you in Gryffindor. My ‘engineering mind’ (though I am not an engineer, but because of the fact that I study in an engineering college, I am allowed to use the term) thought of transfiguring this day dream into reality; and it thought of ‘simulators’. We surely have heard of flight simulators. Why not a ‘Hogwarts Simulator’? People would go into a room with walls covered with 3D screens, with movable floors having numerous axes of rotation. Some laser technology (like they have in Laser Tag) to imitate spells being cast out of wands. The idea is very vague but what an impact it would create on the world if implemented! And people would expect engineers only to make this ‘wonder’!
Parting with the boy who lived is sorrowful but someone has rightly said – “All good things must come to an end.”
Well a potter fan reading is reading this so Ankit obviously I shall Disagree with you this once (no offence intended). To put it simply, when Rowling wrote the book, she had not intended engineer to go into the technicality of matters. It is pure fantasy, like all fiction books the intention of this one is also to give you a temporary get away from the hustle bustle of life.
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