9 years

Last week my husband and I did something we rarely do. We actually went to a movie in the theater. We hate spending the money on going to a film when the price of the two tickets pays for our month of Netflix or we could even buy the DVD if we wanted to just wait a while. So usually we just see what is coming out and add it to our Netflix queue and wait. The only exception to this is Harry Potter. We have gone to the theater to see each of the films as they have come out. We even saw a number of them the first day they were released. It is actually really fun to go to the movies when people are so excited about the film and are even dressed up as their favorite characters.

So we went to see The Half Blood Prince last week. We went to a 10:00 p.m. showing, on a week night. We ended up being the only people enjoying the stadium seating and big screen. It was a good film but, as usual, we both agreed the book is a lot better. Even though we hadn't read the book in a long time there were still things we knew were left out. And it is always fun to be reminded of some of the things we had forgotten about.

So why is Harry Potter so important to us? Why would we spend the money on a film when we usually wouldn't? Harry Potter is part of our marriage. That may sound a bit strange but there are many happy memories associated with Harry Potter that started from almost the beginning of our married life.

We were engaged in the spring of 2000 and that was when the 4th book was about to be released and the hype was big. We didn't know much about the books but knew everyone was talking about them. Even my Mom had bought the first few books and so we decided to give the first one a try. We needed something to do together that didn't require us to spend money, so we read books to each other. Or actually I just listened as my then fiance read Harry Potter to me. He enjoyed doing all the different voices for the different characters and I am not as good at the accents and voices. So I listened while he read the first book and then the next one. Our emails to each other during this time, often consisted of us discussing what we thought was going to happen next and how we were looking forward to that nights chapters. (I know, sort of cheesy!)

The fourth book was released in July of 2000. We were married in August and took the fourth book with us on our Honeymoon. It went all the way to London with us and we read some of it there. We even visited Kings Cross Station to see platform 9 3/4. There wasn't one there of course but I have a picture of me standing on Platform 9.

As each of the books has been released we have read them aloud together. We usually tried to read them aloud together first so we could experience the excitement, and be scared or worried together. My husband would read one or two chapters after work before he was tired and started to fall asleep, it was just taking too long. By the time the 6th and 7th books were released we had a few kids and I was home with them, and the books were there on the shelf. I couldn't resist reading ahead. So the last two books I read to myself first but he still read them aloud because he really enjoyed doing the voices and loves to read aloud. I do admit those read alouds weren't nearly as fun, since I already knew what was going to happen.

So yes, Harry Potter has become a fond memory of our engagement and early married life.



Today as I have looked back over the last 9 years it is hard not to remember those hours spent enjoying the books and movies together as a couple. I would never call us Harry Potter fanatics but for some reason when I remember those months of our engagement, it is Harry Potter that comes to mind.