Rereading Old Favourites - Harry Potter

When the first few Harry Potter books came out they weren't yet a big deal here (South Africa) and the only reason I knew of their existence was because my aunt from London had given the first two books to my little brother and sister. I thought the names sounded funny and I had no interest in reading them (after all, at the age of 13 I had far more superior taste in books!).

Then my first high school end-of-year exams came along and my English teacher used an exerpt from "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" for the comprehension questions. From that moment, sitting in a classroom tense and anxious in the middle of an exam, I was HOOKED! 

I rushed home, found the first book on my sister's shelf, and started reading. For as long as it took me to read the first two (those were the only ones out at that time) that's how long I spent tucked away in my room, pretending to be diligently studying, the books propped open inside my school file so that my mother couldn't see them when she came in to check on how hard I was working...

I recently took "Harry Potter and the Philospoher's Stone" off my shelf and began rereading it. Eleven years later, I still love it! 

It is such an interesting experience going back to the beginning of a series, after having travelled with the characters for so long, watching them grow while you yourself grow, experiencing their hardships and their joys, laughing with them and crying with them, seeing them become whoever they're meant to be... (Anyone who's read and loved this series, you KNOW what I'm talking about!)

I lay on my bed reading Harry and Ron's first awkward meeting on the train to Hogwarts and I couldn't help but think to myself.... You guys have NO idea what's in store for you!!

Have you ever tried this?  

Pick a friend you've known for years and years. 

Can you remember the very first time you met that person? What you said, what they said, what you thought of them?

I find it fascinating to think of those first few moments... knowing everything that I know now about that person...