As we carry on through the end of the Potter phenomenon, we must remember why we've followed Harry through his adventures for so long.
I think I speak for all of the Potter fans when I say Harry has been a sort of hope for all of us. As we followed him through his seven years at Hogwarts, we witnessed the dark and miserable times he was forced to endure. We watched how he handles these experiences, and he turned into a certain hero for all of us.
In the first book, the story starts out simple, an ordinary boy finding out that he is a wizard, and attends a school for people like him. As the series grew, the books got deeper into the details of the story, branching out into different concepts and storylines. Not only did we watch the story grow, but we watched Harry grow as well.
There's something in the soul of a human being that attracts the desire to watch a person grow, no matter if they're fictional or not. Before the Potter series was written, children rarely came across a series in which the character grew in age; they always seemed to be locked in the same time period, repeating the same kind of adventures. When Jo Rowling introduced Harry to the publishing companies, it became a very new and different idea.
In my personal opinion, I believe the number one attraction to the Potter series has been the fact that we get to witness Harry grow, both physically and emotionally. We've watched him grow from the boy under the cupboard, to an angsty adolescence, and finally to a man who has lost everything, and is still willing to sacrifice himself for anyone.
I think this is why we admire Harry so much. He is the classic hero, but his everyday life is still as average as any wizard. He makes both friends and enemies, struggles through his classes, visits Hogsmeade with his classmates, and happens to battle Voldemort when he has the time.
The story of Harry Potter is as typical as any good versus evil plot, but for some reason, we are still attracted to it. Everyone has a different reason when it comes to this. Some stay with the series because they enjoy the romantic side of the story. Some are attracted to the fantasy-adventure genre of the series. When I think of the reasons why I love the series, there are, of course, many. I've grown to love not only Harry, but the other characters as well. I love Ron and Hermione and their loyalty to Harry. I've grown to love every plot in the books because they all are so different from each other. Finally, when I think of J.K. Rowling, I consider her the Shakespeare of modern literature.
As an obsessive fan of this brilliant series, I would like to thank every person who has been involved in this phenomenon, of which the number, I'm sure, is in the millions.
First and foremost, I need to thank Jo Rowling and her absolute genius mind for thinking up such a world-changing story. We would never have gotten so many children to read without her series.
Next, I want to thank every director, producer, and crew member who was involved in the films for making the books come to life on screen. Film is always a huge step in a phenomenon and each movie did the books justice.
I also want to thank the actors of the movies, especially the Golden Trio. As well as watching the fictional characters grow through the books, we've also watched the actors grow on screen for the last ten years. It's amazing that we've kept the same actors for the main characters for that long, and I think Dan Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson deserve a huge thank you for this.
Lastly, I want to thank all my fellow fans for sticking by the series for as long as we have. I was completely influenced by the popularity of the novels when I started to read them, and if it wasn't for Harry's fans, I still wouldn't have picked up the books.
The books and the films may be over, but the phenomenon will still live on through its future fans. People will continue to discover the series for years to come, and even Jo Rowling refuses that it's over. Clearly, this is why she came up with Pottermore.
We've had our last battle of our generation. We've made it, Potter monsters! I love anyone who has supported Harry, new fan or old. Let's keep his spirit alive by remembering his unforgettable journey for years to come!

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