ok ok so I have a question that isn’t really me asking questions just pointing out a gigantic flaw

the Trace doesn’t know WHO did the magic, just that magic was done in the vicinity of an underaged wizard. We see this in CoS, where Harry is blamed for what Dobby did (Wizarding children actually can get away with it, because the Trace is ignored for them because their parents are likely to do magic around them in the summer. Wizard parents are just supposed to keep their kids under control, but the Trace picks up every spell used around or by an underaged wizard or witch).

So what use is giving Harry a guard in OotP to keep him from doing magic? Like if they cast the spell for him, he still gets in trouble. If Dung had cast the Patronus Charm to fend off the Dementors near Harry, he’d still get charged. He’s the only wizard in the area, according to the Wizengamot.

Also, what would happen if someone on the Knight Bus used magic in Harry’s area if he summonsed it? Harry would get charged still, right? Or would the Ministry realise there are more wizards in the area? But the Trace would still trigger around Harry.

This Trace thing seems very flawed.

mellarkes:

“all was well”

NO NOTHING IS WELL BECAUSE I JUST FINISHED THE BOOK SERIES THAT MADE UP MY WHOLE CHILDHOOD AND NOW THERE AREN’T ANY MORE BOOKS AND I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF AND I DIDN’T GET MY HOGWARTS LETTER AND I’M NOT A WIZARD SO I HATE EVERYTHING 

I remember I turned the page excitedly and when I saw the blank pages that followed the Epilogue, and when I finally reached the back cover, I went back and looked at those last three little words and then those blank pages again, and it hit me hard, and I started crying, closed the book, and held it close. Cried as I gave the book to Mum to read. Spent a lot of the day crying, really. Curled up with Book the First later on and just stared at the “The Boy Who Lived” feeling very numb and thinking about the years between the first time I heard the words “Mr and Mrs Dursley of number four, Privet Driver were proud to say they were perfectly normal, thank you very much” and earlier that day when I’d read “all was well”. Waiting for the films, going to midnight releases, sitting with other fans like me… for a while it was the only place I belonged. Then I realised I still had the films, and though it wasn’t the same, it was something. And I cried very hard after that.

All was well.

(Source: jacewaylands, via a-studyinsonic)

fudgeflies:

perpetualrage:

If you needed a damn book series about a wizard and his groupies to teach you about love and friendship because you couldn’t learn about it the old fashion way through nature or nurture, then you have serious issues.

Hi! Major Potterhead here with some university and a few child psychology classes under her belt. I noticed you had a little trouble keeping your silliness out of the Harry Potter tag. It’s fine! Sometimes people make mistakes, happens to the best of us. But I just wanted to address your point because I think it kind of stinks. You tried to slip in the nature vs nurture argument to make the post seem a little more valid but you failed :(. Implying books have no business shaping or are irrelevant to our human experience is a little ignorant. Part of the nurture side in “nature vs nurture” is environmental factors, specially “observational learning”, which comes from watching peers and parents, and more “static” things, like TV, the internet, and yes, books. Some children are blessed with parents who can afford them tons of TLC, while others have parents who are distracted by life and depend on those “static” things to act as a makeshift babysitter. This isn’t the child’s fault, it does not mean they have “serious issues”. It means they’ll learn with the tools they are given. Of course it’s ideal to learn about love and friendship from the people surrounding you, but it’s not always realistic, so having something like Harry Potter is extremely important. They’re easy reads with very clear, meaningful messages. Learning the value of a true friend or the importance of sticking to your beliefs from “a wizard and his groupies” is not very different than learning the Pythagorean theorem in a text book at school. Except the former will do you worlds of good later on in life, while most of us can’t even spell the latter without looking it up, let alone remember what the hell its significance is. 

tl;dr: Psychologists have recognized the usefulness of learning about basic humanity from books, when will you?

Speaking as someone who learnt those things, and many more, from Harry Potter, I have a bit of a story to tell.

I began Harry Potter when I was about six. My mother would read to my brother and I every night a chapter from one of the Potter books. When I was eight, I could read them on my own. At the time, Goblet of Fire was a new book, and hardly a year after that, people began to bully me, and I sort of forgot what friendship and love were like. I was only nine, I wasn’t very good at making friends, and my friends had forgone me because they were told that if they continued to be my friend, they would be bullied, and they were, and they left me. I had no friends, and I relied entirely on Harry to teach me and remind me what it was like to have friends. What it was like to be loved. Were it not for “a wizard and his groupies”, I probably would have gone through with the suicide attempts. Nobody thinks a nine, ten year old child would ever contemplate suicide, but it happens. Call it stupid, but the fact that I needed to know how the series ended was what kept me going. The fact that if a child like Harry, who was bullied worse than I, could make it through, then so could I. I didn’t get any help from my parents or my teachers when I was getting bullied, hell, my teacher was the Snape to my Harry; she not only ignored the bullying, but engaged in it. She picked me specifically when she knew I would not know an answer because I hadn’t been at school or because I was bad at maths. I always kept to Harry, because Harry taught me that I could get through and still find someone that loved me and would be my friend.

Harry Potter does teach, and it’s probably a better teacher than what I could ever have learnt from “nature and nurture”. He is also a reminder, even now, more than ten years later, I turn to Harry Potter when I forget what it’s like to have love and friendship, when the thoughts get to me that people don’t love me. When I feel lonely, or sad, or forgotten, Harry Potter reminds me that I’m not, because I have at least my Ron Weasley, my best friend in the world, no matter what, even if my best friend doesn’t always show it, I know she’s there. So long as I have her, I’m not alone at all, ‘cause I have the best friend anyone could ask for.

And some people, unlike me, suffer from social anxiety, and can’t communicate with people that well, if at all, and rely on books and TV and film to teach them things like that, because they CAN’T learn it from first hand experience. People learn better from text than from visuals, and probably learn it easier from a book than experience.

It’s not that we have “serious issues”, it’s that we have no other way of learning because “nature and nurture” did us no good.

(via dianaladris)

janecrocker:

i don’t care how childish or dumb it is imagining sburb is real and we’re just being warned makes me feel all giddy and adventurous in my tummy i love thinking about it

Well, it’s not any different than waiting for a Hogwarts letter, is it? I mean, I’m not a Homestuck fan, but it’s like that, isn’t it? Pretending we’re muggleborns, waiting for that letter, even long after we’ve turned eleven and July 31 has gone and past. Long after that September where we’re 17, and our final year would have begun. It’s not any different, is it? Imagining a sburb disc will arrive in your postbox and sweep you away on a journey? Is it any different than turning a street corner and hoping you’ll see a magic blue box that’s smaller outside than in? Than hoping aliens will come to town, and a wonderful man with no true name will whisk you away after he saves the world once more? Even learning your significant other is a supernatural creature, and you get pulled into their world, or you come across a ghost and two men in a vintage Impala come in to save the day.

That’s the thing about fandoms like this… where adventure is just around the corner, if only you get lucky or get chosen. Whovians, Homestucks, Potterheads, even the fans of Supernatural and Twilight and Teen Wolf, and many more, we all have that feeling. It’s not childish or dumb. It’s the magic of the story being told. If a writer who does that can make their readers feel that way, then they’ve done a good job with it. If you can want to be part of that world, then a good job’s been done. There’s no need to be ashamed or feel stupid, ‘cause you’re not alone in that regard.

(Source: shsldetectivekirigirikyouku, via sekretlyserket)

It really pisses me off when someone says “Oh I’m normally a 1D/Doctor Who/Sherlock/OUaT/whatever blog, but this deserves to be on everyone’s dash” WITHIN THE COMMENTS ITSELF on a post about a death or something else tragic or otherwise meaningful, it seems incredibly disrespectful, even if you’re the OP, because that’s like indirect guilt-tripping, and it’s self-promoting. “If I can do this so can you” “If I, a fandom blog just like half the blogs on tumblr, can reblog this, so can you”. It’s as bad as “if you don’t reblog this you’re heartless” or “I expect all of my followers to reblog this” or “If you don’t reblog this, I’m judging you”. Just… stop it.

If you REALLY feel the need to say it, say it in your damn tags. Nobody gives a shit if you’re a 1D or a Merlin blog, they can usually tell by your URL. If you have a URL like anything1d or secretlywizard or tardisecret (not these three specifically, there are just URLs I came up with that people probably have), people within your fandoms will have an idea of what kind of blog you run. You can comment about how sad it is or be relevant, but for the love of all things good, please stop self-promoting in things about someone’s recent death.

I wanna talk to you about depression

We as a human race abuse the word ‘depressed’ “Oh, I’m so depressed that Sherlock season 3 isn’t coming out next year!” “I’m so depressed, they didn’t have my favourite kind of soda at the store today” “I’m so depressed, we ran out of coffee today”.

Depression is not that, and abusing the word like that is disrespectful to people with depression and it demeans their feelings. Makes them seem like just whining. Because that’s what I described above- whining. Especially about Sherlock. Get the fuck over it, the actors have been busy with other projects. Depression is not synonymous with sad or extreme sadness.

Depression is not thinking you are worthless, depression is thinking you will never find a worth. Depression is not thinking you are fat, depression is the despair that you will never be skinny enough. Depression is not the negative voice in your head, it’s the self-hatred from thinking those voices are right. Depression is the lack of enjoyment in things you once enjoyed, partially because you don’t think whatever you make will be good enough or good at all. Depression is wanting to die because you feel everything you do is wrong, and you think you are worthless because little voices in your head tell you so. Depression is not thinking you are good enough.

Depression is the belief that you have no control over yourself or your life, except in a few aspects, such as what and when and how you eat and when and how you die.

But you know what that means? You are the only one who can end your depression. You have to deny those negative statements, and accept compliments, even when you think they’re not true. You need to use more positive, definite words, like “will” instead of “try” or “can’t”. “Can” isn’t strong enough. With “try” there is room for failure. You cannot allow room for failure. “I will stop cutting” “I am beautiful” “I am strong” “I will get better”. You have to ‘lie’ to yourself by accepting compliments and denying negative statements. You have to make that first step to getting better by saying “I will”. Otherwise, everything anyone says is meaningless. “you’re so beautiful! xoxox” ”no im not but thanks” no matter how many times that person, or any person, says that, if you keep saying ‘no’ you will continue to think you’re unattractive. start saying ‘thank you!’ and accept the compliments, even if you don’t believe them.

I know people are going to be on my tail, saying “fuck you it’s not that easy” “you don’t get depression so stfu”. Actually, if you must know, no, it’s not easy, and yes, I do get depression, I’ve had it before, and I’m telling you how I got over it.

They say the first step to healing is to admit you have a problem. The statement, while applying to addiction, still applies. Depression is an addiction in and of itself. It’s a negative addiction to sad thoughts. People think addiction means things that make you happy or high, but it’s something you cannot stop doing. You think you cannot function without it. Cigarettes, caffeine, chocolate, television, even books. People with addictions can’t picture what they’d be like without the addiction. Smokers feel like they need cigarettes and cannot imagine being without them, and when they panic or feel anxiety, they go out for a smoke. People who suffer from depression can’t even see a future for themselves, save being more depressed, and when they experience anxiety or embarrassment or panic, they fall back into their depression and insult themselves. They feel like they need depression in a way because depression will help them “improve” themselves, even if it’s a subconscious need.

What those of you suffering depression need to do is look in a mirror and compliment yourself. Write letters to yourself praising one aspect of you. Paper your walls in positive, inspiring phrases (“In 900 years of time and space, I’ve never met someone who wasn’t important before”- the Doctor is a very good one). Write a hundred compliments on strips of paper and put them in a jar, drawing a different one each day and maybe tacking that to your walls, too. Write that phrase on your arm, or write it twenty times. Use “I” statements for it, I’ll list some ideas at the end of this. Stop looking at black and white images. Colourless images will only worsen your feelings, because bright colours are proven to brighten moods, especially yellow and orange. Stay away from red, mind you, because red is likely to remind you of blood and could trigger cutting, and red is also the colour of anger. Avoid most blues (as blue, like grey, fuels sad thoughts that lead to self-hate), look to brighter, cheerful greens and green-blues, and light, bright purples like lavender.

Most of this is exactly what I did to get over my own depression. Think of is a free, possibly more helpful therapy session if you like.

Furthermore, to people who don’t yet suffer depression: avoid it by avoiding negative thoughts, even as jokes, because eventually, you’ll probably start to believe it. Don’t ever jokingly think you’re ugly or fat, don’t ever jokingly think you’re stupid, don’t ever insult yourself as a joke. Because one day, you’re going to start thinking it’s true.

Here is a list of compliments and phrases (half of which, I’m going to say now, are from Doctor Who and Harry Potter, because they’re very inspiring serieses) you should use on yourself. It’s mostly under a Read More because it’s as long as Four’s scarf. Speaking of, there are a lot of Doctor Who quotes, because in the show’s 49 years, a lot of inspirational things have been said. I just wish I had time for more. Read these and remember them well:

1. I am beautiful
2. I am graceful
3. I am smart
4. I am clever
5. I do have worth
6. I am skinny
7. I am happy with my body
8. I am comfortable in my skin
9. I do believe in myself
10. I will get better
11. I am important
12. I am special
13. I am unique
14. I am loved
15. I am a good person
16. I am needed
17. I do matter
18. I do deserve better
19. I do deserve good things
20. I will keep down my food
21. I will eat today
22. I will not cut myself today
23. I do not need to cut
24. Food is not my enemy
25. Not everyone is laughing at me
26. Not everyone is malicious
27. “In 900 years of Time and Space, I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t important before.” -The Doctor, Doctor Who
28. “It gets better”
29. Being gay is okay
30. I am not the gender I was born as, and that is okay

Read More

hufflepuffprodigy:

planettremina:

Harry Potter is a million times worse than twilight (thats really saying something considering how much i detest twilight), the acting is horrible, and the storyline is shit oh man
I dont understand how anyone could like it??? I mean it’s not even entertaining in the slightest

While I disagree entirely with the original comment (actually, I’m offended), they have a point regarding the films (which the they are talking about), which do not do the books justice. The books are a thousand times better. I personally detest all but the first two films, the only ones that made any effort to stay true to the books.

What people love about the series is it doesn’t treat it’s readers like children, ad it does it without getting too adult. They are about acceptance and that while there are trials in life, they do not have to defeat you; they teach their readers that love and kindness and friendship will always defeat hatred and discrimination. Speaking of…

Hufflepuffprodigy, you are shaming the fandom with that gif, because all it will ever do is make anyone who agrees with planettremina hate the Potter fandom. It’s basically a threat and a mockery in one gif, it’s childish and immature and belongs in different situations from someone’s genuine opinion.

Instead of being a jerk about it, try to explain what we like about Harry Potter. The books are about a boy who has been abused for almost his entire life who learns to overcome that and manages to still be a good person without ever being taught right from wrong. Harry discovers he is a wizard, and suddenly everything makes sense. He understands why he was so different, he understands why the Dursleys treat him bad. If you like, you can take the death of his parents and his discovery of being a wizard as a parallel to homosexuality- Harry’s parents are something the Dursleys hate (in the homosexual analogy, let’s say a lesbian couple whom got artificial insemination), he is bullied relentlessly because of who his parents were without ever being told why, the Dursleys don’t ever speak of his parents and forbid him to ask about them. Vernon even states that he thought he could squash and beat the magic (or the “gayness” in my comparison) out of Harry. Harry even lived in a literal closet for most of his life. Then Harry is told about his parents and he finally gets what has been happening with him. He understands why he’s been so different and that it’s okay.

And that’s just in the first four chapters of the first book. Harry goes off to be with people like him, he finally makes some friends, and he no longer has the looming threat of his bullying family. Harry is, in fact, the chosen one, a hero to the Wizarding people. A beacon of hope that ended a war and a dictatorship that was full of discrimination, oppression, senseless murder based entirely on someone’s heritage; he ended a world of fear. He stopped the wizard version of what was essentially Hitler and his Nazis. He defeats the same man again and again, stops him from gaining power and forcing the world, both magical and non, to bow to him and suffer. The books teach it’s readers that prejudice and racism is wrong. That discrimination and hatred are wrong. It is love triumphing over hatred, good over evil. It teaches the value of family and friends and forgiveness. Of human lives. It is against bullying, and keeping kind through the bullying.

Harry Potter is a series of books that have deep meanings that didn’t translate at all into the films. Harry Potter deals with adult concepts and it doesn’t simplify too much. Harry teaches us that it’s okay to be different, it’s okay to be who you are, that you don’t have to change for anyone. That we don’t have to like the same things to be friends. That being smart is beautiful, but it’s okay to not be smart. It tells us that even geniuses can turn sour, that beauty is within. That you don’t have to be rich to be amazing, that being rich doesn’t make you a horrible person. It teaches us that you don’t have to and should not just go with the crowd. Fight for what you believe in, even if everyone else thinks you’re wrong. Be true to yourself. That there are all sorts of people, and we don’t necessarily have to fit in our given mould (exemplified in the Houses). That we are stronger as one than we are divided; we must work together for the common good. Harry Potter teaches us that we all belong somewhere. That there are many qualities that make up a person. That the world is not split into good people and bad people; we’ve both got good and bad inside ourselves, but what makes us is which we choose to act on. That it is our choices that show what we truly are, fare more than our abilities. That good will always triumph over evil. Harry Potter lets us know that we are never alone, but it takes a little bit of time and patience to ‘find’ those people who will stand by us. That we cannot expect things to just come to us. That it’s okay to be curious. That if you see something wrong, protest it. That everyone has worth. We see that the people even the best of us make fun of could be suffering beyond what we could imagine. That we all have inner strength, no matter how downtrodden we are. There is always something worth fighting for. That a cause to fight can change one person dramatically.

Harry Potter teaches us a better way to live our lives. You can’t just stand there and let injustice happen, that you CAN do something about it. No contribution is too small to a wonderful cause. I can’ believe I’m going to quote Rose Tyler from Doctor Who here, but this line has a place here: “[…] showed me a better way of livin’ your life… You don’t just give up. You don’t just let things happen. You make a stand, you say ‘No’. You have the guts to do what’s right when everyone else just runs away…”

Rose pretty much nails it here what Harry Potter can say to people. It’s a series with meaning that is lost in the films. Judging from your comment, you detest the films and have yet to read the books.

THAT is why we love Harry Potter.

(Source: shingotsukino, via huntersofbakerstreet)

msbennets:

do you know when you read a book that’s just so well written that when you finish it you can’t help but just sit there in silence for a few minutes just thinking about it, and then you reread the last couple pages, and just close the book and kind of stroke  the cover in a weird sort of way and just keep thinking because it leaves such a strong impression on you that it just kinda haunts you in the back of your mind for the next few days

(Source: elizabethdarcy, via comettwosixty)