Harry Potter turns 30 tomorrow (and Ms. Rowling 45) and I wanted to ask you what you thought Harry’s best birthday was? I assume the great majority of readers and movie-goers will vote for his eleventh birthday because of the revelations in the House on the Rock and his day with Hagrid. That certainly makes sense because that b-day in many ways marks his re-birth and discovery of self.
But there are other birthdays in the book that are eventful and meaningful, even revealing of the story-ending because Ms. Rowling liked to point to the finale at the story-start and as often as not started with Harry’s birthday. Dobby, for example, appears on Harry’s LaborDay version of a birthday in Chamber and that book ends with Dobby’s re-birth and liberation.
What is your favorite Harry birthday, then, and please do share what plans you have to commemorate the natal anniversary of The Boy Who Lived!
Today, this year, is Harry’s best birthday, because my lovely daughter, Sarah, is getting married to a man who loves her and treats her with respect and kindness.
The first thing I said when they told me the date they had chosen for their wedding was “You know that’s Harry Potter’s birthday.” That received the biggest eye roll I’ve ever gotten from her, and that’s saying something.
😀
On that same note, his seventeenth birthday, with the kiss from Ginny, had to be swell, but I’m thinking the eigthteenth, his first year post-Voldemort, though we don’t see it, was great!
My first thought was similar to Elizabeth’s — that first post-Voldemort birthday must’ve been pretty terrific!
But I think my heart still goes for the eleventh birthday as the one he’ll remember most and with the most fondness.
Pat, hope your daughter’s wedding today was absolutely beautiful. I’m sure it was. (And yes, a great way to celebrate Harry’s birthday!) 😉
And I meant to say — in honor of the day, I am posting my 3rd annual HP birthday post on my blog. For three years running,. I’ve made it a tradition to post an HP-related essay or poem on my blog in honor of the day. This year it’s a poem about Lily.
Great stuff, as always, Beth!
The wedding was lovely, thank you. The day couldn’t have been more perfect. It was outside in a garden – cool overcast morning and during the ceremony, so no one was squinting into the sun or baking in the sun. During the reception, it warmed up a little, the sun came out. Everything went just as it was planned. And by the end we were all still smiling, but exhausted.
Now, back to Harry. I think my favorite was the one when they were all at The Burrow and Harry finally had a real birthday party with all the Weasleys, Lupin and Tonks. Even though it was a bit of a downer for Harry, it was still nice to see him experience a birthday celebration with family and friends. It didn’t happen often for Harry, and I like to think that after Voldemort, he was able to celebrate each birthday the way they should be celebrated.