MISCHIEF MANAGED

I have always been a fan of Harry Potter.

I’ve embraced Harry’s world ever since my dad brought home a DVD (the old 3-disc version) of the Sorcerer’s Stone. I waited for my Hogwarts letter to arrive and I still am waiting. I remember how I scoured through candy stores for a box of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavored Beans and Chocolate Frogs. My efforts were in vain, although those were the parts of my Potterhead childhood I won’t ever dare forget.

In my elementary days, when I had to carry backpacks heavier than me and still get to eat lunch my dad made, no one understood Harry Potter like I did. Actually, no one knew him apart from the usual “boy-in-glasses” description. The movie was most of what I talked about even in my essays and little speeches. Only in high school did I realize how important being a Potterhead was, realizing how big of an impact it was (and still is). Making new friends is not easy for kids who are transferred to new schools; I was one of those kids. Sure, I made good friends later, but there was something exceptional and spontaneous about meeting people who know almost exactly how you feel about something. You notice an instant connection that builds its way through every moment you share together. Yes, that bond includes how we randomly blurt out Sirius Black’s line “I did my waiting! Twelve years of it, in Azkaban.” Though I no longer have time to share Potterhead moments with those people, I am, with utmost delight, proud to have known them and to remain good friends with them.

At times, I fail to find the creativity within me, and for many reasons, Harry Potter ignites a spark in me to find the words to put my thoughts and ideas into. It’s not always about the broomsticks and wands and spells, but it is more so, to me, a reminder of a brilliant childhood filled with an imagination I wouldn’t have had if my dad came home with a different present in hand. Many have told me that Harry Potter was rubbish, that Rubeus Hagrid will never come knocking on my door, or that I would never get sorted into any of the Houses, simply because all of those came from a book. I shrugged them off every time, but of course, as one grows older, one realizes and accepts the huge difference between reality and fiction. As I realize that, I also become aware that something as fictional as Harry Potter is a powerful tool in grasping the inconsistencies of reality. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named (or perhaps we can safely whisper Voldemort) is a villain in Harry’s world, but in our world, we have our own villains to fight off; may they be our thoughts, nightmares, or distractions from studying. It takes courage, will, and determination to stand up to those things, just as Harry fought off dementors and Death Eaters to save the people he loves most.

I, a Hufflepuff (proven through Pottermore and a college event called Alohomora), will now and forever be a self-proclaimed Potterhead. In the years to come, I believe that every part of my adventure will continue to be a source of inspiration and creativity. Here I must say, Mischief managed!

Written by Gela Tangente

Art by Toni Buclatin

Writer twitter: @gelaaato

          Gela Tangente instagram: @gelatangente

Moonbeam drifter
Private 21st century bard
Everyday food magnet

Artist twitter: @threechrsfrtoni

          Toni Buclatin instagram: @nyantoinetteee

The sushi-loving heroine living in a 2D world where parallel universes exist