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Facts I Made Up!

Expiring Credits

/ 6 min read

harrypotter

Sunday Morning. Because I am not in my second lecture or it is a holiday.  This friend of mine, before taking off on his bicycle, recommended Harry Potter. “You will enjoy it like Narnia. Probably more.”, he said. And Off he went, cannot remember if he took notes from me or a pen from my beautiful collection. I was collecting pens back then. Still do.


My father had introduced us to cinema from an early age. Whatever his aim was I am pretty sure he succeeded. 
This was the time when I was watching Bollywood movies and had the least interaction with movies in language other than Hindi. Though I had seen Narnia and the Mummy trilogy. Both were successful in captivating me so I wrote down “Harry Potter Series” on a piece of paper and requested my father to get it for us. He obliged. I don’t remember the year this happened but I can say it was 2009 or later.  Because the DVD my father brought from the ‘shop’ had up until the Half Blood Prince.  Those 4gb DVDs could hold 6 movies in mpeg format, came wrapped in an A4 sheet featuring movie posters.
Me and my two siblings watched it on repeat for days. We liked it so much. I still remember, what amazed me the most was the world creation and the way everything came to a full circle.  Those were my naive days.

Back to today. Audible credits were expiring and I was not willing to go full on Dora the Explorer. Claimed and done with the intention of keeping the collection. Another day, out of the same laziness, I played the Philosopher’s Stone. My mind was already etched with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Wright and others; so the story seemed even more vibrant. I remembered most of the story but the excitement was to see what the movies missed. Ironically i was surprised every now and then with how much and why wasn’t this in the movies. Also this Harry is quite different  to what I’d seen in the movies.  I thoroughly enjoyed it. So much so, the whole series of approx 126 hours was finished in a three weeks at 1.15x. Thank you Stephen Fry. Its not an extraordinary story but a different take on the same good vs evil. I enjoyed it more as i was reliving my childhood.
If you like the films, you will love the books.  This review holds true if you enter the books keeping your critic brain silent.  Else you will ask Why did the purebloods used a train instead of floo powder or apparition?, is this the whole combat system?, and what about the difference between the capabilities of the magic users?, How were the death eaters punished?  Many such questions would bother you if you are not careful.

What do you miss otherwise? 


Harry Potter and the Philospher’s Stone

  • Can cats read maps or is this one special?
  • Why did Hagrid steal the motorbike?
  • Harry could do magic all the time.
  • They met at Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

  • Buck Teeth
  • What did Dumbledore really see in the mirror?
  • How did Norbert escape?
  • The Riddle of Seven Potions

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

  • Magic only knows where there is used magic and not who it is that is using magic. 
  • What more do Fred and George know about muggle world?
  • Who are Squibs?
  • Have you ever been invited to a Deathday party?
  • They stole from Prof. Snape.
  • He sent Hermione a get well soon card.
  • Professor Bins explained about the Chambers of Secrets.
  • The fight between the basilisk and Harry is different.
  • Thats not how ‘Dobby is free.’.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

  • I am Neville Longbottom.
  • I prefer broomsticks too.
  • Who scared Ron?
  • Crookshanks recognizes Sirius.
  • Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
  • The events of Shrieking Shack is better in the book.
  • Trelawney’s Prophesy
  • Why is his Patronus a stag?
  • My godfather has escaped from wizard prison.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

  • Ton Tongue Toffee
  • Quidditch World Cup
  • Winky
  • That's enough with the SPEW CLub.
  • Hogwarts Kitchen
  • Yule Ball is different.
  • The Missing Step
  • He can see through the invisibility cloak.
  • News article on Hagrid
  • Thanks Dobby
  • Third task was not so simple.
  • How Barty Crouch Jnr escaped Askaban?
  • Where did the winning of the Triwizard championship go?
  • Hermione is cool.
  • 1000 Galleons

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

  • Four Howlers
  • He was jealous.
  • A lot more happened in 12 Grimmauld Place.
  • Dobby found it first.
  • They got banned from Quidditch.
  • Ron beats her thrice.
  • he was’t actually an ideak boy scout was he.
  • They left with a bang. 
  • It was Umbridge.
  • Department of Mysteries has lots of rooms.
  • Whats done is done.[office]
  • The Quiditch commentary
  • Kreacher
  • It was a nice gift.
  • hocruxes
  • Rampage of wizards
  • Rita Skeeter is an Animagus, meaning she could turn into a beetle whenever she wanted.
  • How does girl’s dormitory look?
  • The Valentine Date with Hermione
  • Weasley Is Our King
  • Who really betrayed the secret organization named “Dumbledore’s Army” and this is why Hermione is such an awesome wizard.
  • Was there any hospital in the wizarding world?

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

  • More of Half Blood prince
  • Mugglr Prime Minister knows the exitence of Wizarding world.
  • Sirius’s Will.
  • The Wedding arrangements
  • Results
  • The Lineage of Voldemort

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 

  • the cup of tea
  • Bikes are awesome even in the wizarding world.
  • What did the wand do?
  • The Ghouls in the Pjamams
  • Regulus Black
  • Its way different here.
  • He redeemed himself.
  • Dobby is free.
  • Neville could have been The Chosen One, instead of Harry.
  • What was the name of Lupin’s kid?
  • Dumbledore's complete backstory.
  • Snape was cool.
  • percy.
  • The battle.
  • Snape’s memory
  • how did harry survived the death curse second time?
  • elves and centaurs were there too.
  • the love protection again.
  • It lies there waiting for the next one.
  • the herbology professor

And…

  • Ginny has a personality. She is an awesome Qwiditch player too.
  • Poor Winky
  • Electronic devices don't work there.
  • The Sorting Hat sings a new song every year before the Sorting Ceremony.
  • A whole lot of quidditch
  • You feel slightly worse for Filch.
  • Dumbledore’s death seemed even SADDER.
  • Give her hell from us,Peeves.” And the Swamp.

I plan to go through the Narnia series next. Your suggestions are welcome.
Update: 25th April, 2024 : Audible announces new audiobooks for Harry Potter series in the voice of full cast members.