I visited Platform 9 and 3/4 at King's Cross Station when I was a child. I was obsessed with Harry Potter, and I was convinced that I would run through walls, arm-in-arm with Ron and Hermione, board the Hogwarts Express, and become a full-fledged witch.
Sure, I had to leave my Muggle parents behind, but ten-year-old me was ready to make that sacrifice.
But when I tried to hit a brick wall, all I got was a bruise on my head and the magic was literally knocked out of me.
This brought an abrupt end to my dream of going to Hogwarts, but for some Harry Potter fans, the fantasy lives on into adulthood.
No wonder Miriam Margolyes, who played Professor Pomona Sprout in the film series, sent fans into a frenzy on social media after she told her adult fans to “grow up” and “get over it.” .
In two recent interviews in New Zealand and Australia, the 82-year-old actress said she worries about adult Potter fans, saying they “should be over by now”.
“It was 25 years ago, but I think it's for children,” Margolyes told New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation TZNZ.
“I'm making a cameo appearance. [personalised video messages] People say they're going to have a Harry Potter themed wedding and I'm like, 'Oh my God, what fun is going to be on our first night?' “I think. ”
The actress, who recently posed naked behind a pile of popsicles for a photoshoot for Vogue, later told ABC News Australia that when teenagers go through puberty, “that's not true.'' It's time to forget about it and move on to other things.”
So should adults put aside their wands, leave the world of magic and accept that, as Margolyes says, “it's for kids”?
For many millennials, Harry Potter is part of their identity. The books written by JK Rowling were released from his 1997 to 2007 years and the eight movies were released from his 2001 to 2011 years.
Most of us might re-watch the movies once in a while on a Sunday afternoon and have a relatively good grasp of Harry Potter trivia, but for some, the interest goes far beyond this.
Jennifer Peiro and Hector Garcia are two content creators in their early 30s who run a dedicated Harry Potter account on Instagram.
Peiro, whose account has more than 120,000 followers, said it's difficult to make friends as an adult, but the account has allowed her to “connect with like-minded people.” For Garcia, creating Hogwarts content was “one of the most rewarding and therapeutic parts of my adult life.”
Both say the magical world provides escapism and community.
“I regularly receive comments from people all over the world about how this story has saved them during dark times and how it has been a safe haven and a comfort zone for them.” Peiro explains.
Garcia added that her account has “evolved into something that I can use to forget about life in a healthy and therapeutic way.”
It's hard to blame fans for wanting to transpose mundane daily life into a world where potions classes and Quidditch matches reign supreme.
One Potterhead who is part of the fandom is Rachel Parker, a 32-year-old wedding planner who specializes in “nerd-themed” ceremonies.
As an adult, she became deeply involved in online communities, which she says are Harry Potter's most lasting legacy.
From online forums and fan fiction sites to real-life meet-ups and book clubs, communities have “almost overtaken books themselves and spawned more,” Parker explains.
Of course, Harry Potter isn't the only fantasy world that some adults like Rachel are obsessed with. You'll find people of all ages who have visited Disney theme parks 100 times or reenacting Lord of the Rings battle scenes in their spare time.
In fact, attendance at Comic-Con, the annual comic book convention where people dress up as fictional characters, has increased dramatically and now attracts more than 150,000 attendees each year.
What's even more impressive is that the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, home to numerous films, has welcomed more than 16 million visitors since opening in 2012.
“The worst bully”
So how did these die-hard fans react when Margolies was told to put away her robe and broomstick in favor of more adult interests?
“I'm used to bullies making fun of me for liking Harry Potter,” said Maddie Harwood, 32, who runs an Instagram account dedicated to books in the fantasy genre.
“The worst bullies are those who make fun of others for something they truly love and worship,” she added.
“There's no need to shame people for enjoying something, especially if she's profiting from Harry Potter,” Peiro explains.
Critics and commentators have expressed varying opinions about Margolies' comments.
City AM film critic Victoria Luxford told the BBC: “This is not a conversation about music or sport. When you grow up, you stop rooting for your football team or listening to your favorite artists. That's not the case, so why should it be any different?” movie? ”
She said Margolies made the remark because he “didn't understand.”
“It's a generational issue,” Victoria says. “The idea of holding on to something you enjoyed from childhood is relatively new.”
Film critic Siobhan Sinnott called Margolies' comments “snobbish” and said: “Classic children's films may speak to adults as well. It's about ambition, sophistication and quality, not about age group. It belongs to me,” he added.
But Lindsay Fraser, one of the first book reviewers to write a review of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for The Scotsman in 1997, said: “This is definitely a children's book.
“But it was a wise move by Bloomsbury to publish an 'adult' edition. The only difference was the jacket design.”
Not only some critics agree with Margolies, but also some adults who loved Harry Potter as children, and think it's time for people to get over it.
Ellie Piggott, 26, told the BBC: “If parents enjoy it with their kids or watch it every once in a while as a guilty pleasure, that's cute, but if it's completely fandom it's a red flag. '' he told the BBC.
“It's not about children.”
Some fans claim that beyond escapism and comfort, the book is actually aimed at adults.
“Behind all the magic are a lot of real-world issues that we don't normally think of addressing to children: the true cost of war, the Depression, racism, sacrifice, government corruption, and more.” says Kelly, 34. Komal is an avid Harry Potter collector.
Ioannis Karelis goes one step further. “Broadly speaking, the story revolves around an evil racist tyrant and his allies who seize political power by force, regularly torturing and murdering opponents and forcing their worldview on people. It's a story about a group of followers. Obviously, this isn't really a children's story.”
The 26-year-old, who regularly rereads books, said he recently discovered new interpretations.
“The Department's denial of Voldemort's existence to the point of complete irrefutability, out of fear of what it might mean, is similar to how governments have responded to the coronavirus pandemic.”
Indeed, adults still seem to be very interested in this series.
In 2018, Mastermind asked applicants to change their specialty topic after receiving 262 entries for a quiz show answering questions about Harry Potter.
Matthew Cortland, who founded a chain of bars that offer immersive magical and magical experiences, says people are “fascinated by fantasy because it offers people an alternate reality that exists.” ” he says.
“Everyone wants to find their place, but when society rejects you, you seek solace elsewhere,” he added.
Dumbledore once said, “Even in the darkest of times, happiness can be found if you just remember to turn on the light.''
For many adults, that light comes in the form of Harry Potter, no matter what Margolyes says.