Blog #1 The Wand and The Wizard.
By: Animesh Rath
Tags: Harry Potter, Migration, Daily Blog, Blogging, J K Rowling

Me and My Sister before they were called Engineer and Doctor.

I’m just gonna say it, I don’t like Harry Potter. I haven’t read the books and didn’t watch the movies till I was 20. You ask me why? Keep reading and you might find an answer.

To those who know me and to those who don’t, I’m an engineer on papers and a lost soul by passion because I haven’t figured out what I want to do 10 years down the lane. I hope it’s the same for everyone, I seriously do. The only thing I’m sure about is to end up in Barcelona, in some pub, wearing the Cules’ jersey. It’s more than just a magical dream but who knows right? Magic is real right?

Well, I lied. The first time that I ever watched Harry Potter was when I could count my age using my tiny fingers. I would sit beside my sister, who has memorized fiction better than her medical textbooks, to watch three senior kids waving their wands and making things happen. And thanks to J. K. Rowling, my little mischievous brain for the first time, was innocently believing that friendships happen over spells and a wooden stick is way more powerful than Batmobile. As I said, I was little and presumably dumb, because we all know nothing beats Batmobile.

I watched three of the eight with the ultimate book fangirl while downing all the popcorn bought from the nearest supermarket, and hung a self-made “Do Not Disturb” card, outside the bedroom door, to stop anyone who would disturb us as we learnt what “Wingardium Leviosa” is pronounced like, basically Mom.

But they say Time is an evil professor, who teaches the best of life lessons in the hardest of ways (although, the intentions are good) and you end up hating that Professor. To be honest, you can call Time as Snape. “Always”. As my sister’s board exams came closer and closer, my watch buddy drifted away and away from the television. I returned to the usual Bakugan while pondering that I have got friends, the only thing that is missing is the wand. The wand that’ll help me conquer the world.

Little did I know, the year 2010 was about to strike. Strike hard. And all of a sudden, my tiny little house was filled with cartons and bubble wraps. We were migrating from the west coast of India to the east as my sister finished her boards. My parents told me that I’ve to wave my friends a final adios. My Ron, Hermoine, and Neville. I couldn’t recollect which spell Harry used to get his friends back. Oh, wait! He never lost them. But reality doesn’t go by the books. As I said Adios Amigos to my friends, 2010 was about to strike harder as my watch buddy left for the hostel and I was left with no buddies to call my own. One lie of J. K. Rowling came crashing down because friendships and life know no spell.

“I still have the wand to look for”, my disheartened 11-year-old thought. Only to figure out, as he grew old, that there exists no such stick in real life. It’s the path we choose that helps us conquer the world. The child in me wanted to deny but Snape (I mean Time) taught magic is not real. The 7th grader decided that he’ll never watch Harry Potter or read the books ever again because he never met most of his friends, his sister only went farther to make it far in life, and he couldn’t figure out what was his path? His wand?

Now I’m 21. Made a new and amazing Wolf Gang. Extremely proud of my watch buddy or should I call her Dr. Watch Buddy. Did end up watching all the Harry Potter movies but won’t read the books as my hatred for the lies continue. Started writing. Have a few too many paths to choose from to conquer the world. But which path? Which wand? I guess only Snape will tell me (I definitely meant Time). Or should I believe Ollivander when he said, “The Wand chooses The Wizard”?

Here’s an ode to that 11-year-old boy who grew up to become this 21-year-old adult.