Fan Focus: Isabel – January 15, 2012

18 year-old Isabel from Canada

First off, how did you become a Harry Potter fan?

I became a Harry Potter fan when in grade 3 (I was 9), my student teacher in my class read Philosopher’s Stone to us daily. At the time, it was still very new and very exciting, I was instantly enthralled and obsessed. Soon, the first movie came out (went and saw it for a birthday party). I’ve been hooked ever since!

Now that all eight films are complete, how do you feel about the movie series as a whole? Favorite? Least favorite?

I love the movies, all of them! Of course, there are details that have been left out (I definitely missed Victoire and Teddy in the final film) and some added in (The Burrow being burnt down!) that were not choices that I love, but one should not compare them, rather appreciate them separately! My favorite is the first film – I find that it captures the magic perfectly as Harry discovers the wizarding world, also as it was the first film I saw and I was about the same age and grew up with him. I don’t have a least favorite, but for a long time, I was quite scared of Chamber of Secrets because of the Basilisk!

If you could have one prop from any of the eight films, what would you choose and why?

I believe a cool prop to have from a film would be Tom Riddle’s diary. It’s the real beginning of Harry’s direct battle with Voldemort and I love old books. Or… Harry’s first Hogwarts letter! Obviously, because that was the beginning of it all!

There are so many book storylines that were cut out of the movies due to time, flow, etc. If you could bring one back, which would it be?

There was no particular line that I think was cut but most of all I missed the Victoire and Teddy romance at the end of Deathly Hallows and wish they had kept that. This is because it is like Harry Potter starting over as Teddy is sadly an orphan who lost his parents to Voldemort.

Which book do you believe was best translated to film?

I believe the third book was best translated into a film because it captured the turn to darkness really well that Ms. Rowling took in Prisoner of Azkaban. I felt that everything was captured just right and all the Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs were perfectly cast!

Which character is your favorite from the books, and/or from the films?

LUNA LOVEGOOD is my most favorite character!! She is so strange, quirky, and lovely as well as brave and true to herself! I completely relate to her and think she is marvelous. I was always enjoyed reading her take on things and found her quite a bit more clever than her friends gave her credit for. I would love to go on an adventure with her and meet all her (very existent) creature friends while wearing mix-matched socks and radish earrings.

Which Harry Potter event/release are you most looking forward to in 2012?

For my holiday I am going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter which I am very excited about!! I am most excited to receive my wand and have it choose me! As well as pick up some wizard sweets!

Do you have anything else you’d like to add? Maybe a theory you still believe to be true, a shout-out, praise for yours truly?

I am truly grateful to be chosen as the fan of the week! I’d say the peak of my fandom was at the release of the final film (Deathly Hallows: Part 2) where I was first in line for the theatre fully dressed as Luna and waited with my friends for 12 hours! After the long adventure with Harry Potter, I am sad there are no more books but know that it is not the end.