My “Potter” Tattoo – Part 2

My two favorite things on the planet are Harry Potter and tattoos. Combining those two things and getting to talk with the amazing people who frequent MuggleNet is even more stellar. The site recently published Part 1 of the “My Potter Tattoo” series – I highly recommend checking that out before continuing on below.

Today’s the day for Part 2!

Nina Williams, 26 years old, high school teacher

• I met MN staffer Stephanie Bailey at Orlando during the Alan Rickman tribute at [the Wizarding World of Harry Potter]. I met both her and MN staffer Amy Hogan through a “My Potter Story” segment. I am fortunate enough to belong in the generation that grew up with the book series. When the first book was […] released in the United States, my fourth-grade teacher read the book to my class. The last film was released my last year of college. By then, I was a part of the crew who either made T-shirts or cosplayed for book and film releases. I was also a part of the generation who went through major withdrawal when it was all over.
• Throughout high school and college I was always a Slytherin, but as I got older I realized that my true house was Ravenclaw. I’ve always been fascinated by Severus Snape. My instincts told me, from the first book, he was good. He was mysterious[ and] alluring, and I found his story heartbreaking. When he asked Dumbledore to protect Lily, Harry, and James, Snape proved he wanted her to be happy, even if it meant that wasn’t with him. That’s true love. Snape loved Lily and devoted his life to protecting Harry, even after she denied him. I love him because [of] that. Even though he’s a fictional character, he is real to me. My tattoo of Snape’s [P]atronus with “Always” inscribed next to it represents true love and how I know not to settle for a man until I find one who loves me like Snape did Lily. And now that I have a son, I want a man to vow to protect my little boy like Snape did Harry. RIP Snape. RIP Alan Rickman.

Hannah Gordon, 20 years old, licensed Master Esthetician

• I’d say the biggest difference of dialogue after getting my tattoo is now I get to hear all the fun tattoo ideas that other people have planned for themselves; or if people already have an HP tattoo, we swap stories of why we chose what we got.
• My tattoo is of Hedwig sitting on a stack of books, each book a different color for each [H]ouse, with the Deathly Hallows symbol as the background of it all. It’s framed with two wands crossing at the bottom (Hermione’s and Ginny’s) and a scroll of script with the quote “It’s real for us” at the top. The reason why I chose this as my tattoo, other than the obvious fact of me being a giant fan, is that the books AND movies have completely changed my life. Harry taught me to stay strong in times of struggle. He taught me the importance of character, friendship and the true magic of love. My dad read Harry Potter to my brothers and me every night until we were able to read them ourselves, and from then on I was hooked.
• I chose to have Hedwig as my main focus, mostly just because I’ve always had a love for owls, and Hedwig was one of my favorite characters in the books; she always seemed to be a symbol of hope and companionship for Harry, and when she died I was a straight MESS. It was like the last piece of Harry’s innocence was ripped away from him, and that hit close to home for me, so i [sic] really wanted to represent that. I also chose the “It’s real for us” quote because of my soft spot for Snape. Snape is such a multifaceted character, and he always took me by surprise by his acts of love and loyalty; He was strong and brave, even when the odds were against him, and loved deeply with all his heart. The quote itself reminds me to believe in the everyday magic that surrounds me and reminds me that it IS real, and it’s forever.
• I also made it a point to have my tattoo done and healed for a special trip to London and Edinburgh in the U.K. where I toured multiple places that were used for the filming of Harry Potter and […] did a huge tour of the Harry Potter studios in London! It was absolutely incredible.

Melissa Ann Graham, 30 years old, mutual funds and corporate securities processor & MN Creative Staff member

• Not my first and DEFINITELY not the last. When I am done, I plan of [sic] having the entire left arm a sleeve dedicated to HP. The Dark Mark was my first HP tattoo, and the one on my bicep was a couples’ tattoo for me and by [sic] husband who[m] I met through a Harry Potter roleplay site. The numbers and letters written under it is a map leading to the exact book, chapter, page, and lines for Snape’s “always” quote. That one will be the focal point of my sleeve, which will be composed of many different elements if [sic] the story, including [H]orcruxes, Bellatrix’s wand, spells, texts, and other bits and bobs.
• I picked the Dark Mark because, to me, it symbolizes growth. Many people look at it and think of the cruelty and racism behind the symbol, and I can’t blame them, but I feel there is something more profound about it. The mark was a way for Voldemort to claim ownership over witches and wizards. It was a tool to communicate with them, and after his first demise it was a symbol of shame for many. They had to hide their dark pasts from everyone in order to live. While many relished in the dark side if [sic] this coin, there are others – Snape most prolifically – to whom it served as a constant reminder of the worst parts of their lives. In the end, I feel like it reminds me that, no matter how dark my past or who I used to be, I am better today. I [have] lived through it and am living. Past mistakes define who I was, not who I am.

Julia Berman, 20 years old, fashion consultant and shipping manager

• My 9¾ tattoo was my very first tattoo. I now have 5 altogether; 3 of them are HP tattoos. I am considering getting a [G]olden [S]nitch, but I’m not 100% sure yet. After I got my Dobby tattoo on my arm it was like a doorway to HP fans. Any time someone sees my Dobby and recognizes him they get excited, and we nerd out for a good 10 minutes. I’ve made a lot of friends because of this tattoo. Harry Potter has always been a huge part of my life ever since I saw […] Sorcerer’s Stone in theaters when I was 4. My mom tells me my life literally was not the same after I was introduced to the wizard in the world of Hogwarts, and it’s true. It’s helped me through so many tough times and taught me so many life lessons.
• I chose 9¾ for my tattoo because I relate it with a turning point in Harry’s life. When he got on that platform, his life was going to change completely. I was just turning 18 and moving to Hollywood for [a]rt [s]chool, and it felt very similar to what I imagine Harry feeling when he got on that train. So this one was a symbol for a big life change. Dobby has always been my favorite character from HP. He has so much love and compassion for others and pride of who he is even though his species is looked down upon as slaves. I got him on my arm to always be there for me and watch out for me just like he was for Harry. I also had to make sure he was a free elf, so Tom Riddle’s diary with Harry’s sock is with him, along with the Deathly Hallows symbol and the [word] “always.” Dobby will always be there with me, and it comforts me so much in hard times. My Voldemort and Nagini tattoo with Hogwarts in the background was a design my tattoo artist came up with that I just happened to love, and I needed to have. I always loved Voldemort’s relationship with Nagini because out of all of his [H]orcruxes, it seemed Nagini was always the one he was trying to protect the most and a symbol of his evil magic. A lot of people have questioned why I have so many HP tattoos, and my response has always been “Harry Potter has helped me get through life and find peace in myself. I will never regret permanently imprinting images on my body that make my heart feel at home.”

Melissa Batchelor, 23 years old, patient coordinator/scheduler at a hospital, going back to school to be a zookeeper

• This was actually my fourth tattoo. I definitely plan on getting more Harry Potter [tattoos]. My boyfriend, Cody, and I almost went on a whim a few weeks ago to get HP tattoos. I have a very colorful tattoo on my upper arm that I’m wanting to turn into a half sleeve and am considering either a [P]ygmy [P]uff or Luna Lovegood’s Spectrespecs to go along with the color scheme I have already.
• Whenever someone sees my tattoo, it almost always sparks a conversation, which I love. I never get tired of discussing Harry Potter. My tattoo is of the chapter picture from Prisoner of Azkaban, “Hermione’s Secret,” of her [T]ime-[T]urner. I also wanted the Deathly Hallows symbol somewhere on it to make it more recognizable, so my tattoo artist came up with the idea of having it dangle from the rope as a sort of charm. I chose the [T]ime-[T]urner chapter art because [Prisoner of Azkaban] was always my favorite book until Deathly Hallows came out. I’ve read it so many times that the pages of my original copy are falling out. I’ve always felt a connection with Hermione in particular and admired her strength immensely.
• HP has been the one constant thing in my life. No matter what I’m going through, I can always pick up a Harry Potter book or throw on a movie and be taken away from the Muggle world and into the magic. It’s helped me through so much in my life, whether it’s losing a friend, starting over in a new city and school, or a breakup. HP is the reason my boyfriend of a year and half started talking. I literally have HP to thank for my relationship. Waiting for a new book or movie to come out and going to each midnight book release/movie premier since I was little has made so many incredible memories for me. I’ve read each book and seen every movie countless times, and they never get old to me. I find something new each time, and I hope everyone has their own Harry Potter to rely on when they’re down. Having a reminder of Harry Potter permanently inked on my body symbolizes that my love of this series will never go away.

Ash Jones, 28 years old, hospital call center team leader

• I had the tattoo when I was 26 at a convention. I actually have seven tattoos; this was my fifth (and by far the most painful!) but my only Harry Potter [one.] I LOVE Harry Potter, so I think eventually some more Harry Potter tattoos will work their way onto my body! My left leg is my storybook leg (I have a scene from [“]Little Red Riding Hood[“] on there, [I have] a pumpkin and soon there will be a quote [[]with picture[]] from A Christmas Carol). There are loads of quotes from the Harry Potter series that changed my whole outlook on life, so it’s most likely to be script with a simple picture.
• I’ve wanted a Harry Potter tattoo for YEARS but never quite knew what I wanted. I’ve also wanted to get a tattoo at a convention (and unless you book beforehand, the designs they tattoo need to be pretty simple!), so my friend and I did some research and picked out the artist we wanted and were sure to go to see her first as soon as the doors opened. She happily took our sketches and tattooed us (my friend’s tattoo was a nice big, thick Deathly Hallows sign on her forearm). To be honest I wanted something simple, so that as soon as a true fan saw it they’d know what it was and what it meant to the both of us! My tattoo is a stylized version of the Deathly Hallows sign; I added some vines and ink drips and a couple of spots to make it look more ornamental. I had considered getting it done in blue ink (RAVENCLAW PRIDE!!) but decided against it in the end. It took around 20-30 minutes, and personally I’d rather sit for my four[-]hour [“]Little Red[“] tattoo ten times over than have another twenty[-]minute back-of-the-ankle tattoo!