Now, fast forward oh.. seven years and 10 months or something like that, to August/September. In November I was going to turn eight and my Mom decided to do something special. She, my Grandma Janice- who has been in a wheelchair from a car accident since long before I was born, but is still every bit as independent and self reliant as ever-, my constantly late Uncle, and little almost eight year old me, were going to go on a car trip to West Virginia. My Grandparents had taken Mom there several times as a child. Dad couldn't get away from work at the time, so the 4 of us left for the week long trip on our own. - Scary thought! In any case, back then, I was NOT a good car rider, and I got bored very easily, so we always packed a bag of things for me to do. Books, games, coloring stuff- you name it, we had it.

It was on this trip to the bookstore to pack up the "travel box" that I first saw the release posters for Sorcerer's Stone. Like any child who devoured books more readily than a bedtime snack, I was excited. Now as luck would have it, my Mom subscribes to a Christian Magazine called Focus on the Family, all about Christians in the home. This magazine had published some ... not so great.. reviews. I do not remember if they were pre-reviews on HP's topic, or if this was after the September release date. That's not important though. What is important, is that they weren't good reviews. Focus on the Family said that parents shouldn't let their children read Witchcraft, and, of course, My Mother decided that they were right. Which, in the end, I believe was a good decision at the time because I think HP would have scared the living daylights out of me at age seven.

So, Harry and I continued to co-exist in the world quite blissfully, I accepted her explanation that the book was "bad" and even though my classmates had begun to read the books, I never expressed any interest whatsoever in them anymore. Now.. how tragic it would be if the story ended here... luckily.. it didn't.

I was first exposed to fantasy through C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia- which I still love today. Then, in 2001, my cousins were up from St. Louis to visit, and I believe it was Thanksgiving or such.. and CoS had just come to theaters.. and they decided they'd go here since my tiny little town is a LOT cheaper than movies in St. Louis. Of course, they invited me along and my Dad told my Mom to let me go, that, at eleven, I was old enough to go and see a PG movie with my cousins if they thought it was appropriate. However, that experience was NOT a good one. My little cousin Jenny was three, and she went along. She loves me to death, and wanted to sit on "Cousin Becka's lap". They had bought popcorn and candy and when they got to where Ron was throwing up slugs, both kids were so grossed out they started throwing up.... all over me! Luckily, I had to take Jenny out of the theater after that and did not stick around to see Tom Riddle and his Basilisk, because even then, I think I still would have been scared senseless. I don't remember much from that first movie experience except that one scene.. and it's rather obvious WHY!

Now, 2005. I remember more clearly the release of HBP, because I happened to go to the book store on that day and had to wait in a line that stretched all the way around the corner JUST to get into Books-A-Million! This peaked my interest a little more.

In November of that same year, when I was on the brink of becoming 15 and my freshman year of High School, a visiting minister came to our church with his two daughters Michaela (a source of fascination to me because she was only a couple of years younger and named after Michaela Quinn from my favorite t.v. show, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman,) and Kaelie. Michaela and Kaelie were both hooked on Harry Potter, which I learned in Primary Worship. I asked them weren't they afraid it would corrupt them, and the two girls just looked at each other, puzzled. (No wonder!)

Long story short, they told their parents.. who told my parents that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the series and it was NOT about the Occult. My Mother still wasn't (and isn't) keen on HP, but not because it's "bad" but more she just doesn't enjoy fantasy.. and even then she still didn't want me to read it, but at almost fifteen and having been a baptized Christian for seven years, I figured I was old enough to read a book and keep from being messed up from anything in it. I managed to get a copy of Sorcerer's Stone. I read it in a single night. I literally could not put that book down. I believe I was up until some 4 am with it. I finished the entire series in, I think, a month and a half.. or something like that.

Thanksgiving came and my cousins with it. Or, part of them.. changes had come to the family.. Sam and Bryan separated that year and only Bryan came and brought their daughter Jenny, however, big cousin Bryan prevailed and took me to see Goblet of Fire anyway, because he knew, otherwise, I'd never get to go see it.

I had only read up the second task in the book, but I wanted to see the movie anway... oh gosh... I like to call that the night I was scared out of my living Daylights... Bryan knew exactly what would happen in that Graveyard, and I had no idea.. remember.. the first three books are pretty well...simple.. compared to the last three thus far. Bryan's in the Navy and he's been all over the world.. so he can do all these creepy accents and such. So, he leans over.. and he's had his hand in the ice from his pop this entire time.. and he slowly puts this hand on my bare shoulder and whispers in a PERFECT impersonation of Ralph Fiennes.. "I will find you.. muggle girl." oh mercy.. I SCREAMED.. bloody murder.. dropped the popcorn in the floor.. oh it was bad... and he was laughing about it for months.. *covers eyes*

In December of that year, I discovered Hex, but the registration was closed. I simply put a bookmark on it and decided to come back in a while.. I checked a few times over the next two months... nothing... but then in February I happened to catch the open sign ups. I started Role Playing Harry Potter seamlessly because I'd been Role Playing and Writing Fanfic for Dr. Quinn for nearly three years and acting for about eight, so I didn't have much trouble adjusting.

Since then, well.. I've read each of the books several more times.. have discovered my favorite is Prisoner of Azkaban, that I have a horrible crush on Remus Lupin, - My Moony! - and that, more recently, I can even RP the evil characters! *gasp*. HP has changed me for the better as it allowed me to meet two of my four very best friends and just opened up a whole new world for me, right when I needed it. Thank you to Jo Rowling! She's a genius! And you can quote me on it too! I hope there never comes a time when HP won't be popular and I hope the legacy I have learned lasts a lifetime...