Dear muggles, squibs, half-bloods, purebloods and everybody else who doesn’t know what I’m talking about:

I feel bad for you.

There are various reasons why you may have never watched a Harry Potter movie or read a Harry Potter book and for that I feel like you’ve lost out on a generation’s greatest icon. Maybe your parents wouldn’t let you watch it. Maybe you didn’t have an interest in the genre. Maybe you live under a rock. It could be anything but I want to let you know why it was a cultural phenomenon and such a huge part of the 2000s because I’m sure you’re scratching your head and asking why.

We grew up with Harry Potter, literally. For those kids who started reading the first book when it came out in 1997, chances are they were around the same age as the protagonist, Harry Potter, and when the next book came out they grew a year older with Harry. In the films, Harry, played by Daniel Radcliffe, starts off as a young boy and as every movie came out he was a bit older just as we were.

The same went for all the characters. As they aged, we did. As they struggled to make new friends, we did. As they went through their awkward phase, we did. As they found love, we did. As they fought their demons, we did. As they came of age, we did. Nearly every year since 1997 we had either a book or movie we looked forward to; the two exceptions are 2006 and 2008.

Most of us dreamed of receiving a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, sitting in front of the student body in the Great Hall as the Sorting Hat told us what house we would be in and most of us hoped we would be in any house but Slytherin. We dreamed of watching Professor Sprout pulling up Mandrakes and Professor Flitwick teaching us the “swish and flick” movement as we cast spells. We wanted so badly for Madam Hooch’s yellow eyes to watch over us as we rode a broom for the first time and Madam Pomfrey to mend a sprain obtained during Quidditch practice. We vowed to stay out of the Dark Forrest and out of the third floor corridor because we could get killed or worse…expelled.

I still dream of getting to go to Diagon Alley and getting Mr. Ollivander to help me find my wand, getting fit for robes at Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions, getting my books from Flourish and Blotts, getting my first cauldron from Potage’s Cauldron Shop and finally getting my own owl at Eeylops Owl Emporium.

The worst part of Harry Potter for most of us was walking out of the theatre after watching “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” and realizing there was nothing after to come. No more books and no more movies. It was literally like a huge part of your youth had shut the door on us as reality rained down.

Granted, in the time since the final movie was released J.K. Rowling, the author of the series, has teased a possible continuation of the series and put never before read details of the Dursley family on Pottermore. There is hope for the future.

To all those who turn their nose up at the Harry Potter series and all it’s fans, you’re basically turning your nose up at a generation of kids who wanted to be accepted and wanted to have the same courage as The Boy Who Lived.

Shall I get you a Remembrall to remind you of that?

Sincerely,

The girl still waiting for her letter from Hogwarts