I had watched some clips of Harry Potter before, but I just never got interested in it. It’s kind of boring watching them passing that weird shape of the ball, I don’t know, I was just not enjoying it at all. However, this Christmas break changed me, I have found my favorite movie now. It all started with my older brother, he watched the first 4 Harry Potter films with his friends already. Then, my little brother and I decided to give it a try so we could watch it with him during the break. After finishing the first two films of Harry Potter, we are so addicted to it.
Meanwhile, we went to Universal Studios and bought the Harry Potter robes. I know it’s kinda stupid and childish, but I enjoy wearing the robes while watching the rest of the series. We were just so obsessed with Harry Potter. Nevertheless, we always got so hype when Dobby came out because he is the strongest in the Wizarding World. The film hit me so hard when Albus Dumbledore and Dobby died, especially Dobby. Dobby is the king of these movies. Before he died, Dobby said: “Such a beautiful place, Dobby is happy to be with his friends.” I can still remember what he said even now. It’s a pity that the ending was not so surprising. However, the story and the plotting in those movies were just perfect. I never felt the movie is too long and never felt boring.
I have spent most of my years wondering what Hogwarts house I would belong in. And when I say that, I mean I’ve spent way too many hours obsessively tapping my fingers in introspection.
For about half of those many years I have been told time and time again that I am unquestionably, undoubtably a Ravenclaw. So when Pottermore launched, part of me was just itching to go and check, but something stopped me. I did not go to Pottermore, in fact I waited approximately seven years before I visited.
I now know that I was terrified, as dorky and riddikulus as it sounds, yes I was terrified. What if I ended up in a house I didn’t feel like I was part of? Part of me had always held onto this idea that I, like the trio, was part of Gryffindor, but I knew that I was probably Ravenclaw.
Photo Credit: Pinterest
I have spent years avoiding my inevitable sorting, but I finally caved. I’m not sure how I feel now that I have. I took every other quiz I could before this one, including an Ilvermorny house quiz, which I was surprised to find I am not a Horned Serpent, I am a Wampus, known to be the body of a wizard and the warrior. So maybe that should’ve been my first warning flag.
When I finally took the sorting quiz, I came out Slytherin. I understand to a degree, but I wanted a second opinion. So I did something taboo, I cheated the system, which, thinking about it now, may make me more Slytherin than I thought. But still, I made another account. It never hurts to get a second opinion.
This time Ilvermorny was not a Horned Serpent, instead a Thunderbird, known for spirit and adventure. Both for Ilvermorny and Hogwarts I tried to answer very similarly to the first sorting and as true to myself as I felt I could be.
For Hogwarts, this time I came out Gryffindor. I should be ecstatic, the secret hope has been partially confirmed. But something still doesn’t sit right.
I feel the most closely linked to Ravenclaw and the Horned Serpent, the houses of the wise, studious, and intellectuals. How could my results say traits, that yes, I do have and pride myself on, outweigh what I believe to actually be my strongest characteristics?
I have spent so many years of my life wondering about this… to the point where I am just straight up confused now.
Understandably, the houses together form one complete concept – everybody has a bit of every house. The point of the sorting is to identify the strongest of those traits, so why do I feel that the traits identified by a J.K. Rowling-approved computer algorithm as my strongest are wrong?
Photo Credit: The Odyssey Online
Maybe because that’s just it. Despite my unerring geekiness and absolute worshipping of J.K. Rowling, I am not going to trust a computer to tell me what house I’m supposed to be for Ilvermorny or Hogwarts. The decision is for the Sorting Hat and the Carvings alone to make, and it is widely recognized that the Sorting Hat takes your belief into consideration and it is a personal belief that the carvings of Ilvermorny do too.
I, to give Pottermore some credit, as I stated before have an unerring belief in almost anything J.K. Rowling approves. That being said, I believe that this was partially correct both times and partially wrong both times.
The readers are what bring the story to life, and believe me, I am a reader and Harry Potter is definitely very much real life to me. So shouldn’t what I believe to be true mean something?
I feel that I have the ambition, resourcefulness, and many other characteristics of a Slytherin, but I also feel that I have the boldness, daring, and countless other traits of a Gryffindor, and equal to both of the previous I feel that I have the curiosity, drive for wisdom, and basically everything else that Ravenclaw treasures. My feelings on the Ilvermorny houses mirror my feelings on the Hogwarts houses – I value adventure, strength, and wisdom.
Simply put, I will continue to stand by my allegiance to all: Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Gryffindor, Wampus, Thunderbird, and Horned Serpent.
But those of the steadfast Pottermore belief will have to forgive me for my terrible sin: I am going to take Pottermore as suggestion.
I will continue to believe that I am a Ravenclaw/Horned Serpent who has very strong tendencies toward the many other houses, like the well-rounded person, with an inclination toward intellect, I believe myself to be.
When I decided to go to boarding school, I think I had some idea that it would be just like going to Hogwarts. In some ways, it is.
At OVS, we have prefects- just like the stuck up Percy Weasley, Gryffindor prefect. We also have all school games, just like Quidditch. The one thing we are missing? Houses.
In Harry Potter, there are four houses- Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor. Students are sorted into these houses based on personality traits, and the houses compete throughout the year to win the House Cup. Points toward this goal are earned through good deeds and conduct. Points are deducted when students are insolent or insufficient.
I think that OVS should try having houses as well. It seems like a fun way to get involved with the school, as well as a good way to make friends. It would also promote good behavior without an overwhelming sense of discipline.
I also wouldn’t complain if OVS acquired some flying broomsticks or owls as well. Just saying.
Once again, I must delve into my “series” of nerd rants for another TOTALLY AWESOME nerd thing.
As previously stated, I am a Harry Potter nerd. So when I discovered J.K. Rowling was launching a new Harry Potter-based website, I had to apply for early admission right away.
AND I GOT IN.
This website is, nerdily enough, called Pottermore. In Pottermore you follow the basic storyline of the books, but there’s an added character, you. You get your own wand (mine is a 10 inch cyprus, unyielding with a phoenix feather core) and you get sorted into a house (Hufflepuff!)
You learn spells and brew potions for house points and all in all it is a very geeky, nerdy, and fantastic thing.
It’s so lame but so much fun.
I highly suggest you all go and check out Pottermore when it is released to the public on October 1!
Before I start this, I must let something out to some of those curious readers out there: I am a nerd. But no! Not just any nerd. I am the worst type of nerd.
You may have created Edward Cullen with his sparkly sparkles of sparkliness and his lurking on a girl way to young for him (pedophilia, much?) and I KNOW you didn’t specifically ask for Robert Pattinson to play Edward Cullen, but really.
I mean, he went from “Hey Harry, I know we’re totally supposed to be rivals ’cause we’re in this life-threatening tournament of doom and evil-doers but I still think you’re pretty great so I’m gonna let you in on some secrets and totally save your life so you can be at least somewhat prepared for the tasks ahead of as, and hey, you know what? Let’s just win this tournament together, I mean we’re from the same school we could totally just do this for Hogwarts and be the BEST THINGS EVER! And, oh wait, I’m just gonna go die, but don’t worry, I’ll become a ghost for a couple of seconds, and I forgive you for surviving and letting me die and all that jazz, just take me back to my dad, it’s chill.”
The highly dreaded sequel to the Hangover can either make or break the success of the first movie. Set in Thailand, Phil, Alan, and Doug are all invited there for Stu’s wedding. This sequel has more riding on it than just its own success; the comedy of the first one will be lost forever on many people, or, if the sequel to a movie that needs no sequel works out, will be exponentially funnier.
2: The Tree of Life This is one of those movies for which the trailer says almost nothing about the plot, but still makes you want to see it. As far as I understand, Brad Pitt is Sean Penn’s father, but that’s about it. The trailer, however, shows a powerful display of incredible filmography and has a beautiful soundtrack, moving in its own right. This movie has the potential to be an Oscar Winner from the looks of it, I just hope it lives up.
Ok, two things. One, I know it’s already out, but I haven’t seen it, so it still counts on this list. Two, I also know that it didn’t get the best reviews, but think about it, Battle… LA… Aliens attack… what did you expect?
This movie looks even more mindless than Battle: LA. For one, it’s called “Cowboys and Aliens,” and from the looks of the trailer, the cowboys win. Also, it looks like seeing it would make me just that much dumber. It’s redeeming quality that put it on this list is that I get the feeling that after I walk out of the theatre, I will have an incredible argument as to why my previous claims are false that will only make sense to others who have seen the movie as well.
This movie is mostly on this list because of its concept; also because of its brilliant ad campaign, but mostly because of the concept. The idea behind it is based on the concept that the human brain harnesses only 10% of its maximum capability at a time. Eddie Morra is a writer with a bit of an unlucky streak until he comes across a drug that will unlock his brain. He becomes rich and famous quite quickly, but as he begins to run out of the drug, his mind reacts in unexpected ways. I really like the idea of a movie based on unlocking your brain where the main character doesn’t suddenly have superpowers, and the idea that he would have withdrawals from the dug is a stroke of genius. This movie is going to be a fun one, if done right (i.e. focusing on the main characters perception of the world throughout, and not on the results of his perception).
I went to see Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1 yesterday, and I was more than enthusiastic with the results. I was paying strict attention to the scenes and details and I found only three important things that they either altered a little bit or left out entirely.
The only major things they left out or changed in the movie that JK Rowling wrote in the book were the goodbyes between Harry and the Dursley family, Hedwig‘s death (sadface), and a mural Luna Lovegood had painted on the ceiling of her room.
In the book, Harry’s cousin, Dudley Dursley, gives Harry a strong hug goodbye and confesses how he never hated Harry, not after he saved his life in Book Five. In the movie, however, Harry just watches them drive away in their car, never to be seen again.
This is one of those movies for which the trailer says almost nothing about the plot, but still makes you want to see it. As far as I understand, Brad Pitt is Sean Penn’s father, but that’s about it. The trailer, however, shows a powerful display of incredible filmography and has a beautiful soundtrack, moving in its own right. This movie has the potential to be an Oscar Winner from the looks of it, I just hope it lives up.
OVS Journalism Blog 
