Max Nocerino 
Max reflects on his annual return to Hogwarts
Today is the day (September 1st) where Albus Severus Potter boards the train and journeys to Hogwarts for his third year. Many people like myself were once “Potterheads” and I remember waiting in line at midnight for the last book in the Harry Potter series. I was there with my siblings and my mother and we ran from the shopping complex where the bookstore was because I would NOT accept any cruel people who might spout spoilers. I was 14 years old at the time and believe it or not; was more focused on the Wizarding World, then a GFFA. When I look back at that time, I ask myself; Why.
At age 27 I finally came up with the answer. Star Wars was always something that boosted my adrenaline and I would look at the vast scale of where the story took place (an entire galaxy) and realized how small and significant a single being was. Not with Harry Potter. The Harry Potter series lives in a cozy, plottable alcove and you always felt significant as a person when immersing yourself in that world. You also felt the warmth and love of Harry and his friends and Harry growing up as a kid to a man. I honestly wanted nothing more than to attend Hogwarts (or an American equivalent) when I was a teen and felt a longing for magic and mystery to fill my life. Living on Coruscant and attending the Jedi Temple might be fun, but it would also be cold and stressful. I also would feel a connection to what Albus Dumbeldore simply refers to as “on” rather than the oversoul that is the Force. Meaning I’d rather live in a comfortable afterlife than just migrate back into an energy field. The latter is probably more realistic but this is my fantasy and I choose Harry’s fate. I mourn the young boy who loved magic because unlike Star Wars which is a constant growing organism; Harry Potter came to an end and its brief resurgence in 2016 was VERY disappointing.
I tend to go where the most stimuli are focused, so I said goodbye to Harry in 2007 and said “Hello there” back to my old friend Luke Skywalker. That part of my life is over but I still dream of my life as a Potterhead. Of course, there are the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movies that take place in the Potter world; but it is a huge stretch to just milk more money out of the franchise and I never cared for it.
Maybe one day, author JK Rowling will return to Harry and write another book. Will I be able to enjoy it though? I’m a Star Wars Guy now and Harry Potter is in my rearview mirror. I don’t think I can channel the youthful spirit I had back then. I am a Jedi now; not a wizard. I only wish I could live in a world where I can be both.
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Max Nocerino is a new addition to the Future of the Force roster. He is a passionate Star Wars fan and loves the literature of the galaxy far, far away. Follow him on Twitter @MaxN2100 where he channels his passion frequently!
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Max Nocerino is a regular Staff Writer for The Future of the Force. He is a passionate Star Wars fan and loves the literature of the galaxy far, far away. Follow him on Twitter where he shares his love of the Force frequently!
