I’ve been there…I might still be there. When something as wonderful and life consuming as the Harry Potter series comes along, you can’t help but become completely submerged. Your friends and family don’t take your obsession lightly. It’s your life now. Here are some typical signs that your obsession is out of control.
1) They are not just for kids.
2) You cried when you didn’t receive your acceptance letter to Hogwarts after your 11th birthday
3) Not only did you go to the midnight screenings of the films, you dressed up and pointed out the mistakes in other people’s costumes, like a girl dressed as a Ravenclaw wearing a Gryffindor scarf and a scar on her forehead – poser.
4) You have two copies of all the books: nice looking hardback first editions for your shelves that you never touch, and then the other set which you read so much their covers are falling off.
5) You own The Tales of Beedle The Bard, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, and Quidditch Through The Ages, they have their own special space on your bookshelf.
6) You have a scarf for the house that you know that you belong to, no matter what pottermore.com says.
7) When your teacher asks you to use ‘examples from literature’ in an essay assignment, you find a way to use Harry Potter.
8) Your jewellery collection includes a snitch necklace, a time turner, and a deathly hallows pendant.
9) You have a file on your laptop that include photos of potential Harry Potter themed tattoos you might potentially get.
10) You can play the Harry Potter theme tune.
11) You know the school song off.
12) You own and have completed all the computer games.
13) You either are a member of a Quidditch team or you secretly want to be.
14) You have a Potter themed chess set. In fact, you started playing chess because of Harry Potter.
15) All old castles remind you of Hogwarts.
16) You’ve never cried so much as when a certain faithful house elf perished in the service of duty to his great friend.
17) You know the books were infinitely better than the films and scoff at people who haven’t read the books but claim to love Harry – poser.
18) That being said you have a collector’s DVD edition of the films that came in a trunk.
19) And you know nearly all the films off.
20) You can’t hear the number 394 being said without giggling to yourself.
21) You refer to people being ignorant or stupid as ‘Muggles’ but only in your head.
22) When your friend refuses to go out after a devastating break up you tell her to ‘Gryffindor the f*ck up!’
23) ‘Always’ is a powerful word to you.
24) Cedric Diggory is way hotter than Edward Cullen.
25) You hope that someday someone will love you like Snape loved Lily. A part of you wishes she could have loved him back.
26) You have either been to or want to go to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and the Harry Potter Studio outside London.
27) When school gets too much, you say to your friends: ‘Screw this! I’m going to Hogwarts. They didn’t have to learn Trigonometry there!’
28) When the weather is exceptionally miserable, foggy and raining, you blame the dementors.
29) You join all Harry Potter threads on every site.
30) You’ve dressed up as Hermione/Harry for most costume parties you’ve been to.
31) You either are a member of or the founder of, a Harry Potter group.
32) You write and/or read Potter fanfiction.
33) You own robes, scarf, and tie. Just in case you need them…
34) Your parents give out when you spend too much time reading your books.
35) You think you would have done alright in the Triwizard Tournament.
36) The Potter Puppet Pals are adorably awesome.
37) You know the backstories of all the minor characters from intensive research on J.K. Rowling’s website and Pottermore.
38) You participate in every campaign that the Harry Potter Alliance (HPA) organise.
39) You kill it at Harry Potter trivia. You can answer questions in less than five seconds with absolute certainty.
40) That one time when you crimped your hair and it was a disaster, but your brother told you that you looked like Hermione, absolutely made your year.
41) You have one of the books in a different language. I’m a proud owner of a hardback Irish version.
42) Voldemort wasn’t the most evil wizard, Umbridge was.
43) The ending of Deathly Hallows: Part 2 pissed you off so much. WTF HARRY? WHY DID YOU DO THAT TO THE WAND??
44) You’re seriously considering a movie marathon night with your friends now.
45) You feel like you have an affinity with snakes.
46) All Harry Potter snacks or merchandise makes you stupidly happy.
47) Your iPod contains at least 75% wrock (wizard-rock) on your iPod.
48) Your room is covered in Harry Potter themed furniture and merch.
49) J.K. Rowling genius imagination is unparalleled. You thank her every day for bringing this into your life.
50) You keep looking for a book that could make you feel like Harry Potter did, and it never happens and nothing ever will.