~*Potter Parade: 10 Most Epic "Small" Events in Harry Potter*~

Question of the Day: Fred or George?

"NEVER-INSULT-ALBUS-DUMBLEDORE-IN-FRONT-OF-ME!"

-Rubeus Hagrid, Book 1


5 Days Until Harry Potter #7 Part 1

***Spoiler Alert: You may not want to read this if you haven't read HP but are planning to or are currently in the process of reading the series

Hello! I have compiled a short list of the 10 most epic "small" events in Harry Potter. I mean, we all know what the most epic "big" events were...Harry meeting Sirius Black for the first time, the Yule Ball, Harry discovering that he's a wizard, Dumbledore's downfall, Harry's unsuccessful date with Cho, etc. etc...

But what about the little things? The things that may not mean the most to us, but still did nothing but enrich Harry's experiences at a wizard?

1) Fred & George feed Dudley Dursley a Ton Tongue Toffee, Book 4. I don't think poor Dudder's tongue was ever the same after that.

2) Harry and Ron drink Polyjuice Potion to spy on the Slytherins, Book 2. Crabbe's toenails hair, anyone?

3) Harry opens a Chocolate Frog for the first time, Book 1. This is the first time Harry sees what Albus Dumbledore looks like. And, of course, we see The Headmaster scratching his nose...

4) We see Snape and Mrs. Malfoy making The Unbreakable Vow, Book Six. I think this is one of the few times in which we encounter a very important event that is not through the eyes of Harry Potter. It is also one of the few times that Rowling ditches restricted 3rd person and gives us the opportunity to know something that even our hero does not.

5) Sirius sends Harry his Firebolt broomstick and it gets ooh'ed and aah'ed, Book 3. You gotta admit, that broomstick is pretty darn sexy...

6) Harry and Ron overhear Hagrid and Madame Maxime having a not-so-private conversation at the Yule Ball, Book 4. To jog your memory, we discover at this point why Hagrid is so respectably large! We also find out about Hagrid's background and past.

7) Hermione meets Grawp, and Grawp meets Hermione, Book 5. "Grawp's about sixteen feet tall, enjoys ripping up twenty-foot pine trees, and knows me," she snorted, "as Hermy."

8) Harry indirectly helps free Dobby from Lucius Malfoy's grasp, Book 2. YAY FOR DOBBY AND HIS SOCK!

9) Hedwig dies, Book 7. Here lies Hedwig Potter, the most faithful, loyal, and magical snowy owl that ever walked on this earth. The world shall forever mourn for the poor dear. We salute you, and thank you for everything, dear Hedwig.

10) Hermione punches Draco Malfoy, SMACK!!, Book 3. Who knew Hermy was so bad-ass?

What do you think? Do you have any events to add to the list?

~*Potter Parade: 10 Most Epic "Small" Events in Harry Potter*~

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~*Potter Parade: Happy Veterans/Marauders & Potter Palooza

Question of the Day: Who do you think you would most likely be best friends with from the Wizarding world?

"Oh are you a Prefect, Percy?"
"You should have told us, we had no idea!"

"---Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it, once..."

"Or twice."

"A minute."

"All summer..."

--Fred & George Weasley, Book 1

7 Days Until Harry Potter #7 Part 1

HAPPY VETERANS DAY!! At least in the Muggle World. I suppose in the Wizarding World today would be HAPPY MARAUDERS DAY!! Thank you so much to those who have fought to protect our great country of America, and thank you to those who have constantly braved battles against You-Know-Who.

Sadly I still have class today, even though pretty much every high school, middle school, and elementary school has closed in honor of this holiday. Heck, I'm sure that even Hogwarts has cancelled classes. Alas, us college people must have no time to lose and must continue to toil away in our lectures and recitations. In fact, I had a film analysis due today, which is why I did not get to publish a PPP (Potter Parade post) yesterday. GAR!

Well, in other news, I went to a spectacular event called ~*PoTtEr PaLoOzA*~ last night at the Union building! It was sponsored by one of our biggest activity-hosting organizations. They had a real Quidditch game (yes, we have a Quidditch team at our school!), Trivia Contest, Costume Competition, and yummy eats in "The Great Hall"! Here are just a few pictures from the event...

Here is The Great Hall. They had lined 4 tables together, just like in the movies. Plus, they'd distinguished each one with a certain color. Yellow for Hufflepuff, red for Gryffindor, etc. We sat at the Ravenclaw table!

Super cool candelabra! Accompanied with two adorable mini cauldrons.

Close-up on the not-so-mini black cauldron. Maybe I should steal it and cook up a Polyjuice Potion...then I could dress up like my professor!!! Mwuahahahaaa!!!!

The Raven. Edgar Allen Poe much? Hmm, there seems to be a Malt ball at his feet. Poor guy, he looks lke he's trying to reach the ball but can't!

Yum yum!! Galleon-sized chocolates, Gryffindor cuppycakes, gruesome Fainting Fancy candies (from F&G's Skiving Snackboxes, no doubt), oh my!

That's all I have for you today! =)

~TRA

~*Potter Parade: Happy Veterans/Marauders & Potter Palooza

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~*Potter Parade: Potter Puppet Pals*~

Question of the Day: What is your favorite magical sweet from the Wizarding World?

"Nobody's asked me to a party before, as a friend! Is that what you dyed your eyebrow, for the party? Should I do mine too?" --Luna Lovegood, Book Six

11 DAYS UNTIL HARRY POTTER #7 PART 1

Yes, I am waiting for my letter to Hogwarts. No, I do not like licorice wands. I like Chocolate Frogs, thank you very much.

Rrrrrribbit!

It is safe to say that I am a Harry Potter fan(atic) and Rowling's #1 reader. I started reading the series very early in elementary school and have read the series SO many times that I think I could name most of the events in chronological order from Book 1--Book 7. And I've watched the movies too. Many times (of course).

All around America--and indeed the world--there's news and gossip in the air...

Of what? OF OMFG @#$**%^&*!!!!!! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 comes out on 19th November 2010!!!!!!

That is 1.5 weeks, 11 days, and 264 hours. Merlin's beard, that is all too early and all too soon, all at the same time! It seems as though just yesterday I was in line to buy the first Harry Potter movie. O_O

Well, in honor of this amazing, spectacular, extremely wonderful, crazy-beautiful event that will be occuring QUITE SOON, I will be hosting a Potter Parade here on my blog! Each day I'll have a Hogwarts/Harry Potter/Diagon Alley/Chocolate Frog/Etc.-themed post will lots of goodies AAAAAAND...an upcoming contest! =)

Yes, yes...I am reaching 50 followers, which brings me close to tears since when I first started blogging in January I was aiming for 15 by the end of the year! Thank you so much for following!!! So. Yes. A contest will take place soon in the upcoming days of HP#7.

Meanwhile, who's up for a little Potter Puppet Pals??? If you don't know what in the world that is (besides the fact that it pertains to Harry Potter (duh)), then let me explain. Potter Puppet Pals is a sort of YouTube channel that posts several videos of mini skits played by puppets created to look like characters from the Harry Potter series! It is beyond awesome, and if you are a Harry Potter fan(atic!) like me, then you HAVE to check them out! They are HILARIOUS!

Here is one of the PPP's most famous (and oldest) videos...

Potter Puppet Pals: The Mysterious Ticking Noise

Don't forget to answer the QOTD (pokes up)! =)

Hope you all have a magical day!!

~TRA

~*Potter Parade: Potter Puppet Pals*~

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Compromising With Your Main Character

Question of the Day: What is one quirky habit, hobby, or hidden talent you have that not many people know about you?

As you all know, I am doing National Novel Writing Month. Earlier, I was having a mild argument with my Main Character, but we just made up. :) Basically, she thinks the last few chapters have been pretty passive and need a little oomph, while I've been trying to tell her to be quiet because editing and "going back" will ONLY slow me down! So far the past day or two, she's just been yacketing yacketing in my head. In the end, though, we compromised...

MC: Gosh Wendy, I don't really know what to think about that last chapter...

Me (narrows eyes): What's that supposed to mean?

MC: Well, I feel like ever since Chapter 9, the action has just really been dwindling down...

Me: Um, HELLO, I'm trying not to go too fast or feed too much information to my readers!

They need time to rest, just enough time for them to get inside your head and for me to build

some suspense...

MC: But Chapter 9 and 10 just seem so...so passive. They need a little oomph.

Me: Oomph??

MC: You know, to spice them up a little. Hmm, maybe you should have me take a random

plane flight to Las Vegas and I can party all night...

Me: I'LL decide on how to write MY novel, little missy.

MC: Well it's MY story!

Me: I'd like to see YOU slaving away day after day, typing until your fingers are sore with the thought "1667, 1667" repeating over and over in your head, and tearing your hair out because you can't find another synonym for "secretive."

MC: Clandestine.

Me: *THWACK* (punches MC in the nose)

-ten minutes later-

Me: MC, are you okay?

MC: You broke my nose.

Me: Oh shut up, your nose didn't break. You're just a figment of my worthless imagination.

Erm...does it still hurt?

MC: Duh. So what do you want now?

Me: Well I'm trying to complete Chapter 10 and am failing horribly. I guess you ARE important to this novel. I am sorry for fake-breaking your nose. So whaddaya say? Help me out here? Chapter 10 could really use your insight...

MC: I want to go to Las Vegas.

Me: Well I can't let you do that.

MC: I WANT TO GO TO LAS VEGAS!

Me: ...........Okay.

MC: !!!!!!!!WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG OMG OMG REALLY?!?!!?!!!!!

Me: You can go to Las Vegas, but ONLY after Chapter 16.

MC: Why Chapter 16?

Me: Because in Chapter 13 something bad happens to somebody you care about, and then in Chapter 15 you get kissed.

MC: COOL!!!!!!!!!!!

-The End-

So what about you? Do you ever have little figments of your imagination spring to life and start arguing with you?

Personally I think my Main Character and I have a bit of a personality clash....

~TRA

Compromising With Your Main Character

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Meet: The "Hope" Bompkin

Question of the Day: What did you do last summer? xD

So my Halloweekend was GREAT! Sort of... Michael and I hung out at my apartment, watching episodes of Smallville (of course), comparing favorite quotes, and eating chocolate upcakes. Yes, CUPCAKES. Mmmmm. The sad part of Halloween was that no kids came to knock on my door. Thus, we had TONS and tons of Candy (yes, Candy with a capital C) left over. We COULD'VE eaten it all...but we didn't. ;) Instead, I passed the Candy around in Chinese class as a sort of post-Halloweeniness treat for everyone.

As for National Novel Writing Month, I am currently about 4,000 words behind. AKA Two Days Behind. This past week has been super hectic, mainly due to the fact that I have a new story assignment (1300 words minimum) to complete as the writer for my college's features magazine. Ohh NaNoWriMo, you just HAD to be in November, didn't you?

Well, it is just the first week. If you're having troubles, such as writer's block, arguments with your main character, or just a complete loss of steam all together, please don't give up. Every word counts. Plus, the more you write down by the end of November, that's one greater step up you'd be than you would've been if you hadn't gone so far.

Just remember that there is still...H-O-P-E!!! =)

I painted this at my college's Paint-A-Pumpkin event. I call it the "Hope" Bompkin. I painted it just for you NaNoers. <3

IT'S THE BOMPKIN'S HEAD!!!!

I added a rose for extra good luck. In a way, a novel is like a rose...as the flower begins to grow, it begins to develop thorns. However, the ending result is magificent. We are currently in those thorns right now, you and I. We are trying to surpass the greatest difficulties of writing a novel. But if we don't give up and keep the will to win, our novel will bloom just like this flower. :D

The shining star of a NaNoer is the one person who always motivates that writer to keep going and never stop...to never look back or edit or second-guess what the writer has already written. The star always provides light where there is dark. My star is my friend Michael. Who is yours?

Meet: The "Hope" Bompkin

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