Opinions : Column
Riddikulus with Elise & Sydney: Welcome to madness

By Elise Porter,
and Sydney Carlson,
Columnists
August 18, 2010

Many avid readers enjoy living in two worlds: the real world, and a fictional world of their choice. For us, the choice is simple ? we would live in the wizarding world of Harry Potter.

We, Elise and Sydney, are best friends and self-professed Harry Potter nerds. This column is our excuse to reread the books and talk about their inner workings non-stop. Because of our infatuation with them, we have extensive knowledge of the books that most readers pass over.

If you are wondering what the title of our column means, you are probably not alone. "Riddikulus" is the name of the incantation used to destroy a boggart. We liked it for a title because this spell is introduced in a humorous manner, and it is ridiculous spelled wrong, which we think is kind of fun.

Throughout the year we will be sharing our opinions on various aspects of the series. We will cover subjects from the books, movies and the theme park.

Even though we are now united in our love for Harry Potter, it was not always that way. We have very different backgrounds with the series and we will be telling them separately. Otherwise, this could get pretty confusing.

Elise Porter

When I was younger, my parents did not permit me to read the series because they were afraid the darker elements would be inappropriate. However, when I reached middle school they gave me permission.

At that time, I had no interest in the series; in fact, I thought it was pretty stupid. Who wants to read about a teenage boy with an owl and a stick, right? Well, then I met Sydney.

Sydney spent four years trying to convince me to read the series. She was incredibly persistent. Finally, once she had stopped nagging me, I decided to start reading them in secret.

I checked out the first book from the library without telling my friends I had done so; I wanted to surprise them. Once I was half-way through the second book, I decided to spill the beans. I told Sydney while we were sitting in our chemistry class and, to my surprise, she (quite loudly) squealed with excitement! Since then, we have discussed the books on a regular basis.

Favorite Book: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Favorite Characters: Fred and George Weasley
Favorite Spell: Reducto (used to explode solid objects)
House: Ravenclaw


Sydney Carlson

Unlike Elise, I have been a dedicated fan for several years. I began reading the series upon seeing the first movie when I was in fourth grade. At that point only three books had been released.

When I started reading the series, I was just a casual reader. However, once I read the third book, I was hooked. It was getting more popular each day, and a new trend was starting.

After taking interest in the series, I found that a lot of my good friendships blossomed from a common interest in the books. I met two of my close friends talking about the books.

I have convinced several of my friends and family to read the books, and they now love them almost as much as I do. I plan on having my children read them, when they turn eleven because, of course, that is how old Harry is when he goes to Hogwarts. I believe the series will be a part of my life for a long time.

Favorite Book: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Favorite Character: Luna Lovegood
Favorite Spell: Oppugno (causes conjured objects to attack an individual)
House: Gryffindor

Now that you know a little about us, we hope that you will continue to follow us in our somewhat ridiculous ramblings as we discuss the series. This will be a regular column posted on the first and third wednesday of every month.



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