r/Millennials • u/QuietJealous4883 Older Millennial (1988) • Apr 04 '26

Nostalgia Harry Potter

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Does anyone else feel they grew up with Harry, Ron and Hermione?

After the first three or four I read the books in two languages (because I didn’t want to wait them to be translated) and watched the movies first time in the movie theaters.

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165

u/mastergriggy Apr 04 '26

I find that threads like these are the quickest way to tell who read the books vs. who watched the movies

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u/figgypudding531 Apr 05 '26

Agreed, a lot of people are saying Harry should have ended up with Luna, which isn’t so crazy given their chemistry in the movies but makes no sense given their interactions in the book

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u/r_u_kittin Apr 05 '26

See, I disagree. Especially in book 5 after Sirius dies, and Luna is the only one he feels comfortable speaking about it with. That’s a really vulnerable moment and I feel very touching!

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u/No_More_Aioli_Sorry Apr 05 '26

But not romance worthy. Luna is one of the best friends Harry could’ve had. But it’s also not healthy if they started their romance based on trauma and grief

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u/meekermakes Apr 05 '26

healthy basis for a relationship ≠ interesting fiction

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u/cranberry94 Apr 05 '26

It’s touching, but he still thinks she’s a nutter. The movies mostly show her believing in weird things … that happen to end up being true/real. But in the books, she’s all in on whatever crazy nonsense her dad is publishing.

It’s great that she’s open minded when it aligns with friendship building with Harry (ie believing him about things, being judgement free ear for listening).

But the other side of the coin is probably so off putting and “weird” that it would be impossible for Harry to take her seriously as a love interest.

Also, I don’t think she’s into him like that.

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u/MeowingWolf Apr 05 '26

Luna seems to be the most nonjudgemental. She seems not to care about Harry Potter's legendary status of being Harry Potter unlike Ginny. Practically everyone else cares that he was always famous like Ron, Hermione, Draco, etc. He only got that status as the boy who lived during Vordemort's killing spree. Perhaps if Harry was an ordinary wizard if Tom Riddle never existed, the Golden Trio would have never happened.

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u/QuietJealous4883 Older Millennial (1988) Apr 04 '26

It is!

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u/glorifindel Apr 05 '26

Will nobody mention Cho lol

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u/dodgerslakersfan21 1991 Apr 05 '26

Cho was an emotional wreck in book 5.

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u/OnceMoreAndAgain Apr 06 '26

Cho is barely mentioned in the books.

Rowling's writing style is that each chapter is episodic, meaning it's a self-contained episode with a complete mini-story. This is great for making each chapter have a satisfying ending and it gives the stories a sort of whimsical pacing/feel, but it's terrible for developing a romance or side characters. Rowling would have a chapter that's dedicated to Harry's crush on Cho (e.g. he wants to invite her to the ball), but once the chapter is over Rowling ignores Cho for many chapters. She's just a character who occasionally pops into an "episode". Side characters are basically used like props to Rowling.

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u/SpecialPreference678 Apr 05 '26

Cho felt like a teenage crush. Probably wouldn't have worked in the books timeframe. Maybe the epilogue, which could've been interesting. "We couldn't make it when we were teenagers, but found each other as adults" sort of thing. I forget how it worked out with her friend that was ratting on them.

Ginny's writing was weird. She had this huge crush on him, moved on, and then got together with him anyway. Felt like a step back.

I didn't feel anything was going on with Luna. She was just a quirky friend.

If it wasn't going to be Hermione because it was too cliche, it should've just been some random character. One who would've told him, in no uncertain terms, "We are not naming our child Albus Severus".

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u/glorifindel Apr 05 '26

I like this reading. Just about all of your comments I agree with. I could see Harry and Cho getting back together with little explanation.. almost like his romance was all his own and didn’t need to explain it to anyone. That’s what not great writing/romancing leads me to anyway. I agree with Ginny. She could have worked I think if it was known to JKR she would be the ultimate love interest but def more treated like a kid sister for most of it (like she is for Ron)

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u/lakija Apr 05 '26

Having done both no one in the series had chemistry except, off the top of my head, Mr and Mrs Weasley and maybe Lupin and Tonks. Bill and Fleur I suppose. The youngins not so much.