Today, 31 July, is Harry Potter's birthday. Every year it rolls around, I find myself thinking about just how extraordinary it is that a story first published in 1997 still captures the imagination of millions of readers around the world.
Nearly three decades after 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' first arrived on bookshelves, Hogwarts continues to welcome new readers every single day. More than 600 million copies of the seven books have been sold worldwide, they've been translated into more than 80 languages, and they've inspired films, theatre productions, board games, theme parks and, soon, a brand-new television series.
But for me, Harry Potter isn't defined by the numbers.
It's defined by the memories.
I was the same age as Harry when I started reading the first book, and the books seemed to grow up with me. As each new story was released, the characters got older, the stakes got higher and, somehow, I was always at just the right age to appreciate it. It genuinely felt like I was growing up alongside Harry, Ron and Hermione.
Whenever a new book came out, there was only one copy for our whole family. That meant one thing: I had to read it as quickly as I possibly could before one of my siblings got to it. Every spare moment was spent with my nose buried in the pages because I simply couldn't bear waiting another day to find out what happened next.
Looking back, I think that's one of Harry Potter's greatest achievements. It didn't just encourage children to read, it made them desperate to read. It turned books into events, made reading exciting and proved that children would happily devour big books if the story was good enough.
It's the first series that truly showed me what books could do. It made me laugh out loud while sitting quietly on my own. I still remember reading the scene where Molly Weasley sends Ron a Howler and trying not to burst out laughing. It also made me cry real tears over fictional characters. Dobby was just one of many moments that completely broke my heart.
That was the genius of the series. The characters didn't just feel like people on a page. They felt like friends. Their victories felt like your own, and their losses genuinely hurt. Even now, after rereading the series multiple times, those moments still have exactly the same impact.
Of course, there are dragons, Quidditch and unforgettable adventures. But that's never really been why the books have endured.
At their heart, they're stories about love, friendship, courage, sacrifice and choosing what's right, even when it's difficult. They remind us that there is both good and bad in the world, but that kindness, loyalty and the people who stand beside us are often what help us through the darkest times. Those themes resonated with me as a child, and they resonate even more now as an adult.
Harry Potter has become part of my family's story too. Tim and I love pulling out the 'Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle' board game for a screen-free evening. It's one of those games that instantly transports you back into the wizarding world and reminds us why we fell in love with it in the first place. But nothing compares to taking our little boy Walter to Universal Orlando a couple of years ago. Watching him ride the Hogwarts Express, wander with us through Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, and experience the magic through his eyes is something I'll never forget. Sharing a Butterbeer together, and then trying Butterbeer ice cream for the first time, made it feel like we had stepped straight into the books. Standing there, surrounded by thousands of people from all over the world, all brought together by a story that began on the pages of a book, was incredibly emotional. It was a powerful reminder that before there were blockbuster films, incredible theme parks or bestselling board games, there was simply a child curled up with a book.
If you've never read Harry Potter, I hope one day you do. And if you have, maybe it's time to head back to Hogwarts.
After all, as so many readers have discovered over the years, it's always there, waiting for you.