"I disagree with Dumbledore on many accounts... but you cannot deny he's got style." -Phineas Nigellus

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was released on June 21, 2003. It was the first Harry Potter book that I had to wait for, and that is possibly the reason why the book means the most to me.

It really is my favorite. People think I'm crazy when I try to convince them it is the best Harry Potter book. But really. It is. The best. Many claim that Harry is grumpy and mean and full of "angst" in HP5, but I think that his random spurts of anger are totally legitimate (haha, watch "Potter Puppet Pals: Wizard Angst" for a perfect display of this attitude). HORRIBLE things were happening to him, and any normal person would lash out. Harry isn't perfect, and he shouldn't be. Perfect characters are boring (exhibit A: that one dumb vampire that I don't even want to say the name of on my blog). Harry acts like a normal adolescent BESIDES being totally justified in his reactions. AND, I promise that all you book 5 haters out there would like it better if you read it again from THAT perspective. I promise it all makes sense.

Plus, think about how pivotal the book is. It gives SO MUCH background and introduces key people and places (aka the Ministry, the Order, Umbridge, several Deatheaters (Bellatrix anyone?), THE PROPHECY). The fifth book sets up the next two. It is CRUCIAL to the development of the story, and is super entertaining at the same time. AND, it's the longest, and more Harry Potter is always a good thing.

Anyway, that book contains a solid chunk of three chapters that I claim as the best three chapters in Harry Potter. I don't want to argue why they are the best. They are the best because they are my favorite.

In fact, the quote in the title of this post comes from one of those three chapters.

And the chapters are: 27. The Centaur and the Sneak, 28. Snape's Worst Memory, and 29. Career Advice.

I love them. But I'm not going to describe what is in them because I am 100% anti-spoiler. My number one Harry Potter rule: no spoilers.

So anyway, the point of this post is to commemorate the seventh anniversary of this great book. Happy 7th year, book 5.

I got my copy of Harry Potter 5 at Media Play in Ogden. This was before I was a pro at Harry Potter release parties. I went up to Northern Utah that week and weekend to spend time with relatives. I was with my Uncle Dave and Aunt Sherry for about a week, but then went to my cousin Nicole's house to get the book. I remember being super worried about hanging out with her to buy and read the book, because I wasn't sure that she would want to read like ALL DAY like I wanted to. It is funny that she wondered the same thing. Worries were not necessary, however, we were equally excited to get that book into our hands and read and read until we were done.

I brought my wand and wore my Harry Potter pajama pants (they had flying cars on them) to the store, and we sat in line for hours. The party was fun because of what we were waiting for, but the really awesome Harry Potter release parties I experienced came in later years :).

I remember getting my book and not thinking that it was real. I had literally dreamed about holding that book in my hands for nearly 3 years. It was a tad overwhelming. And I remember screaming like the whole way home.

We took three days to read the book. We wanted to read a ton, but we didn't want it to be over too soon. I think three days was perfect. We read it chapter by chapter, pausing at the same parts together to talk everything over. We ate strawberries and pineapple when we took breaks from reading. And we slept out in the living room after falling asleep talking about the books, and then woke up to keep reading before breakfast.

It was the most fun that I had had with Nicole in several years. I love her so much, and Harry Potter gave us something to connect to, together.

And that is my commemoration for book 5. It is just such a good book. And I think it changed my life a little. :)