How, when and at what age did you first read Harry Potter? v.3

[PotterFan417]

I started reading the books when I was 13, in the summer of 2000 when Goblet of Fire came out. The release was getting a lot of attention on the news, and we were curious to find out what the big deal about this series was. So we went out to the bookstore and bought copies of books 2 & 3 (we already owned book 1 since my sister wanted to read it after seeing my mom buy it for my cousin for his birthday the previous fall - she never did read it until that summer though!). Since my two sisters and I all wanted to read them, we each started with a different book, so I started with Chamber of Secrets. I loved it, and went on to read Prisoner of Azkaban, and start Goblet of Fire (we went back to the bookstore a couple days after getting 2 & 3 to get 4). Eventually I slowed down a bit in reading them though, to the point that by Fall 2001, I still had not read all of Sorcerer's Stone or Goblet of Fire. Then the first movie came out, so we went to see it. I think this was the turning point of my love for the series, because I loved the movie and came home after and quickly finished Sorcerer's Stone and Goblet of Fire. Ever since, I eagerly anticipated each book and movie release.

I wish I could go back in time and relive those years! The excitement of the books and movies being released and experiencing them for the first time was so special.

[MrsScamander]

In my mid 20s, I was traveling for work, sometimes visiting 4 or 5 cities in a week and totally out of the loop when it came to most pop culture stuff, including the HP hype. Then I happened to go with my husband and stepdaughter to the first film and found out that it was made from a series of books. I backtracked and read all the books that had been published to that point, then was able to anticipate the release dates of the others! Now I keep re-reading them and plan to do so for a very long time.

[Goddess_Clio]

Didn't join the fervor until I saw POA in theaters and then read the books the second I got out of school and had time. OOTP had been released so I only had to wait for the release of two additional books. I think I was 19.

[Liez]

When my step-sister came to visit, she gave me Chamber of Secrets (possibly for my birthday) and I knew in order to at least try it I would have to read the first book, so I borrowed it from the school library, liked it enough to read the book I already had, interested enough to the borrow the third.... and so on until I brought Deathly Hallows and read that. I finished the series around late 2008/early 2009 (before I saw the trailer for the Half-Blood Prince film) so all the books were already out when I started. I must've been 13 years old at the time (whoa, how the time flies by, even though it was only four years ago!).

As a side note, I think I started reading at a good time: I finished before the sixth film, and that was the film when everyone involved knew how the story ended (after the final book) so you get a change in tone, and many hints too. If I had started later, I might've gotten suspicious about some the aspects the film displayed (as I read the books, I watched the movie counterpart after each one until Order of the Phoenix). Luckily, the only movie I watched before I read the series was Order of the Phoenix (a friend picked it out) and I only remembered flashes of the first film being shown in afterschool care in primary school when I was only around 7 years old (now THAT is scary).

[speedyhobbit]

I read Sorcerer's Stone when I was 12 and had to do a book report for English and my mom got it for me. i thought I'd hate it especially since I was being forced to read it but LOVED IT!

And the rest is history..

[Faolan]

I got the first book from my aunt for my birthday. I can't remember exactly how old I was when I got it, but I know I didn't read GOF until 5th grade so I think I was probably around 10 when I started the series. I read the first 4 books 7 times through while waiting for the movies to come out. I've been a huge fan ever since I read book one. I even got my dad and my aunt (the one who gave me the book) into the series, too, and we're all big fans.

[Gondring]

I was just entering Ninth Grade, my mother had forbidden me from reading them for it contained witchcraft. Then she read them and said okay... rather enthusiastically haha. Been hooked ever since.

[GryffSolider]

I was 21 and pregnant with my first son, the pregnancy brain fog had descended and I could no longer read books that are more in character and to my liking, but I had to read something, my 11 year old sister gave me her copy of PS, I never looked back.

[FireflySkies]

We were introduced to the Harry Potter series in the third grade, so about 1998/1999. She read it out loud, but I had no idea what was going on (daydreaming) so I decided to check it out myself. I was positively hooked. All the other books were preordered as soon as they came out.

Incidentally, that's why I only had 4-7 in hardcover for the longest time-- the first three I read at the school library. Then I bought 3, which someone else borrowed and lost. Now they're all in another state with my parents, since I moved rather abruptly.

[ChestnutDream26]

All started when I was 7 years old. I'm 18 now so this happened in 2001.

It was my 7th birthday and when I opened my aunt's present and saw my HP and the Philosoper's Stone (in Spanish, of course) she told me: "Look, this is the first book of the Harry Potter series! Don't you know Harry Potter? It's about a boy who's a wizard! He's very famous"
I gave her a weird look. Of course, I had never heard about Harry Potter nor those books. "This book is too big for me" I thought, but I gave it a try anyway. I read the 1st chapter and it bored me soooo much. I didn't understand nothing at all. "What was my aunt thinking about? I've just turned 7, this book is too complicated for me, sorry but I'll keep it on the shelves forever"

So I had already forgotten about my HP book when my best friend told me that the PS film had been realased and she had watched it and loved it! And she wanted to watch it again, so we went together to the cinema and I loved it too! So I gave another chance to the book and read it... best decission in my life! haha

So I became obsessed with HP since that moment and I read again and again the book. One day I discovered about the existence of 3 HP books more, and I was shocked by the fact that the 4th one had more than 600 pages! I couldn't believe how a book could be so long! (in that moment I was 8, so it looked huge for me lol). I was commenting this incredible fact with another aunt of mine ("+600 pages, OMG!") when one day this aunt came up to me and gave me the 4th book. She had bought it for me because she thought that I wanted it (actually I didn't) but I read it in 2 weeks without having read the 2nd and 3rd one (I was like: who the hell are Sirius and Pettigrew?).

Then I watched the 2nd film and loved it too and bought the 2nd and 3rd book, which I read so quickly.

And my obsession grew. And the story continues but it's always the same from now, waiting for new books and films.

Sorry for the long post, haha, but I needed to share my story with you all I'll be always very grateful to my aunt! I couldn't have guessed at the age of 7 that I was going to love the series too much!

[Th3Phoenix89]

I started reading at the age of 13
I never knew that I would become so interested in this series as I am not much into habit of reading

[eatus_Benevol1]

I started backwards - I saw the Sorcerer's Stone movie first - didn't know what I was getting into - in 2001 - I was 43. Fell in love and went out and bought the first 3 books (couldn't find the GOF for a while). So...when OOTP was ready to come out - I preordered it on Amazon - it didn't get to my house by noon that day as promised so I drove 30 miles to the nearest big city and luckily got my hands on another copy (ended up with 2 copies, obviously). The final 2 books I stood in line at the midnight issuance along with many other people in my small town - of all ages! I must say that getting hooked on this series (the books and the movies) helped me make it through a period of terrible depression and mourning after the sudden unexpected death of my brother who was 36, back in 1997. Thank you JK Rowling and Harry potter characters. I am re-reading the series just now for about the 7th time.

[asdfasdf17]

I heard of Harry Potter when the first movie came out and I was really young. I watched the movie and really liked it and was excited when the second movie was about to come out. The first book I read was PoA and I began liking Harry Potter after that. I went on to read the 2nd book and watch the movie and then I watched the 3rd movie. After that I started reading the books in order from GoF onward (I eventually got to reading the 1st book too) and I really got into Harry Potter right before the 7th book came out and watched all the movies.

[MuggleGuy]

I think I'd have probably been about 7. It was the Chamber of secrets, not the first book.

[Ankorn]

When did I started reading the Harry Potter books ... Well, it was about right years after the first movie came out. Since it came out at around the same time as my birthday was, me and a couple of my mates went to see it. It was one of my favourite movies back then, so after I watched it had some sort of a revelation: "I should start reading the books!" (mind you I wasn't much of a reader back then ). I went to the local library to borrow the first book and oh no! All of them were already borrowed out. The only one they had was the fourth installment, so I took that one. A weird place to start but hey, why not. After that I went in to the right cronogical order and started with the first one So, 2001 (11 years old kid) was the year I'd been bewitched by the wizarding world of Harry Potter. Interstingly, Harry Potter is my least favourite character in the books

[Macindaw]

I first rea them just last year when I was 13. My mom thought that they were evil and the work of Satan. But, after eight years of begging, she finially let me. I am now reading through the series for a third time and am absolutely in love with the series.

[BuffysGirl]

Oh, this is so sad... Okay. I started reading the books last year when I was 17. The reason I had put it off until then was because someone had convinced me that reading was boring and Harry Potter was dumb. Boy, were they wrong!
I now regret not reading them sooner, but it's better late than never, right?

As for when I first heard of Harry Potter... Well... I think I was either 6, 7 or 8 years old.

[GryffindorGirl2]

My dad started reading them to me before bed when i was 6. It was a bit of a tradition that he would read me a book a few chapters at a time every night before bed. I actually fought against reading Harry Potter at first, thinkin that it sounded weird and that i wouldn't like it (stupid me!)! When we started reading it, i was immediately hooked, an stayed up late the next few nights to finish it (without my dad's knowledge or consent!) I reread the series at least once every year, and every time i do, I find something new to be amazed at! JK Rowling is such an amazing author, an Harry Potter is such an amazing series! I'm still in love with the books, and i think i always will be!

[AccioDoubleStuf]

I started the Harry Potter series in third grade when I was on a hunt for interesting books. It was near the end of the school year and I decided, after seeing snippets of the movies (I have never, in my life, seen a full Harry Potter movie) decided I needed to read the books. So, I picked out SS and read it in three days. I really liked it (and mispronounced Hermione's name until I reread the series) and so I read CoS, in five days. Now I knew I had to read the whole series so, on the last day of school, I read the PoA and got to the 3rd to last chapter before the day ended. After third grade though, I never thought to pick up another one again. Not until last school year, did I decide to reread the series and I'm glad I did. I now only have to read DH and I'll have read the whole series.