So I'm almost done with that new Harry Potter book. Wow, I can't believe that they killed off Hagrid.

Ahh, I'm just messing with you, actually Hermione dies.

As much as it goes against my hardcore indie instinct to like something that is tremendously popular on its own merits and not because I have an ironic appreciation for crap, I must admit that the Harry Potter book series is pretty damn good. It's like, Narnia good. J.K. Rowling has earned all of her 500 bazillion dollars as far as I'm concerned, and I'm sure her rise from poor single mother to world-famous, ridiculously wealthy single mother will make a fascinating Lifetime Original Movie some day.

Still, I have removed my dust jacket from my copy of Harry Potter and the order of the Pheonix so that strangers would stop asking me, "Oh, you're reading that too?" Although I really like watching their faces fall when I reply, "Yeah! What did you think of the part where Dumbledore gets killed?", it's not worth giving people an excuse to interact with me. I think my animosity stems more from my inability to accept that I genuinely like something that's extremely popular rather than any actual distaste for hardcore Harry Potter fans. However, the Harry Potter series does seem to inspire some really freaky obsession in people.
This family has bothered to come up with a whole entire theme park layout, complete with maps, rides, dining, show schedules, photos, tours, etc. etc.

Damn! I wouldn't be surprised if this theme park actually exists someday, or that these folks get totally sued, but damn! that is one huge amount of work. Right down to the Top Ten Lists. Does this family ever do anything else?

On the other side of the spectrum, there are those nutcases who are sure that Harry Potter is the spawn of Satan and the books are just a clever way of teaching children the dark arts. I don't think it's the children they need to worry about, it seems like adults are more likely to do more silly Harry Potter emulation attempts.

Dumb: Trying to make a potion just like Harry Potter
Dumber: Burning down your house in the process
Dumbest: Admitting that you burned down your house trying to make a potion just like Harry Potter.

Here's a little advice. If you're over the age of 12 and trying to make a magical potion, just tell the fire department you were cooking up meth, you'll look like less of an idiot. Also, if you really do want to make a polyjuice potion, you'd have better luck adding fluxweed instead of toothpaste. Duh. (link via 8bitjoystick.)

Well it's certainly better than how some people show their obsession with the series. I don't need to tell you about the creepy awful Harry Potter slash fiction authors. (Link does not actually lead to Harry Potter slash fiction. Find it yourself, creep.)

I don't get why so many folks are keen to sexualize Harry Potter, I mean, he's a teenager already, he's going to get to that point eventually by himself, without the help of slash-fic-authoring preverts. I guess I'll just have to wait until the next novel, athough I'm not sure how good it'll be now that Ron is out of the picture.