Wizards are cool, huh?

Yesterday morning, I was walking down Church Street in Harvard Square, longing for a caffeine I.V., and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ron Weasley!

And then I realized it wasn't really Ron Weasley, just some pansy, ginger look-alike.

So I punched him. He deserved it. That faux Weasley deserved my right hook.

Okay, that last part about punching is a lie. I've never punched anyone in my life. I'm a lover, not a hater. And I love me some Ron Weasley.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, let me 'splain.

Ron Weasley is one of Harry Potter's best friends. His sidekick. His wingman. His brother. And in many ways, his foil.

Unlike Harry, Ron doesn't have an account at Gringotts. He is not a particularly good student or Quidditch player or potions maker. Where Harry has a infamous scar, Ron has an inferiority complex roughly the size of Hagrid. Nonetheless, he is member of Gryffindor House (obvi) and as such is loyal, true and brave...his fear of Voldemort and spiders aside.

Sidenote: if the members of my wolfpack were evaluated by the Sorting Hat, I bet you a billion galleons that we would all be Gryffindors. Except the Chuck Basses, that is--both the GG character and Katie's fish--they might be Slytherin.

At this point, you probably think I'm completely and weirdly obsessed with Harry Potter.

That may be true, but at least I'm not as obsessed as these folks:

Check out these guys too.

(How delightful are these muggles? Did you notice that the actor playing Harry is now Blaine on Glee? You can and SHOULD watch the whole musical on youtube.)

Anwayyyyy, compared to the lovely prose of J.K. Rowling's 7 books, the films are total rubbish. (Now read that sentence again with a british accent.)

However, my problems with the films have never been the actors. Where the script or set or cinematography may have failed me, what has never disappointed are the people that play these beloved wizards. In fact, what is so great about these movies is watching the actors--and thus the characters we love so much--grow up before our eyes. Ron Weasley, brilliantly played by Rupert Grint, is a perfect example. He went through puberty right before our eyes--which was somehow both awkward and adorable at the same time.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, see for yourself.

That last one gives you chills, doesn't it?