"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good..."

The first time I read through the Harry Potter series was during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Our school system was shut down for over a year. Education was on screen. Church was on a screen. And there were limited opportunities for connection. We were isolated from friends and parents. Our work felt like a daily practice of CPR. And I had a second grader who was anxious, bored and lonely. In the midst of trying something, anything, to fill all the gaping holes and social voids that punched holes through our schedule, I sat down with her and started reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. 

It took ten months for me to finish reading the series aloud. And while there were many different institutions, politicians, and officials who helped lift us out of the physical threat and regulations associated with the pandemic, it was J.K. Rowling who played a major role in emotionally carrying our family to a place of normalcy.

The gift was threefold. 

1. Time: It takes an estimated 125 hours to read through the seven-book series. That is 125 hours of spending focused, uninterrupted time with your kid, snuggling, and doing something that you both enjoy. It is so important to give our kids time and touch and, yet, amid work and chores, noise and screens, sometimes- most times- it’s hard to carve that out. These reads are an addictive reason to spend more quality time as a family and let the background noise of life fade away. 
2. Entertainment: My take is that great writers and compelling children’s literature is probably past its heyday. It still exists and there are immediate classics, such as The Eyes and the Impossible, but we also live in the age of Dog Man. To be clear, I am not above low brow humor or Dog Man, Cat Kid, or Captain Underpants. There is a lot to love and appreciate about the creativity and illustrations, not to mention the way kids gobble up the fart-filled pages of these anthologies. But Harry Potter is in another category. And it is exemplary. The writing is descriptive, the vocabulary os expansive, the characters are captivating, and different storylines are successfully interwoven and tied together in the end. I also think we all need a little fantasy in our lives and I am grateful to extend the world of make believe to my kids and enter into a realm that is painted for them – even before, perhaps especially before- the additional aids of movies and theme parks. 
3. Hope: Greatest of all, my indebtedness to Harry Potter comes from the fact that the series is so “GOOD natured.” No big spoilers, but the series is bookended with love and self-sacrifice and the narratives in between explore friendship, faith, loyalty, bravery, forgiveness, purpose, and hope. And, while cased in fantasy, it offers all these gifts in very human forms. No characters are perfect, every single one is marred with imperfections and a checkered past. And yet, their ability to keep working toward what is good and right is undeniable and infectious. 

When Hurricane Helene ripped through Western North Carolina this fall, it left us without power for three weeks, without school for over a month, and without potable water for 52 days. Every drive and walk we took went past some form of destruction, every interaction a high probability of turning teary. 

The storm hit on Gus’s 8^th birthday. A week later, we sat down by candlelight and started book one. We finished the series in February. A read aloud FKT (Fastest Known Time), especially considering my son usually resists books and would rather play basketball than sit still, even under a blanket and snuggled up next to his mom. But with Harry, he was always begging for more. And as soon as we finished, he pleaded with me to begin again.

We’re not starting over… yet. We needed a reverent pause, time to savor this first experience. (I’m also hoping that the next go round I’ll get a little more help with the read aloud part.) But I appreciate the sentiment. My gratitude and love for this series more than doubled after the second reading.  It is sweet… and sad… to reach the end. And very tempting to dive back in.

My personal takeaway at the conclusion of this read through was the same as it was the first go round, and that takeaway is this… JK Rowling completely ripped off the Bible. And, not at all in a bad way. But in all the best ways. (Incidentally, I also had the same thought after reading her holiday book, The Christmas Pig.) Rowling brings to life a story that feels written on our souls and reminds us that love is a power big enough to overcome the hurt, and pain, and loss, and hopelessness and hate of this life.

She makes no secret that she is a Christian and that she wrote the book for a general audience with Christian symbolisms and references woven throughout. And, as is typical, some of the strongest judgment and condemnation for the series comes from the Religious Right. The arguments I have heard are primarily  that the mystical practices of divination and astrology are espoused. And if that is your turn off, so be it. 

But, as someone who has read the Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings series several times over and witnessed the magic and sorcery in these books accepted as fantasy and not occult recruitment, I hope the parallel religious themes in Harry Potter is not ignored because of social media tropes and  simply judging a book by its cover – or because of some sexist bias. In my experience, the series has given me a modern metaphor to discuss faith with my kids as well as with friends who hold differing beliefs but a common love and interest in Harry’s quest. 

Regardless whether you love them, hate them, read them, listen to them, burn them or ignore them, the seven book Harry Potter series will forever be enshrined as a classic of modern-day literature. And, if you decide to join Harry on his ~ 4,226 page adventure, it can give you a connection point with your friends and family who have also shared in Harry’s journey. So here  are seven discussion questions to help you explore some the divine themes found in Harry Potter: (Be forewarned: there are some spoilers in here!)

1. Harry often struggles with following through on what he feels like he should do. He often has trouble adhering to the loose guidelines Dumbledore gives him and would rather have concrete advice on where to go and what choices to make. How do you find and follow your purpose in life when you’re not quite sure what the next right step is?
2. John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” There are countless examples of this highest form of love throughout the series. Which one stands out most to you? Why? Can you think of any modern-day examples of this self-sacrifice? What was the impact that it had?
3. In the last book, Harry has to make a split-second decision about whether to pursue the Deathly Hallows (items connected to immortality and the afterlife) or to track down and destroy Horcruxes (the embodiment of evil in this life). Where do you put your time and energy? Are you focused on securing a future that feels safe? Or are you more committed to the daily work of decreasing the root causes of suffering in the world?
4. Harry has A LOT of hard knocks and losses along the way, but he is also gifted with an assortment of amazing and very loyal friends. What acts of friendship stand out the most to you in the series? Which of the characters in Harry Potter would you most want to be your friend? And which act of friendship do you most want to emulate in your relationships?
5. Harry Potter presents a strong delineation of good versus evil, friends versus enemies, and yet… there are many duplicitous moments of good being bad, bad being good, of undercover or in disguise agents, and of the forgiveness of foes. Which act of reconciliation or forgiveness stands out to you the most? Can you think of someone in your life who was once an enemy and is now a close friend? What happened? Are you able to hold out hope and the possibility of transformation for those who hate you?
6. Harry’s life has the immediate imprint of love and loss. He is wounded by the death of his parents’ at an early age yet at the same time the love and self-sacrifice of his mom and dad carry him through many of his lowest moments. The inscription on his parents’ gravestone reads, “The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” How does this quote play out in Harry’s journey? How does it play out in your life? Is there someone you have loved and lost whose love lives on in you? What does that look/feel like?
7. Re-reading the series this winter felt highly relevant because there are also some strong political parallels. How does the Ministry of Magic resemble our modern American democracy? How does it differ from them? How does the Ministry parallel modern religious groups? (I realize we pull the word “ministry” from British vernacular, but I also believe there is providential overlap.) In what or whom does Harry place his hope? His allegiance? Does it change throughout the course of the series? Where do you put your hope and allegiance?  

Ultimately, the magic of Harry Potter is not found in his Potions Class nor does it come from the wand he wields; it is not unmasked through divination, astrology or runes, nor can it be sucked away by a Dementor or vanquished with a flash of green light. The supernatural appeal of this series is that despite all the hurt, pain, and injustice Harry endures, he still finds a way to follow a path of faith and reminds us all that the most powerful force in this world is love. 

"Mischief Managed."

About the Author: Jennifer is an Adventurer, Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur and mom of two who has a Masters in Public Affairs and a husband that plays bluegrass. Her blog focuses on life as she experiences it with a focus on Outdoor Adventure, Business, Public Affairs, Family, and Faith. For information on booking Jennifer as a speaker for your next event, email brew@jenniferpharrdavis.com or call (615) 708-4301.

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