- When you order pumpkin juice in a restaurant and everyone looks at you like you’re mad.
- Feeling victimised because you have to lug suitcases and bags around every time you go on holiday instead of using an Undetectable Extension Charm like Hermione.
- Losing interest in any sport that’s not Quidditch. There aren’t any brooms? That ball isn’t a Quaffle? What’s the point?!
- Hesitating before you bite into a Custard Cream in case it turns you into a canary.
- Noticing distinctive birthmarks or markings on strangers and spending way too much time wondering what kind of Animagus they are.
- Placing your food order by announcing it to your empty plate and wondering why a delicious feast doesn’t appear.
- Getting stuck on a late-running train and muttering to yourself how this wouldn’t happen if you could just Apparate instead.
- Spotting an owl and expecting it to stop and deliver your post.
- Whispering ‘Lumos’ every single time you turn on a light.
- When all you want is a warming Butterbeer – seriously, is that too much to ask?
- Finding yourself in an inconsolable heap on the sofa after re-living your favourite character’s death, even though you’ve read the books hundreds of times and knew it was coming.
- Making random hissing noises at snakes in the hope that your Parseltongue has been lying dormant all these years and that one day, they’ll answer you back.
- The abject horror of realising one of your friends hasn’t read the Harry Potter series, followed by a serious internal debate as to why you’re friends with them in the first place.
- …Followed by indescribable jealousy because they have such a glorious journey of discovery ahead of them.
- Experiencing the kind of rage that only sending a Howler will soothe. An angry text or sharply worded email just isn’t the same.
- Visiting Leadenhall Market in London and spending the whole time being disappointed because it’s not Diagon Alley.
- Expecting to see your deepest desires in every mirror you look into instead of your reflection.
- Learning how to knit so you can recreate the socks that Dobby made for Harry.
- Eyeing up eccentrically dressed strangers and wondering if they’re wizards in disguise.
- When you’re stuck outside on a freezing cold day, lamenting the fact you’re not Hermione and can’t conjure up a lovely, warming blue fire in a jar.
- Shouting ‘Alohomora’ confidently whenever you get locked out, only to discover that you’re still locked out because that’s a stick you’re holding, not a wand.
- Getting over-excited about going to a festival until you realise that you won’t be travelling to the campsite by Portkey and your tent is actually that small.
- When people catch you reading Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone and say ‘Haven’t you already read that one?’
- Binge-watching all of the films and giving yourself a headache from crying so much.
- Bellowing ‘Expelliarmus!’ at people in the middle of arguments.
- Seeing a snowy owl and having to take a moment.
- Studying the paintings and pictures in your house intently for any sign that the inhabitants have moved.
- Holding a secret grudge against your postman because he’s not Hedwig.
- Being asked to give a speech and finding the ‘Nitwit’, ‘blubber’ and ‘oddment’ don’t quite cut it.
- Desperately wishing that ‘Auror’ was a legitimate career path. Now what am I supposed to do with my life?
- Catching sight of a cat with ‘spectacles’ around its eyes and wondering…
- When you wake up with a head full of Nargles and nobody else understands.
- Missing the days when you spent hours debating whether Harry was the last Horcrux or not. Ah, good times.
- Not having enough room on your bookshelves for all your different editions of the Harry Potter series.
- When you start reading a book in another series and have to stop because it’s just not Harry Potter.
