For the last few years I've been trying to listen to the Harry Potter books as the same age as Lupin, Snape, and Sirius. This started with the fourth book when they, and I, were about 35 years old, though I got off track and have crammed the last two books this last month, trying to finish them before turning 39, as Lupin and Snape were 38 when they passed.
This whole experience has been interesting. The first books came out when I was in High School, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, published in 2007, was released after I had finished college. When I was younger I never quite had the right feel for their ages. The movies cast these characters much older then their book age, though in reality Lupin, Snape, and Sirius were in their 30's.
When Lupin complained about being too old for Tonks I never quite grasped this. When Snape died still having unrequited love for Lilly, it never made much sense. Now that I'm 38, verging on 39, I get it. Totally get it. Tonks was 25 when she died, and that is a bit of an age gap. And Snape, understanding his unrequited love was never something I wanted to relate.
What has really hit me was just how young they were. When you're in High School to early college, 30-somethings seem so old. But now, heh, with 40 knocking on my doorstep next year, I feel so young. So very young. Sure, I color my hair to hide the encroaching white, and there's some wrinkles forming around my eyes, but honestly, right down to it, I'm young.
This has been a fun and enlightening experience. It's been nice revisiting the books. They really are brilliant, so well written and developed. It's truly amazing how many people still love, and live, in this magical world.
BTW, the books I listened to were read by Jim Dale and available on Audible. His reading is so very captivating. Definitely worth a listen.
And now there are more books to listen to and get lost in.
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