When You Really Love A Story

If push came to shove, I could probably create a timeline of my life punctuated with stories. I’ve always fallen into the worlds of books and movies with ease. Whether they were the epic fantasies of C.S. Lewis or the quiet countryside of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne, I engaged with stories as avidly as a marine biologist might plunge into the deep and come nose to nose with a shark.

But my favorite of them all is, hands down, the Wizarding World.
​
In honor of my favorite books and films, I created a master Harry Potter marathon that not only covers the films but throws in a few documentaries, one super tacky but loveable unauthorized biography, and my favorite YouTube guilty pleasure. (SBC stands for the Super Carlin Brothers who are as close to wizarding gods as one can come without being Rowling herself. I only selected three videos for each film but there are many more.)

This is not your typical weekend marathon, and there are spoilers in the videos and documentaries, so this isn’t a menu for novices. But if you’ve got a week and want to delve deeply into the world, give it a spin. I opted not to include a few cult classics like the Potter Puppet Pals and A Very Potter Musical because hey, work and families and eating and things, but the true devotee might wrap it up with a quick trip to New York City and The Cursed Child.
​
Enjoy!

Magic Beyond Words – All the cheese in this unauthorized J.K. Rowling story with Poppy Montgomery as JK.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
(SCB) Harry IS the Philosopher’s Stone, How Dumbledore Created the Deluminator, How Snape Saved Baby Harry

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
(SCB) Was Salazar Slytherin EVIL?, Why Dumbledore Actually Hired Lockhart, Why Ron’s So Bad at Magic

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
(SCB) Why Azkaban Uses Dementors, Hagrid’s Patronus, Why’s It Called the Knight Bus?

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
(SCB) Why Voldemort Looks like a Snake, The Origin of Moody’s Eye, Why Are They Called Death Eaters

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
(SCB) Luna Lovegood is a Maledictus, Why Cornelius Fudge is the Worst, How to Fix Quidditch

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
(SCB) Could a Dementor Destroy a Horcrux?, Slughorn’s Darkest Secret, The Truth About Felix Felicis

*A Year in the Life (Documentary) – J.K. Rowling discusses wrapping up writing the last book and reveals bits about her life and process

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I
(SCB) The True Path of the Elder Wand, Voldemort’s Horcruxes Ranked, How Harry Ruined the Dursleys’ Lives

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II
(SCB) How Dumbledore REALLY Planned Harry’s Death, Neville is Master of the Elder Wand, Why Harry’s Scar is a Lightning Bolt

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
(SCB) Kowalski is a Descendant of Helga Hufflepuff, Why Newt is SO Important, Top 10 Predictions For Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
(SCB) How Dumbledore Will Destroy the Blood Pact, Who Did Leta Say “I Love You” To?, Dumbledore’s Dark Twin

*A History of Magic (Documentary) – Based on the British exhibit, head to YouTube to find all of the inspiration for the Wizarding World.