Harry Potter — a name as well-known as any celebrity’s — is a household name for children and adults alike. Indeed, the seven-book “Harry Potter” series, written by U.K.-based author J.K. Rowling, is one of the best-selling series of all time. The books, which follow the endeavors of a famous young wizard in a battle against evil, touch upon many themes: abandonment, good vs. evil, the importance of family and friends and, of course, the novelty of magic and wizardry.

    A week ago, I had the opportunity to attend one such conference as a presenting author.

    What began as a simple assignment for my British literature class led to a fascinating series of events. I was told to write five to seven pages on a topic of British literature. Being an avid Harry Potter fan, I naturally chose to write about something from the series. I chose to write about thestrals, a type of horse-like animal that can only be seen by people who have witnessed death. By conducting fairly extensive research and reading on ancient myths and 19th-century definitions of obscure and archaic words, I wrote six pages on the possible origins of the animal. Incidentally, my English teacher learned that there was a “Harry Potter” conference being held at a college not too far away from my school. The conference consisted of panels and classes by esteemed college professors, readings and discussions by college students, and even Harry Potter-themed concerts! And, for the first time, the conference was holding a high school section: high school students could enter their papers to be read and judged and, if selected as finalists, would be given the opportunity to read their papers at the conference and potentially win a scholarship! Subsequently, my paper, along with two of my peers’, was sent in and qualified as a finalist. Then, the three of us boarded a bus with our English teacher for the conference.

    The audience was modest but consisted of many accomplished experts on Harry Potter: college professors, dedicated HP fans, and even the manager of the largest Harry Potter website in the world. There were seven finalists in all, all high school students from around the area. One by one, we read our papers. The topics were all so fascinating — the modification of the werewolf, a character analysis, the effect of death on major characters… When it was my turn to read, I was not too nervous. All too soon, it was over! A few people approached me with questions afterwards. Then, the coordinator of the conference asked to talk to me privately. She proceeded to tell me that I had won the US$10,000 college scholarship! What a surprise and honor. I was thrilled and so grateful — my first college scholarship, all thanks to a groundbreaking young adult series written by a struggling secretary in London!