*this post contains spoiler*

I might have a mild obsession with the Harry Potter series. I mentioned a bit about that in here, when I went to Warner Bros Studio for The Making of Harry Potter tour. That visit itself is one of my happiest memories of all time, which never fails to make me smile when I look back to that time.

I also found that going out with a die hard fan of Harry Potter would take the whole dating experience to a new level. So many interesting topics from the book could give you a glimpse of personal things you wouldn’t usually know until later in the dating game. It’s always interesting to know personal stuff about people that you care about, but knowing it through Harry Potter-inspired questions is so much better.

“What would you see if you stood in front of the Mirror of Erised?”

“What would your patronus memory be?”

“What animal would your patronus be, and why?”

“If there was a dementor approaching, what memory do you think you’d relive?”

The list is endless.

So it was only natural when I got a bit ecstatic when I got Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Illustrated Edition. I smiled ear-to-ear the whole day on Christmas because of this book. The illustrations are so gorgeous and true to the novel, which impressed me (since I know that when you’ve seen the movie, it’s hard to imagine anything other than the images you’ve built in your head, i.e. that movie).

The places are painstakingly stunning with the intricate details.

The Diagon Alley,

Hagrid’s Hut,

and the Great Hall with all its glory.

The iconic moments which are brilliantly captured, making you feel as if you’re there, as an onlooker.

I can’t get over this scene, the first glimpse of the Hogwarts Express.

Nor this drawing of the encounter with the unicorn at the Forbidden Forest,

and the first flying lesson, when Malfoy took Neville’s remembrance.

Jim Kay did a good job in drawing the illustrations that subtly display the characters’ personalities.

Snape in his Potion class,

intelligent and stubborn Hermione,

cunning Malfoy,

and the Nearly-Headless Nick (who knows he could look so… regal?).

The portraits, are beautiful and perfect, with Harry’s being my favorite.

And last but not least, this brilliant comprehensive guide about trolls, because, who knows when we have to face them some time in real life. 😉

Those are only a few of my favorites, and every time I flip the pages my heart jumps.

Honestly, the best Christmas present ever.