9 Reasons You Should Binge-Watch Harry Potter Today

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9 Reasons You Should Binge-Watch Harry Potter Today

Celebrating so many years of magic!

America may still be trickling into an apocalypse, but we will always have the Harry Potter-verse! To celebrate one of the best fictional franchises to ever exist, why not binge every movie back-to-back? If you're still not convinced, here are 10 reasons to spend the rest of your day watching Harry Potter.

9. Because 'Sorcerer's Stone' will gently nestle you back in your childhood.

Remember when life was simple and, and your biggest problem was deciding what candy you were going to eat when Sorcerer's Stone blessed theaters with its presence? (Side note: I went with Whoppers). Just a few bars of John William's enchanting theme and the Warner Bros.' logo will make you feel like a tiny child again, enchanted by magic, and filled with dreams.

8. Because we need a story where good conquers evil.

We also just really need to take copious notes on Dumbledore's Army so we can replicate ourselves next year.

7. Because these three kiddos are some of our closest pals.

Look, fictional characters can often teach you just as much as real people, and we definitely learned a lot of defining principles from the combined powers of Harry, Hermione, and Ron. For many of us, these characters grew up by our sides both on the page and onscreen. There's never been a better time to visit old friends.

6. The supporting characters and actors who play them are unmatched.

Minerva McGonagall, Molly Weasley, Albus Dumbledore, Sirius, Tonks, Lupin—the list of amazing supporting leads played by notable actors who stole our hearts and taught us major life lessons is endless. Even Snape in the end/always came for our souls and all our tears (RIP Alan Rickman). While we enjoyed making mistakes and growing up with the kids, these adults helped shape a moral compass and demonstrated fearless strength in the face of evil. Actually, just do the world a favor and buy a random small child a copy of Sorcerer's Stone today, why don't you? They need to know what's going on here.

5. Because if we have to deal with a villain in our lives, it might as well be played by Imelda Staunton.

And Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter. Don't let our terrible reality touch this story at all, but take down some tips on how to overcome a few truly sadistic, hateful, bigoted characters.

4. Because it's a lot more fun to revisit someone else's awkward years.

Whatever your awkward years were, you likely still didn't have a haircut as confusing as all the choices in Goblet of Fire. Part of the joy of watching these characters grow up is watching how no one, not even the chosen one, gets away without being an angry, bumbling teen for a while. Of course, he did have a pretty good reason in the end. But still.

3. But they also grew up to be really hot and talented.

It's tricky casting child actors. Not everyone grows up to be a glorious swan with knockout acting chops, but somehow (most) of the cast leveled up not only attractively, but with increasingly mature and heartfelt performances that often lined up perfectly with what we'd felt as we read the story for the first time. It's no surprise nearly all the leading actors have had successful careers following the series. We only hope to keep seeing more of them. Maybe one day in Cursed Child, perhaps...?

2. Because it has something important to teach us about when times get really scary.

Last Christmas I decided to forgo my usual full-out binge and watch just Sorcerer's Stone followed by both Deathly Hallows instead. Watching the leap from the brightly glowing youthful hope and energy of the first film to the dark, chilling sobriety of the last was jarring, but it also emphasized that the good fight never stops—we just fight harder than ever. Yes, wizardry is an extraordinary circumstance, but through this series and through Harry's journey we learned something very real about being young, thoroughly scared, and still dedicated to doing what's right. And more than anything, we learned you can't do it alone.

1. Because we all need a break, and it'll be nice to have one with a happy ending.

Sure, we're not actually comparing Harry Potter to our real life circumstances, but...maybe we are, a little bit? When you're a kid, sometimes a sprawling, fictional journey is the only way to understand some of the darkest stuff life's about to throw at you. Harry Potter not only gave us a journey that grew with us and continued to teach us about love, loss, and passion for what's right, but it gave us a story that, for many of us, defined and expanded our sense of wonder (not to mention the soul-searching we needed to do to figure out our Hogwarts house). Not a bad deal to come from a book that began on a napkin all those years ago. We'll take as many stories as this world will give us, and we'll never forget where it all started.