Harry Potter?

You've got to be kidding me! Fiction? Magic? Kids fighting "evil-doers"?

No really, I've now read the first 5 Potter books and seen the new movie, don't plan to read the final two any time soon, but probably continue to read before each movie.

I wish I had a simple way to offer value to the Harry Potter series. Do they help kids face the reality of death and loss? Certainly the 5th book was the darkest yet, and treats pain seriously.

I don't know what the make of the "magical world", mostly seems insane, that individuals could be taught and trusted with the power of spells. Why doesn't power corrupt everyone? What really does Vortemort really want? I don't see his goal. Who is he rebelling against? What made him into the dark lord? (oops, we don't want a star wars here, but really!)

I am willing to consider "something deeper" in the story than a bunch of random events under an overarching theme of love beating lust for power.

I sort of like fantasy movies like "Dragon Slayer", talking of "the olden days" of wizards and dragons, but dying into the modern era where magic is lost. That's a fun theme, opens the imagination to wonder what abilities we might have hidden in our hearts and souls.

I sort of see all of us living in "two worlds", and inner and outer one. The inner world is the place of magic, and also great darkness, questions of why we're here, what we can do, and how we deal with such drives within, and fit them into the outer world in a good way.

Hmmmm... if I never read another Potter book, I wouldn't greatly miss it. I happy if anyone is more inspired than me about them....