“Expecto Patronum” — it’s like this charm was cast at the Magrudy’s book store in Jumeirah on Thursday evening as a hundred wizards gathered there for ‘A Night of Spells’. The store marked the Harry Potter Book Night, which is a concept that was introduced by publisher Bloomsbury in the UK last year.
Mhairi Goodfellow, Customer Service Manager at Magrudy’s Dubai, was dressed as the ‘Boy Who Lived’.
Completely in character, she told Gulf News: “When the children go to Hogwarts, the sorting hat decides what house they go into. When everyone comes to register, they pick a platform card and on the back of it they have a house. So, the sorting hat has decided what house they will be in.”
I first came across the event on Magrudy’s Facebook page. They were at full capacity and registrations were closed. This showed how popular the fantasy novels were amongst the residents of the UAE.
At the event, people of all ages showed up, with many dressed up in robes and wizard hats. Some made the extra effort to look just like the main characters. There was a colouring station, a wand making station, a quiz booth and much more for the participants to enjoy.
Sanam Jeswani, a 28-year-old Indian national, was carrying Hedwig, Harry Potter’s trusted owl.
She said: “Harry Potter’s relationship with Sirius Black is something very special to me, followed by his relationship with Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley. The other important aspects of the story are his trust in Albus Dumdbledore, who’s the greatest wizard and his ability to diminish evil, which is Voldemort.”
Riddhi Talreja, a 32-year-old Indian national, says she loves “everything about Harry Potter”.
She said: “The whole world of it is a parallel reality for me. I love the friendship that the three main characters share; they are so different, yet so incomplete without each other.”
Madeleine Mcneil, a 10-year-old Australian national, was dressed as her favourite character, Hermione Granger.
She said: “My favourite character is Hermione because she is smart and very good at comebacks. And she can defend herself pretty well.”
Ethan Dsouza, a five-year-old Indian national, believes that he is Harry Potter.
He said: “Sometimes I have different kinds of dreams. Yesterday, I dreamt that I met Ron and Hermione.”
Zeeshan Ahmad, a 20-year-old Dubai resident, enjoyed participating in the Harry Potter quiz and expressed his interest for the Deathly Hallows, three highly powerful magical objects.
He said: “For most people, I guess it would be the invisibility cloak. But, for me it’s the elder wand. It’s the most powerful wand in the world and you could do anything with it, if you were worthy.”
Zainab Amirali, a 20-year-old Dubai resident, has read all the books in the Harry Potter series “multiple times”.
She said: “The books are all picked and leafed through and tattered. Lumos, the wand-lighting charm, is my favourite spell, as you never know when you’ll need light. And with it, you can always find light in darkness.
Faiza Chaudhry, a 22-year-old Pakistani national based in Dubai, called it “every generation’s book series”.
Anybody could read it. Even if you pick up one of the books 10 years from now, I’m sure you’d be able to read it. It teaches you some simple, core values.”
There was a magician in the house, too. Magic Phil, a Dubai-based entertainer, put on a show for the litter wizards.
He said: “Tonight has been magical. It took me back to my childhood, when I used to go to Hogwarts. And that’s where I learnt all my magic.”
By Rabab Khan
