12 books, 2 figurines, Wand, Mandrake, Platform 9 and 3/4th sign, and music box: Looking for Mumbai's biggest Harry Potter fan

Shraddha Almeida has been a Harry Potter fan for more than 18 years now and over the years, she has only grown to love the series of books more than ever before and doesn't intend to stop any time soon as she has built her own Harry Potter universe in her home. An healthy obsession that started out with the books that were bought from her parents's money has today translated into her feeding her love for the franchise in many different ways. Earlier this year, British actor Miriam Margolyes, who plays Professor Pomona Sprout in the films on the series, spoke about the fandom on New Zealand's 1 News Network saying she worries for Harry Potter fans. She goes on to say, "They should be over that by now. It was over 25 years ago and it is for children." While Margolyes clarified that she believes it is for children, mid-day.com went in search of some of the biggest fans in Mumbai and India and Almeida is only one of them.

Every year, Potterheads around the world celebrate International Harry Potter Day on May 2 as it is the day the great Battle of Hogwarts was fought and Lord Voldemort was finally defeated. When Joanne Kathleen Rowling, popularly known as JK Rowling, wrote Harry Potter, little did she know it would capture the world's attention more 25 years later. Interestingly, even though the first book came out in 1998, it has developed quite a fanbase and the Harry Potter universe around the world since then, as the films followed from 2001. In fact, United Kingdom's former Prime Minister David Cameron officially declared the day himself to help "children and adults remember Harry Potter's strong and courageous character on this day".

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Teleported to a whole new world
Just like this writer, who received the first two books in 2000 as a gift and never looked back, the Harry Potter series has been an otherworldly experience for Vasaikar Almeida, who now lives in the US. Even though she is far away from where she fell in love with the series and its characters, it is more than a series. "It is still unique for me because I have childhood memories associated with it and also the fact that it still holds the power to teleport you to a whole different world after all this time!," expresses the risk manager specialist. She still continues to discuss the series and share trivia with fellow Potterheads, expressing, "I absolutely continue to do it at every chance I get". Ask her if she thinks she is the biggest fan and she quickly says, "I am a huge fan for sure but I have met bigger fans over the years."

As of today, the 31-year-old boasts of a collection that includes all the seven books from the Harry Potter series - 'Philosopher's Stone' (1997), 'Chamber of Secrets' (1998), 'Prisoner of Azkaban' (1999), 'Goblet of Fire' (2000), 'Order of the Phoenix' (2003), 'Half-Blood Prince' (2005), and 'Deathly Hallows' (2007). She has also gone a step further to get the three that are a part of the Hogwarts Library Set including three books - 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them', 'Quidditch Through the Ages', and 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard' - taking her total tally of the series to 12 books. It is important to note that the latter collection is one that is mostly known only to true Potterheads as they dive deep into the universe after they are first mentioned in the books.

Apart from the series, Almeida also owns two figurines, one wand, mandrake, 9 and 3/4 sign and music box too. This, she has managed to procure because of her savings over the years. "I have read the entire book series at least three times, and movies I have lost count, as they will be anywhere above 20 times. I even have a zillion Harry Potter-themed Christmas ornaments that I remove every December to decorate the house," adds the proud Mumbaikar, who supports the Hufflepuff house, which is one of four houses in the series that fans identify themselves with; the other ones are Gryffindor, Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Such is her fandom that she has even dressed her dog Nico as Harry Potter for a Halloween party in the past.

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Getting introduced to the world of magic
Elsewhere, Tash John, who is originally from Borivali, but has now settled in Canada, has also been a Potterhead for more than 18 years now and he has continued to be a fan because of how much it reminds him of his great childhood when he was immersed in the books. He shares, "It is very nostalgic for me. It was the first time I read about magic in what seemed to be a regular setting like a school." It got even more dramatic for him, especially because he studied in a boarding school in Mount Abu in Rajasthan. "Taking the train to Abu was very similar to going to Hogwarts," reminisces John, just like this writer who believed that the topmost floor of his school was banned like the 'Third Floor Corridor', popularly known as the 'Forbidden Corridor' of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and the supplies room was like the 'Room of Requirement', which was introduced to readers in the 'Order of the Phoenix' (2007).

John, just like Almeida, is humble about his fandom and believes he is nowhere close to others who he knows that have their house filled with memorabilia. However, his collection is proof of how much he loves Harry Potter. "I have got my hands on some of the new illustrated editions of the books, which I believe are so freaking cool!," says the excited 32-year-old advertising professional. "I also have games, a house scarf and house pin (obviously) and figurines," adds the Mumbaikar, who identifies with Slytherin. When he is not working, John is busy sharing memes daily with his friends and even taking part in discussions actively but dearly misses all the Potterheads in Mumbai as he builds his home away from home but now without Harry Potter in it.

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