People find comfort in all sorts of things. Mom’s cooking, the smell of the laundry detergent from home, family traditions or just the simple ability to sleep in your own bed.
I never thought that I would find and feel that same sense of comfort in a little shop on Newbury Street in Boston.
The Fairy Shop is a store no bigger than your average master bath that embodies what it means to be a true Harry Potter fanatic. Every crevice is taken advantage of and filled with wands, Hedwigs, sorting hats, chocolate frogs and more.
The owner sees the store as an art gallery almost, and changes the theme whenever a new idea comes to him. Alice in Wonderland, Lord of the Rings and Unicorns have all been previous themes that inhabited the space. If I had the capability of creating a store based off of something I was passionate about at the time, I would’ve had a store that size filled with Silly Bandz when I was 10.
I told him that he can’t change the store for at least a couple of months until I can bring my sister.
Alexis doesn’t find that sense of comfort in anything more than she does in a good ABC Family Harry Potter Weekend Marathon.
She knows every word to every movie, and although she never read the books, (she’s not a big reader) she is still a die-hard HP fan. I was never that enthusiastic about it.
I read three of the books and obviously have seen all of the movies. But I never wondered what house I would be in or craved the experience of going to Harry Potter World at Universal.
Sure, I played Harry Potter on the playground when I was younger and my wand was a stick. Didn’t we all?
I was the Herbology professor. Why. Who gave me that position. I quit.
Sure, I tried to say some spells out loud because I thought it made me sound cool. Because that was what was going to win me over with the boys. The fact that I could recite a fake Harry Potter spell.
I have vivid memories of different Harry Potter Weekends from different ages. One of which was when we were in the third or fourth grade. We had just gotten back from the Christmas Tree Shop where I had purchased a new Littlest Pet Shop to add to my collection. It was a rainy Saturday, which called for peanut butter and fluff in the oven.
I just remember sitting at the dining room table, eating my PB+F with my new toy and watching the Goblet of Fire.
The simpler times. Life was good.
Similarly enough, it was a rainy, gross day in Boston when my mom and I found shelter in the Harry Potter haven. We were probably in there for almost a half hour just walking in circles and touching and looking. We spoke to the owner to hear why and how and everything in between.
The twinkly lights were calming and memorizing. The soundtracks from all eight movies played in the background and I even said to him, if there was enough room for chairs in here, I would’ve easily taken a nap. It was so soothing.
No longer was Harry Potter something that I felt was over-done. I felt more at peace in that store than all the times I’ve tried meditating.
Not only did I gain a bag of gummy slugs from that store, but a newfound appreciation for all things Harry Potter.
No matter how old I get and all the things that get thrown my way, Harry Potter will remain a constant sense of comfort.
Hogwarts 2022. Rush Gryffindor. Who needs sisters…Wizards for life!
