http://bit.ly/hpaftw

The HPA is like Dumbledore’s Army. We use the messages we’ve learned from Harry Potter to fight the Dark Arts of the real world, such as poverty, discrimination, and global warming, to name just a few. The HPA has done some amazing work in the past, such as our Helping Haiti Heal campaign, which raised enough money to send five cargo planes, named Harry, Ron, Hermione, DFTBA (Don’t Forget To Be Awesome), and Dumbledore, carrying a total of 80,000 pounds of supplies to Haiti after the devastating earthquakes.

The HPA is exactly what I’m all about. They show that we can apply what we learn from fantasy books to the problems of reality. The kind of blogging I do on my blog started with my HPA Ning blog, where I was inspired to connect the teachings of Harry Potter to real-life issues.

J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books herself, praises the HPA and says, “I am honoured and humbled that Harry’s name has been given to such an extraordinary campaign, which really does exemplify the values for which Dumbledore’s Army fought in the books.” You’ve heard it from Jo, people, what more do you need? We’ve also had support from Harry Potter actors such as Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) and Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy).

If we win the money, the three main causes toward which it will go are literacy, LGBT rights, and an Online Coalition of Fandoms, Youtube Communities, and Organizations. Our Accio Books campaign has collected and donated over 55,000 books to the Mississippi Delta, a youth village in Rwanda, and communities around the world. We have made calls for Massachusetts Equality and held a Wrock 4 Equality concert to convince people to support same-sex marriage. For Helping Haiti Heal, we brought together so many different communities for a great cause. Now we’d like to do even more.

There is no stopping the HPA. We have accomplished so much already, and I can’t even begin to imagine how much more we could do with $250,000. Please take just a few moments to support us in the real fight against Voldemort. Dumbledore’s Army has given you a trick Galleon enchanted with the Protean Charm, so head to the Room of Requirement and vote!

A two week long event starring on our forums that takes you back to those very special first days of fandom! How long have you been a fan?  What events do you remember best?  Past signatures and avatars parade the forums once more! Come and relive those favorite moments, quotes, characters and some of your least favorite. We want you to rediscover the fun and the magic!

Over the next two weeks were going t be organising trivia compitions, One shots, Sig and Av competitions and be revising and reinventing many of our threads from the past.  You are invited!

Where:  The Great Hall
Headquarters to all discussions and fun!

When: The fun ends on the 14th of January, hurry to be there!

Who: YOU!!!!

BYOB (Bring your own Books )

The libraries selected to host the “Harry Potter’s World: Renaissance Science, Magic, and Medicine” exhibit (in alphabetical order by state) are:

1. Galesburg Public Library, Galesburg, Ill.
2. Purdue University Libraries, West Lafayette, Ind.
3. Mount Holyoke College Library, South Hadley, Mass.
4. Murrell Memorial Library, Missouri Valley College, Marshall, Mo.
5. Northern Onondaga Public Library, Cicero, N.Y.
6. Durham County Library, Durham, N.C.
7. Chardon Public Library, Geauga County Public Library, Chardon, Ohio
8. Charleston County Public Library and Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, S.C.
9. Karl E. Mundt Library-Dakota State University, Madison, S.D.
10. Germantown Community Library, Germantown, Tenn.
11. University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
12. Orem Public Library, Orem, Utah

For more information about the exhibit you can click here.

Thanks to SnitchSeeker.

Thanks to SnitchSeeker!

Harry Potter beach/bath towel

Close up of middle

Close up of top of towel

Thanks to SnitchSeeker!

Congrats to Daniel Radcliffe and to all the other Broadway.com Audience Award winners.

Thanks to SnitchSeeker!

Emma Watson has once again made it onto Maxim’s Hot 100 list.  For 2009 she ranked at # 82, were as in 2008 she ranked # 94.  Congrats Emma!

Harry Potter’s Hermione set the Internet ablaze just by turning 18 and completely incinerated it by stating she’d do a nude scene for director Bernardo Bertolucci. (We’re already working on the script, Bernardo.)

The Potter film beat out other hits like:  Mary Poppins, E.T., Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Toy Story, Lion King, The Wizard of Oz, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Finding Nemo.