This isn’t going to be one of those stories where I say, “This changed my life.” It didn’t.
But it did make my day. And sometimes, that’s more than enough.
At 26, I finally bought something I’ve wanted for more than half my life — the complete Harry Potter box set. You’d think something like this should’ve happened earlier. You’d think it’s just books, buy them and move on.
But for me, this was one of those long-standing, quiet dreams. The kind that sticks around in your heart even if you don’t talk about it much. The kind of dream that starts when you’re 10 years old and never really dies.
So this post isn’t about a big achievement or milestone. It’s just a personal story — a simple one — of finally being able to check off something from a childhood bucket list.
Growing Up Without the “Book Culture”
I didn’t grow up in a house where books were a major part of our lives. Reading wasn’t discouraged, it just wasn’t something that happened much. I wasn’t surrounded by people who talked about fantasy novels, who swapped bookmarks, or debated which Harry Potter house they’d belong to.
Back then in India, especially in smaller circles, there wasn’t this loud “book-reading” culture. At least not where I was. There were no libraries that felt magical, no cousins handing down paperbacks, and definitely no Bookstagram recommendations.
Sure, I’d see Harry Potter books in stores. I even browsed through them once or twice. But it always felt like something for “other” kids. The ones who had reading habits. The ones who were already in that world.
I wasn’t. And so, I stayed on the outside of that universe for a long time.
Entering Marketing, Discovering Reading
Things changed for me when I entered the field of marketing around six years ago. It’s hard to explain, but something about this world — storytelling, content, ideas — opened up a completely new part of me.
I began reading not just for learning, but because I liked it. I started small. A few articles. Then some books on branding. Then fiction. And I realized something strange: I actually enjoy reading.
That’s when I started buying books more consciously. Not just for career growth or upskilling, but for me. It was slow at first, but it became something comforting. I’d see others talk about the books that shaped them, and I’d quietly build a list of things I wanted to read “someday.”
And right there, always on that list, was Harry Potter.
The Day I Finally Bought It
Fast forward to this week. There was a sale on Amazon and I just did it. I bought the Harry Potter box set. All seven books. That iconic purple box. The glossy covers. The illustrated spines. Everything.
It might seem like a small act. But to me, it wasn’t.
It felt like I was giving something to my 10-year-old self, something he waited sixteen years for. Something that he thought he might never get, but still hoped for anyway.
And honestly, I wouldn’t have done it if it weren’t for the gentle nudge from my brother. He reminded me that sometimes, we’re allowed to spend money not just on things we need but on things we once wished for.
Why It Meant So Much
We live in a world where productivity is currency. Where goals are always bigger and faster.
So when you do something as small as buy a book set you once dreamed of, it doesn’t seem worth celebrating.
But it is.
Because while the world is out there chasing numbers and milestones — and again, no shame in that — I got to spend my weekend:
Holding something I once only saw in shop displays
Opening a box filled with stories I’ve waited years to enter
Smiling at the silly excitement of seeing Chapter One begin
Doing something purely for joy
It’s not glamorous. But it’s real.
We Forget Too Easily
This got me thinking. We forget far too easily what we wanted when we were younger.
We forget the way our eyes lit up in bookstores.
We forget the way we used to imagine ourselves as wizards, detectives, adventurers.
We forget the tiny dreams that weren’t tied to money, career growth, or social validation.
In the process of adulting — bills, deadlines, responsibilities — we lose track of the simplest things. The ones that made us feel warm. The ones that made life feel like a story.
And that’s what Harry Potter represents for me. A story I always wanted to be part of, but never had the chance to until now.
The World Says: “If It’s Late, It’s Over
We often hear things like:
“You should’ve done this earlier.”
“Now it’s too late.”
“If you didn’t start young, you missed your shot.”
But I don’t believe that.
I don’t believe in “delayed success.”
I don’t believe that dreams come with expiry dates.
I don’t believe that just because you couldn’t do something as a kid, you’ve lost the right to do it now.
As one anime I love puts it — “Dreams don’t die.”
And sure, it may sound weird quoting anime in a Harry Potter appreciation post. But somehow, it makes perfect sense.
Today, We Have the Power
Here’s what’s different now:
We’ve grown. We’ve evolved. We’ve learned skills, earned money, and built our lives.
We’ve upgraded in every way — except sometimes in joy.
We now have the power to:
Revisit old dreams
Buy that one thing we always wanted
Read that one book we always put off
Watch that one series we skipped
Write the story we never gave time to
We can do these things. But we don’t.
Why?
Because we think we’ve moved past them. But the truth is, they’re still right there, waiting.
No Lessons. Just Gratitude.
There’s no moral to this story. I’m not here to say, “Go chase your dreams” or “Life is short.”
All I’m saying is: I bought something that made me feel full.
And that feeling — that quiet, personal happiness — is worth everything.
So today, instead of running toward the next big goal, I’m flipping through The Philosopher’s Stone.
And for once, that’s enough.
Final Thoughts (and a Quick Look at the Set!)
If you’re wondering — yes, the set is beautiful. The colors, the artwork, the box design — it’s all perfect. And it now sits on my shelf like a long-awaited trophy. Not because it’s expensive or rare, but because it represents something I never gave up on completely.
You can check out some pictures I took right after unboxing:
Signing Off
To anyone reading this: if there’s a small dream you’ve carried with you since childhood, don’t toss it aside just yet. You might be surprised how good it feels to say, *”I finally did it.”
No pressure. No race. Just joy.
Thanks for reading.