The fellowship of the scar

The fifth Harry Potter movie comes out next Friday and I can't wait! I don't have high hopes for most movies these days but I really love this story. The third movie, directed by Alfonso Cuaron, is head and shoulders above the rest although I've heard that the third book is also the strongest. It was the first time we got sweeping views of the hills, lakes and valleys that surround the Hogwarts School. It reminded me of Lord of the Rings and was the first time I noticed the series similarities to Tolkien's gift to Britain - a mythology. Lost during the centuries of Roman invasion and occupation, Tolkien used real language and mythology to construct a speculative lore of his region.

Being British and also fantasy, it would make sense that the Harry Potter world would at least pay homage to Middle Earth. J.K. Rowling spent seven years writing the first book in what had to have been a labor of love. Creating a new world, rich characters and a dense history, she received a mere $4,000 advance on the second book. She has since become the first person to make a billion dollars on books. A billion dollars! Her story is always an inspiring one to remember. She didn't set out to make a billion dollars, instead she spent many years working on something than most would have given up on but a love for it drove her to finish.

In the Order of the Phoenix, Voldemort builds up an army and Harry Potter fights for his right to fight - much like the Hobbits in the last Lord of the Rings.

Here are how the characters correspond to each other:
Harry Potter is Frodo - an innocent who bears a burden and is always the target of evil.
Lord Voldemort is Lord Sauron - pure evil, defeated once and gaining the power to reincarnate.
The scar is the ring - the burden becomes more painful as evil is near.
Dumbledore is Gandalf - the wise leader.
Sirius Black is Aragon - the outsider who helps our innocent.
The Deatheaters are Saruman - respected and powerful, they've defected to the dark side.
Malfoy is Gollum - unusually corrupted, he wants what the innocent has.
Wormtail is Grima Wormtongue - witless servant to the dark lord.
The Dementors are The Nazgul - faceless and cloaked in black, they are terrifying creatures.

I know that these parallels are also found in Star Wars and any great epic or adventures with classic heroes and villains from mythology. I still look forward to seeing what's to be found in the fifth Harry Potter.