While preteens everywhere are celebrating Justin Beiber's birthday today, as a 90's kid, I choose to celebrate the birthday of a more important (though fictional) individual: Ronald Bilius Weasley.
Ron, born on March 1, 1980, made his way into our hearts when he first crossed Platform 9 and 3/4 with Harry in 1997. When The Sorcerer's Stone was first published, I was 10 years old. The stories reached popularity when I was in 5th and 6th grade, and I quickly read books 1-3 multiple times before The Goblet of Fire was released in 2000. My eighth grade class took a field trip to see the first movie in 2001. I developed a lifelong obsession that would lead to hours reading for details and clues, thousands of dollars spent on merchandise and a whole lot of people who call me "Potter" instead of my real name.
-Patsy