As dusk begins to set, just before the Chapel bells ring to signify the day drawing to a close, the wind begins to carry whispers of the story of a boy in the wizarding world.
For the past week and a half, students have had their walk on the Chapel Quadrangle enhanced by a public reading of the Harry Potter series. Some preoccupied students pass by without stopping—others pause for a moment before moving on. Still others will stop and sit crosslegged on the lawn, lost in the adventures of Harry, Ron and Hermione.
No one seemed sure as to who was reading from Harry Potter or why, but most seemed to appreciate it anyway.
“Maybe he just wants to remind everybody how awesome Harry Potter is,” said sophomore Carmen Pharr, shrugging.
The man behind the fantastical reading is senior Robbie Florian. And each day beginning at 4 p.m. he reads the Harry Potter books aloud in front of the statue of James B. Duke.
He began his daily reading Nov. 3, and is currently on the series' second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
This is just the beginning for Florian, who plans to finish all seven books in the series.
The purpose behind his readings, however, remains a mystery—just the way he wants to keep it. Florian declined to offer explanation as to his motivations of the readings as to give the people passing by freedom to find their own meaning in what he is doing.
“I’ve gotten a few people sitting down by the statue or in front of the statue listening—which is fantastic,” he said. “It’s going to start getting colder soon, so it’s going to slow to a stop. But it’s good people walk by, hearing snatches of the story, cause that’s what I’d want to hear if I were walking around here. People just seem to be really into it, even though my accents are terrible.”
Florian is a self-sorted Slytherin but claims to be not evil, adding that he would be the “voice of reason” in the house.
“When Draco’s like, ‘Let’s go [mess] with Harry,’ I’d be like, ‘No, let’s not,’” he said.
Florian’s favorite Harry Potter book is the Goblet of Fire—but added that he hasn’t read the first three books in a long time, so he retains the right to change his mind. Out of all the Harry Potter characters, he identifies the most with Neville, whose self-doubt he empathizes with.
For Florian, it has really been a trip to go back to the earlier Harry Potter books.
“It’s one of the better descriptions of growing up, of going from this little kid who’s just this vague idea of a person to becoming the adult you will be,” he said. “It’s like they’re all just sweet little kids and then a few books later, Harry’s going to be yelling at his friends and having teen angst and throwing sh*t in Dumbledore’s office. It’s fun to trace the entire trilogy.”
When asked why he is reading the books aloud, Florian laughed and said he gets asked “why” a lot.
“It strikes me as funny anybody would need a ‘why’ to read one of the most famous stories ever out loud—anywhere,” Florian said.
The best moments are usually shared with one other person, Florian said, recalling an occasion on which someone had stopped to listen to him read the Mirror of Erised passage from the first book.
“There was construction on both sides, it was super loud, but it all kind of seemed to fade away when Dumbledore said, ‘It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live,’ which is one of my favorite lines,” Florian said. “And it felt like it was just me and that person—for miles—just in the story.”
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