The Love/Hate Tag

So I was just nominated by Emily to do the Love/Hate Tag! I loved hers (check it out here) and thought it looked like a fun tag to do so I'm gonna give it a go. Thanks to Emily for tagging me! Let's begin with the 'rules' ay.

Rules

It's a pretty simple tag:

-State 10 things you love

-State 10 things you hate

-Tag 10 people to do the tag

 

 

Here we go... 10 Things I hate



ugh Starbucks

 

1. Salmon

Ew. My only memory of eating Salmon is in one of my mum’s fish pies when I was 10. As I chewed the massive chunks of salmon I was gagging and couldn’t physically swallow it. Since then, I can hardly look at Salmon without gagging. I’m not a massive fish fan anyway but Salmon has got to be my most hated food.

 

2. Starbucks

Okay, I don’t want to sound like an anti-white girl. I will happily admit my love of Tay Tay and Pinterest. But one thing I cannot get on board with is the ‘Starbucks obsession.’ It’s overpriced, busy and isn’t even that nice?! The hype does not help my annoyance of Starbucks and seeing Starbucks cups posted all over Twitter and Instagram just fills me with rage. I’m a Costa girl all the way.

3. Snowboarders

 I’m not saying I hate snowboarders as people… off the slopes I’m sure they’re lovely. Nevertheless, it’s a well-known fact that on the slopes, skiers and snowboarders hate each other. And I couldn’t agree more. There is nothing more aggravating than seeing a snowboarder scrape away all the fluffy snow, leaving us skiers with mere sheets of ice to deal with. Great. Ironically though, I admit snowboarding can look really cool and would love to learn one day.
 

4. Buses

There are two types of people in this world: bus people and train people. (And maybe a third for the ones that can afford private jets?) Anyway, I’m definitely a train person and cannot stand buses. They’re smelly, expensive, cramped and very infrequent. You just have to look at a comparison between the bus timetable and when they actually arrive to understand my frustration. I would honestly prefer to walk than get on one of those bus thingys.
 

5. Hay fever

What is all this about?! I’m literally allergic to a flower… how weak does that make me? Nuts I’m fine with, bee stings don’t affect me but if I smell a bloody flower, I’m defenceless. I love the summer but every sunny day is plagued by the thought of constant, sniffing and itchy eyeballs. Brilliant.
 

6. University Tuition Fees

I don’t want to get too political here but the whole concept of tuition fees is all wrong. The fact that some people who fully deserve to go to university/college miss out on the opportunity because they can’t afford it isn’t right. Plus, people who do go to university/college to help better their future are then stuck with massive debts seems counterproductive and plain stupid. (If we’re going to get a little political, I would like to point something infuriating out. It is the same men/women that have benefited from free university tuition that have implemented it for our/the next generation. Our parents didn’t have anywhere near as much debt as we all will. Thanks for that, politics!)
 

7. Nail Varnish

Don’t get me wrong, I love painting my nails. I find it relaxing and the final result is so satisfying and beautiful that I keep putting myself through the torturous process. The clipping, the smudging, the endless drying; I hate it! It seems like such an inefficient way to get painted nails, can someone please invent an alternative already? Thank you!

8. Negative people

 There are a few personality traits I hate, one of them is constant negativity. Don’t get me wrong, I can be a right moody tumblr bitch some days. But there is nothing worse than someone who is always complaining, bitching and moaning. The people that talk bad about everything/everyone because they think they’re so above them. Honey, get down from your high horse and smile! Life really isn’t that bad.

9. Disloyalty

 Ugh. Being a girl in high school, this is one of the main things I hate but see constantly. If you’re friends with someone, stick up with them even when they’re not around. I used to be in a group in which all girls talked bad behind each other’s backs so it felt natural. Now I’m in a group with girls and boys that have each other’s backs instead of stabbing them, I can see how awful it used to be. If you don’t like someone, that’s perfectly fine but don’t act like you do just so you can bitch about them later. It’s honestly gross.

10. Ladybirds

I know this is a weird one but I just absolutely hate them. Spiders, snakes and wasps I'm fine with but show me a ladybird and I'll have a mini breakdown.


10 Things I love...

1. People

I couldn’t write about things I love without mentioning the people in my life. My friends and family are absolute rocks and although we all fight now and again, I love them to bits.

2. Music

I know this is super general, I’m really sorry but it’s true! I love everything about music and can’t imagine life without it. I play 2 instruments and did music at GCSE. I can’t be more specific as I listen to so many different genres from classical to rap to blues to house, it’s hard to pick!

 

3. M&S Egg and Cress Sandwich

My mouth is watering just thinking about this holy sandwich. Honestly, I’m not much of a sandwich person but I would take this particular sandwich over McDonalds or Subway any day. The egg is always fluffy, cress always fresh & crunch, even the wholemeal bread is light and delicious. Seriously guys, next time you’re in M&S, pick up this sandwich. You will not regret it.

 

4. Thunderstorms

I was trying to think about which season I love best for this tag. Summer, obviously? But then I thought actually the British summers are a bit naff. In fact all British seasons merge into one cloudy, drizzly and occasionally sunny season which gets a bit colder at the end. I remembered though that one weather feature I love is thunder storms. Whether you’re cosy inside watching the torrential rain and powerful lightning from the safety of your own home. Or you’re outside getting unapologetically soaked, I think it’s awesome.

 

5. Organisation

This is gonna sound a little odd but I just adore organising things. Whether its school folders, my wardrobe or my makeup draws, I get so much satisfaction once it’s fully organised that I do it a lot more than I probably should. The other week I planned to tidy my room for about an hour but ended up spending the whole day organising, sorting out and decluttering my room… I was in heaven. It’s got to the point where I was nearly paid to organise my brother’s folders for him.

 

6. Baking

There’s something very therapeutic about baking; I love it. I particularly enjoy baking brownies and cupcakes and it doesn’t hurt that I can eat whatever chocolaty goodness I create.

 

7. Skiing

As the opposite too hating snowboarders, you could probably guess skiing would be on here somewhere. Although swimming is my main sport, skiing is by far my favourite. It’s elegant yet fast, dangerous yet beautiful. From the people you meet to the scenery all around you, skiing has got to be one of the best things ever invented. I can’t really describe the feeling of skiing down a deserted slope at a fast pace, it’s honestly magical and fellow skiers/snowboarders will know exactly what feeling I mean.

 

8. Gossip Girl/Teen Wolf

Ugh these two shows are so so addictive. I’m totally hooked on these shows and recommend them to everyone.  I talked in more detail about Teen Wolf on my current obsessions post. And please don’t try and spoil who Gossip Girl is, unfortunately I already know despite only being on season 4. You can blame my loving friends for that one.

 

9. The Theatre

There’s nothing I love more than an evening at the theatre. (How old does that make me sound)… Oh well! From Hairspray to Oliver to The Sound of Music to Matilda; I’ve seen a good few. My personal favourites have been ‘Les Miserables’, ‘Dirty Dancing’, ‘The Lion King’ and ‘Chariots of Fire’. The most recent one I’ve watched is Billy Elliot just last week.

 

10. Buying new makeup

When I've got the money, there's nothing more exciting to me than going and buying new makeup products. I love going to the shops and seeing what's new and what's on offer. Sometimes it leads to a stupid amount of buying but I've got weirdly good self control.

 

That's it! That was a long post... Hope you enjoyed 10 things I love & 10 things I hate.

Thanks to Emily for tagging me, I would like to tag:

 

Emma from EmmaDaisy

Pippa from Ballpoints and Biscuits

Ella from The Little Lifestyle Blog

Fi from Fis Little Blog

 

Also anyone that wants to do the post, do it! I'd love to read it :)

Laura Stone x

 

*Sorry about the weird font sizing on this post. I'm not even sure what's caused it!*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Hair dying virgin 101

When it comes to colouring my hair, I was a complete virgin. 100% natural, right until 4 days ago. I used to be a natural blonde but recently have been noticing a very clear 'bronde' colour being adopted by my hair. And that's why I dyed my hair... my great desire to be a, not so natural, blonde again. Getting professional highlights would cost over £90 as my hair is long and thick. As a student whose struggling to buy even one pair of Topshop jeans, I  could not justify spending £90 on my hair. So I box dyed it, I thought, why not? For those of you thinking of doing the same thing, I learnt a few things from the whole experience so I thought I'd share my tips for beginners here.

Do your research

Whether you're looking for highlights, whole head dye, ombre or low lights, there's a box for you. Before going into the shop to buy your dye, try looking online first so you know what ranges/brands/prices they have. Try reading some reviews before buying your hair dye, they are useful as they give an unbiased view on how the product actually works rather than trying to sell the product to you.

Don't just buy what is cheap

I made this mistake. It didn't end up too badly, it could've gone a lot worse though. I saw a blonde John Frieda dye was on offer so picked it up. I originally thought I would get a highlight kit but ended up with a whole head dye and had some weird plan to DIY highlights. In the end, I did whole head dye which worked out well. However in future, buy what you want and not what's cheap.

Read the instructions

I followed my own advice with this one luckily. Inside the box you should have a colour, developer, container, gloves/equipment, possibly conditioner and thankfully, instructions. It should tell you how much you need, safety guides and how long it should be developed for. The instructions should also tell you how to rinse it out and when you can next wash your hair. READ THEM. Please! If you need some more information, look online at either the companies website or a detailed blog post from someone that has already written about it.

Get help

Doing a whole head dye on your own is pretty simple. But highlights, lowlights and ombre are all a little more complicated. Whether you ask a friend that dyes her hair a lot or your bff whose just as clueless as you are. A little help is always useful, even if it's to help clip your hair up or as moral support whilst you potentially wreck your hair... Joking!!

Buy a toner

 

If you are going lighter, there's a possibility that your hair might finish with a brassy (gingerish) tint. Don't be put off though. It's actually quite nice but if you're looking for a more platinum blonde, don't panic. To fix this, buy a hair toner. I bought this one. It is a less complicated process than dying and should help counteract the brassy tones.

 

Toners that counteract brassiness are often purple/lilac coloured as it is supposed to be opposite on the colour chart. Basically, what I'm trying to say is don't be alarmed if purple slime emerges from the bottle... It's all normal.

Buy colour protect shampoo/conditioner before

This is a bit of an organisational tip (yep, gotta love them!) So you won't be able to wash your hair for a day or two after dying it. But it's a good idea to buy a colour protect shampoo/conditioner so when you do wash your newly dyed hair, the colour won't be stripped by damaging shampoo/conditioner.

 

Enhancing products

 

If you're worried about your colour fading, buy a shampoo/conditioner that enhances your colour. I bought this shampoo which is a similar idea to the toner. It brightens blondes and is purple to counteract brassiness. You can also find shampoo and conditioners catered specifically towards brunette, red or black hair. I think it's a good idea because it keeps your colour looking fresher for longer. However I haven't actually tried this shampoo yet, I will do a review once I have if that's something any of you are interested in? 

 

Hope you enjoyed that and it helped some of you planning to colour your hair yourself! Have you got any tips beginner hair dyers? Leave a comment down below :)

 

Thanks for reading and see you next time,

Laura Stone x

Instagram ya'll

My first (ish) Instagram post eyey

As a twitter-o-holic, I always look at Instagram as too much effort. Having to actually take a decent picture every time you want to post looks exhausting. Nevertheless, I am going to be totally hypocritical and announce

 

I HAVE JUST GOT INSTAGRAM.

 

But it's been a struggle guys. Firstly, finding a name was near enough impossible so I've end up with a name to reflect how bored I was choosing a username... oops!

 

stillinbed

 

Secondly, as you can probably tell, I'm not a photographer. So seeing all these bloggers with professional looking photos and stunning Instagram feeds is just a little depressing.

 

Thirdly, it's harder to find people I want to follow. Screw Kim K, I want to follow the smaller (not the Zoella type blogs) that I love to read anyway. But do I really have to go to each individual twitter profile and scroll endlessly until I find a tweet where they have promoted their Instagram account?!

 

Anyway, I'm up for anything new so you will find me on Instagram (trying to look professional and classy). Please come follow me, I'm a little lonely right now. Obviously I will follow you all back cos I love you and want to see everyone's nice pictures!

 

I thought about endlessly tweeting my link so I didn't look like a larry no mates (which I will probably still do). But then I thought, do you know what, I'm just going to do one big post on my new Instagram and be done with it.

Thanks for reading and I hope I'll see you all on Instagram soon!

Laura Stone x

Back to School: Shoes and Bags

With the return of September, comes the return of school for most of us. No matter how infuriating it may feel to wear a uniform, please spare a thought for us that now have to buy enough decent clothes to last us at least till the end of September. And we all know it doesn't stop at clothes... with bags, shoes and accessories, this is a stressful time for us all. In today's post I am going to be talking about bags and shoes for back to school. But come back soon as I'm also writing a post on clothes for non uniform students.

 

BAGS

I know for those of us that don't have uniform, clothes is by far the most consuming thought at the moment. So why start with bags? Well basically... we all need a bag.

 

Getting a school bag has always been one of the most stressful shopping trips of  my teen years. (Second only to school shoe shopping.) So how do I do it?

First you have to decide what style you want as that will determine which shops will suit you best. Please chose something suitable but any bags like satchels, rucks sacks or over the shoulder bags work fine. And don't judge by the name. A satchel could either be a vintage brown bag you find in a charity shop or a super dry brightly coloured satchel... the options are endless.

Also, think about your budget. I'm going to be writing with this post of a budget from about £10-£50 as that is the average amount we all have to spend on school bags. But if by some miracle, you have £100+ to spend on a school bag, your options are endless so just have fun!

Over the shoulder/ fashion bag

£34 at Topshop

Topshop

As much as I hate to admit it, I have bought Topshop bags for the past 2 years for school and they're pretty damn good. I particularly like their black bags that come with long straps (to go over the shoulder) that normally come out around this time. They are normally £30 ish pounds and last all year. If you're looking for a fashionable but suitable bag that will just about last a year, Topshop is a pretty good bet.

 

£35 at TK Maxx

 

TK Maxx

This is where I bought my newest school bag (expect a what's in my school bag soon!) and I was pleasantly surprised. Obviously the brands they hold are nice quality but they also carry a large range of bags in most colours. From black handbags to grey over-the-shoulder bags to brown satchels. If you're looking for a hand bag type school bag, you will probably find it here. When I first started looking I was a bit put off by the £60 price tags, even for the excellent brands. But if you've ever shopped in TK Maxx, you will know that there is a massive mix of £60 bags, £200 bags and £20 bags. Mine was £25 and you can't tell the difference... honestly! No but seriously, I really recommend having a look! I'll get back to you this time next year to let you know how it survives.

 

 

£15 from H&M

H&M

If you're on a bit more of a budget, check out H&M. They've got a considerable range of good size bags (big enough to hold your books), most of them black or brown. They range from about £10-30 but if you look in a big store you will normally find a really decent bag on the lower end of the price range. I'm not sure about the quality but just check it out in person if you're unsure.

 

Avoid

I don't like to be too negative but as well as recommending brands, there are some shops I haven't been impressed by (bags wise.)

 

New look: For a school bag, New Look isn't a great choice. Their bags are generally too small and hand bag like, no way substantial enough to hold books. Furthermore, the quality is poor so they break a lot sooner! Sorry

River Island: I had a River Island school bag 3 years ago, I loved it. But it broke half way through the year, not just the strap but the zip and the lining. Not great quality. Also, I find River Island bags way too expensive for what they are...

If you like bags like these, try shops like Super Dry, Animal, Weird Fish or Cath Kitson. They are normally brightly coloured and very durable. Perhaps a little more expensive but definitely more long lasting. A lot of these places do similar bags but in ruck sac form if that's something you would like.

 

If you're reading this near Monday 24th August, and you like these bags, check Super Dry here as their bags are on offer and more affordable.

 

If you want a bag like these, I would avoid cheap high street knockoffs that you can find from places like New Look or Primark. I don't want to sound harsh but you can always tell they're knock offs and you can normally get them quite affordable when they're in the sale.

£34 from Topshop

 

If you are looking for a fashionable or sporty ruck sac, you have a few options. Personally I love my plain black ruck sac I bought from sports direct. It was cheap and cheerful and does the job. If you are looking for something a bit 'cooler', try Top shop or ASOS for ruck sacs. The little black leather ones are particularly cute.

 

SHOES

 

As I mentioned earlier, school shoe shopping is famous in my family for being one of the most stressful days of the year. But not this year!

 

If you are looking for plain black shoes that are suitable with a school uniform, I think brogues are the way to go. They are pretty & fashionable but also sturdy and don't violate the uniform code. If you have a good look around, most places are selling Brogues for this exact reason. I highly recommend getting your school shoes from Clarkes or John Lewis though. If you are wearing the same pair of shoes everyday, even expensive Topshop shoes will start to show signs of weakness. Most shoes will. Buying a pair from Clarks or John Lewis will mean they last a little longer, even if it's not the whole year.

 

If you are in the even more stressful situation of non uniform, you know the struggle of multiple pairs of shoes. It is no longer acceptable to wear the same pair of black shoes every day *screams inside*

 

Here are the basic shoes you might be needing:

 

Black shoes/pumps- check places like New Look or Next for these. They're basics and you shouldn't be wearing them every day so you don't need the absolute best quality. Nevertheless, they will go with absolutely anything so can save you on days when nothing seems to match.

 

Comfortable plimsolls- Okay sounds weird but I mean shoes like Converses or Vans. I'd definitely recommend getting the branded ones but if you're looking for a cheaper alternative, there are loads of knock offs in high street shops.

 

Chelsea boats (brown or black?)- Mmm... I love Chelsea boots but really I guess any kind of boots will do. John Lewis (own brand as well as carried brands) do some really nice boots which you should definitely check out. Black or brown boots are great for the winter, they look cute with jeans but are still comfortable. I wear mine 24/7 in the autumn/winter.

Trainers- (Nike) I don't like to talk about trends but wearing trainers as a casual shoe is a major trend this year. I love my black Nike trainers and it's starting to become acceptable to wear them with jeans and everything! This is fantastic because they're so so comfy (plus you can wear them if you're going on an after school jog.)

 

Dr Martens boots- Or any kind of substantial boots really. They're sturdy so will be your best friend throughout the winter months.

 

It's quite hard to give links and shops for each one but these are just the different styles of shoes I would recommend to get through sixth form. Always look around for cheaper alternatives, but sometimes (like Converses for example), it's better to just splash out on the originals as they are better quality and tend to look better.

 

Avoid

• I would totally avoid high heels when at sixth form. Even if you can walk amazingly in them, it looks a bit too formal and dressed up for school. I mean you do you, wear them if you want but definitely don't feel pressured to.
• Don't avoid white shoes altogether. I've got white Converses and I love them, they look great with jeans. But before buying loads of white shoes, bare in mind that in the winter the ground will start to get muddy and gross. In turn, your perfectly white shoes will get muddy and gross.
• Same with suede shoes. They look awesome and are great for certain occasions. But as a material, suede gets ruined in the rain so shoes with suede on are probably not the best idea for back to school.

 

I hope this helped for those of you dreading going back to school. If you're gonna go back, you might as well go back in style! Anyway, good luck and thanks for reading. Let me know in the comments how you're feeling about going back to school and keep a look out for my post on back to school clothing.

 

Thanks and see you next time,

Laura Stone x

 





So you're off to uni (top tips)

As September gets closer and closer, the prospect of actually leaving for Uni is becoming a reality for a lot of people. I was not going to do this post as I'm still in sixth form so cannot give my 'top tips' for uni quite yet. However it's such an important topic for a student blog, I thought I had to include it. But instead of just using tips from online, I talked to people I know that are either at uni, going this year or have finished uni, to put together a post with all their best tips for those of you starting university this Septemmber. Without futher ado, here are top tips for freshers starting university...

 

-Sort out your finances before you go. Make sure you know your weekly/monthly allowance and have a plan to start making an income. Whether that's a job or a summer internship.

 

 

-Try checking your university on social media sites before you leave. Sometimes they have groups set up specifically for freshers so you can start meeting new people before you even get there. At the very least, join the groups so people have an idea of who you are if they happen to see you.

 

 

-As well as making sure you have all the right gadgets, it is a good idea to insure the expensive ones (phones, laptops, tablets) against theft particularly or damage. 

-You do not need to go out and buy all the books on your reading list as soon as you get in. Have a look around because you'll normally be able to borrow them or buy them for cheap from another student or third party website.

 

 

-If you're looking for a job in your university city, go on a day out about 3 weeks before university starts. Hand out your CV to shops and cafe's in the city. If you wait to do this in September, it's a mad rush as all students are trying to get jobs so they all go very quickly.

 

 

-Budgeting is hard as a student so you have to learn to save on the little things. Buy your own beers rather than going out, make your own coffee each morning rather than spending £3 each day on a Starbucks... In the long term, this will add up so you'll be more likely to be able to splurge on the bigger stuff.

 

 

-If you're not a big TV watcher, rather than spending loads on modern cable, try just buying Netflix for £10 per month and use catch up online to watch newer shows.

 

 

 

-Throughout freshers week, infact throughout your whole first year, try to go out and get involved as much as possible. It will help you make friends and build a strong social life. Also, you will have less time to go out in later years due to work overload so make the most of it now.

 

 

-During freshers week, make sure you take the time to get to know your room mates and neighbours. A great tip is to leave your rooms door open whilst you're in so people can come in and chat. (But be sure to close your door when you're out and sleeping of course!)

 

 

-Take plenty of alcohol for freshers week, even if you go out a lot, it can always be stored for when you're running low on money.

 

 

-If you are not a massive drinker/partier, do not be worried or nervous. Just go out with people you meet and get along with, have fun and go with it. You probably won't be best friends with these people forever so just have a good time.

 

 

-Bringing a laptop to uni is a real advantage. It means you can take notes during class and write your work up anywhere rather than relying on computers in the library.

 

 

-Take outs are great but make sure you're not being done over by the price. For example, getting take out curry when it's on offer is good for your budget but don't buy the expensive small portions of rice. Instead, buy a supermarket own brand rice (bread, pasta ect...) which you can keep to use throughout the week/month.

 

 

-Clothes wise, do not stress about your wardrobe too much. Just wear clothes that are comfortable, look decent and kind of reflect who you are. For example, if you are sporty, there's nothing wrong with wearing sports type clothes around campus (to an extent.)

 

 

 

-Take full advantage of student discounts and charity shops because you won't be able to afford full priced high street clothes for very long!

 

 

-At most universities, a humble bike will be your best friend throughout the 3/4 years you are there. Cars are expensive and bad for the environment (plus there's almost no where to park) so are often discouraged by universities. However, don't buy a £1 000 bike, a normal priced bike (even second hand) will do the job. Make sure to invest in some lights as it's a legal requirement to have both front and back lights in the dark; safety wise you might also want to look for a helmet and some kind of fluorescent material that can be attached to either you or the bike. It may not look cool but could save you from some pretty nasty accidents.

 

 

 

I hope some of these tips helped, I'm sorry they're such a random bunch of tips, I just wrote what I was told ;) Anyway, for those of you starting university in September, good luck! I'm sure it will be amazing. Just remember that you're paying a lot to be there so make the most of it as much as possible.

 

Thanks for reading and see you next time

Laura Stone x

 

The Harry Potter Tag

 

 As a massive Potterhead, when I saw this tag on It's Just Sofie, I screamed a little inside. I love Harry Potter and this tag in general so answering the questions was hilarious. This is for the Potterheads or fan girls out there, I got quite into it... Hope you enjoy!

 

What is your favourite book?

 

Starting with a tough one eh? I would say Chamber of Secrets because it's the one that started my obsession with Harry Potter when I happened to pick it up as a child and have been hooked ever since. But really my favourite would have to be The Goblet of Fire because the story is so much more complex and intriguing than the movie. I love the story and for some reason it's always the book that I reach to first.

 

 

What is your favourite movie?

Hmm... probably Deathly Hallows part 2? I think it does the book justice and is an epic movie in itself. They build the atmosphere really well. Looking through the gifs for this answer reminded me again of how many awesome scenes are in this movie. The bank, Neville smuggling them in, Molly killing Bellatrix!! Gif wise, the choice was endless. Also, as a rule, the acting from the younger actors just got better and better throughout the series so the last movie (in my opinion) has the best theatrical techniques. Okay now I'm on a rant, I might as well mention how BLOODY AWWESOME the music is in the last film. Talk about building tension... I think it's because they split the last book, it allowed the film to stick more closely to the book and explore the scenes that were written so well. Although! They do miss out one of my favourite EVER book scenes in which Harry confronts Voldemort before (SPOLIER!!) killing him.

 

It's pretty close as The Prisoner of Askaban is my other favourite and sticks with the book well. I think the acting is surprisingly good for their age (and they have got out the awkward voice breaking stage which we see in The Chamber of Secrets.)  

 

 

What is your least favourite book?

 

Another tough one, I love all the books! If I had to choose, it would be The Order of the Phoenix but that's more about the events of the story than the book itself if that makes sense? It's the one with Umbridge and Sirius' death which are two of the most annoying/heart breaking events in the entire series.

 

Although it's got to be said that the fight scene between Voldemort and Dumbledore is one of the best scenes in the entire series... it beats the final duel by far!!

 

 

What is your least favourite movie?

 

I'm sorry to say this, I know it's the original but it would have to be The Philsopiphers Stone. As child actors, Emma, Rupert and Dan are brilliant but child acting still cringes me out, no matter how much I love them.

 

 

What parts of the book/movie make you cry?

 

I'm not much of a crier (sorry I know I'm dead inside) so I rarely cry throughout Harry Potter but there are moments that get me pretty teared up. Both the movie and books' interpretation of Fred's death makes me pretty emotional as it's such an unexpected death of someone who is so innocent and positive. Sirius' death has to be up there as well, killing off one of my favourite characters is never gonna be a pretty sight.

 

But how can I forget the moment in the woods where Harry's parents, Sirius and Lupin all reappear to Harry before he walks to his death?! If that doesn't get the tears running, I don't know what would.
 

 

If you could hook up with any character, who would it be?

 

This is gonna be gross whoever I say but I have definitely thought about this on the down low. Obviously I'm talking about in the later films (the last one specifically), but Neville emerges as a hero which is always a lil flusterring. I also feel like Sirius Black as a teenager would've been pretty hot but we didn't get to see much of that in the movie (although I'm not complaining Gary Oldman!)

 

 

Who is your favourite character?

 

I'm gonna split this into female and male for simplicity:

 

My favourite female character would have to be Luna Lovegood I think. She is so quirky and don't give no flying fu*ks what anyone thinks of her. I like that.

 

 

Favourite male character is a lot harder (and is weirdly similar to my answer to the previous question.) I'm thinking either Sirius or Lupin but.. um no.. Neville. I love him, he has been picked on since day 1 despite being a loyal, sweet friend. And then finally in the last 2 movies he gets his shining moment and ends up saving Hermione and Ron cos he's a bloomin' boss. Go you Neville.
 

 

Who is your least favourite character?

 

Is this even a question? Umbridge, of course. She is a evil nasty biatch and I would take lunch with Voldemort over lunch with her any day. I always consider Bellatrix because she killed Sirius and tortured Hermione. But for some reason I just can't hate Helena Bonham Carter, even when she is playing psychotic witches.

 

 

What is your favourite quote?

 

There are so many but I've always loved the conversation between the golden trio after Harry has kissed Cho. Hermione says 'Just because you've got the emotional range of a teaspoon' to Ron which I think is bloody brilliant and light hearted in comparison to everything else that's going on.

 

 

What is your least favourite quote?

 

'In dreams we enter a world that's entirely our own.' Dumbledore said this in The Prisoner of Askaban and it's not that I don't like the quote, in fact I think it's quite nice. It just annoys me because one of my teachers decided to put it up in a classroom I hate so it just reminds me of school rather than Harry Potter.

 

What would your patronus be?

 

I had to think about this one, what would my patronus be? I remember I once did a quiz (soz) and I got a wolf. I'm gonna stick with that because I love wolves, they're actually my favourite animals.
 

 

What would your boggart be?

 

If we're going deep, it would have to be similar to Molly Weasley's. Watching all her loved ones die, that's got to be the worst thing possible. That scene breaks my heart. But in reality, I'm petrified of shop mannequins and mannequins in museums so it would probably be something like that.

 

*Can we all agree that the clown that someone turns the boggart into to make it less scary is 100% more terrifying than the snake. Yes? Thank you.*

 

 

What would you rather: the elder wand, invisibility cloak or the resurrection stone?

 

Is this even a question? No matter how cool the elder wand and resurrection stone sound, we know that we would all choose the invisibility cloak. The most powerful wand in the world sounds cool but being a muggle, I can't think of any practical uses. Come on, who hasn't thought about how much stuff they could do/get away with, if they were invisible?

 

 

What house would you be in?

 

Not ashamed to admit I've done the official Pottermore quiz (as well as some others just to check) and I am proud so say that I am a true Ravenclaw. I kinda could of guessed. Even when I purposely try to be evil and shit, I still end up Ravenclaw... I'm a little house proud so it annoys me that Grrifyndoor is always the centre of attention. What do Ravenclaw get eh? Actually, Luna and Cho are both Ravenclaw; who needs the golden trio?!

 

 

If you were on the Quidditch team, what position would you play?

 

I'm not sure if I would join the Quidditch team? Being a commentator would be fun though... But to play along with the tag, I would have to be a keeper as a magical ball with a mission to smash my face in does not sound like my idea of fun.

 

 

If you could bring one character back to life, who would it be?

 

I want to say Fred... I really do... But no. It would have to be Sirius. Not only is he Harry's only family and an all round awesome guy, I think the circumstances in which Sirius was killed were unfair. At least Fred died fighting for good, Sirius died because Voldemort planted a false image into Harry's head... talk about underhand tactics.

 

 

If you could meet any member of the cast, who would it be?

 

Helena Bonham Carter, 100%. Not only did I love her performance as Bellatrix, I love her as an actress in so many other things, it would be a dream to meet her.
 

 

Were you happy with the ending?

 

The question of all questions. I think my short answer is no, not really.

 

I love the way Harry kills Voldemort in the books. There's something satisfying about Harry finally beating Voldemort and literally telling him why he's lost. If you've not read that scene then I beg you do, it makes the final battle in the movie look like an extra scene.

 

I'm also not sure about the 19 years later epilogue. I understand the thought behind it. It finishes off the story by showing Harry, Ron and Hermione getting on with their own lives. I also understand that if that hadn't been included, we would all be killing ourselves to find out what happened after the battle (who got married, who had kids ect..) But it feels like a bit of a lazy way to end such an amazing series. And can we just talk about Harry's kids names. Okay I know you want to commemorate the dead, but really?! This poor 11 year old boy (who's already going to be the subject of a lot of interest due to his parents), has got to go to his new school named after 2 recently dead teachers? I know this sounds super disrespectful but surely there are other ways to remember the dead instead of giving your son a ridiculously long name with a who's who of famous dead wizards.

 

 

How much does Harry Potter mean to you?

 

A lot. It's something that's been there through all different stages of my life and has been something that I can look forward to or escape to if I'm having a bad day. In a less emotional way, it is an amazing story that captured my imagination as a child and I still love now. I was running a fandom account properly (I still own it but am less active now) and made so many good friends by our shared love of Harry Potter.

If you want to try this tag, let me know so I can have a read it, I love seeing everyone's answers! Or leave a comment below about any of my answers or the questions.

Thanks for reading and I'll see you next time,
Laura Stone x