Miriam Margolyes had some harsh words about adult Harry Potter fans and The Advertiser’s Jessica Renaglia agrees with the actor

Potterheads’ hearts sank lower than their ageing extremities when Miriam Margolyes told them to “grow up”. Jessica Renaglia comments as a Harry Potter fan who grew up.

Miriam Margolyes had some harsh words about adult Harry Potter fans, and as a former ‘Potterhead’ myself, I’m going to have to agree with her.

The British-Australian actor who played Professor Sprout in the franchise, said Harry Potter fans who are still obsessed should “grow up”.

When she was questioned on ABC News Breakfast about it she did not hold back, “once your balls have dropped, it’s time to forget about it.” I just about snorted my cup of tea all over my phone.

Jess pictured at the Harry Potter exhibition in Sydney in 2011. Picture: Supplied

When I was nine I started reading Harry Potter and like every other child with a vivid imagination, I wished for the letter to come to my door and tell me I was going to Hogwarts.

Then POOF! I grew up. By the time the films ended in 2011, Harry Potter still had a choke hold on me so much that I was a part of the Beta testing for immersive fan site Pottermore.

Eventually I had to leave behind the imaginary world that accompanied my childhood. It’s not just that I grew up, but JK Rowling’s transphobic tweets just don’t sit well with this queer gal.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it’s like to love something and let it go, and as an ageing millennial, I have been experiencing this a lot.

Don’t shoot me, but I feel the same way about Harry Potter as I do about the Foo Fighters.

They played Cooper’s Stadium in Adelaide last December and deep down I knew I was there mostly to pay homage to drummer Taylor Hawkins who died almost two years ago.

I sang along to The Pretender, My Hero–I shed a tear during the tribute for Taylor as they played his favourite song Aurora, but all the while I knew it wasn’t the same.

Jess, pictured with News Limited’s Harry Potter collection, was a bonafide Potterhead. Picture: Supplied

Now she's officially 'grown up' and has a penchant for punk rock over Potter. Picture: Supplied

I saw my first Foo Fighters show at Adelaide Oval about the same time I began to lose my love for Harry Potter in 2011. In fact, even Dave Grohl could recognise that his Aussie shows look different, saying there’s a “new generation coming through”.

So last year, when I left before the iconic final song Everlong, I knew I had officially grown out of it.

I honestly would be so worried if I still liked the same thing – these days it’s moshing and kicking at hardcore or punk gigs.

And like most millennials, our ‘magical’ obsession just turns into something else. Tell me you don’t also have a deck of tarot cards, keep crystals in your house and the Co-Star app.

All I can say is Miriam Margolyes is bloody right, it was 25 years ago and it is for children.

The Advertiser’s Jessica Renaglia is a Harry Potter fan who grew up.

Originally published as Miriam Margolyes had some harsh words about adult Harry Potter fans and The Advertiser’s Jessica Renaglia agrees with the actor