Glimpses

 Presenting a handmade replica of The Marauder's Map, as used by Harry Potter since his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I made this way back in 2014 - 15, though the idea was conceived even earlier. Prior to this, I had made several other versions of the Marauder's Map, copying the map schematics from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban PC Game for one, and even scribbling my own floor plans for another version. But none satisfied me as much as the original Marauder's Map would. I could order it off of the Noble Collection website, but I didn't have the money. I was only a student. So I started scouring the web to see if anyone had bought this map from Noble Collection and had posted pictures of it. Sure enough, people had posted pictures and videos all over the web. I watched these on loop, again and again, and copied the designs onto my map as best as I could. Though I think it could be improved here and there, I was satisfied with the o...

While my mates and colleagues are all doing something or the other to help them get a job three years from now (or even before that, depending on the person concerned) (FYI, I'm in the first year of my Bachelor's programme as I write this post), I have been whiling my time away doing unproductive work (which effectively means that I'm doing nothing). They are building their skill sets so their resume gets laden with attractive features while I am still figuring out how to make a resume. So, these holidays, the least I could do was to complete my unfinished works if I was not going to start anything new. One of these works was a handwritten manuscript of Hogwarts potion-book "Advanced Potion Making" which Harry and friends use in their sixth year of schooling. I was always fascinated with the potions depicted in the books and movies and as a child, I used to pray for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to be real. Of course, I eventually realised that...