Harry Potter Fans Take on Bullying

Is this a wizard-movie poster or an indie-rock publicity shot?

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Say what you will about fervent Harry Potter fans who are above legal drinking age, but many of them want to use the characters and plotlines in JK Rowling's series to make the world a better place.

While they're counting down the months until the December release of the final Harry Potter movie, the worldwide chapters of the Harry Potter Alliance (a 501(c)3 that "fights the Dark Arts") are mounting monthly campaigns to spread awareness about many of the world's evils.

So naturally, the Corpus Christi-based South Texas chapter is taking part in the HPA's Make It Better Bullying Horcrux, an anti-bullying campaign organized in conjunction with the Gay-Straight Alliance. (Note to those unfamiliar with the Harry Potter Universe: a horcrux is a "Dark Magic" thingamajigger.)

South Texas Chapter (i.e., "The South Texas Remembralls") President and Founder Christina Vourcos tells Hair Balls that the goal is to let those being picked on "know that there's other people out there that can be there for them."

While there are many targets of bullies, this campaign is especially sensitive to those who are bullied for their sexual orientation, because the Harry Potter series is apparently dripping with total gayness, à la "muggleborn rights, Lupin and Hagrid having to live in the closet, and Harry Potter literally having to live in the closet," according to the HPA's site.

Vourcos, a senior at Texas A&M-CC, founded the chapter in 2010 after letting students "know through flyers if they were interested in helping out and being part of a group that was similar to Dumbledor's Army that was in the Harry Potter books."

Vourcos also plans her own chapter activities independent of the monthly campaigns, including the Valentine's Day-related "The Weapon We Have Is Love" project.

You don't have to be a student to join the chapter, you just have to want to help others. And you have to like wizards and shit.