I’ve been a fan of the Harry Potter series for years. I’ve read each book over 30 times, and I’ve read a handful of them in Spanish as well.

I was Dumbledore for Halloween one year and Hermione for another two. I’ve gone to the midnight premieres and I’ve joined a number of fan sites, discussing the intricacies of the series with people from all over the world. I’m certainly not alone in my obsessive fandom. I can’t think of a single person who hasn’t heard of the series, and know only a very few people who haven’t read at least one of the books.

J.K. Rowling hasn’t simply written a popular series, she has revolutionized the way that people approach reading. Kids who would normally be resistant to picking up a 500-page book end up devouring the series in a matter of weeks or months. J.K. Rowling has created an entire magical world within the series, full of countless characters, creatures and spells, as well as a community outside of the books, in which people discuss (and usually argue over) the books, dress up as their favorite characters, and even listen to music inspired by the series. It seems amazing that all this could have developed out of a humble children’s series. However, the Harry Potter books are so much more than that. They are the perfect tale of good vs. evil.

At only one year old, Harry is orphaned and left on the doorstep of his aunt and uncle, Petunia and Vernon Dursley. They begrudgingly take him in, mistreating him for years before Harry receives a life-changing letter that informs him that he is a wizard and that there is a spot for him at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Once there, Harry learns more about his parents’ death; he discovers that the dark wizard Lord Voldemort (or rather, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named) has murdered them. Voldemort had tried to kill Harry as well, but his curse backfired, creating a lightning bolt-shaped scar on Harry’s forehead and condemning Voldemort to a mysterious, half-dead state.

Harry’s time at Hogwarts doesn’t solely consist of revisiting horrible stories from his past. He relishes being away from the Dursleys, and for the first time in his life, he’s able to make friends. He’s sorted into the Gryffindor House, whose inhabitants are known for bravery. This sorting is very apt; from his first year at Hogwarts, Harry tries to be the hero, and save his friends and his school. Therefore, while the spells, classes, and other characters are fun to read about, and certainly flesh out the Wizarding world, it is clear from the beginning that the entire series is building up to a showdown between Harry and Voldemort.

The Harry Potter books were primarily intended to be a children’s series, and at first glance, the divide between good and evil may seem too black and white. Gryffindors are brave, represented by the majestic lion, while the Slytherin House common room, home to the villainous characters, is located in the dungeons, and the house emblem depicts a snake on a green background. However, after revisiting the books for a second or third (or fiftieth!) time, the ethical dilemmas appear much more nuanced. Harry and Voldemort both grow up as orphans, unaware of their magical abilities. They can both speak to snakes, and their wands share the same core. From the moment that Voldemort fails to kill Harry, their lives become inextricably linked, yet they continue on two opposite paths.

Spoiler Alert — Read this only if you’ve read all seven books in the series: As anyone who has read the series knows, Snape presents the best example of an ethically complex character. Harry never likes him, and as readers we’re conditioned to side with Harry. Additionally, Snape just seems dislikeable: he’s greasy and gross, and clearly dislikes Harry as his friends. While being mean doesn’t necessarily correspond with being intrinsically evil, in Snape’s case, it appears to. As the series progresses, we learn that he used to be a Death Eater, and that he was actually responsible for Harry’s parents’ deaths. None of Dumbledore’s assurances that Snape was truly on the good side could dissuade either Harry or us as the readers from believing the worst in him. Of course, all this changed after the seventh book. The chapter “The Prince’s Tale” shows that Snape does not truly support Voldemort and has actually been helping Harry all along. However, to say that Snape is a good guy isn’t fully accurate either. He helps Harry because of his love for Lily. If you think about it, this is a rather selfish motivation. Snape’s character shows that people aren’t either good or evil; most are somewhere in between. End of spoiler alert.

The Harry Potter books have a broader universal appeal than any other series that I can think of. When I started reading them with my mom in kindergarten, I loved the descriptions of the Quidditch game and Fred and George’s hilarious antics. As I got older, I became lost in the Wizarding world and the overarching conflict between good and evil. However, even as I rooted for Harry, I realized that he is not the perfect hero. He’s moody, impulsive, and self-absorbed. In short, he’s a teenager, and these flaws only make the story more relatable.

Not only can the Harry Potter series be enjoyed by people of different ages, it can also be read by the same person at various points in their life, and be appreciated on different levels. I’m sure that anyone who hasn’t yet read the series has a good reason, but I honestly pity you all! You must not know what you’re missing.