To the uninitiated outsider looking in, "Harry Potter" appears to simply be a story about witches and wizards and magic and...stuff. But, for those of us who were raised under its spell, we understand on a deep, soulful level that the true magic of this story is in its vast richness of profound, meaningful values that have directly shaped who we are as human beings and made us greater people. For so many of us, Harry Potter has been elevated in our minds and in our hearts to the level of sacred scripture, and justifiably so. Here is a list of 17 things that the story of Harry Potter has taught us about life that will never leave us.

1. Be Brave, No Matter What You're Facing

Bravery is the light within that sparks heroic deeds, and it was Harry Potter's bravery that saved the entire world. The act of facing your fears and bravely overcoming them will take you anywhere you want to go in life. Whenever you're faced with a fearful hurdle between where you are and where you need to be, think of Harry and let his example fill you with courage to be just as brave as him.

2. Reading Makes You Powerful

Could we truly aspire to be any more brilliant and bad ass than Hermione Granger? How many times did we see Hermione seek knowledge in books, and then apply that knowledge in action to save everyone's asses? It was her fervent reading and unquenchable thirst for knowledge that made her the "brightest witch of her age" and an absolute force to be reckoned with.

3. Your Family Is Who You Decide It Is

Sometimes, those who aren't blood are more family to you than those who are, and that's a beautiful thing. Who truly loves you, accepts you, and has your back no matter what is of more importance than mere biological relation.

4. Be An Individual In A World Full Of Conformists

Stay true to yourself no matter what anyone else thinks of it. There is nothing more sacred than your own unique character, and being in touch with it and unrestrictedly expressing it will not only bring you more fulfillment, but will inspire others around you to be themselves in a world constantly trying to make them something else.

5. Extend Your Love To All Living Beings

" If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals." - Sirius Black

6. Racism Is Baseless And Fueled Only By Hatred

Hermione Granger was a Muggle-born, and see how brilliant she was? Albus Dumbledore was half-blood, and he was the most powerful wizard of his time. Draco Malfoy was a "pureblood," and he wasn't exactly the poster child for "impressive." One's true value is determined by their essence within, not their racial lineage.

7. True Friendship Is Invaluable

Where would Harry have truly been without his friends? Where would any of them have been without each other? If you're fortunate enough in your own life to be a part of a group of friends like Harry, Ron, and Hermione were for each other, then you are truly blessed beyond measure.

8. Sometimes, Rules Need To Be Broken In Epic Fashion

Was there ANYONE out there who wasn't on Fred and George Weasley's side on this? That should tell you something. If you find yourself being controlled by an unjust system, don't be scared to inject a little righteous rebellion into the mix and shatter that system into a million pieces (if you're prepared to effectively manage the consequences like these guys, of course).

9. Love Conquers All

It was Lily Potter's love for Harry as a baby that allowed him to miraculously survive Voldemort's killing curse, and it was love that allowed Harry to conquer Voldemort in the end. It was what Voldemort lacked that led to his downfall. Dumbledore told Harry that love was the most powerful magic of all. This is also true in our own world.

10. Stand Up For What You Know Is Right

Harry always just outspokenly told it how it is, even if it made him sound crazy to others, even when there were those who tried very hard to shut him up. He wasn't scared to let the truth reign supreme over all else, and we shouldn't be either.

11. Question Your Government

In Harry Potter, the Ministry of Magic was filled with corruption and ignorance almost every step of the way, and it was this corruption and ignorance that made it possible for Lord Voldemort to rise to power and seize control over Hogwarts and the entire country. Don't think that this can't happen to your own government, or that it isn't already happening. Real life is often harsher than fiction.

12. The World Is Not Always What It Seems

For nearly 11 years, Harry lived a regular muggle existence like you and I, and had no idea that magic was even a thing, let alone an entire wizarding world hiding right under everybody's noses. How do we know that secret realities aren't hiding under our own established understanding of reality right now? There are SO many strange mysteries in our own world, mysteries far stranger than even magic, and we could only ever hope to discover and understand them by being open minded to possibilities beyond the mere surface of what we think is "reality."

13. Growing Old Doesn't Have To Stop Us From Being Awesome

Does anyone outdo Albus Dumbledore in pure awesomeness? Like, seriously? This man was 150 years old, and embodied every bit of what we should strive to be in our old age: brave, adventurous, bold, thoughtful, articulate, wise, powerful, and loving.

14. Unleash Your Brilliance With No Apologies

Don't ever hold back on your own brilliance, even if it makes other people jealously despise you. Hermione never held hers back, whether in or out of the classroom, and her peers learned very quickly that, whether they like it or not, they were gonna have to respect her brilliance, or they were gonna pay. You always owe it to yourself above all others to be the best YOU that you can be.

15. Stand Up To Your Friends If You Have To

"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but it takes just as much to stand up to our friends." - Albus Dumbledore

16. Those You Love Will Always Be With You

*sniffles*

17. True Love Never Dies

*double sniffles*

*wipes away tears*

Which lessons from Harry Potter have stuck with YOU the most?