This Thursday night, I went to see "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them". When the title sequence started, and I heard the iconic Harry Potter music, I felt a rush of adrenaline. As someone who grew up reading the books over and over again and eagerly anticipating the next movie release, I was excited to see the most recent installation of the Harry Potter story.

But I was also nervous. What if it didn't live up to the Harry Potter films? What if it was totally weird? What if I didn't like what they did with the Wizarding World?

After seeing the film, I was relieved. I loved it because it felt like it belonged in the Wizarding World, but not like it was trying to be the "next" Harry Potter.

I think "Fantastic Beasts" worked because it was set in a different country and a different time. It borrowed elements from the original series and there were allusions made to the Harry Potter stories, but it didn't ride on nostalgic mush. It was its own story, with its own characters.

The overlaps that did exist were well done. One thing I loved about the movie was the way that it supported the Harry Potter series and provided backstory, while remaining a stand-alone story in and of itself.

Someone who has never even heard of Harry Potter could have found themselves in that movie theater, and they still would have been able to follow the plot and enjoy the movie. For the Harry Potter fan, there were some subtle references that made it feel like it was in the same Wizarding World that they fell in love with so many years ago.

I am excited to see what happens in future movies, and I am hopeful that they will further support the world of Harry Potter without depending on it to create a good story.