Against such odds, one common sentiment continues to inspire fandom movements: Sometimes, the real world's offerings simply fall short.

Patricia Andrews, a junior at St. Francis High School in Mountain View, belongs to a ``Harry Potter'' fan clan that plays Hogwarts board games at school, sports Potter wear and holds online debates on such matters as wizarding economics.

She admits to having to force herself away from Potter stuff at times, but she also recognizes the ``need to balance the fandom with the rest of your life.''

``Fandom is a community that supports grass-roots expression,'' he said. It ``encourages people to grow as readers, writers, thinkers and human beings.''

For teens in particular, fandom provides unique outlets. Amid adolescence's angst and awkwardness, fandom's camaraderie can mean everything. That acceptance and belonging seem far easier to come by in fan communities than in any other social circles, making the prospect of joining the ``fraternity'' enormously attractive.

"As they have for millions of other ``Potter-Heads,'' the books have reminded me that reading could be enjoyable as opposed to torturous. The number of books I purchased and read tripled from the previous year. With all this extra reading, my English grade significantly improved and I've received only A's in that subject ever since (compared with the C's I earned in the years before I read the Harry Potter books)."