Book Challenge -- Day 4

4. Favorite platonic friendships

Like most kids who grew up along with the Harry Potter Series, I am a fan of the Harry-Hermione platonic friendship (there was a time when I thought it might go romantic, but despite Rowling's comments about Hermione ending up with Ron, I think it turned out just fine). They are friends who support each other and are there for the good and bad times. There are moments during the series where Harry wants to be the hero and rescue Hermione, but she's not having it and shows him up with one of her clever plans. At the same time Hermione sticks around when the horcruxes begin to turn Harry dark and though most of us know she could have saved the world without his directionally challenged self, she kept Harry around. The two characters compliment each other without overwhelming or expecting more from the other.
     A lot of the friendships in literature don't tend to stay platonic. I enjoyed Annabel and Percy from Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson books, but after a while they shifted over into the romantic zone. Percy and Grover, however, have that snarky relationship that is all so common in today's reality, but is difficult to convey into a written world without becoming cruel. Like Harry and Hermione, Grover and Percy are there for each other while they attempt to accomplish the impossible. The relationship between Grover and Percy is more like that of Ron and Harry, though. They have Annabel as their brains, and they are the adventure and implusive behavior behind her plans.
     A completely different friendship I enjoyed was in the Thief of Eddis series: Gen and Sophos. The two begin their association while on a quest to retrieve legitimacy for Gen's cousin--a stone bestowed upon the ruler of Eddis by the Thief. Helen (Eddis as she is known) cares for her cousin and their friendship is strong enough to last through his trials and triumphs. Sophos is the heir to a neighboring kingdom and a scholar rather than any kind of warrior. The two boys become friends, but are separated by nations when Sophos is sent to learn his country and Gen goes to fetch the woman he loves and become king. When next they meet, Sophos is Sounis and Gen is Attolis--kings of their respective countries, but still young men looking for friendship. They each have their own responsibilities and desires, but they learn to respect each other and be young men together under and outside of the ceremony of their offices.