Fifteen billion dollars. That's the estimated value of the entire Harry Potter franchise. That's also enough to buy 300 Gulfstream 550 private jets. And if it's not hard enough to wrap your head around that number, let me give you a few more: globally there have been 450 million Harry Potter books printed in 74 different languages (from Afrikaans to Welsh), and the eight movie adaptations have grossed $7.7 billion. Not bad for a little story that began life as a "mass of notes, many of which were scribbled on odd scraps of paper."

The tale of "the boy who lived" has enchanted kids and adults alike in all corners of the globe. In many ways, Harry Potter fandom unites the world where all else has failed. It's not just about merchandising and trips to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park. No, love of Harry Potter goes deeper than that. I've read essays dissecting the identity politics of the four Hogwarts houses. I've seen debates over the nature of good and evil that were inspired by Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling's little fantasy story actually motivates people to think deeply and to better themselves.

We may have different ideas about religion and politics, but pretty much everyone would take off for Hogwarts in a split second if they actually got their acceptance letter. So in that spirit of unity, let the Gryffindors take hands with the Slytherin and enjoy these 25 hilarious memes only true Harry Potter fans will understand.

25 Black And White

Although J.K. Rowling rarely specified the race of the characters in her books, in the film adaptations, they are overwhelmingly white. In 2015, actor Dylan Marron created a cut of all the Harry Potter films that shows only the people of color speaking. He found that on average, each one speaks about thirty seconds. He used the project as an opportunity to show "how some people can’t see themselves on screen because they are hardly there."

But if you've been following the #BlackHogwarts trend on Twitter, you know that Harry Potter fans have been having a blast imaging how life at the beloved school might be different if it were more diverse. The Jackson 5 as the Weasley brothers. Madea as Neville's grandmother. If you haven't yet checked it out, do it now. Seriously, I'll wait.

24 Odd Man Out

It's a storytelling tradition that goes back eons (well, I don't know that for sure, but probably): the hero gets the girl. Or if he doesn't, it's because (like James Bond or Philip Marlowe), he's too cool to be tied down to one lady.

But this is where Harry Potter differs in a pretty extraordinary way.

For one, the main female protagonist, Hermione, doesn't end up the Chosen One. She chooses the goofy best friend over the hero, which was a win both for goofy best friends around the world, and also ladies who chafe under the expectation of stereotypes. But perhaps more remarkable, the hero doesn't win THE girl because there is no ONE girl. Besides Hermione, there's Ginny, Luna, Nymphadora, Fleur, Cho, and many others. Instead of being relegated to the role of love interest, the women in Harry Potter are an equal force in the story.

23 Reading, Writing, And 'Rithmatic

One of the more valid criticisms of the Harry Potter world is that the society is essentially a caste-based system with pure-blooded wizards at the top and magical creatures at the bottom. And in this caste-based society, the schools don't cover math, the sciences, or other subjects that would prepare students for a variety of careers around the world. Instead, kids are only taught what they need to know to work for the Ministry of Magic, which puts them forever at the mercy of their government.

I mean, that's the serious, grown-up interpretation of the Hogwarts curriculum. But you could also just say how awesome it would be to have classes with names like Flying Lessons, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Care of Magical Creatures. I myself would major in Ghoul Studies.

22 Family Resemblance

One of the best parts of living in this period in human history is that we are in The Golden Age of the Fandom. According to the Urban Dictionary, fandom is defined as "the community that surrounds a TV show/movie/book, etc. Fanfiction writers, artists, poets, and cosplayers are all members of that fandom." And with the proliferation of the internet, we have the ability to connect with fellow fans around the globe in a way that just wasn't possible for previous generations.

It's also tons of fun to imagine how the universes of your favorite stories would fit together.

If it weren't for the fandom, I never would've made this connection between Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. Although as a slight technicality (yes, I'm that person), LOTR was published in 1954, so the roles on this meme should be reversed IMO.

21 Light It Up

Everyone loves a good homonym joke (where my literature geeks at?), or at least they should. Why do cows have bells? Because their horns don't work! (So funny!) And if you want to really get wild, you can start to play with regional accents. There are over 50 countries in the world where English is either the official language or the de facto language (meaning it's spoken by the majority of the population). The United States, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand are some of the bigger ones, but did you know English is also the main language in Tuvalu, Rwanda, and Guyana?

This particular pun relies on the English accent (as in England). Fun fact: there is no such thing as a British accent. The accent is either English, Welsh, Irish, or Scottish. Now look how bright you are (*wink wink*)!

20 Just Friends

Per the Urban Dictionary, the Friend Zone is defined as, "When a girl decides that you're her friend, you're no longer a dating option. You become this complete non-[romantic] entity in her eyes, like her brother, or a lamp." Snape has spent the greater part of life in this platonic state. From the moment he met Harry's mother Lily Evans as a child, he fell in love with her. The two bonded as fellow magic users and were delighted to go Hogwarts together. Once there, however, Lily spent increasing amounts of time with James Potter, leaving Snape behind (though she was always his friend).

Snape never stopped loving her, even adopting her Patronus as his own.

So yes, Ron, please tell us more about how Hermione isn't really into you. I'm sure Snape wants to hear all about your struggles.

19 Why So Sirius?

Let's face it, the Harry Potter series is full of tragic characters. You could make an argument for Remus, Moaning Myrtle, the Longbottoms, or many others for the title of Most Tragic Character in Harry Potter. However, I submit Sirius Black for your consideration.

Sirus was the black sheep of the Black family (pardon the pun), which was obsessed with eugenics. He had a few years of joy as a member of the Marauders, but when James and Lily Potter were avada kedavra'd by Voldemort, he was blamed and sent to Azkaban for 12 soul-sucking (literally) years. Readers eventually learn he's actually one of the good guys, but all too soon, he's gone into the ambiguous Veil.

Stephanie Meyer thinks she wrote a cool shape-shifting character with the last name of Black? J.K. Rowling beat her by a good six years.

18 Got Your Nose

If you look at Voldemort in the Harry Potter film adaptations, right away you notice something's missing. Obviously the phrase "it's as plain as the nose on your face" has no business here. Apparently, it's not enough for Voldemort to be a Slytherin and a Parseltongue and to have a giant snake named Nagini as a Horcrux. Visually he had to stick to the same theme (overkill much?). J.K Rowling describes him as "whiter than a skull, with wide, livid scarlet eyes and a nose that was as flat as a snake’s with slits for nostrils."

Voldemort nose memes might be low hanging fruit, but they are still super funny. It just goes to show that everyone in the Harry Potter series lost something dear to them.

17 I Want Candy

In the real world, if a minor inherits a large sum of money, they cannot actually take possession of it until they reach "the age of majority" (usually at 18 or 21 years-old). Until then, the money will be managed by a grown-up guardian either appointed in the benefactor's will or by the court.

But apparently, the wizarding world has absolutely none of these laws.

When Hagrid first picks up Harry to take him to the Hogwarts Express, he drops the bomb (one among many) that Harry is actually rich. There are no papers to sign, no financial counseling. Just here ya go, kid! Have fun! So what would you expect a 12-year-old to do with a fortune? Set up a 401(k)? Of course not! They're going to hit the food trolley and make it rain.

16 Clowning Around

If you see one of the movie adaptations of Stephen King's IT or even read the mammoth book (seriously, you deserve a trophy), then you remember that first terrifying appearance of Pennywise the clown. As 6-year-old Georgie plays in the rain, his boat slips down a storm drain where Pennywise is lurking. IT tries to entice Georgie down into the sewers with promises of a circus and popcorn, but Georgie refuses. Finally, Pennywise pulls out the big guns and offers to return Georgie's beloved boat.

And we all know how that turned out.

The scene has become an endlessly riffable meme. What promise would it take to convince you to follow Pennywise down into the sewer towards certain doom? Money? Fame? For millions of Harry Potter fans, the answer is obvious.

15 They See Me Trollin'

It's a question humanity will probably never answer. Which is more important in determining a person's character: nature or nurture? In other words, is a person born a certain way (good, bad, etc.) or do they become that way from the effects of their environment and the people who raise them?

Consider the members of Slytherin house. Pigeon-holed through all seven Harry Potter books as the bad guys, the bullies, the Death Eaters. And usually, they behave according to type. But have you ever noticed that the rest of Hogwarts almost always behave as jerks to them? Just for one massive example, remember how they were locked in their dorm and not allowed to fight in the Battle of Hogwarts? Just being a Slytherin makes you automatically a traitor. So are the Slytherin bad because they were born that way or did the rest of Hogwarts contribute in some way?

14 Cry, Cry, Cry

Spoiler alert if you haven't read the books or seen the movies (and if not, why are you even reading this?), but after Snape perishes during the Battle of Hogwarts, he's considered a hero. A huge portion of the Harry Potter fandom feels this way. Harry himself pulled a complete 180 from viewing Snape as his enemy to naming his son after him (Sirius Black would've been a much more natural choice).

I don't buy it.

Yes, Snape sacrificed himself for the greater good, but up until that point, he was a certified, grade A jerk. He did nothing but bully children and wallow in self-pity. He was such a terrible person, in fact, that the only way he could prove himself was by crying out his memories as a last confession. So he wasn't as bad as we thought, but that doesn't make him a saint either.

13 You've Got A Friend In Me

Kids don't always know a whole lot about the world by virtue of the fact they haven't been here that long. They rely on adults to teach them the ropes, which is why fantasy stories pretty much exclusively star children. Think a happy thought, and you can fly? Use a wardrobe as a portal to another world? Explain this to most adults, and they'd be preparing you a nice, cozy straight jacket. But kids, on the other hand, are more willing to take that leap of faith. A mysterious little bottle that says "Drink Me?" Sure, what's the worst that could happen?

Once Harry gets his Hogwarts letter, he basically becomes Alice in Wonderland: thrust into a new world where everything is topsy-turvy. So when the locals say to run full speed at the brick wall, well...it's a good thing he's only 12.

12 The Emperor's New Cloak

Remember in the 2000 movie Hollow Man when Kevin Bacon's character says, "It's amazing what you can do when you don't have to look at yourself in the mirror anymore." I think invisibility is basically a human litmus test. What would you do if you had the ability to become invisible? Something good? Or something more devious?

Harry's Invisibility Cloak is a bit of a running joke among the fandom for what many see as its wasted potential.

Nice guy Harry doesn't use it slip into the girls' bathroom or torment his enemies or help himself to Gringotts' vaults. Nope, he sneaks into the library. To find books. I barely know any grown-ups who could use such an item responsibly, let alone a teenage boy. The Chosen One indeed.

11 Sister, Sister

As I mentioned earlier, one of the great things about Harry Potter is that it's not just a story about guys with a few girl characters on the side. The ladies of Harry Potter are an equal force in the story. Ginny, in particular, really comes into her own in the later books, but Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows spends so much time focused on the main three that she gets forgotten (except in the Disney-fied happily ever after ending where everyone marries their high school sweetheart).

After she spends a solitary year being possessed by Voldemort (seriously, where were her friends and brothers that NO ONE realized she was going through something major), Ginny grows into a strong, confident, take-no-crap girl who doesn't wait around for Harry to save the day. She's the Gryffindor Seeker, a leader of Dumbledor's Army, and an all-around tail-kicking babe.

10 Mother Dearest

This phrase is said so often to Harry by grown-ups who knew his parents that, had he been a slightly more normal teenage boy, he probably would've been making this face nearly every day. Everyone from Hagrid and Dumbledore to Ollivander and Rita Skeeter feel the need to remind him of this point.

Why is this detail harped on so much?

Sadly, J.K. Rowling's mother passed while she was still working on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, so she channeled many of her feelings into her story. It may just be that she mentioned it so many times because it was on her mind. But then again, if you read the books carefully, you'll notice that Rowling tends to describe a character's eyes more often than other aspects. They are the windows to the soul, after all.

9 A Hive Of Scum And Villainy

Voldemort has caused so much fear and destruction in the wizarding world that they are literally too afraid to even say his name. And okay, the response is not entirely unwarranted. Voldemort is a psychopath obsessed with blood purity and immortality, and he won't hesitate to eliminate anyone in his way. But when you compare him to other bad guys, he kind of seems...not that bad. Even if you disregard real-life villains (and there have definitely been some that would give Voldemort a run for his money), fictional baddies pretty much leave him in the dust.

There's Emperor Palpatine and Sauron, of course. What about Michael Corleone, Dracula, or Pinhead, just as examples? President Snow from The Hunger Games actually did manage to end the lives of hundreds of children, unlike Voldemort. Maybe he could give lessons?

8 Eagleclaw

"Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind, where those of wit and learning, will always find their kind," sings the Sorting Hat. Founded by Rowena Ravenclaw (a.k.a. the Grey Lady), the crest of this erudite house is a bronze eagle on a blue background. The eagle is meant to represent intelligence and wisdom because it "soars where others cannot climb."

If they took one second to consider the non-magical world, any Ravenclaw worth their muster would quickly realize that if you're looking for avian intelligence, ravens are the way to go. Ravens (along with their cousins, crows, jays, and magpies) are part of the Corvid family. They're not only smarter than all other birds, they're smarter than most other living beings, period. To see what I mean, check out this video of a puzzle-solving raven named 007.

7 After All These Years

One of the most fun parts of growing up with the Harry Potter books was having the characters grow up right alongside you. Sure, they may have had a few different challenges (unless you routinely fly your car into forests filled with giant spiders), but overall they faced the same obstacles we did. What happens when you have a fight with your friends? How do I ask out this person I like? First dances, first kisses, first time going head to head with a dragon--ah, the memories!

In a lot of ways, we also grew up alongside the actors that portrayed these characters in the movie.

They were almost like another set of friends, albeit friends that went to red carpet events and didn't invite you. Sometimes it's hard to believe how far we've all come until you put it in the context of a single shirt.

6 Call A Doctor

When the first book was published in 2006, the Twilight series became a worldwide phenomenon, although it never had the same mass appeal as Harry Potter. There are good reasons for this. So if you're a Twilight fan, I'm going to have to apologize.

I've never missed a chance to make fun of Twilight, and I'm not about to start now. 

There are so many problems, I don't even know where to start (OMG, the writing...), so let's just stick with Edward Cullen. He's an obsessive, controlling, sociopath, who sparkles in the sun (seriously, Bram Stoker must be rolling in his grave). Twilight's Edward and Harry Potter's Cedric Diggory are both played by Robert Pattinson. What if Cedric rose from the grave as Edward? If only there was a being who could travel through space and time to stop it from ever happening!