'Arry Potter

Today is a sad day. The last part of the last Harry Potter movie comes out at midnight.  Okay, so technically it is tomorrow...

I have loved several series of books throughout my life, but I have a strange connection to Harry.  I started reading the books when I was in 7th grade, which is about the same age that Harry was for those first 3 books.  Maybe it is because I felt like I grew up along with him. Anyways, my mom got it for my brother for Christmas or something, and I read it afterwards.  From then on out, we had to fight over it whenever a new book came out.  Usually, there was a time schedule and Erik got it in the morning and I would get it at night.  We used different bookmarks. It would only take a couple of days of course ;)  As more came out, I made sure we got it right away and I would read it in one sitting (stopping only to use the bathroom and eat at the same time). I remember my neighbors got book 4 before I got mine and I listened to their book on CD for a couple days with them.  My parents got involved and the book would have to make the rounds each time. When the last book came out, I got it at a Top Foods HP party and did not sleep, even though we went camping that weekend and I had to read it by flashlight that next night and my parents had to nag me to hike with them hehe.

I would spend hours on internet forums, discussing theories with other Potter fans, and pointing out little things in the books that most people wouldn't notice unless they've read each book 5 times like the rest of us, looking for foreshadowing.  I loved all the different stories going on within the big story, and the characters Jo created, and their funny names, and their powers, and the way they have magic to make things easier, but still seem to be in the older centuries in other ways.

Andy wasn't much of a reader before we dated, but when we started (as he likes to tell everyone this story) I told him if he wants to be accepted by my family, he has to read the series.  I also apparently told him if Harry was real I would marry him instead lol.  He read the series and LOVED it.  It even started his interest in reading again and started reading a lot.  Now he is writing his own books :)

The movies have not always been my favorite; I would usually come back saying "I can't believe they left out _____ and _____ and _____ and _____, it completely missed half the story!" but I started seeing the characters in the movies as the ones in my head as I read and started feeling close to them too. I think the movies were good, I just focused too much on how some of my favorite parts were left out.  Despite this, they have been a huge part of the Potter phenomena and now that they are wrapping up, I feel like there isn't anything to look forward to and my Harry experience is coming to an end :(

We will not be going to the midnight showing, since we have a baby and all, and it would be kind of inappropriate to ask someone on a work night to watch my son until 3 am lol.  I am not upset though since I mentioned before, the movies aren't my favorite anyways and its not like I don't know what's going to happen ;) Plus I hate going to the movies when it is crowded haha.  We will probably catch it in a few weeks when the hype has died down a tad.  It is just sad to feel like a chapter of my life is over.  I am hoping Jo writes a few more in the future (maybe of Harry's kids?), but I don't think it could compare to the original. I can't wait for Sawyer to be old enough to read them!

Cheers Harry! It has been a good journey.