This morning I went to see the final installment of the Harry Potter series. It's over. It began for me 12 years ago - I was in elementary school and everyone was reading the Harry Potter books. I was (like I am now) a non-conformist and didn't want to read the books because everyone else was so absorbed in them. I was busy reading other books that weren't quite as popular anyway.
One day my mom took me grocery shopping at Sam's Club and when we first entered the store there was a HUGE stack of Harry Potter books 1-3. My mom knew that I loved reading, so she grabbed a copy of each and told me she'd just heard about them and thought I might enjoy it. I rolled my eyes, but didn't object to her buying them. That day when we got home my curiosity got the better of me and I sat down to read The Sorcerer's Stone. The first chapter didn't quite do it for me, though I know that a lot of other people were immediately hooked. I decided to continue reading anyway. Once Harry finally got to school I became fascinated! I probably finished the book in a week (which is saying something since I was in 2nd grade!) I turned to the second and third books and fell in love with the series! I guess it wasn't popular just because people decided to jump on the bandwagon - it was actually really good!
When I first heard that they were going to make a movie I wanted to be in it, of course. I was just turning 11 that year - perfect age to play Hermione (though many people said since I have red hair I should have wanted to be Ginny). Unfortunately I found out a week later that they were already halfway done with filming - wow I guess I missed the boat completely on that one. No matter - I went to see the movie on opening day with my sister and brother-in-law. The entire time I was whispering to her "Oh no! They left out that part?!" Looking back, I don't miss too much of what was left out; the movie would have gone on for at least 5 hours if everything was included!
Today - 12 years later, having read each book 9 times, I saw the final movie. It's interesting to wonder - with Harry Potter being such a huge piece of our culture, what will the world's attention turn to now? Sure Twilight (something I still refuse to read/watch) has had its moments in the sun, but it has never captivated so much of the world as Harry Potter had.
It's over. More than half my lifetime was spent in the company of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I will still continue to re-read the books and watch the movies occasionally, but there will be nothing more added. My memories will live on, but the characters will cease to develop and there will be no more adventures within the Hogwarts castle.
Today I lift my wand in the air in tribute to Harry Potter, "the Boy Who Lived" and to J.K. Rowling for creating a masterpiece, a timeless classic that will continue to live on in memory, and something that will be read and watched time and time again. Long live Harry Potter!
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