HP!

Today is Harry Potter Day! It's not an official holiday for everyone, but it is for me. I've been watching this date come closer with excitement, but also with sadness. Today marks the release of the second half of the seventh movie, the last time I will see Harry, Ron, and Hermione on the big screen. In anticipation, I re-read all of the seven books and re-watched all of the seven movies. As I finished each, I heaved a great big sigh because I knew it all would soon be coming to an end.

I can't describe why I love them so much or why I feel like a little tiny part of me is dying today. It's not like I grew up with these books. I was 20 by the time I started reading them. I still remember the first time I heard about them... my mom and Erin were visiting me at school and they were talking about how the Harry Potter books were being released with plain jacket covers so that adults could read them in public and not be embarrassed. I said I had never heard of this Harry Potter fellow and asked what the big deal was. They insisted I start reading the books right away, but it wasn't until I saw my brother as Harry Potter in his school play that I decided to give them a try.

I was smitten immediately. I plowed through the first three books and couldn't wait to get my hands on book four. I bought an HP T-shirt and wore it proudly. I studied abroad in Australia and bought the British version of the first four books. As I flew home, I re-read the fourth and cried out loud on the plane. I remember being devastated after pre-ordering the fifth book only to have it stolen from my apartment building lobby. Who steals a Harry Potter book?? I remember crying so hard at the end of the sixth book that I had to sit up in bed so I didn't choke to death. And I remember trying not to read the seventh book too fast because I didn't want it to be over.

The movies are never as good as the books, it's just not possible that they could be. But I still always had them to look forward to once the books were all read. Now I have nothing... except for two hours this afternoon when I will be transported to my favorite magical world and say goodbye to my favorite magical wizards.HAHAHA...... I'm such a loser!