Post-Potter Depression hit hard after reading the final book, just knowing it was all over. When Harry was preparing to face Voldemort in their final battle, I had to put the book down and cry (and I am not a crier). I was at the end of the most amazing series of books I have ever read (and I read all 7 of Stephen King's 'Dark Tower' series over the 20 years it took him to complete it). Sniff.
I love these books so because JK Rowling takes you into an entirely different world. Her usage of actual roots in her made up words- like the spell "Occulous Reparum" to repair Harry's glasses, or that the Hippogriff is akin to a Griffin of myth-make it seem more real. Words like Hufflepuff, mandrake, and parselmouth become commonplace. Magical creatures, every-flavor beans, and talking art abound. Ghosts chatting together and goblins walking the halls are completely normal. It is such a wondrous and rich place to visit, you want to stay, and are sad to merely be a muggle.
My friend Keri Graham (who will be guest writing for me next week) won tickets through WGN (yay WGN!) and she took me on Tuesday to the premiere of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (7.2)". We were like two giggling school kids we were SO excited.
We got 3-D glasses shaped like Harry's (see photo). Awesome! (if we're being candid- I dug into the glasses recycling bin & got two more pairs, as I realized I was not above doing that-plus these will forever be my 3-D glasses-go green!)
So for me, it is already over.
Pass the Prozac.
Alison, my sister-in-law, gave me the first three books as gifts. She and my mother-in-Law Joan were already huge fans and they knew I would love the books too. At first, I was curious and confused, as I didn't have kids yet and here I was getting childrens' books (not unusual for me, but still novel-ha! Pun.) I gobbled up those books and eagerly awaited the next- as I would through the end. I SO owe them! That's another reason I love this series- the shared adoration with my extended family. We ALL love Harry, read the books at the same time, compared notes, and have seen the movies together.
Speaking of the movies, my personal favorite has always been "The Prisoner of Azkaban", but this final installment beats it. You can tell everyone put their heart and soul into this movie-it's that good. I was verklempt... SO if you have never read these books or seen the moves, think about doing so. All this hype ain't for nothing.
How cool is it that we've watched these three main characters get cast as such small kids. We witnessed them grow. Learn. Refine themselves into the amazing actors they are today. They have held their own in scenes with some of England's finest actors. Plus, they are not in the tabloids for negative behavior. (OK, Dan/Harry liked drinking but he stopped himself-kudos!). It has been wonderful watching their maturation, and I will be watching what they all do next- Neville, Seamus, Ginny and Draco too (which will be so weird- seeing them play a different character!)
My sister Wendy has a movie ritual for each new release: she re-reads that book then watches all the past movies. She just finished 7.1- just in time for today's finale-did I mention how mad at me she is that I saw it already- without her?! Sorry.
It makes me so giddy to see Zoe loving Harry's world as much as I do. I told her that if she were a wizard, she would be starting to Hogwarts this fall-she loved that. Maybe I'll send her an invitation via her stuffed animal owl.
"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."
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