Farewell, Harry

In 1997, a single mother on Welfare brought the world a story that would forever change a generation.

My generation.

And at 12 o'clock this morning, we took our final journey into the world of Harry Potter--a bittersweet journey that marked a final installment of extraordinary magic--and also the end of a childhood fascination spanning some 14 years.

Thank you, Harry.

Justin and I recently awoke after the, truly, once-in-a-lifetime experience of attending a Harry Potter marathon that began at 4:30 am on 7/14/11 and lasted through the midnight premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.

It All Ends.

7.15.2011

We've been seeing that slogan for some time now, and when my alarm sounded in the wee hours of July 14th, I couldn't have been more excited to wake up!

Justin had traveled directly to the theatre after working night shift ... and little did I know he had spent his night playing Scene It! with people who had traveled to Winchester from all over the East Coast for this event ... how lucky that we live 5 minutes away!  So, when I arrived at 4am, lots of Muggles already knew my name.  I felt a little like Harry entering Diagon Alley.

This car belonged to our friends Virginia and Erin!

So we found our seats, and prepared for the 24 hours of Potter magic to begin!

Not seeing sunlight was a small price to pay for this opportunity to drink Butter Beer, squeal and cheer with fellow Potter-fanatics, and curl up under a blanket and watch Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson grow up on screen--to see over a decade of their childhoods, and ours, played out in these truly epic films.

There were costume contests, Harry Potter trivia, free back massages, and free face painting (scars, of course)!  And ... almost everyone (including us) came dressed up in one way or another.

Yes, a few tears were shed ... okay, a lot (and by a lot of fans) ... but this will forever be an amazing memory.  One that I'm sure I'll one day proclaim to Jackson "Yes, I was there!  I was there when Harry Potter was created ... I was there from the cupboard under the stairs to the battle of Hogwarts ... and I loved every moment!"

Farewell, Harry, our dear friend.