Harry

It's here. Tonight. Midnight.

Oh, Harry how can this be all?

You forever changed my reading habits ten years ago (I was late to jump on the bandwagon), helping me to realize that yes, as an adult, I can get lost in the world of a story just like I did in middle school. There is still exciting fantasy/adventure literature out there and just because I am grown up doesn't mean I am relegated to the grown-ups section of the library. YA is where the good stuff is.

I loved you from page 1.

And then you came to me on the silver screen. I admit, it wasn't until Prisoner of Azkaban that I actually looked forward to seeing you in any other way than how I envisioned you while I read. But, once Christpher Columbus was out of the way, there we were, enthralled in the dark: my husband and I, my best-ie and hers, each with our 3 month-old, ten-hours-apart little girls sleeping on our chests. Daniel Radcliffe became you for me. After Prisoner of Azkaban, I couldn't picture you any other way.

There are points in my memories of the last ten years of my life that are inextricably linked with you. That's the road trip when I finished reading book 5 and bawled in the car...That's the picture of you that Laurelei, at three years old, asked me to paste into her locket...That's the night we sat at Two Sisters with Dustin and Sandi, eating crem brule and speculating on what would be in book 4...

And while the books ended four years ago (four years!), it was only a halfway parting, because there was still more to be played out on film. But now the end is upon us. The parting of the ways. I'm packing tissues for tonight, Harry.

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(Anyone else as excited as I am?) I had planned on posting a free Harry Potter embroidery template this morning, but, alas, life and other projects have delayed my intentions. In case you want to do a little 'Pottering'  around  (*snort*) before you go to see the most anticipated movie of the year, check out this amazing fan art at Gallery Nucleus.

And Happy Harry Potter-ing.
♥