The End of an Era

Today is the day.
Tonight I will be attending what is likely my last official Harry Potter event.
For those of you who aren't Harry Potter fans, you may not understand how big a deal this is. So let me tell you (and if you don't care to read my love letter to Harry Potter (ahem, Jon Horner. RUDE.) then just don't. and let me ramble in peace):
I remember my first Harry Potter experience vividly. I was in second grade, and we were in Grafton, Vermont for Thanksgiving. I had a fever and had to stay in the house all day, and, as was usual for me, I had completely run out of books to read. I was a reading fiend as a kid, and I went to my mom tired and bored. She was reading Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone. I looked at it, asked what it was about, and said, "Hey, can I read this?"
And so it began.
I was fascinated by everything. By Harry and his story, by the magical world of Hogwarts, by the friendships in the story....I could go on and on.
Harry Potter hasn't been a bandwagon thing for me. It's been a part of my life. I grew up with the characters, waiting for the midnight opening of each book, waiting to spend all night reading.
I think there are so many great things about these books:
The relationships between the many characters, whether it's Harry, Ron, and Hermione, or Harry and the Weasleys, Snape and the students, or Hagrid and the creatures he cares for--they are all full of ups and downs, but they are real. They're relatable.
The humor--sometimes I just laugh out loud when I read these books. There are these moments that are just priceless.
The way the characters grow. They are so imperfect. They make mistakes, they are tempted, they don't always do the right thing. But they learn from it, they apologize, they love each other through all the ugly things.
And lastly I love how good triumphs. It's an age old story, but J.K. Rowling does things in a way I absolutely did NOT expect. Don't worry, I won't spoil it. There's a really redemptive aspect to this story, and it isn't subtle, it's clear and for me it was shocking.
Call me dramatic, but today is a big deal. It's like a coming of age moment (for my 7th grade class, I'm having a Bildungsroman moment....thanks, Mr. Henderson!). My childhood ended awhile ago, but it's like I have to actually face it today.
Bittersweet.
Feel free to laugh at this post, I know who you are. :) I am laughing at myself! Books aren't normally this big a deal to people, but hey, that's why I'm becoming the Literature professor, and you're not!
And for those of you who haven't read Harry Potter--give them a chance! Clearly, I think they're wonderful. :)