The End is Nigh!

And so it begins.

In eighty-some-odd hours, the Pötterdämmerung will be upon us. As an avid reader of Rowling's series, I am both excited and somewhat sad about that. On Sunday, I went to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and my nostalgia began in earnest. I sat in the theater annoying my companion with such whispers like, "Look how cute they are!" and "Remember when Dan looked like a homeless kid? Do you think that's what inspired Rupert's look?" The movie was great, but on the way home I started thinking about what it will be like to turn page 783 and realize that there is only one page left in Harry Potter's universe.

I am the first to admit that I get overly attached to characters. Don't even start me talking about Rose Tyler. But the HP kids - I've watched them grow up. With each book, I've become prouder and prouder of them as they have made difficult choices, learned painful lessons and grew to be damn fine people. Rowling has a special gift for capturing the adolescent experience, and she's made me believe in these characters like I have in few others. I feel as though I should have a memorial service for these people that I've loved so much. But that would be obsessive, right? No memorial service. Except perhaps in my head.

I suspect Saturday will see me mourning the loss of some very good friends, even as I enjoy seeing what Rowling has in store for us.