The end of an era

When I went to see Eclipse, I saw an ahhmazing trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The last movie.

As I was writing this post, I realized that HP started a chain of events for me and my family.

I was ten when my cousin dragged me to see Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I went, reluctantly, kicking and screaming. After seeing it, I was hooked. Thus beginning an era for myself.

I got the first three books in paperback and zipped through them. I wanted a Harry Potter scarf. They were too expensive, so my mom said she'd learn to make one for me. She learned to knit, and she taught me. Thus began my love of knitting.

My mom read the books. As a average parent of a ten year old, she wanted to know what her kid was reading. I told my dad about the books. He was semi interested, and agreed to read them, probably just to make me happy. I told countless other family members that they HAD to read these books. And they did. My dad never read before reading Harry Potter. Now, he's almost as much of a bookworm as me. ALMOST.

Our librarian told my mom that the fourth book was really dark. So, we read it together. It was a very special time for me, personally.

I waited for what seemed like FOREVER for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to come out. We preordered it, and it was delivered the morning it was released. My mom was still sleeping, and I was SOO mad because she wanted to read it first. To "check" and make sure it was "appropriate". Yeah, sure.

I remember waking up in the middle of the night and going to the bathroom, on my dresser was the book. I got a total of 0 hours of sleep that night and finished it the following night.

When the sixth book was released, we once again preordered it. I expected it to come first thing.

It didn't.

I was pacing the kitchen floor, freaking out. Finally, I went online and looked up spoilers. And cried. Finally, my dad just took me to Walmart to get the book. Later that day, I went to a pool party. I told my friend I knew who died. He told me he didn't believe me, so I told him. He was in shock. I thought he had finished the book, but apparently, he hadn't. Oopsies.

I went to go see Harry Potter 5 at midnight. I WAS SO MAD. It ruined the whole book, and I compained throughout the movie. That was the first midnight showing I'd ever been to.

Harry Potter 7 was released while I was performing in 'Aladdin'. After the opening performance, I went to Borders to get the book as soon as it was released. I was dressed as Fleur Delecour. For the performance the next day, I didn't want to go on stage. Now, this is a very strange thing for me. I'm a ham. But, I was too busy reading HP7!

Between books, I reread the series countless times. They were my go to happy books.

So, as we come to an end of an era, the end of Harry Potter, I believe I am also coming to the end of another era: my childhood.