Last Call - All Aboard for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

NO SPOILERS - YOU MAY CONTINUE

I cannot, in good conscience, as a self-proclaimed Harry Potter wizard, allow myself to close this chapter upon my life without posting and dedicating a blog to all of you fellow wizards.

I have to admit I went to the cinema with a lot of doubts. I was so anxious they would utterly screw up the final film and that I would hate it. It kept me awake most of the night.

Ironically enough, I had passed up a midnight release ticket, because I was attempting to be "responsible" for work the next day and was planning on getting a good night's sleep. All of my anxiety made that virtually impossible. I honestly didn't know how on earth I'd make it through work the next day, anxiety mounting, in anticipation to head to my 7:30 PM showing.

The highlight of my wait in line was when the usher/ticket girl told me to put my wand away because, apparently, during earlier showings, there were incidents of people stabbing one another with their wands. I scoffed. "I'm a wizard, I know how to handle a wand. People who stab others with wands are clearly the worst kind of Muggles, otherwise known as Twilight fans who are trying to stake each other."

Her response?

"Ha ha, no. Put your wand away."

I harumphed and walked to my theatre. Some people have no sense of humour.

You see, I'm very, very proud of my wand. It is a true Alivan's original, sent to me by my best Welsh mate 2 Christmases ago. My redwood wand means the world to me, as it is a symbol of love and friendship born of the Harry Potter fandom. But I digress.

Long story short...my anxiety was largely for nothing, as I absolutely adored the film (mostly). It was a fitting way to close the series, and the ending music was what made it all the best.

Short story long, it pains me greatly to see the end of this era. In the words of Oliver Boyd, there will never be another one like this. Ever again.

It feels as if even the likes of Pottermore and even the possibility of new Potter books will fall short of the magic that the "First Cast" has managed to spin. That for whatever reasons, anybody who comes "second" will be somehow less impressive than that which we've built up in our hearts, minds, and souls as the end-all, be-all, quintessential Harry Potter experience.

Part of me wants to jealously guard my experience, something I consider almost sacred, and to shut myself off from anything new.

But a larger, more accepting, more creative part of me says..."what if"? What if I give this thing a chance? What if I continue to write fan fiction and wizard rock, and what if I continue to meet new and wonderful people, despite the end of this era?

So to those of you who are wondering "What now"... In the words of a wizened old wizard, we must do more than exist...for "It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." I'm going to twist Dumbledore's words into the corollary... "It does not do to dwell on [the past] and forget to live."

I suppose that's what I love most about this fandom--this wonderful, glorious, magical Harry Potter fandom. It has adapted and changed with me, rolled with the punches, so to speak. And heaven knows I've gone through many different phases of life in the past 7 years.

Harry Potter led me to find many trusted and lovely people during those years...and many of them--it might even be you, reading this right now--have stuck with me through to the very end. Just like the Marauders did for Harry...so you have done for me. I don't know what I would have done without many of you. Suffice it to say I will be forever grateful you've become part of my Harry Potter Continuum.

It might be the end of one era, but it's the beginning of everything else. And so we open by closing with a bang and a tear. I love you all. <3