July 31st
Okay, so by the time I'm done it will be August 1st given the time now, but I started this on July 31st! :D Again, happy birthday to Harry and Jo Rowling, and happy belated birthday to Neville!
^ Yeeeaah, that's me and that came out in the local paper on 13th July, the day before the movie was released. They ran a long, lovely feature on Harry Potter, the franchise, the fandom, its impact and the end of a decade-long journey, and also interviewed some local fans on the end of the franchise.
To me, July 31st this year is special because, like in July 2007, it feels like the end of an era all over again. I've already seen Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II twice, and I will admit, I cried both times. The first time I saw it was on its release date/my birthday, July 14th, with my sister and her best friend, and I was sobbing so much into my cloak. I think it was beautifully done, it did justice to the book, and the music and acting and everything... ;_; It was heartbreaking. The second time I saw it, I brought Mum, and I cried again.
"Does it hurt?"
"Quicker than falling asleep."
*sobs*
And at the end of the movie, the entire theatre started clapping; it was a wonderful moment. One of the things I love about the Potter fandom is moments like that. The sense of belonging, of spontaneously doing things together, of bonding over Potter and fangirling... it's a lovely experience. The Star Wars and Star Trek fans have their generation; I like to think I'm part of the Potter generation. I was lucky enough to experience the thrill of waiting for the new books and movies, attending launches, discussing theories, etc, and I treasure that.
Here's the full text of what I said to the reporter:
The end of the HP franchise is, to me, a bittersweet moment. I grew up with this franchise - I was given the first three books as an early birthday gift in July 2001 and fell in love straight away - and over the next few years, looking forward to the next books and movies and discussing conspiracy theories with fellow fans was a major part of my life. I had a couple of scrapbooks in which I pasted every single Harry Potter-related article in the papers, along with printed-out fanart and Internet articles, and wrote tons of fanfiction. In Design and Technology in Lower Secondary, I made a little wooden Hermione toy, and a metal heart-shaped keychain reading "Lily & James". I met many friends through a shared love of Harry Potter, and the characters' ideals like friendship, love, loyalty and courage even helped to shape me as a person.
I never waited in the rain for a book, because I didn't want to risk the store running out of copies by the time it was my turn; I made sure my books were always pre-ordered as early as possible. Last year, the release of the first part of the Deathly Hallows film coincided with my A Level exams. On the morning of my last paper, I brought my costume with me in my bag, and after the exam ended my friends and I ran to change and then rushed to Junction 8 to watch the movie. I was in costume - black skirt, white blouse, black cardigan and Gryffindor scarf - for that movie. I even had a white owl plushie (it was free with my pre-ordered copy of Deathly Hallows from Borders).
When I finished reading Deathly Hallows, I remember telling a friend, "At least we still have the movies to look forward to". Now the last movie is nearly here - coinciding with my being on the edge of adulthood, making university plans, and so on - and it feels like the end of an era.
For a decade, the whole world was all aflutter in the days leading up to the release of a new book or movie. It brought a wonderful sense of camaraderie that would do Dumbledore himself proud - you might not go to the same school or even live in the same country, but you could bond over your shared love for the books and discuss your theories about Dumbledore's death, Snape's allegiance and the identity of R.A.B. The excitement would be nearly tangible, and it was a wonderful feeling; I will miss that buzz, the sheer sense of anticipation we all shared.
Many of us grew up with Harry and friends and identified with them; we grew to care deeply for them, sharing in their triumphs and weeping for their pain. It is a testament to Rowling's talent that her creations have such depth of personality, are so real and dynamic. Watching them grow into heroes, battling Voldemort and his minions and their own weaknesses, and ultimately win and give their children the peaceful childhoods they were denied, brings with it the sort of pride one might feel from watching the achievements of a family member. I look forward to watching Harry's greatest victory in this final film, and being proud of him. He's come a long way from the little boy living in the cupboard under the stairs.
What about you, f-list? What are your thoughts on the end of the Potter decade, and what are your favourite things about the franchise and/or fandom? <3
Also, randomly: having seen Ralph Fiennes play Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights (which he did wonderfully), I kept wanting to hear Voldemort say, "I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!". XD