The End of an Era

I began to read the Harry Potter books when I was 11. At that time, there were only 4 books for a child to devour, and I was not bent on becoming one of them. But spring of 6th grade found our school in the hallway doing the duck-and-cover because there had been tornadoes spotted near my hometown of Windthorst,TX. In order to calm some of the children down, our 6th/8th grade ELAR teacher began to read from the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. It was love at first chapter. That day changed my life.

I subsequently devoured the first 4 books and even began reading them to my 3rd grade sister to be able to share my love of them. Harry Potter became one of my greatest friends. He taught me the value of bravery, empathy, friendship, kindness, and love. He was the person I strived to be as well as the one who gave me hope for a brighter future outside of my hometown. Then something extraordinary happened.

They were making a movie

My world could not get better. I searched online every single day for any scrap of news about the movie I could find. (FYI Eric, this is where my web searching abilities came from) I printed out each actor/actress to try to imagine them as the characters in my head. I collected every bookmark, every sticker, anything I could possibly get my hands on. I even pinned up a 6 month countdown to the movie release in my locker.

Then, I saw the movie, and it was everything I had dreamed of, and my love for the Harry Potter series was just solidified.

A year and a half later the 5th book was released. By now, the world had finally noticed Harry Potter. We picked it up at midnight, of course. The next day, I can remember the exact intersection in Arlington the band leadership crew was driving through when I read about Sirius Black's death in the book. I cried for days because I felt Harry's pain as if it were my own.

I have been there for every midnight release of the books, seen the movies the day of release, and experienced all of it with Harry: sympathy for Snape's torment, anger at his betrayal, happiness that Lupin found love, sorrow at so many deaths.

This Friday will be it- the end of an era. There will be no more midnight releases, no more reading 700 pages within 13 hours, no more movies...no more Harry, Ron, and Hermione. This is the end of a very dear friendship that has lasted the span of 12 years. This Friday, I must say goodbye to one of the most influential people thus far in my life. It also marks the official end of my childhood. There is nothing to carry on with me anymore, just memories.

Goodbye Harry. Thank you for being there for me when no one else in my hell of a town was. I will miss you with all if my heart. I will make sure you will live on in the imaginations of my own children.

Love forever,
Mylie Jo