*note: As I read over this, I realize this may be moreso for myself than anyone else. And Harry, my first love.
Right now, I am in love with this day. It's absolutely perfect. I have one class, and in that one class, it is a movie day. After that I am free. No rehearsals, no dance class, nothing. Just me. And I have plans. That mostly include napping. All I really want is a good nap, and have a good Sims festival.
Fall weather is so perfect. The trees are beginning to change, and the wind has just that right amount of something to it. It's like everything is extra magical, and you never know what good and wonderful things are going to happen in fall. I mean, it feels like anything can happen. Including getting a letter that will take you off to Wizard school.
I've always considered fall weather to be 'Harry Potter' weather. I started reading Harry Potter in the fall, and all the movies usually come out in the fall, and it's truly beautiful. I remember the 7th grade, when we had the NCHPFC (North Carolina Harry Potter Fan Club). It was the first time I had ever made friends that I truly had something in common with and truly enjoyed. 7th grade was a very odd year. I used to wear Oshkosh clothing and I had a mushroom haircut (Abigail's hair was much worse though). All the other girls my age were beginning to explore possibilities with boys. But not me; there was only one boy in my life. Harry Potter.
This story begins with hatred. I hated Harry Potter. I told my dad "whatever movie you buy, don't buy Harry Potter. It's so stupid." I would draw pictures to emphasis my hatred and degrade people on the bus who read it. I was very angry against Harry. It was so stupid. Wizards, witches, brooms, wands. How. Silly. But, my dad bought it. And he loved it. He gave it rave reviews and stressed for me to watch it. In my depths, I wanted to. So eventually, I sat down with my favourite doll and we watched Harry Potter. I was taken away by it's story. It was so beautiful. I had to use the bathroom so bad, so I paused it and sprinted to the bathroom so I could get back as soon as possible to watch Harry Potter.
Afterwards, I was amazed. Here this beautiful thing was in creation and I had been missing out. I instantly told Abigail our judgement had been wrong. Harry Potter is amazingly good. Around this time, I begged my father to buy the books. He bought all four, but they had one stipulation. He must read them first. He quickly read the first one, and then, it was in my hands. I read that book with speed and love. I craved for the time when I would come home after school so I could read my beloved book.
Anticipation for the new movie was mounting. Chamber of Secrets was set to arrive soon and everyone was in the mood. I began talking to people about HP, and I quickly made friends. Some of them had read the 1-4 books, others had not, others were beginning the adventure. But we knew of one thing: We loved Harry Potter. We would spend lunch after lunch, P.E. class after P.E. class talking, discussing, explaining.
After a while, a club was formed. Many ideas were thrown out there on what to do, but we knew had to go to the movies. In preparation we formed a little 'boot camp' of Harry Potter (or whatever the presidents were wearing at the time: sandal camp, tennis shoe camp, etc) where we would 'learn' magic. I say 'learn' very loosely, because we would wave sticks and be like *swish and flick* Wingardium Leviosa. Nothing happened of course; it was just us playing.
We made 'witch names' for everyone. Mine changed multiple times, but it began as Aphrodite, (for whatever reason someone chose to name me that), but then I chose my own which was Stella Star, which might be even cheesier. My favourite of my friends nicknames would be Becca's which was Nearly Headless Fluffy. She had a rap to go with as well. "Where my head, head, heads at." She was a ghostly, almost headless, three headed dog. What's better than that?
The movie came closer. We would play Harry Potter Uno in math class. All our papers would be on a Harry Potter books. If not that, then the UK, magic, unicorns, something somehow related to Harry Potter. All our posters would have some sort of Harry Potter theme. It was as if we were a force for all things Potter. Catherine would write newsletters for our club, discussing the movies, the books, and most importantly our preparations. We were going to go the movie, then to Catherine's house for a party.
The day arrived. After school we were going to go straight to the theatre for the 4 'o clock showing or Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. We dressed up (sort of). I wore a witch hat with green feathers all around the brim. Catherine's mom had gotten us advanced tickets for the occasion, so we were set. We sat in the theatre, and it was everything I could ever ask for. We laughed, we cried, we clapped at the end, and when Lucius Malfoy came on with his beautiful ponytail, I tactlessly said, "Oh my gosh, he's gay, he has a ribbon in his hair."
Mind you, these were the days when you are 12 years old and you're just learning about homosexuality and it's funny for whatever reason. They thought it was hysterical; to the point that during presentations about Harry Potter, then made sure to mention it when talking about good ol' Lucius. Afterwards we headed to Catherine's, were she fixed us Butterbeer. It was atrocious - "why are their chunks of butter floating on the top?" And her mom fixed us a British meal. We were sorted (somehow I was in Hufflepuff? Whatever, jerks, I'm a Gryffindor.) and we made wands.
Things wound down after the movie. We had a secret Santa thing, and we all gave each other owl key chains. But then, Lord of the Rings came about and everyone slowly forgot about Harry Potter. I tried to make them cling; I took control of writing newsletters and organizing functions and so many things, but it never worked. Non-fictional boys became important, and football games and so many other things. They had forgotten about the boy wizard.
Our club fizzled to Abigail and I as its only members (and I'm almost certain she kept on with me, for me). Throughout the years, we did various other things to celebrate our HP love. But in the end, I remained obsessed and they grew up.
That fall was one of the happiest of my life. The two other periods in my life when I was as absolutely happy as I was in that time was when I first started being involved in high school theatre and all the memories after that in FPAC and the first summer I worked at the SMACPAC and everything attached with that. I have a feeling somehow that this semester might have that Harry Potter magic on it. It almost feels like it.
I love you Harry, and you'll always be real in my heart.*
-Me
*Yes, Chris I know that Harry Potter isn't real. But he is to me, so shut it.
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