Day 6: Mischief Managed

     Today (yes, I'm counting it as "today" because the movie started at midnight) I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 at what was my last ever Harry Potter midnight showing. My sister Emily and I started seeing these midnight showings years ago and it's become a great tradition -- we order our tickets in advance, get all dressed up in our Harry Potter gear, wait for what feels like days, and then spend a few magical hours soaking in the latest instalment of the wonderful Harry Potter series.

     This year went exceptionally smoothly. We arrived at the theater around 7:30 because we were anticipating a huge crowd. We were right. There were at least a hundred people camped out already... literally. It was still light outside and VERY hot, so many people planned ahead and brought tents with them. Texas has been experiencing record high temperatures and tonight was no exception. It was at least 90 degrees! Luckily, we only spent about one hour outside as we were let into the theaters early so we could wait the remaining hours in the comfort of air conditioning. Everything was so much more organized than last year. It was easy to find the line for our 12:04 showing, the lines were kept separate and monitored for cutting etc. When it was time to go into the theater, only one line was allowed to go in at a time, unlike last year where it turned into a full blown dangerous stampede with people running into the building to snag their seats. Good job Cinemark for making it such a great experience!

     I don't have much to say about the movie, only that it was pretty close to how I imagined it and that's all I could ask for. It was great. I actually teared up at multiple points, which is a first for me. I hardly ever let myself get that invested in a fictional character. If you haven't seen it yet, you'll know what I mean when you see it. Something that really struck me is a scene involving Dumbledore and Harry. Dumbledore was killed in book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but he is able to speak with Harry at one point during the film. It's a really meaningful and uplifting conversation, and at the end Harry asks if their conversation is indeed real or if he's only imagining it. Dumbledore responds by saying "Of course it's happening inside your head Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" This was the quote of the evening for me, and sums up my entire history with Harry Potter, which by the way has spanned over half my life. Sure these stories are just that, stories, but does that mean they can't have application in real life? The Harry Potter books had a huge impact on my life, especially the character of Hermione.

     Hermione was the perfect role model for my socially awkward 4th grade self. She taught me that women can be admired and respected for their brains, not just beauty, that no one should ever apologize for or hide their intelligence. I should find something I'm passionate about and stand up for it, and how to truly be a loyal friend to everyone, even people I don't particularly like. Basically, she taught me and millions of other girls across the world that women kick butt! The books may be over, but the message hasn't changed, and yes it most certainly was real.