Goodbye Harry Potter! I'm going to miss you!

The last of Harry Potter Books

I’ve both anticipated and at the same time dreaded this moment. It’s bitterweet, yet I know I had to say goodbye to Harry Potter. The first time I had encountered HP, I was at the Philippine International Book Fair in the Megatrade Hall of SM Megamall. I had heard stories and reactions about that book even before I had managed to buy myself a copy. To be honest, I purchased a copy to find out for myself why some people were against it. They said it wasn’t for kids and that it taught bad wiccan magic spells etc. And for me, the best thing to fin that out is to buy the book and read it on my own. In fact, I used to think students were “crazy” for carrying bulky HP hardbound books everywhere they go. It looked heavier than carrying all their textbooks in school.  I never even thought I’d be like them too.

I’ve always been a bookworm, but I’m not a fan of the HP kind—adventure stuff. I used to go for something more “girly” like Sweet Dreams and Sweet Valley and perhaps Goosebumps. To put it simply, I had to admit that I bought The Sorcerer’s Stone to lived up to the hype.  But in no time, I couldn’t put it down. I was hooked! The next time I went out, I bought Chamber of Secrets and Prisoner of Azkaban (which I loved dearly).

For Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, and Half-Blood Prince, I ordered my copies waaay in advance, as any self-respecting Potterheads should.  On days they were released, I would fall in line early to grab my copy first and then lock myself into my room for hours, reading each chapter from prologue to epilogue! As if that wasn’t enough, I even bought a few HP items to as memorabilia, I have HP Sorting hat bag, HP wand and had a friend sent Butterbeers for me.

Now Deathly Hallows was a big deal. Yes, I both anticipated and dreaded reading it in equal measure, because it was going to be the last book. Unlike the previous books, I did not bother to buy it right away even if I really wanted to. I’ve asked friends for spoilers alert and stuff, but I waited for over a year before purchasing my own copy.

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, Emma Watson as Hermione Granger.

The ending was bittersweet. I wanted more. Thankfully there were still movies to look forward to. I love the movies but I love my books more. Now the movies are coming to an end. I’ve been with Harry since the beginning. I got excited for him after the Sorting Hat shouted Gryffindor, cheered him on his first Quidditch match, cried for Dumbledore and Sirius Black, loved seeing Lily and James Potter on the Mirror of Erised, and secretly wished that Hermione and Harry would end up together (*sniff, sniff). I was with him all the way. And even though I know I could always revisit the books and the DVDs, I know I will still miss Harry. Would you guys believe me if I'd tell you I also cried for Severus Snape? Yes, I did. I've always hated his character from the start and I never understood Dumbledore for trusting him, it was only on the Deathly Hallows that I understood why. 

J.K. Rowling, author of Harry Potter Series.

And I will always love J.K. Rowling’s magical world—the characters, the themes, unique words, bizarre sweets. But there are two things I love the most about Harry Potter: the book inspired most youngsters to read books even as thick as 700++ pages! Kids don’t usually like carrying heavy books around, but HP book changed all that.  And yes, that’s what I call real magic! Thank you J.K. Rowling...