Harry Potter 7 Part II: The End of An Era in My Life

Ever since 1999, when I landed my hands on the first Potter book, I have been a fan: and today, I caught the whole anthology come to its final conclusion.

It seems like this was not just the end of the most significant bit of literature in the last couple of decades, but also, a large part of my childhood. I know a lot of people will be at my throat for calling such a “frivolous” children’s books a landmark in literature, but the fact remains, they are. They came in an era when children, and adults as well, were turning away from the real life books and taking recourse to a virtual world. With these 7 books, Rowling not only sparked the reading bug in kids, but also reminded a lot of adults of the joy of reading. She inspired more authors to come out with similar, albeit lesser known, yet quite commercially successful books. The Eragon trilogy, the Bartemius trilogy, the Artemis Fowl series, all took wings after Rowling set the ball rolling (which is a clever play of words, thank you very much!).

And over and above, this brings down the curtains on a chapter of my life which spans right from middle school, to high school and through medical school. Yes, I am a dedicated Pottermaniac. I am one of the top 50 Potter knowledgeables of 2008. I am one of the nerds who has made the Harry Potter series their Star Wars – Star Trek. And I am one of those who today are a little sad as the credits rolling at the end signal the denouement of a decade long love affair with a book (and later, its movie counterparts). I know a lot of people will consider this to be an unreasonable obsession of an otherwise well-adapted person, but in the words of another fictitious, yet much revered character, Dr. Sheldon Cooper, PhD.: “what’s life without some whimsy?”

I cannot believe that the days of growing with Harry Potter are over. Not only have the cast and crew of this wonderful franchise aged over the years they held us fans in raptures, the fans, that is we, ourselves, have evolved with them. It feels a little sad and strange that this saga is getting over…

This post is basically a rant on the nostalgia that rumbles on inside me, and a select few people like me, now that the series is over. Some people have hung on to their ticket stubs, others refused to surrender the 3D glasses for viewing the movie, whilst a few more have retained the memories of a brilliant final bow. I am writing this post.

This is my way of closing the chapter of my life that concerns Harry Potter. I would like to come back and revisit these memories, those long hours of reading the books surreptitiously while studying in a conventional, orthodox, monk-run institution, which I imagined to be like Hogwarts, to finally having enough money to buy the whole series one book at a time… these memories will always be a part of a cherished childhood.

Thanks to JKR for this wonderful ride. And thanks for not extending this beyond the limits to exploit the golden egg laying goose… I realize it must have meant considerable financial loss to close the Potter franchise and declare there will be no more Potter books, but I admire JKR all the more for it. I know all die hard Potterfreaks were in shock and awe when the series ended but we also were thankful that it did end where and when it was supposed to… there is some satisfaction in knowing that JKR holds Potter and co. to be as precious possessions as we fans do.

And I know I was supposed to write a movie review but instead just churned out a rambling nostalgic rant, let me assure you, that will be the first thing I do tomorrow. For today, let me just say that the movie was terrific and I recommend seeing it at the earliest possibility. In fact, I am seriously considering watching it again. This may well be the best of the 8 Harry Potter movies (of which I have a very low opinion, by the way).

For now, it is time for us Potterheads to sink into a bewitched slumber once again, probably for the last time, while we build castles and live out our Hogwarts fantasies one last time…