Expecto Patronum

I'm going to be a complete nerd on this one and talk about Harry Potter. If you read my blog regularly you know I'm a fan, and I have been for what is it now..oh yeah 14 years! First off I can't believe it's been that long since the first Harry Potter book entered my life. I'll be the first to admit that I have read all the books, some of the more than once, and I really do enjoy them more than the movies. I just appreciate and the details of a book that can get cut out for the big screen. I'll have to thank my mom for my love of H.P. & crew. She read the first book when I was 10 and thought I'd really enjoy it! She had no idea what she was starting! From that point on I read all the books that were available and had mom preorder all the rest as they came along. I think I finished all of them within a week of getting them. Ok, ok maybe not the last one but I would say for a 784 page book I made that book my b*tch :) I think I may need/want to re-read them all now that it's all over. I might even have to make Kev join in as since the 5 years we've been together he's been slowly catching up. First he was dragged and now this last one he wanted to see! Believe it! I've enjoyed every movie (some of course are better than others, but again the movie is never really as good as the book is it?!

Yesterday was one of those bittersweet moments where something you've been waiting for for what seems like a million years happens, is over. Now what do I get to look forward to each year?...I guess Breaking Dawn will have to do, yes I read those books to & the last one was my favorite! 

Anyways, it was brought up yesterday how much all the stars of the movie have grown up. Well of course they have but can anyone else really believe that we have gotten to watch these kids (I say kids..they are like a year younger them me =/) grow up! I'd also like to note that there were kids in the theater yesterday who were not even born when the first movie, let along book, came out! Eek...way to make me feel old =/ As a side note I'm highly impressed that some of these kids knew what H.P. was since I've gotten comments like: N*Sync...who is that? WHAT! And Spice Girls are so the 90's...swear on my life. I'm still trying to figure out why that is a bad thing?!

Anywhoo back to the subject at hand. Thinking back to the first book it's amazing to see how much change, physically & mentally the characters have gone through. I've gone from loving to hating a character, I've felt happy & sad for some, and this last one I cried as some people do die (not telling who calm down).  Makes me realize how much I have changed as well and I honestly believe that Harry Potter has affected my life. Maybe not on some crazy life changing level but it's been there, along with the characters, as an influence for a long time.   Even now I plan to watch the progress of these the characters in their real & professional lives. I look forward to getting to watch even more change and hopefully more success for all of them.  

Harry Potter & the Sorercer's Stone

Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Pt 1

Harry, Ron, and Hermione from beginning to end.

Even on the books Harry has changed! I'm not just talking about older, but the illustration seems to be a lot more realistic.

This is yet another part of my childhood/teen days coming to a close. Harry & his group of friends have captured the hearts of many people. When I see the way they've changed over the years it makes me realize how much even I have invested in these characters, books, movies.  They have been part of my life for over 10 years and now it's time to say good-bye.