Harry Potter

Taylor and I went to the midnight showing of the final Harry Potter movie. It was fun to see the characters grow up, and to think about how I have too.

I read my first Harry Potter book when I was a junior in high school. I had refused to read any of them because I thought that they were too trendy, but then I got sick and a dear friend brought me one to read. And I did. And I loved it. My younger brother was already into the books, so I read the second and third. I read the rest of the books as they came out.

The first movie came out when I was a senior in high school, so a group of good friends decided that we would all go see the movie together. We waited for hours to ensure our spot in the theater. A highlight of the evening was when we dared our friend Ashlee to do her crazy walk across the front of the theater before the movie started. Her antics were met with applause from the movie goers. (You know that your teenagers are okay when they get their rushes from such happenings).

As time has gone by, I have been to every Harry Potter at midnight, except the fifth, which came out right before I got home from my mission (it was the first one I saw when I got back though). As Harry, Ron and Hermione adventured through Hogwarts, I had my own muggle adventures. The second movie found me a freshman at BYU, learning to navigate college life with new roommates and old friends. The third came out during one of the funnest (and probably the most carefree) years of my life, while I was living with some of my favorite people in an apartment we had dubbed "The Abode". The fourth was released as I was waiting to leave for my mission to Spain, and the fifth right as I came home. The sixth came out on the heels of my most painful breakup, as well as my long-awaited graduation from college. The seventh came out in time to go with a new inamorato, with whom I was able to enjoy the last movie as a newlywed.

Enjoying a butterbeer at Mark and Tasha's amazing HP shin dig prior to 7.1.

Through all of this change, I have been able to experience most of the midnight showings with many of the same people that were with me the night of the first one. I'm glad to have friends like Harry's that have stuck with me through all those years. And so my life continues, as I await whatever epic saga lies ahead.

P.S. If anyone has photos of that first midnight showing (or any of the other ones), please share them with me!