Ten Little Chances to be Free

So, I finished it. Nothing earth-shattering, but a nice satisfying conclusion.

( Random spoilery ramblings behind the cut )

By the way--I read the first third or so outside on a bench in a park, and when I get to about chapter three, I am suddenly interrupted by a kid who looks about the age to still be expecting his Hogwarts letter, and who asks me in a tone of utter politeness and perhaps some trepidation where I bought the last book. SO CUTE, and also the first time I've ever been called Madame. Maybe HP7 is the end of my childhood after all. ;)

2.5 hours to Potterdämmerung. Sitting here making "wtf" faces at myself, since by all measurable standards I should be in a fever of excitement, but I'm just not. I'll probably have a burst of enthusiasm once I actually start reading the book, but I can't really bring myself to get psyched up for the release.

...which is odd, because two years ago I was in the queue outside Waterstones in London doing the midnight countdown. I mean, Harry Potter practically was my early adolescence. Seems a little odd that I'll go to bed tonight and sleep through the release of the Holy Grail of the HP Fandom, then wake up and walk into a bookstore and pay my 23 euros and leave with the book. No pre-ordering, no midnight party, no costumes, no fanfare.

Also, I've only read HBP twice, and I've forgotten half the plot--and what I do remember keeps getting mixed up in my head with OotP. I think that since the psyching up for the next book phenomenon mostly started with GoF, only the first three books are solidly fixed in my head as canon--the rest is there, but it keeps rattling around alarmingly. I remember the vast majority of the events of HBP, but god damn if I can tell you what the plot was.

I'm such a bad fan.

http://london.craigslist.org/laf/304872107.html

MADE OF WIN.