Sweet Harry Potter

For years I refused to be one of the Harry Potter followers. I laughed at Rowling’s fame and fortune, while inwardly longing to be her. I simply would not allow myself to fall in with the masses and worship the little Hogwart’s wizard. Then something happened. A couple of years ago, I suppose, I randomly stumbled across the first Harry Potter movie on TV. It was addictive, kind of like coke, but without the massive weight-loss and numbing qualities. Harry became a dirty secret. I’m still denying myself the books. While I was at St. Edmund’s Hall at Oxford University, I discovered that good ole Teddy Hall had given Rowling an honorary degree. Bullocks. I swore up and down that woman didn’t deserve it. Surely she wasn’t that fantastic. Perhaps I’m merely holding on to my past disdain for this woman who made a fortune in the world I long to find entry to. I think I’ve forgiven her, though jealousy still clouds my thoughts sometimes. When time allows, Harry Potter will be my heroin. A straight shot of that adorable little wizard right in the blood stream. Back to the movies… I’ve seen the first two. The third has remained elusive because my fetish with this wizard has remained a dirty little secret. I exposed my secret this weekend when I ventured out and saw Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in the light of day. The theater was packed and I was forced to sit in the second to the front row where all could see that I, Tommi Powell, had indeed paid to see a Harry Potter movie. Oh sweet moses, was it worth it. I’m in love with Harry, or perhaps I’m more in love with Daniel Radcliff. I wouldn’t mind having babies with that sweet lad, even if they turned out to be muggles. This was a fantastic movie. I laughed, I silently screamed, and I cried. Oh yes, I shed a tear along with young Potter. (And I really want a sweatshirt that says ‘Potter’ like the one he wore in the tournament. *hint*hint* I request a little dragon like the one he pulled out of the sack, but somehow I don’t fancy any of you could give me one, even if you loved me bunches.) So back to how adorable Harry Potter is… I think an obsession may be forming… As Beth stated as we were leaving the theater “I want to see the next movie NOW!!!” And I do. As you know, Ralph Fiennes plays the lovely evil “he who must not be named” and let me state for the record that this was not the adorable Fiennes who smiles for me and only for me. I’m looking at the picture right now of him smiling at me from my London days, and I see no evil. But boy did he freak me out. Maybe I should never watch Red Dragon if he freaks me out in the Harry Potter movie… *sigh* He DOES smile at me. Just ask. I should mention, while on the subject of Harry Potter, that my extreme disdain for Rowling and her wizard world had nothing to do with my religion or my traditional upbringing. I say shame on those who would deny a child a book, especially a book whose story, while fantastical, contains so many universal elements. Oh you fanatical religious groups who condemn Potter and Rowling and then sing the praises of Lewis and his witch and lion and wardrobe. Shame on you. Let the children read.

In other news, I decided, after much contemplation, to attend DMFN’s 80’s prom night. It was much fun. How can drinking with some of my favorite people while listening to excellent 80s music not be fun?