It isn't exactly news that we live in a world where we are constantly pressured to be cool. Whether it's picking the perfect power tie for the big meeting, having the flashiest yoga mat, or getting that perfectly imperfect asymmetrical haircut, everyone is trying to not only fit in with their preferred social enclave, but to reach hitherto unexplored realms of awesomeness. However, it takes serious effort to be that hip, and sometimes, you just need a break. For some, the ultimate dork-out session involves a hearty round of D&D in their mom's basement, for others, taking a few hours to work on their Nightcrawler costume for next year's ComiCon. For me, all it takes is a wand, a broom, and a boy wizard.
True, I didn't wait in line for days when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released. I waited an entire day because my boyfriend kept guilt-tripping me into helping him pack my stuff so that I could move. I didn't read the entire 759 pages in one sitting. I spread it out over three whole days.
When I did finish, I was a puddle of tears, not only due to the heart-wrenching events of this seventh and final installment, but because the reality finally sunk in that it was over. True, there are still two movies and a theme park forthcoming, but it just isn't the same. For six years, I had the promise of fresh adventures, of chipping away at this grand mystery to get me through boring classes, horrific papers, an incredibly lonely internship, and the worst break-up of my life. "That Potter boy" as my (slightly jealous) boyfriend refers to him, had become an ink-and-paper friend, his world a refuge from my own problems.
I have reread Deathly Hallows three times since its release last July. And while I still laugh and cry at the same parts, it just isn't the same. My tried-and-true dork sanctuary has failed me (much like the Room of Requirement failed Harry in Half-Blood Prince). I know that eventually I'll get over it, that I'll get on with my life and latch on to some new, probably even nerdier literary pursuit. But for now, I'm still waiting for my letter from Hogwarts.
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