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Arts & Entertainment

Harry Potter: 'The Boy Who Lived' Forever

Fans express excitement and sadness as Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows Part opens Friday, July 15.

The movie poster may carry the slogan "It All Ends," but for a generation of fans, when the lights turn on at the end of Harry Potter in the Deathly Hallows Part 2, more than just the movie credits will be flashing before their eyes.

“My friend made a shirt with one of the posters for Deathly Hallows Part 2,” said Miranda Wakeman, 14, a teen who recently attended a Harry Potter movie marathon in Newtown. “Underneath the poster it says, ‘My childhood ends here.’”

Harry Potter in the Deathly Hallows Part 2, the final movie in the Harry Potter series, opens to the general audiences on Friday, July 15.

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“When I was like 6 or 7, I read it with my mom and older sister,” another local fan, Hannah DeLia, 14, said. “I think I might cry when it’s all over.”

Fans have spent a great amount of time reading J.K. Rowling’s books and watching the prior Warner Brother’s movies that detail the story of Harry Potter, a boy who survives an attack by a dark wizard, Lord Voldemort. Rowling’s series details follow Harry, and friends, Ron and Hermione, through his seven years at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

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“There are no words to in the dictionary to describe how amazing those books are,” said Wakeman.

Many children have re-read the series in anticipation of the release of the final movie.

“I just read the whole series again this month,” said Arleen Allmeta, 11. “I started reading them in sixth grade and I just kept reading them over and over again throughout the last few years. My favorite part was when Sirius escaped Azkaban.”

Newtown's C.H. Booth Library also recently hosted a movie marathon, which concluded last Friday with the last three films currently on DVD.

“I think this is a great idea,” said Patrick Palmeri, a recent Harry Potter fan and father of 11-year-old Nicole Palmeri. “It’s a great way to catch up on the films before the last one comes out next week.”

The ending of the new film has attracted a lot of interest.

“I am interested to see what they do differently from the book,” said David Tortora, 17. “I was really impressed with the Three Brothers scene in the last movie.”

The Three Brothers scene was a crucial moment in the last film where Harry Potter found out the identity of the Deathly Hallows. The scene comprised of animation rather then live actors received positive acclaim from spectators after the film’s release last fall.

Yet the identifying the Hallows is not the point of this last film. Harry and his friends must also locate and destroy seven horcruxes, objects in which Lord Voldemort has concealed part of his soul. Upon the destruction of these seven horcruxes Voldemort will be mortal once more. It is this final battle that fans are most anticipating.

“I really want to see the last scene where Harry defeats Voldemort,” says Brigit Spies, 11.

Harry Potter has been a fixture in pop culture for the past decade, since Rowling’s first book appeared on shelves in 1998. Since then, seven books have been released, eight movies have been produced, one theme park, one museum exhibit, and a line of prop replicas have been created.  As the franchise has grown memories and practical jokes have formed around the series.

“For my cousin’s 11th birthday, his brother emailed him a supposed acceptance letter from Hogwarts and he got all excited thinking he was going to get to Hogwarts,” said Brigit Spies. “That never happened to me though.”

In addition to practical jokes loyal fans have made pacts to be at every movie.

“Me and my friends swore to be at every movie,” said Miranda Wakeman. “And we have been at every movie.”

Rowling recently announced Pottermore, an online reading experience where she will be sharing information about characters she has been hoarding for years. While the site goes live in October, fans can return to the site on July 31st for a chance to be among the first to access the content.

The London premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II occurred in London on Thursday, July 7th, 2011 where Rowling gave an interview saying that it was unlikely she would return to writing any new Harry Potter books anytime soon. While she did not announce any new books she did leaves fans with a message.

“Whether you come back to it by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home,” she said.

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