The end of a magical era

I’m not old. Not yet. But having passed from childhood to adolescence to young adulthood, there are still those fleeting moments when I suddenly realize that I’m not as young as I think I am (or as young as I act sometimes, but that’s another story).

I’ve felt it once already this summer, when a friend and I went to see Toy Story 3. I looked at the packed theater full of youngsters, and I suddenly realized that I was their age when I went to see the first Toy Story in theaters. As cool as it is to have seen the entire trilogy on the silver screen, saying goodbye to Woody and Buzz was nothing short of emotional. (Yes, I cried.)

And it’s going to happen again, as the first half of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows premiers in November. A new trailer just came out, previewing both parts:

I first picked up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone at around the same age as Harry in the first book. I am part of that lucky couple of years that literally grew up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, not to mention their magical world and Rowling’s extraordinary writing. And six books and six movies later, Harry’s world is coming to an end, not only for the actors and crew (filming just ended last week); it’s ending for all of us as well. Thankfully it will live on in a new reincarnation, the new theme park at Universal Studios.

Not to say that I’m not excited for the movie! Amazing is an understatement. I had goosebumps the whole time! :) Ralph Fiennes only gets creepier as Voldemort, and I loved the snippets of Harry and the gang collecting the Horcruxes, like the dragon and Room of Requirement. They certainly focused a lot of Harry’s “death” scene, though that can’t happen until the second parter.

But even with the hype I can’t help but sense that small twinge of sadness: it’s almost over.