The Harry Potter Generation

Nearly twenty years ago, Joanne Rowling was stuck on a train between London and Manchester.  Suddenly, an idea for a scrawny little boy with black hair and glasses, who had no idea he was a wizard, appeared to her as if by magic.

Seven years later, the first manuscript of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” struggled to find a publisher willing to take the risk on such a strange book. Fourteen more years, seven books, eight movies and billions of dollars later, “the boy who lived” has taught us all the impact a story can have.

The scope of the Harry Potter brand, the little story that could, has reached the far corners of the world. The books have been translated to over 67 different languages and have consistently set records for the fastest selling in history. The films have grossed billions and brought Rowling’s vision to life on IMAX and 3D screens. Harry Potter fans can latterly visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resorts.

But, unlike most global franchises, behind the hype and the money lies a story that has, in many ways, defined a generation. A story that takes place in a castle far away, hidden to non-magical eyes, turned out to be more realistic than we ever expected.

“It all ends.” A corny tag line that has been haunting us for months. It can’t really all be over, can it?
The release of “Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part II” marks the official ending of not just a series, but the coming of age of a generation.

The heart of this film will hit you square in the chest like a speeding Hogwarts Express over and over again. Watching Hogwarts fall, seeing the impenetrable magical walls crumble to the ground will be more than even moderate Potter fans can bear. The teenagers fighting to protect it are not so different than those watching, clinging onto their cup holders for dear life. With every twist, every turn, and every near miss, my heart nearly stopped.

The emotional weight of the film matches and even rivals that of its book counter part. The pain and struggle is pulled straight from the pages in a way that will leave fans of the book rejoicing. Where Part I lacked luster, Part II not only captures a full spectrum of emotion, but takes it to a whole new level. It was everything a true Potter fan could have ever hoped for, the drama, the suspense and the victory. A single sob caught in my throat for almost an hour actually prevented me from shedding tears. Only at the end, as Harry puts his son onto the train, did tears freely fall from my eyes. . .

The film itself is beautifully done. The utilization of 3D brings a gorgeous depth to the overall look. Flashbacks and visions are woven seamlessly with superimposed three dimensional images.

The performances of young actors Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are the cherry on top. Their maturation from children into professionals makes the conclusion even more bitter sweet.

But the standout performance comes from none other than Alan Rickman. He is brilliant in his final appearance in what has become his most iconic role. We get to see a side of Snape that has been hidden for a very long time, and Rickman rose to the challenge like the old pro that he is.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II” is more than just the culmination of one the most successful and lucrative franchises of all time. It marks the coming of age for millions of young boys and girls who having been rooting for Harry ever since they first picked up “Sorcerer’s Stone” all those years ago, when he was just a boy in a cupboard under the stairs.

The film ignites triumph in the hearts of everyone who has ever fought off the evil in their own hearts. Everyone who has every felt unworthy or fear in themselves. Everyone who has suffered loss but still took comfort in the sunrise. But most of all, for everyone who, despite their best efforts, felt their childhood go by with the blink of an eye, the turn of a page and the roll of the credits.

But Part II didn’t do it alone. That feeling cannot be the product of a single movie. It is a culmination of years of waiting and hoping. We counted down the days and stayed up all night reading. We drew lighting scars on our foreheads with red marker and waited in the dark outside the theater. Book releases and movie premieres became important milestones growing up.

We hoped and prayed for the days and weeks to go by faster, until we went to high school, our first cell phone, driver’s licenses, prom night, graduation day, moving away from home…

And now that we’re here, at the ending, our final chapter, we wish we had read just a little bit slower.

I was nine years old when I read my first Harry Potter book. I was 18 when I read my last. Now, at 21 years old, I have seen my last Harry Potter movie.

The Harry Potter Generation is graduating college, getting married, traveling abroad, starting careers, feeling every bit as terrified as Harry. Because we face something just as frightening as Lord Voldermort – adulthood, and the real world.

As the final page turns, and the final scene fades to black, we can take comfort in knowing at least part of our childhood will live on in the pages and screens, to share with the next generation.

Thank you Harry, for keeping us company on this difficult journey. And remember,

“It does not do to dwell on dreams, and forget to live.”