The end is coming . . .

Seven days until the end of an era.

The books have all been read and reread.

The movies all watched and rewatched, save one.

Next Thursday at midnight, the last Harry Potter movie will air and end an amazing era in publishing, movie, and personal history.

For some fans, that era began when they read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone when it was published in 1997.  For my family, it began in July, 2000, when I went to a late night Borders Bookstore party for the release of the fourth Potter book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, to see what the fuss was all about.  Hundreds of people, children and adults, many in costume, waited until midnight when the staff could hand out copies.  The evening was festive and exciting.

Realizing that something extraordinary was causing such devotion, I picked up the first book and read it to Rachel over the next few nights.  We were hooked.  The remaining books were quickly bought and read and we began the great wait until the 5th book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, was released in 2003.  The whole family would eventually attend the midnight releases for the remaining novels.

In the meantime, in November, 2002, the first Harry Potter movie was released and became one of the most successful movies of all time.  We loved it.  It was an amazing recreation of the book, creating a visually unique, creative, wonderful and scary world which has remained consistently enthralling through six more movies.  The cast was superb and remarkably, nine years later, there has been only one major change of actor, when Michael Gambon replaced the late Richard Harris as Dumbledore.  The movie series really is a stunning achievement.

And on midnight next Thursday, we will wait in line until midnight, watch the conclusion, celebrate a remarkable achievement and mourn its finish.

What a ride it's been.