Jul 23 2009 11:00 AM ET

'Harry Potter' fanatics: Are we secretly jealous of them?

Harry-Potter-fans_l When I went to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on opening night, I may have chuckled internally at a young man (even more committed than the one pictured) wearing a Gryffindor getup and carrying a wand. I thought I was laughing at him — though I should've known that wasn't like me — until I left the theater, found myself walking solo on an eerily quiet block and got the sudden feeling that maybe I wasn't alone: Death Eaters! When I got home, I read a tweet from Tom Lenk (Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Andrew), who'd also just seen the film. "Did anyone else think they had magic afterwards?" he asked. "Pretended that my dark, deserted street was a dark, deserted Diagon Alley for a block. That count?," I responded. "I'm convinced I can learn to illuminate dark cavernous rooms…," he wrote back.

I chalked my momentary dementia up to Half-Blood Prince being a great film (and the fact that I'd just watched Order of the Phoenix the night before), but then I read a piece from the Chicago Tribune in which a 21-year-old writer admits she's a little envious of her 12-year-old sister's immersion in the Potterverse. The pre-teen took her wand to the midnight screening they attended. She explained the difference between "Avada Kedavra" spell and the Muggle version of "Abracadabra" on the car ride home. She reads fanfiction and still debates Harry's fate. Maybe a part of me is jealous, too. Maybe deep down I wish I would've been sitting there with a wand, and had lost myself enough in the movie to join in raising it in salute to Dumbledore. (That scene already gave me chills; if I was participating, tears.)

Are you secretly jealous of Harry Potter fanatics? And back to Tom's question: Did anyone else think they had magic afterwards?

More 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince':
'Harry Potter' and the 'Half-Blood Prince' romance debate: A battle of the sexes?
'Harry Potter' geeks: Vent your frustrations about the movie changes here!
Dumbledore actor Michael Gambon hasn't read the 'Harry Potter' books. Discuss.
Dalton Ross and Josh Wolk talk 'Half-Blood Prince' romance on Must List Live!
'Half-Blood Prince': 8 exclusive pics from EW's photo shoot

Comments (1-29) of 29 Add your comment

  • RP

    I’m too busy laughing at the blonde with the soda in the background who clearly thinks the camera person MUST be taking a picture of her (and not the guy in costume). I’m a HP fan but I’ve never gone farther than wearing a Gryffindor scarf to a movie when it was cold enough to wear one. I envy people brave enough to wear costumes outside of Halloween. Costumes are fun. But I really envy the people who dressed up as Han Solo and Chewbacca at the midnight premiere where I live. That was funny.

  • A.R.

    I DEFINITELY felt like I had magic afterwards, and I’m so happy to read that other people felt the same way (I worried I was a particular brand of crazy, which may be true). Driving home along dark roads, part of me felt like Death Eaters could swoop down out of the dark at any minute. I think that’s a testament of a great movie.

  • PigFartsPigFartsYumYumYum

    I have no reason to be envious, because I AM a Harry Potter Fanatic. I’ve been a fan for a little over half my life now. I’ve been to midnight openings of the books and movies. I have two shelves dedicated to it. I have a hardback and paperback set. I used to have a bedspread for Rowlings sake! I read that same article, and it’s her loss. There is plenty out there to keep the Harry Potter world alive for the people who have grown up with it. Fanfiction, Wizard Rock, Coventions, A Very Potter Musical, or just talking to other HP fans in general. All I can say is that it’s been a staple in my life since I was in 2nd grade, and I don’t see that changing.

  • Michelle

    I AM a Potter fanatic and I was wearing my Ravenclaw costume to opening night. It was so much fun. I’ve been to conventions, midnight screenings, midnight releases and wizard rock shows. It’s one of the best and welcoming fandoms ever. Love live HP!

  • Allyson

    I’m not jealous because I am one! I took my wand to HBP and wore my Dumbledore’s Army shirt. Go Ravenclaws!

  • Hutchy

    I definately consider myself a fanatic, although I dont dress up….a fanatic for the books, that is, which makes it tougher when you realize what a complete train wreck the most recent movie was. I dont know when I’ve ever been more let down by a movie…the Star Wars prequels, maybe?

  • Merry

    I’m not jealous…because I am one. Totally dressed up as Luna Lovegood, raddish earrings and all (which I got at a Harry Potter convention in Canada). Had the Ravenclaw badge, magic wand (from Allivans), and Ravenclaw tie. Would have worn a school uniform-ish outfit, but it was too hot to wear a long-sleeve collared shirt. And I feel like I have magic just thinking about Harry Potter!

  • Silv

    I read that same Tribune article, and have to say that since I originally brought the kids’ books home to get my two children interested in Harry Potter, it was me who wished with all my heart that I too could perform magic. It’s probably a wish that goes back to my childhood – what kid hasn’t wished he could do real magic? And now even though my kids are in high school and college, we still look forward to this and future movie releases. I won’t get rid of their old HP toys since I know I’ll read the books to their children and hope that the old HP wand we have still lights up for them. Who knows? Weren’t Hermione and Harry’s mom born to Muggles?

  • D

    Not really. I was kind of disappointed with this movie. But then I’ve been disappointed with HP since the 7th book felt like such a cop out.

  • moviejunkay

    i AM a fanatic. though i don’t dress up as a character for the movie release or anything, harry potter is my life and has been so for so long i truly believe that harry potter can live on forever. (:

  • Kathy, Maryland & Vanessa

    Not Jealous…by day we are 50-something year old professional women, but at the midnight showings of Harry Potter movies we are in full costume to include wands, brooms & an owl… we are Tonks, Professor McGonagall and Harry!

  • Kathy, Maryland & Vanessa

    Not Jealous…by day we are 50-something year old professional women, but at the midnight showings of Harry Potter movies we are in full costume to include wands, brooms & an owl… we are Tonks, Professor McGonagall and Harry!

  • Kathy, Maryland & Vanessa

    Not Jealous…by day we are 50-something year old professional women, but at the midnight showings of Harry Potter movies we are in full costume to include wands, brooms & an owl… we are Tonks, Professor McGonagall and Harry!

  • Kathy, Maryland & Vanessa

    Not Jealous…by day we are 50-something year old professional women, but at the midnight showings of Harry Potter movies we are in full costume to include wands, brooms & an owl… we are Tonks, Professor McGonagall and Harry!

  • Kathy, Maryland & Vanessa

    Not Jealous…by day we are 50-something year old professional women, but at the midnight showings of Harry Potter movies we are in full costume to include wands, brooms & an owl… we are Tonks, Professor McGonagall and Harry!

  • Kathy, Maryland & Vanessa

    Not Jealous…by day we are 50-something year old professional women, but at the midnight showings of Harry Potter movies we are in full costume to include wands, brooms & an owl… we are Tonks, Professor McGonagall and Harry!

  • Kathy, Maryland & Vanessa

    Not Jealous…by day we are 50-something year old professional women, but at the midnight showings of Harry Potter movies we are in full costume to include wands, brooms & an owl… we are Tonks, Professor McGonagall and Harry!

  • Kathy, Maryland & Vanessa

    Not Jealous…by day we are 50-something year old professional women, but at the midnight showings of Harry Potter movies we are in full costume to include wands, brooms & an owl… we are Tonks, Professor McGonagall and Harry!

  • Kathy, Maryland & Vanessa

    Not Jealous…by day we are 50-something year old professional women, but at the midnight showings of Harry Potter movies we are in full costume to include wands, brooms & an owl… we are Tonks, Professor McGonagall and Harry!

  • Kathy, Maryland & Vanessa

    Not Jealous…by day we are 50-something year old professional women, but at the midnight showings of Harry Potter movies we are in full costume to include wands, brooms & an owl… we are Tonks, Professor McGonagall and Harry!

  • Kathy, Maryland & Vanessa

    Not Jealous…by day we are 50-something year old professional women, but at the midnight showings of Harry Potter movies we are in full costume to include wands, brooms & an owl… we are Tonks, Professor McGonagall and Harry!

  • Kathy, Maryland & Vanessa

    Not Jealous…by day we are 50-something year old professional women, but at the midnight showings of Harry Potter movies we are in full costume to include wands, brooms & an owl… we are Tonks, Professor McGonagall and Harry!

  • Jamie

    Nope not jealous. I’m in my late twenties and ten of us all went together, ranging in age from 20 to 40’s. It’s a bonding thing, common ground for those who otherwise would have nothing in common.

  • Ty’s mom

    I’m the 42-year-old mother of a 13-year-old son. We both dearly love the Harry Potter books and movies!!! It’s hard to say which one of us is the biggest fan. We’ve already seen the Half Blood Prince movie THREE times! We’re anxiously awaiting its debut in IMAX 3D – even though the closest such theater to our home is 70 miles away!!

  • Shane

    I have always considered myself a fanatic, though not so much these days. I have not worn any “get-ups” but I remember just a few years ago (im 16) me and my sister would prance about the streets pretending to be death eaters! Love the books, films are good though do not do justice.
    Honestly I believe there was too many love scenes and melfoy being sneeky… it made it seem much slower and less exciting.
    Still amazing though!

  • Lauren

    Just like most of the posters here I AM a fanatic! I’m from the UK, spending the summer in St Louis, MO with people I met when I flew over for a long weekend to attend Wrockstock, a wizard rock music festival last spring. I went to a midnight showing with eight people, all of us wearing wizard rock shirts, and we handed out wrockstock flyers :-) Obsessed fans have the most fun! :-P

  • Eve

    I’m totally a fanatic too. I started reading the books when I was young and went to the 1st movie with some friends dressed up as Hedwig!
    I went to the midnight screening of Half-Blood Prince with a couple of my friends (one of whom borrowed parts of my old Hedwig costume for her outfit) dressed this time as Luna Lovegood, complete with a “butterbeer” cork necklace I made myself!!!
    Being a fanatic on the level that I am is great, it gives you the ability to act like a kid, and dress up, and stuff. And your not the only one!!

  • Jane

    I’m definitely a fanatic.
    Harry Potter has been a huge part of my life and that’ll never change.
    I’ll have the books and movies and I’ll go back to the
    from time to time. :)

  • sarah

    I’m not the dressing up sort of fanatic, but I’m pretty addicted to the fan fiction! I can’t go a day without reading it!

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