Emily McCall Photography

I know how it ends!  I was agonizing all week over the release of the final Harry Potter novel…excited and nervous at the same time, fearful that any one of my favorite characters might be killed off.  Since it was just about all I could think about all week, you better believe I was at the midnight release party at my local B&N!

Here is the winner of the costume contest–isn’t he CUTE?!

Some Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, which I have never been brave enough to try:

My friend who also went to the party to indulge in nerdiness with me:

I’m on the business end of her wand!

The golden snitch:

And here’s the costume contest winner again, casting spells at me from behind the Entertainment Weekly stand:

He finally let me take his closeup:

Here my friend discovered, to her great delight, that there is a Harry Potter knitting book!

I needed some hot chocolate to help keep my eyes open toward the end of the wait…

But finally, the prize!

I stayed up most of the night reading, and after taking some time out for a photo session this afternoon, I finished reading the book this evening.  And boy, do I feel emotionally exhausted!  It was so wonderful to find out how it all ends, but I feel really really sad at the same time that it’s over.  I  want more!   In fact, I think I’m going to get back in bed and re-read the last few chapters again.  I was racing through them so quickly to find out what happened next that I’m not sure I took in everything I should have.  I’ll see you at Hogwarts! 

I saw the fifth movie (twice!) and re-read the sixth book last weekend.  I am sooooooo ready for the seventh one!  I’ll be at the Barnes & Noble release party on Friday night–can’t wait!