Harry Potter

Randomly, I just remembered the night I picked up my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

I was very pregnant with Alyson.

It was cold while I waited in line for my reservation number.  The earlier you got in line, the sooner you could get your book.  I took off work a little early so that I could wait.  I think I was about number 78 when I got my armband.

While I was waiting, I chatted happily with a random lady.  She was nice - I don't remember everything we talked about, but I do remember talking about elaborate costumes and SCA (the Society for Creative Anachronism).  She told me she thought Harry was a horcrux and that Snape had been under Dumbledore's orders to kill him.  I remember being impressed at those theories.  I myself had not made it that far, but then I hadn't been on Mugglenet in a while.

Later that night - after eating dinner and relaxing a bit, I headed back to B&N.  There were a lot of people there.  Almost like a mosh pit.  A lot of them were wearing costumes.  I wasn't that cool, so I was jealous.  There were so many people that they didn't let everyone in.  Fire code and all that nonsense.

I did happen to make it in when some poor saps left without fully thinking their decision through.

And then.  At 1130 pm.  30 Minutes to go before The Book was to be released, a lady with a megaphone started talking.  It took a little while for everyone to stop talking so they could hear her.  When they did, this is what she said.

"Good evening everyone!  We're excited to have all of you here in the store tonight.  I know we all can't wait until midnight for the book to be released.

"Before we can do that, we have a couple things to establish.  Books will be provided according to the number on your reservation wristband.  Please take a look at your number now.

"We will start by providing books to those with wristbands between 1 and 100.  If you have one of those numbers, congratulations!  You're almost there!  The problem is that we have quite a few of our customers waiting outside who have those numbers and they can't get in while we have such a full house.

"So what I need now is for people with numbers over 200 to exit the store so that they can come in."

This was greeted by silence and blank stares.

"Did you think I was kidding?  No, seriously people, I need you to exit the store at this time to allow our 1-100 customers to arrive.  You will be able to re-enter the store as soon as they start to exit."

Yeah, that went over exceptionally well.  I was glad I didn't have to leave, and after excitedly picking up my book, I read for about 20 minutes in the parking lot before driving home.

Spoilers below.  Want to read them?  Click and drag down starting here.

And then the next day, after I'd been reading straight through, I came out of our room with my face a swollen and blubbery mess to announce to Erik that JK Rowling was, indeed going to kill off Harry.  I was pleased to find that Snape was a good guy.  I wish I was as cool as hipster Dumbledore who trusted Snape before it was cool... Alas, I'm not as awesome as him...