The Cult of Harry Potter

Harry Potter From Friday 8:00 PM straight through 'til Saturday 1:00 AM I was dunked and held under into Potter-Mania. Working part-time in a major book store we counted down the days with much loathing. A few of us (including myself) did not work when the last book came out so we spent the next few weeks around the water cooler hearing stories that usually ended with a customer getting mad and an employee crying. I heard at one store a few customers resorted to bighting. That can't be good.

All in all, though hectic things went smoothly. My café constantly full of Potterites made me wonder if this were some sort of cult. Adults as well as children were dressed up in Potter gear: Potter glasses, Potter Robe, Potter school tie, Potter scar, etc. What confirmed this was this twelve year old girl decked out in Potter Gear carrying a picture of the young wizard as if it were a portrait of the pontif. I expected to see a few of her fellow Potterites following behind spreading incense and singing Gregorian chants.

As an avowed Whovian I can totally understand how people can people can become attatched to a character from a show, movie, book, or whatever. I even squealed with glee when I heard that the BBC was finally making new episodes of the show. And on more than one occasion I dressed up as The Doctor for Halloween. Alright, I admit it, I wanted to be a Time Lord! Travelling through out time and space saving entire civilizations from oblivion.

Life didn't turn out that way for me I am afraid. Or for anyone who wishes to be a jedi, wizard, hobbit, etc. Which is probably a blessing in disguise.