Harry Potter And The Unruly Crowds Of Fandom

I had a random day off last Thursday, so my wife and I went to the movies. We saw Transformers 3, which was quite good.

Dos Equis? Don't mind if I do!

There is no chin behind Hagrid's beard... only another fist

I'll let you make your own 'magic wand' jokes here

Dance, little man! DANCE!

Thursday was also the day before the opening midnight showings of the last Harry Potter movie. We knew it would be nutty around there, we just didn't think it would start so early in the day.

When we left the theater at 6:40, there were already people camping out in the lobby, waiting to claim their spot for the midnight shows. Not just teenage girls, either. I saw kids, adults, grandparents... it was pretty amazing.

"We're smart to wait a week or two before we see that one," I commented. A little girl who was dressed like Professor McGonagall glared at me, hard.

"Can you imagine how insane this crowd is going to be?", I asked.

A kid with a Hagrid beard and several pillows stuffed under his shirt confronted me. "Are you saying we're insane?", he demanded.

"Is this a trick question?"

Another kid with a black cloak stood up and shook his wand at me, fire in his eyes. "Avada kedavra!!!", he roared. The Hagrid kid took the opportunity to kick my shins.

It was clear we wouldn't escape without a distraction. I pointed toward the far theater and shouted. "Equus!"

There was a stampede.

We eventually got out, although I now have multiple lightning-shaped scars.