It is 2:30 in the morning. Three hours ago, we began standing in line to buy Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which we had no intention of reading tonight, so, as the man behind us said, “We could’ve done this at five after nine in the morning without any queue at all.” This is what the line looked like at 11:30pm:
It kept going way, way way around the block. There were easily a thousand people, and very likely twice that. They cheered when the fire engine drove by, so good-natured and hopeful for action were they. :) At least five people stopped and asked us, or asked nearby, what the queue was for, and every one of them was a hundred percent incredulous that it was for Harry Potter. All those people lined up to buy a book. That ranks among the most awesome things I’ve ever seen. *beam*
We had a ridiculously good time, really. There was a Death Eater and a wizard behind us, and to my delight the Death Eater turned out to be a cute little girl. Take that, world. :) The wizard and Death Eater belonged to the talkative man behind us, who was rather gleeful at the idea that we could call up our Stateside friends and say, “NEENER NEENER WE GOT THE BOOK ALREADY!”
Laughing, I said that sounded like fun, but not very mature, and he gestured broadly at the hundreds of people standing in line and said, “Like this is mature?”
So, NEENER NEENER WE GOT THE BOOK ALREADY! (Just for the benefit of the talkative man, you understand!)
There were a number of costumes, most of which I wasn’t all that impressed with, but I did see–aside from the pair behind us–a recognizeable Whomping Willow and a recognizeable Bellatrix Lestrange. There were numerous generic witches and wizards, and nobody I recognized from any of the Houses. The entire thing, however, made me want to do a costume for the seventh movie. :)
Oddly enough, I don’t have a picture of Ted with his new Harry Potter book, and furthermore, I’m not going to suggest to him that I take one to post, because it is safely in its bag downstairs, where it should remain until morning, because did I mention it’s 2:30 in the morning? Yeah. I thought I had. So sleep time now.
*giggles*
I texted a friend of mine in Belfast whining at her that she had the book already and I didn’t. Then I saw your post and laughed and laughed and laughed.
Thank you for making it. :)
“All those people lined up to buy a book.”
That is truly awesome!
Harvard Square in Cambridge MA is a madhouse right now — they’re doing a “Hogwart’s Square” block party and all the businesses are doing Potter-themed activities. When else can you buy butter-beer and bacon…?
I’m sorry, Harry who?
*ducks and runs*
Sounds like a fun gathering. Truly the Geek tribe is the fun one to be part of.
What surprised me? The number of kids leaving the line absolutely enraptured in the book already. People had to keep dodging kids who were reading.
Yeah, I saw one kid of about 9 who was already flipping to the opening pages as they left the bookstore, and his father was guiding him along, hands on his shoulders. :) Awesome. :)
I was in fact thinking of you as I made this post. I’d have texted you if I’d had your cell phone number. :)
“All those people lined up to buy a book.”
Yeah. Now if only the books were any good