Dave Chamberlain

Says the lady: "So we're going to a mall in the suburbs, for a Harry Potter release party?"

Says me: "Yeah. And there are likely to be people dressed up as the various characters." Response: "Hmm." If that doesn't sound like the perfect date, well, it isn't, but not necessarily for all the reasons you might expect.

Friday midnight saw the release of J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," which averaged--according to Reuters--an astounding 250,000 books sold per hour since its release. Media reviews of the second-to-last book in the series range from raves to pans, but at the Spellbound 2005 party held at Randhurst Mall in Mount Prospect, the only negative thing heard about Harry Potter is the length of time it will take for those who pre-ordered their novels to actually get the olive-green-jacketed book in their hands.

A father and his son approach a table at the Borders adjacent to the mall. "We're in the blue line," says the father. "Around when will we get it?" The beleaguered staff member looks through the litany of pre-orders and responds, in as placating a voice as possible, "We should get you your book around, um, 3:45." "In the morning?" "Yes," comes the answer, deadpan.

Back in the mall, an array of kids, from10-years-olds to older teenagers, as well as an equal number of adults (some parents, some obviously not) surround a stage that's become the focal point of the night. Don't take this to be the capital of dorkville, however; the teenagers are hardly squealing with excitement at the on-stage drivel that includes a Harry Potter-themed rock band, imaginary broadcasts on the WWW (Wireless Wizarding Web), and of course, a costume contest. Instead, teenagers look bored--and surprising cool--whiling away the time until they can actually get the book. Some parents sleep on neighboring benches.

A costume contest drags on as various Professor Snapes, Harry, Hagrids, Dumbledores, Dobbys and Hermiones show off their penchant to look like the various characters. Respectable men and fathers are obviously doing their best not to stare at the thirty or so teenage girls wearing English school-girl uniform.

Aside from the costumed, twoguys in Metallica shirts look bored but wear pre-ordered wristbands all the same. There's the crew of five young teenage boys, obviously poking fun at everything around them, but still holding raffle tickets for a signed copy of Rowling's second Potter endeavor, "Chamber of Secrets."

Just minutes before the witching hour, the scramble begins. Costumed nerds, cool kids, seventh graders and "normal" folks alike head off to get their copies. Then there's an announcement that Comix Revolution, in the mall, has sixty extra copies for sale. Those who didn't pre-buy stroll over, wait in a short line, and walk out with the book, well before 3:45am.

Sound a bit excessive? Perhaps, but not as excessive as the 35-year-old writer who proceeds home and stays up all night finishing the book, which, by the way, rules.

(2005-07-21)

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