Where Were YOU at 12:01???

(Muggles, look away. And I don't mean Muggles as in Non-Knitters.)

R and I took the boys to the Harry Potter Book release party at the Books-A-Million store at the Mills Mall. I'd never been to a book release or any kind of midnight release of anything before, and I can't remember the last time I was awake after midnight without it being related to my ongoing insomnia problem. I wasn't sure what kind of freakfest I was in for.

Keep in mind that I'm still kinda dipping my toe in the waters of Geekery... R's an avid reader of fantasy (which I now understand is GREATLY different from Sci-Fi... excuse me) including Stackpole and Salvatore (those are the names I can remember off the top of my head) and he's done some gaming, back in the day. I mean, come on, I did the Pirate Festival and Ren Faire, which I never would have done even just a few years ago. I'm slowly becoming the person I would have made fun of in high school, even though that person was probably only a half-rung below my own loser status.

We talked Pie into dressing up in the Harry Potter costume he wore to the Pevely Flea Market Halloween Party last year, and I kinda came up with a little something Tito could wear too, and off we went. We were immediately greeted at the store entrance by The Sorting Hat. I love the concept of The Sorting Hat. I wish there was a hat like that to help me make decisions. The Sorting Hat put us in Gryffindor House.

I was so impressed by the activities the store had planned and how well the entire operation was run. I thought we'd be bored from 9:00 when the party started to whenever we actually got our book, sometime after midnight. But they kept the kids separated by age (the age 16+ kids were Slytherin) and had managable, age-appropriate activities running the whole night.

They had photo ops, including a background with the sky and the Golden Snitch suspended from the ceiling. You could hop atop a broom and put on Quidditch goggles and pretend you were a Seeker. The broom itself wasn't exactly a Nimbus 2000, but you get the idea.





And they had Azkaban Prison, which I thought was very cleverly done. Doesn't Tito look pitiful?




And kids could get their faces painted by a guy wearing eye makeup. I kinda like when a guy can wear eye makeup and look good - think Johnny Depp, not Transie Day on WPN Wednesday. (Note to self: I need to get back into that.) But anyway, there was a dazzling selection of things you could get Sexy Eyeliner Guy to draw on you, not just a dipshit rainbow or a heart or a smiley face. This guy was an artist. Tito got a Snitch and Pie got a Broom.






They had trivia contests - which Beebie kicked ass at, over the phone from Nana and Pop Pop's - and a "Guess how many Bernie Botts Beans are in this jar" game. But the BEST part of all was the costumes. Sybil Trelauney had a teacup with The Grim drawn inside it, and Madame Hooche had a cool-looking broom.



And the Ministers of Magic Cornelius Fudge and Dolores Umbridge costumes were quite impressive. I was hoping there would be a Dolores.



I was SORELY disappointed that there wasn't a Professor Snape or a Sirius Black in attendance, but in retrospect, it was probably best for everyone that there wasn't, or I'd have made a spectacle of myself, for sure. I was content to swoon over a picture instead, thinking lewd thoughts such as "Oh, Professor... we mustn't...".



Aren't we a hot couple? Like Becks and Posh? Only I doubt Posh would be reading America's Cheapest Family. Can I audition for PennyPincher Posh?Oh, and P.S., The Posh Spice in America show is MAY-JUH. Totally my new favorite show.

Pie finished second overall to Sybil Trelauney, and for his prize, he got a hand-carved wooden wand crafted by the dude who came as Cornelius Fudge...



Which was really cool, but the BEST part was that he got to be SECOND in line, out of the hundreds of people in the store, to get his book! He was so proud!





We had the BEST time. It was totally worth it.

R's already on page 250.