I had a very Harry Potter-ish weekend. Friday night some pals and I went to see the latest HP movie. After it was over, we walked over to the Barnes and Noble in Pacific Place and said hi to Puck and her sister, who were waiting in line to get the new Harry Potter book. It was after midnight, the store was full of people wearing various HP-themed costumes and colored wristbands that indicated their place in order-filling process – a real-world version of the Sorting Hat, you might say.

Naturally I had pre-ordered mine, so I wouldn't have to wait in line. However, watching people leave with their hardbacks clutched jealously to their chests, I had a pang of regret that it wouldn’t be delivered until the next day. Someone remarked that Amazon should have charged everyone a few dollars more and had the book delivered on the stroke of midnight. Hey, I’d probably have paid it.

I considered writing a column about the connection between kinky people and Harry Potter - something about how we relate to the otherness of witches in general, and Harry Potter in particular. But I think the character’s insanely widespread popularity is testament to the fact that many people feel like they are outsiders, misunderstood and persecuted, at some time in their lives. A commentary on our culture, perhaps.

Saturday afternoon when I came home from a housewarming party, there was a fat little box on my doorstep, and oh, how I really wanted to just curl up on the couch and dive into Book Seven. However, I made myself work on That Writing Project until about midnight. That was about as long as I could be self-disciplined.

I’ve now finished the book. I admit it – before I even started, I read the last page. I never do that with books, but I just needed to know what to prepare myself for, you know?

So, with that information in my head… I enjoyed the book. I have wondered before if knowing her books would be made into movies would impact Rowling's writing, and I do think there's some Hollywood influence in this one, especially in the epilogue. But it's still good fun. I know Rowling says that’s it, the end, but I do think she’s created an engaging world there, and I could see creating other characters and stories in the same reality. But I don’t blame her if she doesn’t. Lord knows, she doesn’t need the money.

The movie was fun also – although they have to jump so fast and leave so much of books out of the film, it’s more like watching a really long trailer. And there was not nearly enough hissing, sneering Alan Rickman in this movie, wah. Still, I have a slight thing for Daniel Radcliffe, so… those scenes where he’s tossing and turning in bed, damp with sweat, flushed and panting, looking like he’s in (beautiful) pain? Yeah. I have to admit those little snippets turned me right on. I admitted as much to Puck later, and she said, “Yeah, I thought the scenes where Professor Umbridge is talking how Harry is bad and needs to be punished were kinda kinky.”

Maybe I need to find a cute just-barely-18-year-old boy and do a Bellatrix Lestrange/Harry Potter scene. I know what I’d do with my wand.