Final Harry Potter Movie Symbolizes End of Childhood

What does "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" mean to moviegoers at Silver Spring, Md.'s Regal Majestic? For a surprising number of the fans lined up to see the opening day showing at 12:01 a.m., the end of the Harry Potter movies signifies the close of an era in a very personal way. Many of them donned dress-ups for their last flirtation with childhood. Characters as diverse as Luna Lovegood, Fenrir Greyback, and Cho Chang stood among protagonist witches and wizards waiting for the magic lifting of the velvet rope separating fans from big screen. So what is on the minds of these die-hard Harry Potter fans as they anticipate the showing of the last movie in the series?

"This was my childhood. This is the year I'm going to enter into college, go away from home, a nice way to end, metaphorically, the stories of my childhood -- I had the first few books read to me. A couple of kids my age actually cried when they turned 11 and didn't get a Hogwarts letter." -- Rosemary Smith, 18, Rockville, Maryland, dressed as Luna Lovegood

"Harry Potter's been there for every milestone in my life. My first movie was after my 5^th grade graduation and the last after I graduated high school. I just graduated college and now the last movie's coming. People say it's the end of our childhood." -- Maggie Cronan, 22, Long Island, N.Y.

"I'm pretty excited. It's the end of the whole series. I think it's pretty cool I've been growing up with the movies... It's cool to see the same kids in the movies going through middle school, growing up as we were growing up." -- Matthew Smith, 20, College Park, Maryland

"The first one came out when we were Harry's age." -- Chelsea Benning, 20, Phoenix, Maryland

"It's sad that it's coming to an end. It's our childhood. It's great to end it in a nice way." -- Jamie Fleischman, 14, Kensington, Maryland, dressed as Cho Chang

"I had a friend who saw it last night, said it was so good. It was some kind of special showing. I was super jealous." -- Molly Braun, 21, Silver Spring, Maryland, dressed as Fenrir Greyback

"It better be awesome." --Mallory Rappaport, 15, Kensington, Maryland, dressed as Bellatrix L'Estrange

"I'm exhilarated to be here. It's just beautiful to see it all coming together what S.K. Rowling has created." -- Madeleine Mallin, 15, Kensington, Maryland

"It looks pretty epic." -- Emily Mastrapa, 19, Silver Spring, Maryland

"I expect it to be the greatest movie of all time." -- Jake Allen, 22, Bedford, Oregon

"I bought my tickets Wednesday but got stuck in a 3-D because 8 shows all sold out... From the turnout tonight, I'll just be happy to get a good seat. I haven't read the books, so I'm not really sure what to expect." -- Jayson Clayton, 38, Takoma Park, Maryland

"I dithered, and by then the tickets were sold out. I came anyway because I just wanted to see everyone in costume." -- Allison Winter, 34, Washington, D.C., wearing a Hogwarts sweatshirt

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