Positively Potter

Viewers arrived as early as 8:30 p.m. for the midnight showing.

By ALISON KEMP

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

BOARDMAN — Robes, wands, lightning bolts, round wire-rimmed glasses and T-shirts, all proclaiming love for Harry Potter and his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, were visible at a Mahoning Valley premiere of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.”

Dressing like their favorite characters is just one way for fans to show how much they have enjoyed J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series in print and on the big screen.

Katie Callaway, 17, of Boardman said she dressed for the occasion because “Harry Potter is awesome.” Katie had a Potter T-shirt on, but her sister Emily, 16, went all out. So did her friends Valentina Zappia, 17, and Missy Pasquale, 17, both of Boardman.

Those three were dressed and ready to go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in knee-high stockings, plaid skirts, white blouses, red ties, robes and wands.

“It’s just more fun [to dress up]. It gets you in the mood, and any chance to dress like them is fun,” Missy said.

A familiar sight

Most outfits of moviegoers at Tinseltown USA in Boardman included movie T-shirts or maroon and gold polos, representing the colors for the Gryffindor House, the house Harry, Ron and Hermione are in at Hogwarts.

Tom Finnerty, 15, of Poland was dressed like Harry, his favorite character, with glasses, a wand and the famous lightning bolt scar.

He and his friends were first in line for the midnight show, arriving at 8:30 p.m. They had been checking the line since 6 p.m. in hopes of being first.

Most of the movie attendees are anxiously waiting for the seventh and final book “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” which will be released at 12:01 a.m. July 21 at bookstores and other retailers across the nation.

Valentina could not contain how excited she is about reading book seven.

“It's not even funny. I hope Harry doesn't die,” she said. And that thought was echoed by her friends.

Is it too much?

For some, having the movie released so close to the book made the wait for book seven even worse. Others said the movie is making the wait for book seven just a little easier.

Since there are 10 days between the release dates, this month has turned into Harry Potter mania, Emily said.

“You're already in the mood,” Jamie said, who will use the time between the movie and the book to re-read book six.

Fans are looking forward to many parts of the movie. Viewers will see Harry’s first kiss, hear the prophecy and witness lots of teen angst from Harry and three spectacular battles.

The first is between Harry and his friends and Headmistress Dolores Umbridge, where Harry and his gang escape by thestrals, winged horse/repitle creatures, only because they lured Umbridge into the forest and sent her away with Centaurs.

Secondly, a fight between Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters and Harry, his friends and the Order of the Phoenix ensues at the Ministry of Magic as Harry tries to save Sirius Black, his godfather and confidant.

The third is between Bellatrix Lestrange and Sirius. Bellatrix is quite powerful, a Death Eater and right-hand man, well woman in this case, to Lord Voldemort.

“It’s really action packed,” Valentina said.

akemp@vindy.com