Road to Deathly Hallows

16/Jul - five days to go before the release of the last Harry Potter book and I still haven't finished re-reading the Half-Blood Prince. Herman is too busy looking for places we could visit over the weekend. He kept on asking me for ideas, but I wouldn't give any for I wasn't interested on going to some trip on a Harry Potter book weekend release. I just kept on telling him that I have to get my book first before we can go.

17/Jul - Herman still can't find any good place to go, so he finally gave in and decided that it is indeed going to be a Harry Potter weekend. I searched the net and found news that some prat scanned the actual book and posted it online. And so, I have seen the complete-chapter title list and the first chapter.

19/Jul - I went to Borders and bought a big red book. After paying up, I asked the cashier what time they're going to open up on Saturday (21st Jul); I knew about the 5am affair they have planned and sent out invitations with. She replied that they'll only open at 5, and I asked further whether they are going to close up Friday night. She gave me a surprised looked and said, "Of course, we have to prepare for the 5am Harry Potter release." I hated to prod some more for there's quite a lot on queue; but previously for the Half-Blood Prince release, they didn't closed up Friday night and they showed HP movies and people could browse through their stock of books.

21/Jul 4:30am - my alarm clock chimed and I'm didn't even pressed the snooze button. I washed up and put on my Slytherin shirt
4:45am - there's some early showers as I hailed the cab
5:00am - I arrived at Wheelock Place and found that there's a long queue already. I joined the end of the line, far from the main entrance, actually I'm quite near the back entrance.
5:05am - people wearing black robes, witch's hat on their head walked up and down the line
5:30am - the line is moving and Luna Lovegood passed by
6:10am - I'm near the main entrance and I could see what's going on inside but can't hear anything for Borders didn't sent up speakers outside the Wheelock Place.
6:20am - Is that Hagrid? He looks so small
6:22am - Oh, a Ringwraight! Wait! That's Lord of the Rings; it's a Dementor.
6:35am - contestants for the dress-up contest were presented. The guy who pretends to be Snape really looks like a slimy git.
6:40am - somebody received a big cheque for $10,000. Dang! I didn't win.
6:45am - Mad-Eye Moody is using a camera taking a picture of someone who looked like Harry; that looked hilarious.
6:50am - people just little outside the main entrance have already stood-up and prepared for the actual release time.
6:58am - Border's staff are already waiting for their cue at the cashier's counter those inside the stock room are ready to open the boxes
7:00am - the host said to the microphone that only 1 minute is left
10 seconds before 7:01am – the crowd began the countdown
7:01am - the crowd cheered as they finally showed the very first book coming out to the counter
7:30am - I'm inside the Wheelock Place but still far from the bookstore. Some pompous kids who got their books early, stopped in front of those still on queue and read the epilogue a little bit loud. I'm glad that I couldn't hear them; others had to resort to covering their ears
7:55am - what a long wait on the queue that is barely moving. I have finally stepped into the Border's main door
8:05am - it's my turn to the cashier to FINALLY get my copy!
8:15am - I hailed a cab carrying my Border's bag and breakfast from Burger King. I opened the book and read the first few pages.
8:40am - I've finally changed and went to one corner in the house to start my marathon read.

22/Jul 1:00am - I'm almost at the end but it took me quite a long time to finish for I was bawling at almost every end of a paragraph – at every sad or beautiful line.
2:00 - I have finally read the very last line of the book and cried some more.
10:30am - after a long sleep, I got up to give myself a bath. Yes, I didn't go to the shower the previous day. When I need to go to the toilet, I brought the book with me. And there, just as the water kissed my face, I broke down; things that happened to the characters flashed before my eyes and tears joined the showers cleansing me off my grime.