A spell never broken

They're getting old and they know it.

Millions of Harry Potter fans are at an enviable time in their lives, the point between teenage whimsy and twentysomething optimism. And they certainly have reason to be excited: Come 12:01 a.m. Friday, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - the eighth and last film in the series - will finally premiere.

But fans of the hit series about the brave young wizard can't help but get a little wistful.

"[My girlfriend is] freaking out with the last movie coming out. She kind of calls it the 'end of her childhood' because she grew up with the books. So now this is like the last piece of everything," said Brent Kuobloch, 23, a Potter fan himself.

The book series has ended, the films have wrapped, and fans, loyal since childhood, are growing up - signing apartment leases and graduating from college, sporting business attire, getting married.

It's a poignant realization for a generation whose formative tween and teen years were spent with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, the series' student wizards whose struggles with adolescence and evil magical forces started 14 years ago.

But this hardly means the magic will fizzle, many say.

"Admittedly, I'm almost 25 and rereading the seventh" book, said Anthony Catanzaro, who reads the series after work to relax.

Potter helps him relive the childhood joy of first discovering the books, and remember the admiration he had for Harry.

"I was like, 'I want to be like Harry,' especially in sixth grade when you're transitioning to a bigger school," Catanzaro said, noting the wizard's admirable bravery. "I've been told that I'm a Gryffindor so that's good," he added with a laugh, referring to Harry's house at Hogwarts, whose residents are distinguished by their courage.

Now seems an especially ripe time for reflection.

"I think nostalgia is by far the best word" to describe fans' feelings about the last film, said Jeff Rudski, an associate professor of psychology at Muhlenberg College in Allentown.

The last film may be like leafing through old photo albums, he said. "It's a bittersweet reminder of your childhood, but there is that sweetness."

Ask a primped college intern or a hip city dweller about Harry Potter at a place like Rittenhouse Square and you'll still see that childhood twinkle in their eyes.

"I thought I was so cool walking around the playground with this big book. I finished it in a week, which was a big deal for a third grader," said Stephanie Smith, 20, who credited the series with helping her move on from simpler "girly novels" and identify with male characters.

Harry and Ron drew Smith to the series because "they're always getting themselves into some problem" or "ridiculous situation." The series' shift to more serious material in later books - such as the death of Harry's godfather, Sirius Black - highlights its ability to reflect the challenges of growing up, she said.

"It's really depressing that it's over, I think. I'll probably cry at the midnight premiere," Smith said. But there's hope: "I'm going to give [the books] to my kids someday," she added with a smile.

Kelly Doherty, 23, listed Hermione as "a role model." She may not be the central protagonist, but "she's always there saving [Ron and Harry's] asses with her smarts."

The last decade has seen an explosion of Potter activity: seven books from 1997 to 2007 and seven films from 2001 to last November (the final book is split in two), not to mention countless websites, gatherings, fan fiction, costumes, museum exhibitions, and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park in Orlando.

The series details the lives of wizards and witches during their seven years of magic training, but author J.K. Rowling has been heralded for her ability to still depict Muggle - ahem, mere human - problems.

Naturally, millions felt they grew up with the characters in print and on screen, played by Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson.

First kisses, conflicts with authority, grief over deceased family members, bullying - these were but a few of the experiences fans felt they shared with the wizards and witches, who also learned confusing spells and played Quidditch on flying broomsticks.

And that identification may last to into the 20s and beyond. "I don't think it'll ever not be part of my life," said Hadar Spector, 21, who "hated" reading until her teacher gave her the first book. "It's a timeless series."

Rudski, the psychology professor, coauthored a 2008 study that found "a sizable portion" of Potter fans craved the release of the final book but had some withdrawal pains after it was released. The daily lives of some intense fans were still affected six months later, the study found.

And this time around?

It will be different with the film, Rudski said, because the story is already finished. Key questions - Who dies? Who lives? Is Snape evil? - are already answered.

The generation who grew up with the series is unique, Rudski added, because future readers will have the books and films at their fingertips. The books' "sporadic installments . . . allowed theories and people's engagement with them to incubate," he explained.

And since Potter fans are so used to waiting, what can they wait for now?

Some mention the October release of "Pottermore," an interactive website that will feature e-books and, as Rowling cryptically announced recently, "information I've been hoarding for years."

Others may just reread the books and rewatch the films. And for now, of course, watch the new film.

"I've already ordered the midnight tickets and taken off work the next day," Doherty said. "So I can rage in my Harry Potter glory."EndText