The Harry Potter Fandom

(Spoilers for Harry Potter)
Today I want to pay tribute and reminisce in all the glorious memories of a great fandom, the first fandom I was ever in-- the Harry Potter fandom.
What can one say about the Harry Potter fandom? We can say that it began with the novels written by an awesome lady, Joanne Rowling, who was not in a great place when she started writing these books. She wrote these books, and started something amazing for herself, while starting something amazing for the entire world. The books are absolutely beautiful, the most incredibly real fiction I have ever read, with characters that you can get super close to and stories that you can get really involved in. Then films were made, and the stories and fandom expanded, and suddenly we weren't only getting close to the characters but also to the actors and filmmakers and their stories. A theme park was made. The Harry Potter fandom is so big, everyone knows what it is, and there have been so many things created due to the Harry Potter fandom. The Harry Potter fandom is where you can find a family. If you meet someone, and you find out they're a Potterhead, you're suddenly bonded, so easily, effortlessly. The Harry Potter fandom has connected so many people. It has given people friends that they will probably never meet. But we're still united.
I remember when I was seven years old Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the book, was coming out. The night the book was put in stores, a library in my city had this book premiere party, and my friends that were also in the Harry Potter fandom invited me to it. Gosh dang it, let me just tell you it was so dang cool. I was a little seven year old wearing Hogwarts robes running through this banner decorated to look like a brick wall and the music from the films was playing and there were people dressed like the characters walking around and we played a game of Quidditch and had butterbeer and Harry Potter candies and it was an all-night event waiting for the book to come out and wow. That's just such a great memory.
 I did go to another premiere.... This one was at midnight, for the very last Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. These midnight movie premieres, these are big events for fandomeers. I am so glad that while I still had the chance, I got to be a part of one. Me and my sister painted Harry Potter scars on our foreheads. I saw my friend there in Hogwarts robes, and my other friend there with her wand. My sister and her friend took a picture with a guy dressed as Dobby, and we sat by a group of friends covered in branches-- they were the Whomping Willow. Everyone there is celebrating their fandom and it's so great. The entire theater applauded when Bellatrix and Voldemort died-- and cute little eleven-year-old me started the applause for Voldemort. When I walked out of the theater, one of the signs in front of the theaters said:

 

THANK YOU

LOYAL POTTER FANS

ACCIO POPCORN
 

(Which was really terrifying for me, because I had accidentally dumped out a huge bucket of popcorn onto the floor and I was certain they knew.)

Another one of my fondest memories. This fandom has been so much for so many people and is still going strong.
Any favorite memories from the Harry Potter fandom? Feel free to comment!