I solemnly swear I am up to no good

THIS WEEK’S WINNER

MANILA, Philippines - Lala Singian, 15, is a bookworm, movie buff, and a music lover with eclectic tastes, ranging from classic rock to indie to ghetto. She went to school in Poveda and moving to Beacon Academy as an incoming sophomore this year. She is a volunteer tour guide at the National Museum and part of the organizations CISV (Children’s International Summer Villages) and Antioch San Jose.

Once upon a time a boy with a lightning-shaped scar living in a cupboard under the stairs entered my life. This boy’s name was Harry Potter and things haven’t been the same since.

I’ve stuck by Harry ever since I learned how to read proper chapter books. I started the series when I was around nine, when Manila was in the middle of a Harry Potter craze. Back then, the cinematic Voldemort scared the life out of me so I read the books instead. For a time, I found it impossible to tear myself away from the books. I would read The Goblet of Fire and actually feel like I was attending classes in Hogwarts instead of being in math class, hiding my book behind a bigger encyclopedia. Flashlight in hand, and a blanket over my head, I would quietly flip the pages of The Half-Blood Prince at ungodly hours. Albeit having breakfast in my backyard, during Holy Week at the beach, or snuggled up in a quiet corner, the books became friendly and regular companions.

I yearned to go to Hogwarts and secretly hoped for a letter telling me I was a wizard when I turned 12. My spirits dampened when my birthday passed with no owls bursting into my house. At any rate, I remained loyal to Harry and anxiously awaited the newest book or movie to come out each year. On long summer days I would reread the series and get obsessed all over again. I was a bit of a “Potterologist” with the way I would study the books. Over the years, Hogwarts became a home and all I had to do to visit was pick up one of the seven books.

It didn’t take long for The Wizarding World to snugly merge with my reality. My Facebook education listed Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I also got closer to people I never thought I would have anything in common with before. The books brought us together for discussions on Harry’s adventures or sessions where we would critique the movies. We would drink Butterbeer and make homemade Harry Potter outfits. A lot of the time we would just fangirl or fanboy over some new Harry Potter-themed game, website or event together. It gave me something to talk about with people, and I made a ton of new friends.

It all ended recently. The movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was released in theaters all over the muggle world. Sitting in one of the theaters in Rockwell, I screamed, smiled, laughed and wept, probably irritating the moviegoers around me. I was a bit disappointed with some parts, but on the whole, the film was fantastic. I was devastated when I left the theater, more so when the first thing I saw upon leaving were Twilight: Breaking Dawn posters crowding the hallway. (Peace, Twi-hards!) It was a bittersweet end, but nevertheless, I still cheered and clapped as the last movie’s credits rolled. A close friend of mine has been suffering from Post-Potter Depression and I think her condition has spread over to me.

Now as a kid of the Potter Generation, I’d like to thank her honorable J.K. Rowling for being the genius she is and bringing to life the most incredible places, objects, people and stories. Harry Potter and his friends have defined my youth. I can’t say that my childhood is over because the last movie has finished, but a big part of me has moved on. Sure there’s “Pottermore.com” to look forward to in a few months. And without a doubt, the first book my kids will read after Dora, Clifford, etc. will be The Sorcerer’s Stone. The movies will show on HBO every now and then and the books will never go out of print. Truth is, the magic will never end, but as much I hate so say it, most of Harry’s story has.

My attachment to the books wasn’t just a stage of rabid fandom. I’m positive that my love for every wizard, witch and creature will never run dry. Without Harry Potter, I don’t think I would be the same person as I am today. Seven wonderful books and one wonderful story. It’s just been magical. So I think I have to say goodbye now Harry, I‘ll see you again soon enough. Until then…Mischief managed!