While most of my mourning for the loss of what felt like a loyal companion took place almost three years ago to the day when I turned the final page of the last novel on the steps of a cathedral in Orvieto, Italy, I can’t help but feel a recurring twinge of heartbreak as I prepare to watch the visualization of my imagination of Hogwarts one final time.

While I may not be intense (read: courageous) enough to dress in wizarding garb, I will certainly be attending the midnight premiere of the movie, having purchased my ticket well enough in advance, and I will certainly be among those who experience a variety of profound emotions during the viewing. While my obsession with a fantasy world may justifiably be seen as geeky and childish to non-fans, as is the case with any cult following of fiction, this wizarding world has meant more to me than I could ever think possible. The novels and films will eternally remind me of enough happy memories to produce a lifetime of Patronus Charms — the sound of my father reading the books aloud in different characters’ voices, writing a parody script with childhood friends, playing the endless amount of PC and video games with my younger brother, tasting real-life Butterbeer on a family trip to the theme park.

I am sincerely grateful for my love of reading and of “Harry Potter,” as well as the special connection I feel with those who share my passion. J. K. Rowling has brilliantly created a fictional world where the impossible is possible and a real world for those who embrace that literary motif. I am disheartened that I will no longer read or see any new material of the series, but I take solace in the fact that I can always share and experience them again.