The love you take is equal to the love you make

[jlh]

They're talked about Wizard Rock on Marketplace on NPR this morning and apparently Harry and the Potters have the same number of friends on MySpace as Wilco. I'm not really sure what that's supposed to signify as, Wilco? But it seemed a good enough bit for an opener.

Or maybe: I feel like I'm the only person I know who is going to get the book at midnight having neither been spoiled nor read any of the scans nor gotten an advance copy through mysterious powers best not discussed. Does this make me a chump?

Anyway, I find myself not having much deeply philosophical to say about the end of Harry Potter, perhaps mostly because it's not the end. Next year we have the HBP film to look forward to (and my god, what an ending to look forward to!) and two years later, the DH film, so there are still things to anticipate. I was never fond, as many of you know, of canon speculation, so I'm very grateful that the arguing part of fandom will go away. I'm hoping that the words "Alternate Universe" will not sound so dirty in the summary of a fic now that canon will be closed. I'm hoping nothing happens that will make me feel like chucking the book across the room, though since that hasn't happened yet I'm not too stressed about it.

It makes me sad that the "buzz" is merely, "let's roast marshmallows over the inevitable wank." I mean, I know why HP is wanky--it's enormous. Nearly everyone knows enough about whatever silly fight is going on to care about it, which you can't say for almost any other fandom that ends up on F_W; HP is like the universal wanker. Also, having canon in huge chunks every few years rather than a movie each year or an episode each week allows folks to settle into their comfortable post-book-X universe. I know I did, and in some ways--at least, in the characters that are in my fanfics, the ones that live in my head, that I write about--I'm still there, and I admit it entirely. If that makes me a dinosaur, well, who said dinosaurs weren't cool, too?

I've always looked to fanfic not as a predictor of or substitute for canon, but an interesting side dish, an extended riff on various "what-if" scenarios, the speculative fiction to the "history" of canon. In the last two or three years I haven't read as much as I used to for tons of reasons, and certainly haven't written as much, but I'll be very interested to see what goes on after this book. Every time there's new canon HP fandom undergoes a sea change, as it should, but this will be the last one, and that makes me glad I was here to be a part of one and witness to two more before we literally close the book on good old Harry.

I have other thoughts about endings, but they likely more properly belong in some post after I've read this book. In the meantime, have a great weekend everyone, and I'll catch you as we all resurface from our reading! Because after all is said and done, I love the Harry Potter fandom. Dance with the one that brung you, I say, and while I admit to a few bruised toes, and I think I took off those heels back in '03, and I danced with a few other people along the way, I'm definitely saving the last dance for Harry.

Well, maybe Seamus, if Dean will let me take him for a spin ...

Comments

[jacyevans.livejournal.com]

I am going in just as unspoiled as you are. The only thing I know are the book covers. I don't even think I've read the blurb on the inside of the book jacket.

That doesn't make you a chump. It makes you someone who wants to be surprised when she gets the book and sees it for the first time and stats to read.

Or maybe that's just me :)

[jlh.livejournal.com]

Well, I know a pile of people who are reading the scans for various good reasons. And you know NYC, it's a town of getting things first.

I haven't read the blurb either, and while I don't consider it a spoiler, since I haven't read it I don't think I will!

[mistress-mab.livejournal.com]

Wank in the Potter-verse has never really interested me, maybe because it's all seemed so boring - 'ship wank often is, and that's what it always seemed to be.

But, oh, the fic. I am ever so glad I am loving it once more. Right now I can't get enough Hermione/Sirius of all things.

To think I used to make fun of Potter fic. That is, until someone introduced me to Lori's fic. You know the one. ;) Harry/Hermione will always, always, always have a special place in my heart.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

Hermione/older man makes so much sense to me. It's too bad I don't care for Snape as there's a lot of that about. If I weren't such a puppyshipper I'd write Hermione/Remus. Or, let's face it, such a pumpkin pie member!

I really think the post-canon fic will only be that much better. No Jossing, no putting forth of theories, nothing, just "here's what I think is interesting." I'm actually kinda looking forward to it.

[scrabble.livejournal.com]

It doesn't make you a chump, it makes you lucky! I think you might be the only HP fan I know (who is heavily online) who hasn't been spoiled for a single thing.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised I've avoided it all this time. I think it might be because of that foot I have in AI fandom, so I had places and people to retreat to, and the people on my (somewhat filtered) flist have been really respectful.

It's more all the people making a rational decision to read the scans to get a head start on a big book. I'm not standing on principle or anything; I just wanted to read the book itself, in my house, on Saturday. But then, I read super fast, so.

OMG, I'm so thinking of you tonight! Know that I will be virtually at YOUR party while I'm actually at my local ______, and can't wait to see photos!

[imaginarycircus.livejournal.com]

Damn, you. You made me tear up.

*squishes Harry*

I am not spoiled and haven't seen the scans either. I wanted to wait and read the book tomorrow with David. :)

*squishes the Clio*

[jlh.livejournal.com]

Awww! Was I that sentimental in the end? Though I suddenly get the possible tie between wizard rock and Wilco.

Yeah, I just like the idea of reading the book, but I read fast, so I can wait AND be done by this brunch I'm attending.

[phoenixsong]

*raises hand* I'm considering myself spoiler-free, for the most part. Yes, I clicked on a link to see if someone had actually posted uncut spoilers, and they had. But I only remember one name, I don't know the context (though I can guess), and for all I know they are completely wrong. I still wish I could scrub my brain of that one name, but I'm not letting it spoil my fun.

And my coworkers can laugh at me all they want, I'm going to the party in Silver Spring, MD with most of hp_dcmetro, or so it seems. And I plan on having a blast while I'm there. (And bringing the iPod in case some wankers try to spoil the rest of us on the way home.)

[jlh.livejournal.com]

You guys in Silver Spring are going to have such fun! It's less the spoilers and more the scans--I seem to know a lot of people who have chosen to read the scans just to get a head start. I don't have some big moral problem with that, since they're all going to buy the actual book, but I'm like, is it daft to be like, I'm reading it on Saturday, thanks.

[kaalee.livejournal.com]

We must have a totally different flist, then. hahaha. I think a large portion of mine is going in completely unspoiled as well. I know I am, and I'm hoping it'll stay that way.

♥

Enjoy your read immensely. I'll look forward to chatting with you after. And I'll take my dance with Dean while you're with Seamus. ♥

[jlh.livejournal.com]

I think I have a lot of naturally impatient people on my flist.

And I'll take my dance with Dean while you're with Seamus.

THAT'S IT!!!

[andstillitmoves.livejournal.com]

Dude! We made it! I <3 your funky cool self - you are clearly a raptor or something interesting.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

I know, I can't believe we did!

I <3 your funky cool self

Seriously, sometimes I can't deal with how adorable you can be.

[andstillitmoves.livejournal.com]

Right now I am like the moment at the end of West Wing, when Jed and Abby are in the limo, and she's all "We made it" and sounds a little surprised and shocked and gratified all at once. (Cause Stockard Channing knows how to bring the acting chops.)

I am like that. Also like this: http://nothingbutfic.livejournal.com/231992.html

[ladylisse.livejournal.com]

You're not the only one who's avoided spoilers - and uh, it hasn't exactly been easy these past few days. Lots of back-button clicking and dodging the NYT.

I don't canon-speculate very much because honestly, I have things I want to happen and things I don't want to happen, but in the end they're not my books. I'm inhabiting another person's fictional universe, and half the fun for me is seeing where JKR decides to take it. And goodness knows there's still going to be lots of that universe to poke through even after DH - AUs and what happened before and after and assorted minor characters and moments to flesh out.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

I couldn't agree with your attitude more, lady. Those are not my books. This is my fic. That, I can't change. This, I have control over. Watch me understand the difference. Also once canon is over, as I said, I hope we can embrace the AU. We're so super serious in HP; we need to get over ourselves. But I think that comes from the "let us now genuflect in the direction of JKR" attitude, when I'm just a fan of the damn book and am more than happy to give her my money even if she is rich as hell.

[idlerat.livejournal.com]

I feel like I'm the only person I know who is going to get the book at midnight having neither been spoiled nor read any of the scans nor gotten an advance copy through mysterious powers best not discussed. Does this make me a chump?

You're not, and it's not just me. Almost none of my buds have been spoiled (including Bow). We've all avoided it, and I'm really glad. And you'll see me tonight, so we can be innocent together.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

I'm amazed at the dedication of these trolls. There have always been spoilers around, but I never knew someone to try to send them to the HP4GU list. That shit is bananas.

It's more the scans. Last night I was suddenly, wow, this is a long book, should I have gotten a head start with the scans last week? But I still like the idea of reading it all in one go.

[mahoni.livejournal.com]

I stumbled across one of those LJ usernames that purport to contain a spoiler, but I'm taking it with a grain of salt. I don't consider something a spoiler if 1) it's the sort of thing anyone who has read the books could reasonably speculate and 2) it's being advertised by a troll.

Other than that, I haven't read anything spoilery, or, you know, read the book itself, so I am unspoiled too. Yay!

That's the way I want to enjoy the book: unspoiled. Plus, I want to read the book when I have the book in my hands. I'm a big geeky fan of real live paper on pages that must be turned manually rather than scrolled or clicked through. <3 Also, when I read a book, if it's a book I enjoy, I like to gaze at the cover now and then, or enjoy the weight of it in my hands, so, yep. There are a lot of authors or series where I look forward to the next book, both because I want to read it and also because I want to have the total book experience, and this is one of them. For me, reading it online would miss the point.

Not to mention, I would feel guilty reading a book online that the author didn't want to be online. I mean. Not that she'd know, I'd just feel weird.

I've always looked to fanfic not as a predictor of or substitute for canon, but an interesting side dish, an extended riff on various "what-if" scenarios, the speculative fiction to the "history" of canon.

Yep. Me too. (...I don't actually have any more to say than that. Just, nice to see that position expressed by someone else!)

Dance with the one that brung you, I say, and while I admit to a few bruised toes, and I think I took off those heels back in '03, and I danced with a few other people along the way, I'm definitely saving the last dance for Harry.

*loves*

[jlh.livejournal.com]

Aww, thanks.

Also, when I read a book, if it's a book I enjoy, I like to gaze at the cover now and then, or enjoy the weight of it in my hands, so, yep.

Though this one is so weighty! and actually, I am not a fan of dust covers, so I always take it off immediately and slip it on top of the books on the bookshelf. But I am looking forward to that bookmark! And the chapters! And oh, just all of it!