Deathly Hallows: One Year Later
We were almost the only HP fansite that didn’t acknowledge the one-year anniversary of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I tried not to think about this. Not because I am in denial, but more because I try not to make too big of a deal out of seemingly arbitrary dates.
But then I started to think about this past year. And about all that has gone on in relation to Harry Potter, the fandom, and HPProgs in general.
So now, please join me on a stroll down memory lane to remember the Harry Potter Happenings of the past year:
- Hundreds of news outlets and mainstream press published articles related to the upcoming release of HPDH. Several newspapers (including my local paper, the Baltimore Sun) made the egregious error of spoiling the plot for fans and still haven’t been forgiven by many loyal Potter fans.
- My final emotional post right before Deathly Hallows came out. I still get tears in my eyes when I re-read it.
- HPProgs podcast immediately following our first reading of the book. I was a mess and cried for the first few minutes. It is a gem of a memory (yes that is sarcasm).
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows exceeds sales speculations and sets new records.
- July 24, 2007: JK Rowling announces to the delight of her fans that she plans on writing an Encyclopedia of characters, places and back stories as a compendium to the Harry Potter Series.
- August 2-5, 2007: We attended our first HP Symposium: Prophecy 2007: From Hero to Legend. The post-Potter excitement at this conference was palpable and there will probably never be another gathering of HP fans that is as exciting and momentous as this was.
- Snape fans everywhere feel validated and begin to post youtube videos, fanart, and fanfiction about our favorite (or not) greasy potions master.
- August 2007: filming for “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” movie commences.
- September 2007: JK Rowling and Scholastic announce Open Book Tour to take place in select cities in October of 2007.
- October 2007: Harry Potter is the final Wizard of the Month on JKRowling.com.
- October 17, 2007: Jo causes a stir by discussing religious symbolism in Harry Potter at the LA stop on the Open Book Tour (we didn’t know what we were in for yet).
- October 19, 2007: Jo shakes the fandom by stating that she “always thought of Dumbledore as gay,” when asked if he ever “found love.” Ironically, the fandom was less shaken when she alluded to the fact that Aberforth did in fact have inappropriate relations with goats during his lifetime.
- Fans (including us) question whether Jo’s revelations after the books “change canon.”
- October 31, 2007: the lawsuit between JK Rowling/WB and Steve Vander Ark/ RDR Books is announced.
- November 2007: JK Rowling is named Entertainment Weekly Magazine’s Entertainer of the Year for 2007.
- December 2007: Amazon.com wins the Sotheby’s auction of the “Tales of Beedle the Bard” for $4 Million.
- December 2007: JK Rowling is named the 3rd runner-up for Time Magazine’s Person of the Year 2007.
- December 2007: Fans get to see footage of JK Rowling completing Deathly Hallows on ITV’s “A Year in the LIfe” special.
- January 2008: JK Rowling/WB file a full injunction against Steve Vander Ark and RDR Publishers to stop the HP-Lexicon from being published.
- March 2008: After much speculation, it is announced that the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows movie will be split into two parts. Once again, fans are in an uproar.
- April 2008: Fans learn more than we ever wanted to know about the “Fair Use Doctrine” as the JK Rowling/Steve Vander Ark trial takes place in New York.
- April 25, 2008: “Harry Potter: The Exhibition” is announced.
- May 1, 2008: For the first time in 10 years, Harry Potter is NOT on the New York Times Best Seller list.
- May 2008: Fans see copies of the JKR/SVA trial transcript. Some decide to re-enact the case.
- May 20, 2008: Scholastic announces special 10th Anniversary version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to be released in September 2008.
- June 5, 2008: JK Rowling is the guest speaker at the 2008 Harvard Commencement Speech.
- June 11, 2008: JK Rowling writes 800 word Harry Potter Prequel for charity. She states that she has no intention of writing more of a prequel, fans hope otherwise.
- July 10-13, 2008: Portus 2008 takes place in Dallas Texas. Most attendees agree it is one of the best Potter conferences ever. Jim Dale makes a special appearance.
- July 18, 2008: Fans who have been eagerly waiting for the Half Blood Prince Teaser Trailer are dismayed at the 15 second non-teaser they get prior to the Imax showing of “Dark Knight.”
- July 21, 2008: Fans everywhere celebrate the 1 year anniversary of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. They use this day to celebrate, reminisce, hope for more, and make a plea for social change. They are once again united in a way that only Harry Potter can unite a diverse group of individuals.
Tags: Beedle the Bard, Dumbledore Gay, Harry Potter 2007, Harry Potter Anniversary, Harry Potter News, JK Rowling and Steve Vander Ark, Portus 2008, Prophecy 2007, Remember Harry Potter, Year of Harry Potter
July 21st, 2008 at 8:36 pm
So, you went from not wanting to post at all to writing the Mother of All DH Birthday Posts. Nice work.
July 21st, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Yeah. I sort of go from extreme to extreme. That is how I am.
July 21st, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Well happy Harry Potter Day guys…..
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:31 am
Lovely. It’s been wonderful experiencing this year with you!
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:18 pm
LOL! Not that much happened in the year since the release!
Have enjoyed discussing it with you all here & at The Hogshead & Hogwart’s Professor.
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:09 am
[...] Progs put together the Mother of All Deathly Hallows Birthday [...]
July 23rd, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Wow! That is a lot! And, as far as I am concerned – we are still going strong – with Podcasts (albeit, fewer in number), WRock, Fanfic and Art – and Meetups.