Potter Mania

Harry Potter is back! Last night I finally got to see the fifth installment of the Harry Potter saga after patiently waiting ten days for a time when the BLC Potter Fans could all get together for a viewing at the original version cinema in Sol. It was well worth the wait! The film was fucking brilliant and by far my favourite to date. Imelda Staunton was perfect as Dolores Umbridge, I hated her and wanted to smack the bitch! The film was just perfect!

After the film we went for some drinks in Plaza Santa Ana to chatter about the film and the characters and all the usual post-movie babble that goes on. In all the excitement of the film I had completely forgotton that the seventh and final book was due out the next day. Nedra, who is always up on what is hot and happening in Madrid, informed us that Casa Del Libro was opening it's doors at 1 a.m (midnight in Blighty time) to start selling the book. I looked at my watch, it was nine thirty, could I really hang around town for three and a half hours to buy a book? Yes, I could!

Clare and I walked through the doors of Casa Del Libro at 12.56, the atmosphere was mental and the shop was packed. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one and the paper has been ripped down and people are stampeding and I am crushed against the bookshelves and stepped on and elbowed and I am pushing my way forward and I am reaching and reaching and I have it, I have my book! The queue for the till (only one visible till is open, of course, this is Spain and organisation and preparation is not a strong point) is ginormous, I say queue but really that is not the right word since it conjures visions of a neatly organised line when it fact it was a more a herd of animals pushing forwards. I have never felt so violated as standing in that queue, hot sweaty bodies of strangers rubbing against me, some womans humongous sweaty breasts rubbing up and down my back as she kept going up on tip-toes and back down again, press cameras flashing everywhere and complete mayhem. We finally reached the till, paid for our books and with great relief fell out of the shop into the Madrid night with my book in hand and a feeling of euphoria running through me.