WILTON, Conn. Kaitlin Devane arrived home from orientation at the University of Michigan on Thursday night and immediately headed to the Bow Tie Wilton-4 for the midnight showing of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2."
"I couldn't wait," said Devane, 17, "I grew up with these movies." She had plenty of company as the line of mostly teens and 20-somethings stretched down River Road toward the boutique, Chou Chou, on the corner. Most moviegoers skipped the costumes, but a few faces sported lightning bolt temporary tattoos and some donned Gryffindor's gold and red rugby shirts.
Devane and her friends, Elisa Amendola, 18, and Emma Bendix, 17, were dressed in college insignia sweatshirts as they waited for the door's to open for the sold-out performances. "This is an event," said Bendix. "It's something you mark on your calendar six months earlier."
Dressed in black cloaks, striped scarves and round-rim glasses, Tyler Bluestein, 11; John Erardi, 11; Julia Erardi, 11 and Kennedy Snyder, 10, huddled together near the front of the line. It may have been past the quartet's bedtimes, but they would not have missed opening night.
"We love Harry," said Kennedy, who brought along a copy of a Harry Potter book. It's a love that just could not wait. "We like to see it the second it comes out," said John.
Having read J. K. Rowling's novels, most of the crowd knows what's in store once this final film in the series starts to roll. But that doesn't diminish their excitement.
Kennedy hopes the movie is action packed. Amendola expects a lot of thrills, too, but she is more excited about finally seeing the good side of Professor Snape.
There were even a few romantics in line Thursday night. "I'm waiting for the kiss between Ron and Hermione," said Thomas Hojnacki, 15.
No matter what they hoped to see, many agreed this final Harry Potter film represented the end of an era. "This has been going on since we were in third grade and we just graduated," said Devane. "It's like we're graduating with 'Harry Potter.'"
Which of the first seven Harry Potter movies is your favorite? Leave a comment below. Follow TheDailyWilton.com on Facebook.
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