After 10 years, 7 books, and 8 films, everything has ended. Now, the chapter of my life called ‘childhood’ is closed. I have to move on, let go of my magical past and live a new life without Harry, Hermione, Ron and the rest of the gang to look forward to every year.

My childhood has ended when the CBB of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 appeared on the screen, and up until now, a part of me is denying that I am ready to let it go. But as I cry on the bus on my way home from the cinemas, I realized that letting go does not mean forgetting everything. Because no matter what happens, I am entitled to the fact that every single day of my life that I miss my childhood, I can just look back at my life and be reminded of how it was made magical and awesome and splendid by Harry Potter and his friends.

This phenomenon actually gained me something to be proud of. For the past ten years, the Harry Potter series has become one of my best inspirations to live the life I’m living right now.

Through this series, I learned how to be brave. I learned how to stand up against the wrong and how to protect the righteous. Harry Potter taught me how to understand love as well. There are different kinds of it, and they’re greater and better than the kinds of love I knew of.

I was also taught how to value friends. Through the friendship of Harry, Hermione and Ron, I got to realize that nothing could ever equate the happiness of finding true and loyal friends who will stick with you through joy and pain. Add to that the loyalty and love of Neville, Luna, Ginny, Seamus, Dean, Cho and the rest of the Dumbledore’s Army for each other. It’s priceless.

With Harry Potter’s story, I was also put into a deep realization about the love parents have for their children. When Lily and James died for Harry that night, when Tonks and Lupin decided to keep their child even though the possibility of it becoming a werewolf is high, when Mrs. Weasley dueled Bellatrix after almost hitting Ginny with a killing curse, and when Narcissa and Lucius walked off the battle in Hogwarts to protect Draco, I was enlightened by how much sacrifices parents can give to save their children. My parents might not be a wizard and a witch, but they’ve sacrificed a lot for me too. And I should appreciate that.

By Dumbledore, I was taught how to be calm and wise all the time. His flawless judgments, his seamless opinions, his mind-boggling questions, everything gives me hope; and he will always be the greatest example of a teacher to me; together with Professor McGonagall and Hagrid.

And Snape… How could I ever forget one of the greatest fictional characters in the world of literature? Professor Severus Snape taught me the true value of loyalty. And my respect to this character will forever be as high as the heavens, that I wouldn’t even complain if the name of Harry Potter on the titles of the books will be changed to Severus Snape.

Yeah, this is how affected I am to Harry Potter’s end. But you know what? I feel proud. Sitting inside the cinema and hearing people giving a round of applause from time to time, for every scene, I knew that my childhood was not a waste as how I thought it was. Because amid the painful memories brought by school, there was one thing that kept its magic and beauty…

And as I end and start a brand new story, I’ll be proud to say to anyone who will just discover the story of the Boy Who Lived, that

I HAVE STUCK WITH HARRY UNTIL THE END.

J.K. Rowling, thank you for giving me a very meaningful childhood. Your greatness and writing prowess will forever be remembered.