My Date with Mr.Potter

At 4.30 in the morning, the air was cool, and I was glad I had a light jacket with me. I stood with my Mom, and my friend outside Modern Book Depo. I had been asked a few days ago to read out a few lines from ‘Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows’ for the release in my city. A huge honor, but also quite nerve-wrecking as at least three major Malayalam news channels were covering the event.

My emotions were too difficult to separate. Nervousness, for I am a very camera shy person, happiness that I was getting such a great opportunity, and fear. Not for myself, but for the characters of ‘Harry Potter’ as they were going to face their greatest battle yet.

It was time. I did not bother brushing my hair, or adjusting my shirt to hide fat. Instead I took a few deep calming breaths as my Mom and friend wished me good luck. As I stepped out of the store room and into the area of the shop, there was a smattering of applause. Quite stunned, I took my seat. Even as I sat, a strange realization came over me. This moment was never going to come again…I had to, had to make it memorable! I smiled a real smile and looked at everyone bravely before reading out the introduction. As I started reading the first few lines, I could hardly hear the cameras clicking and the whir of a video recorder. Instead I was lost in Rowling’s words.

There was an audible sigh of relief as the crowd heard that their beloved Harry does not die, and an inaudible one as I finally finished. I got up and got myself a glass of water, all the time admiring myself for overcoming one of my worst fears- the one of facing too many people.