It All Ends: My Magical Journey in the World of Harry Potter

What is going to end? We still want Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings!

As I exited the cinema complex, I was somewhat sleepy and hungry at the same time. I didn't really had extra money to find someplace else to eat and pretty much, I just wanted to go home and rest. I dragged my tired body out and then it hit me in the head real quick. It was my last time to walk out on a Harry Potter movie. I just watched the last and final Harry Potter movie. The story of the Boy-Who-Lived has finally ended. To think for a franchise that I was exposed with for 10 years, something that felt like it would never end, has finally came to a conclusion. Come to think of it, half my life, deep inside my retched heart, I was always a Harry Potter fanboy.

It was way back in 2001 when the world was struck by the Harry Potter phenomenon. When the movie came out, everyone was in awe of the story of a boy wizard with a lightning bolt for a scar, who survived a death cruse and seemingly defeated the dark wizard, He-who-must-not-be-named. At that time, I was still a bumbling 10 year old in my final year in Grade school. Back then, any movie that can get the attention of the people and becomes the talk of the town was an instant "must see" for me and my family. Add to the fact that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was aimed for children, no doubt it was a movie that I wanted to watch. The moment I heard the magical theme intro, I was hooked to it from beginning to end. I grew up always expose to superheroes and cartoons, so a world filled with magic and wizards really was new to me and easily caught the attention of my 10 year old brain.

The only wizard related I have here in our country before Harry Potter.

Coming to school, everyone was talking about Harry Potter. Me and my friends would spend our breaks talking about how cool it is to go to a wizarding school, shouting Wingardium Leviosa at objects by using our fingers as wands, and simply just get fascinated with the different characters, objects and creatures found in the movie. Then, one of my brainy classmates told us that Harry Potter was based on a book and she even brought the book. From there and there, I grew fascinated with the franchise, knowing it was the 1st of seven. But in all honesty, I didn't really thought about reading the books (and at that time I was never really into reading any books, ever) as me and my friends thought that as long as they make movies about it, who needs to read right?

Eight films, always about Harry surviving in the end, it doesn't get any complicated than that.

It has become a yearly tradition for the Harry Potter movies to come out, and it has reached new heights. Harry Potter was becoming popular. Shows, TV skits, magazines, everyone was riding the Harry Potter train. It was a cash cow no doubt. And despite facing another book-based/fantasy film like the Lord of the Rings Trilogy in the box office for a few years, it stood its ground and was clearly the best fantasy movie there is. And being a gamer, Harry Potter video games was something I didn't pass on. I was hooked in every Harry Potter video games I can hold my hands with, whether it is on a Gameboy Color, Playstation or PC, if I get to throw of speels and ride broomsticks, I pop the game and I play it for hours and hours, especially in the Gameboy.

"Or you can just walk it off. You survived a death curse, what is just a mouse bite right?"

Despite being emphasized as a book franchise, reading it was way out of the question for me. For one, I only like reading comic books and I don't even get to barely read all my school books. And then all of a sudden, my uncle sent us a balik-bayan box filled with gifts for us. It was around 2004 and pretty much I was way not into toys anymore. So a gift from my Uncle that time was intriguing. Included on the box was the first four Harry Potter books, instructed to be placed in his room. And then, he had another set of the 1st four books, in which for each book, was assigned to one of us cousins. My eldest cousin got the Chamber of Secrets book, her brother got the Sorcerer's Stone book, my sister got the Prisoner of Azkaban book and out of all the books, I got the thickest, which was the Goblet of Fire. Don't get me wrong, the books are great, but book reading was not really something I want to do. I tried to read it, but just holding the 734 page book really killed any notion for me to read it. The fourth movie wasn't released yet at that time and so my curiosity really pushed me to just read the book. But I needed a way to give me the focus to read it. And for me to take on a book filled with 734 pages, I needed to warm-up by reading the first book.

And I read all of these because I don't want to read my school books.

The moment I read the first sentence of the first book, my mind was simply divulged into the world of Harry Potter. It was more clear, the book had more details and from there and out, I wanted to know the story by reading it word per word. As every chapter past, I didn't notice that I was done with the first book already. And then I started with the second and then on to the third. I've been reading for two weeks straight. And when it was finally the time to read the fourth book, I didn't hesitate to even bother take a break. Every after assignments, I would quickly go to my bed and read the book. After a week, it was finally done. I have accomplished to read the entire four books. It was an accomplishment I never thought I'd be able to accomplish, to have read those books, never thought I'd even have the guts to read one. The Harry Potter books were known to be challenging to read, but no matter, for a non-book lover, I was able to do it. And around that time, the fifth book was released, and not long after, I borrowed one in our library and my reading reached new highs as I was reading the book during breaks at school. Everyone who knew me would never ever expect that I read Harry Potter books.

No one also expected that I watch porn either back then, but hey hey!

After the fifth book, I became what you would call a "Harry Potter Geek" Everything there is to Harry Potter at that point, I knew and I knew by heart like it was on the back of my hand. I familiarize more the history of Hogwarts more than El Filibusterismo. Even the hardest Harry Potter Quizzes felt like adding one number to another. And even before or while watching the movies that came after the third, I would be able catch the flaws, the lapses and tell all the differences. I would show a frowning face whenever someone spit wrong facts and use the knowledge as pick-up lines to girls who ask something about Harry Potter. The Harry Potter Mythology was something I never felt I would be able to master. It was one of my repertoire and strengths and I felt invincible. But of course, college came and things became different. I got busy and I couldn't hold on to the great Potter knowledge that I have. I was still lucky enough to read Half-Blood Prince, but it was rushed, and from there, I was just looking forward to watch the movies. When the final book came out, I got to read it but I jumped in a couple of chapters and read the juice of the story in some other sites like Wikipedia. All in all, I felt like I have outgrown the series. I still love it, but I just wasn't into it that much. Note that I was still a kid when Harry Potter came, it was part of my childhood that I have outgrown since. I've kept my interest at the Harry Potter franchise, but I couldn't remember anymore who is who and who did what. Being a HP geek really didn't last long and I was just back to being a plain fanboy.

. . . . .

Watching the final movie, for me it didn't have that epic feel for a final film of a series but it was still a great finale overall for every Potter fan. I'm not really much that nostalgic, but I am still grateful for the wonderful years that the Harry Potter series has provided for me. Up to this day, the HP series is the only set of fictional books that I have read completely and most probably the only series I will ever read. It has captured my imagination greatly to the point that it encouraged me back then to make a story about Baltazar Crane, a Hogwarts student who is secretly defending Harry Potter from any harm and danger and also has his own adventures around Hogwarts. I also remembered back then when promised that after college, I would take a break for a month and just read all the books but I didn't knew back then what post-college life would be so it never really pushed through. I could tell more stories about my experience with the Potterverse, movie, books, or games, but all in all, it was a great ride. Good things must come to an end and I can't really think of the best words to explain how fun the Harry Potter series has been. One of these days, I might write more stuff about Harry Potter, but for now, I am here to celebrate the success of the franchise. I never really believed that Harry Potter was for nerdy geeks and girls. It didn't matter what age, sex, anyone can enjoy the magic of Harry Potter. I enjoyed it and I am not ashamed of it. Indeed it all ended, but the magic of Harry Potter will never disappear in the hearts of every muggle that has been touched by the awe-inspiring story and bare-witnessed the glory of the Boy-Who-Lived.

And they lived happily ever after. But of course, you can only imagine how they had to clean that up.

One year ago.....

July 16, 2010.

I thought it was the day.

Its been a year, and I could still remember it.

Fresh from my mind like it was just yesterday, fucked-up clustered in my deranged mind.

Never been the same since that day, everything just fucking changed.

For those of you who don't know, exactly one year ago I proposed to a girl to be my girlfriend. She was a classmate of mine back in 4th year college, not so long ago. If you read my posts here in my blog, there's a good chance you'll know who I'm talking about. It's not like I can't mention her name, but you know, do you research if the curiosity kills you. But if you are reading this right now, I guess I caught your attention and pretty much you want to know what I'm talking about. But before you proceed, you might want to read here first what I got to say when this thing was just fresh, get an idea on what happened on that day. I wrote about this a month after that single unfaithful day, exactly a month after, like in August.

Done reading it? Sure? Ohh, okay, then lets proceed.

To be quite honest, whenever I try to recall the events on that day, it doesn't sting that much as it used to. But, it can still make me skip a beat whenever I try to have some reminiscing or something. A lot of things happened since that day, but in everyday that passed, every week, every month, there was no single chance that I wasn't thinking about her. Whether it will be for an hour, minute or just a few seconds, no day has passed that I didn't think of her. You might think, "Dude, get over her". I am, definitely. But what makes here special was that she just wasn't an ordinary girl, she created that change in my life. And as much as I want to say I have gotten over her, the reason of your metamorphosis is something you can't easily forget. Sure, you forgive, but sometimes, you'll always remember that guy that gave you that scar or the bitch that made that rumor about you. All in all, some things can be accepted, forgiven, but can never be easily forgotten.

I guess it affected me greatly is because I bank on it too much. Sure, I've corrected some mistakes I have done in the past in regards in courting a girl, didn't give that much, but if you know me well, me not giving that much is still giving too much for some other guys. It was like the biggest gamble I had to make in my life. To get her would have been a jackpot, money in the bank. But to fail, I know it was worst than harakiri, less likely noble than kamikaze, but pretty much, I'll die if I failed. It was the type of risk in which I calculated greatly. Weighing the pros and cons, pretty much I thought I could get a clean shot. I wouldn't really take a shot if I knew I didn't have the chance, but that was the thing, I thought I had the chance. I thought she was the type of girl that might go out in a date with me, a dinner or two. But I just overlooked things, it was foul-proof back then, but now it seems clear that I was heading to a lonely sunset even the moment it started.

Truth is, no one really banked on me succeeding. Everyone has this notion that I go for girls that are just way "out of my league". Well, if you look at my past maybe it is partly true, but in honesty I went for those girls, especially her, because my heart told me to. She wasn't the sexiest girl, not the most beautiful, didn't had the best personality, she wasn't the best overall, but everything about her felt perfect for me. Everyone, in a way, still was rooting for me, for fun's sake I guess. Providing help, both good and bad, in the most unnecessary times. They knew it would be triumphant for me to succeed, but my failure was something they knew was foreseeable. We could debate on this, whether I should or should have not, but I just followed my heart, and damn straight for the good times, it was worth the try.

I don't really wanna dwell on how she is to me, how she is perfect in every aspect for me, but just to summarize everything, she was a girl you would go out and get hurt for you know. She is one in the entire population of this world. She is like no other, and she was something I imagine waking up with in the morning. Don't want to get cheezy because I might be tagged again as a "bitter guy", but it is what it is. She is a huge part on my life, because for every moment my heart cried and giggled with joy, she was the center of it, she was part of it. To be quite honest we haven't talked or text that much lately. Haven't even seen her for a while. But I've heard she already has a boyfriend, in which I am happy for her, I mean, she was single for quite some time so pretty much, I'm glad she has someone to drive her around [Insert Justin Bieber song here]. Joke!

All I know is, every since that day, I have become a stone-cold bastard who doesn't really give that much fuck. Acting all bad-ass, action star loner who rolls around this dog-eat dog world. Maybe because I'm just afraid to acknowledge that maybe, I was traumatized that day. Something inside me died big time. I seemed to have both suppressed and repressed "Love". Ever since that day I've crossed a lot of girls in my life, seemingly gaining the potential to be the next girl I'll write a poem to, but it just never pushed through. Maybe they were not good enough, maybe I just don't want to hurt them, maybe they already have a boyfriend, or maybe I just messed up. All I know is that I've never tried that much since then, and I have that odd feeling that I don't really plan too. Sometimes I think I should just practice single life. Oh, don't worry, I'll still find ways to get me some sugar and some pies but you know, just be single and worry about nothing. I don't know, I tend to be lost in love these days.

Pretty much, a lot of things have happened since that day. One year, wow. If it went the other way, today would have been our anniversary. Leaves me to wonder what we would have been doing right now. Out for a movie? Eating outside? Both at work. Both at home because we don't have money. At her house? At my house? In a bed, doing what? Haha! I don't know. To be honest, that day was so painful that I can't even bare to imagine life with her anymore. Never had the imagination to carry out a pleasant scene in my mind. Every month that passed since that day, I try to remember it, like it was suppose to be our anniversary of sorts. But I think after the 5th month prior that day, I stopped. There was no point of trying to think about it. It was what it was. It happened. My heart isn't shattered right now, it's completely gone and that's why maybe I'm back to my "No reaction" mode again. It doesn't matter what comes next in my life, pretty much I feel like I'm in to deep shit right now, still have to find the light of switch to turn things around, but for now, I'll go where the flow brings me, heaven or hell, whatever, live life as it is.

One thing I would just like to emphasize though, I am happy for her and by any chance I do not keep a grudge. Sure, here I am talking about what happened on that day, but its history for me. Part of something monumental in your life. Will I be ever okay again? I don't know. But the one things that matters is that somewhere out there, whether she is out on a date, with her friends or family, eating or watching TV, as long as she smiles, I smile. God, I love her. Note, not past tense, because I still do, as that special girl that made my heart skip a beat. She was special, and she might have not looked at me as a potential boyfriend or an ideal man, but we had our moments. Yeah, was not able to take her out on a date, but we have shared moments chasing nurses, chief nurses and clinical instructors to sign our exhibit forms. That counts I guess, right? Haha! I don't know if I'll ever see her again. I think I still will, but you know, for drama sakes, sometimes I wish I won't. Because I don't know what I'll do or say if I get to see her again. Maybe its better that way.

I'm a change man. And I'm over this. This has caused me great pain, but I took a chance because I believed in love. Say what you want to say, I did what my heart told me to do. Would I talk about this again? Maybe. But for now, I'm just reminiscing on that unfaithful day. That experience taught me a lot of important thinks in life. I just smile whenever I think about the time when we were already talking in the Roxas benches at our school. Still remember her words, "Basta 'wag lng lagi"(Just don't). She did what she need to do. Maybe I would have done the same. I wasn't good enough for her, simple as that, no need to complicate things. But for all it's worth, I will never ever forget that day. A day that in my life I will forever remember, July 16, 2010, the girl I have truly loved the most, rejected me, one year ago.....

The Flood - Part 1: Rise

Davao City was never known for floods. Sure, some parts of Davao would get flooded but its always due to drainage issue. It was something that the people of Davao City can be proud of. We may not be as modernized or advanced compared to Manila, but its something that Manila doesn't have the we have, a flood-free, protected from any typhoon environment. For my entire 20 years of existence, I have spent my entire life in Davao and never was I able to experience flood. I've experienced having to cross flooded streets, having to go to a flooded classroom but never was I able to experience flood in our place, in our home. There was just this one time where water rose but it was never something serious. On a side note, we are kinda lucky since our house is somewhat elevated. Throughout everything my family has been through, flood was something we never got to worry about. We may live near a creek, but we are elevated so any elevation of water doesn't really affect us in any way. Truth be told, our place is flood-free. Period. But you know, if something that is not suppose to happen, happens, you just know that there is something wrong. It ain't normal. So when our place got flooded, you can just tell something bad will happen, and it did.

My story begins in a cold Tuesday night on June 28, 2011. I just came home from my final coaching and was dead tired. It was our second to the last day, so pretty much board exam was already just a mere 4 days away. We had a test paper that we were suppose to answer in advance for the next day, but I was too tired that I spent the night surfing the net. It was the usual routine. After "doing" what I need to do, I decided to hit the sack and to just wake up early to answer the questionnaire. It was already 11 PM and the strong rain hasn't stopped yet since 9PM, but I didn't mind, its just rain.

..........

Not long after I found myself tucked-in in my bed. There's nothing better than sleeping in a cold weather. But the soothing feeling of being asleep in the cold rain suddenly got interrupted as my mother was waking me up. My mother shook me nervously as she kept telling me "Nagataas ang tubig" (The water level is going up). I was in disbelief but I went to look outside and the water did rise to knee level. I was shocked, but I felt that it won't increase anymore, but I thought wrong. My father was outside taking my tito's car to a higher ground while my mother was trying to elevate some stuff in the house. Me? I was just dumb-founded, walking around the house not knowing what to do. A few seconds, the scene that I thought I would never get to see in my lifetime, was becoming a reality. The water was slowly increasing and then all of a sudden, the water was creeping in our floor. I starred down at the water slowly flooding our floor and I froze and can't move a muscle. My mother suddenly called my attention as she asked for my help to try and save some stuff. My father came back and all of us elevated the refrigerator by placing it on top of some chairs.

In all honesty, we didn't knew what to save after that. We just tried to elevate what we could elevate. Last time I checked, the floor was just wet. Next thing I knew, the water was already on my ankle, and then my entire feet was completely covered. As much as we want to save a lot of things, it was already too late. We had a lot of stuff most piled or stacked on the floor and pretty much, it was too late to save them. The water was increasingly rising, and my mother, in all fairness despite being hysterical, decided to just evacuate our house as she feared that we might get trapped inside the house. At that time, water was already on knew level inside our house, pretty much if you go outside our house, the water is on the hips already. My parents and I decided to pack important stuff as things were not looking good. It was an odd feeling when I was thinking what to pack. Sure, money, wallet, important and valuable things (like my new camera), but it was just odd that I was there trying to pack things as everything was about to end. I'm not suppose to be in this position, but it was really happening. It wasn't a dream. It was like a preview on how the world will end. I placed everything on a plastic bag and we tried to exit to the door, but the flood was rushing too fast and we can't get out. We were dead stuck.

My father decided that we exit through my sister's room. She wasn't at home as she was on duty at Tagum. While my father was taking out the windows, the flood caused my sister's bookshelf to collapse and the water swallowed all her nursing books. Around that time, a song in my head was playing, that type of song that plays when everything is all lost. We didn't really know how high the flood would get, all we felt that everything was lost. But before we coud get out, Idemanded that we saved the computer as I just can't let it get drown. Me and my father escalated the computer but putting it on top of a table and placed the CPU and printer on top of the already elevated refrigerator. My father cut down the screen with the use of a knife. After that, we finally went out through the window. The water was on chest level already. The chairs on our terrace was already floating, clogging the entrance of our terrace. Thanks to our grills, we were able to slowly climb through our roof. And there I was, for the first time, in our roof, looking over our surroundings covered by flood. The water was still increasing. Me and my mother was settling down while my father went down again to check on my grandma and tita on their house next to us. I checked on Facebook through my phone and notice that no one was actually talking about any flood. I thought it was a city wide flood but I guess it was only in our area. My father assisted my grandma and tita to get to a higher ground and me and my mother helped my grandma and tita climb to the roof as the flood had already reached the 2nd floor of my grandma's house. I was still posing some status in Facebook, maybe hoping will know that somewhere around Davao some people are isolated by high flood.

There was still small rain pouring down, but I couldn't care. It was really a bad dream gone true. I still can't believe it was happening to us. The feeling that your own livelihood is slowly disappearing right before your very eyes as the flood is swallowing it. So many thoughts were popping out in my head. What stuff got wet? What happened to the computer? Are we going to be poor? Would I still be able to take the board exam? Is this the end of everything I planned to be? I just couldn't think straight that time. My father decided that we go to our grandma's house as the flood stopped getting higher. We pass through the window and there I saw the first floor of my grandma's house becoming a huge swimming pool. It was moment's like those where I wish I have a camera. Oh, I have one, but it didn't have battery. We were settling ourselves as the flood was slowly going down. It was already 3 in the morning. I lied down my tito's bed as my father said to rest. I guess it was his own way of trying to say it's going to be a long day. Good God it was. But as a lied down, I don't know if I would be able to sleep. I used one of my "sleeping techniques" to fall down asleep. As my eyes closed, all I knew was that the bad dream...was still going on.

To be continued.....