It's Muggle Mania at the Midnight Showing of the Final Harry Potter Film

The Muggles started lining up at 2 p.m. Thursday at the to see the final installment of the Harry Potter movies, which would air at 12:01 a.m. Friday morning.

That’s 10 hours in advance. But they were prepared. Chairs provided by the theater, pizza from ’s across the way, soda, a portable DVD player to play other Harry Potter movies, and most importantly, friends. 

Who were these true blue fans and friends? Kristen Regenauer — dressed as Hermione, and sisters Sage and Melissa Moran, who were dressed as Voldemort and Molly Weasley, respectively. All are teens from Simsbury.

“She was paranoid about it,” said Melissa of her sister Sage’s desire to make sure they got a top spot in the line.

All said they started reading the books in kindergarten. Melissa, or Molly Weasley on this night, said she has read and re-read the books so often she has lost count.

Although they were the first to arrive, not long after, more of their friends showed up. And still more later — Sydney Ellis, Rob Heavner, Lydia Warters, Kate Barnett and Matt Pineau. All are from Simsbury and all were dressed up.

The two theaters showing "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" sold out last week, said general manager Jeff Padua, who was finishing up decorating the outside of the theater at around 7 p.m. One theater holds 300 and the other 200.

Nico Marino, who does plaza security at Simsbury Commons with SecurAmerica, was setting up orange cones earlier in the evening, to direct traffic. With 500 people coming, and many who may not be driving themselves, organization is key.

Padua said the last Harry Potter movie also sold out and it went well, but this time, since it’s the last film, he said it might be a bit more chaotic. The series, by author J.K Rowling about wizard Harry Potter, had seven books that were made into eight films. This is the final film of the series.

Also in the line was Chris Rau, from Burlington, who was there with his daughter, Allison, 10. Chris said he chose the Simsbury theater as he thought it would be a little bit more mellow than the Plainville cinemas, where there are more than twice as many theaters and Harry Potter is being shown in three. In Simsbury there are eight theaters.

“I love Harry Potter,” said Allison, who, like her dad was wearing a T-shirt from an area 2010 Harry Potter trivia contest where they made it to the finals.

Chris Rau said he thought 6 p.m. was a good time to arrive at the theater to make sure they had a chance for good seats inside.

“I thought 6 was pretty early,” he said, adding it was “just the right side of insanity.”

For Allison, whose bedtime is normally 10 p.m., this night was going to be special in more ways than one.

Little known fact, at 8 p.m. some theater staff in Simsbury were going to watch the film to make sure there were no problems with the copy. Padua said they only do this for big openings and they have the ability to fix problems on site. For openings like this they don’t get a copy of the movie until some time that day. Padua wasn’t going to be watching — he’s not a Harry Potter fan.

At at Blue Back Square the line started forming at 4 p.m. with teens Sarah Baldwin and Anna Minnes, both of West Hartford. They were allowed into the lobby of the theater at 5:30 p.m.

“You get to choose where you sit, and it’s the excitement of it,” Anna said.

Others at the West Hartford theater felt a mixture of happiness and sadness to see the final chapter of what for many of these moviegoers was a companion for more than half their life.

“I don't know whether to be really happy or to cry," said Margaret Fortner, from West Hartford, who was there with her friends, Ali Warhaftig and Blaire Kinsey, also from West Hartford. The teens came dressed as Hogwarts students.