The End of an Era: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II Premieres

It's all over; after seven bestselling books and 10 years of films, the Harry Potter story can go no further. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II premiered at midnight Thursday night, packing two theaters at the with fans old and young to witness the end of an era.

Some found the ending bittersweet.

"I sobbed for a good 20 minutes and am not ashamed," admits longtime fan and midnight viewer Samantha Blee.

Others thought everything had finally come together into a satisfying finale.

"Alan Rickman finally, after seven films, got the opportunity to act the pary of Snape, and he nailed it," said midnight viewer Laura Nieman. "I've never cried over a villain before."

No matter the reaction or expectation, the midnight audiences greeted each other as though they were old friends coming together for a reunion, complementing each other on their costumes and dueling with homemade wands.

Unlike , which was held on a school night in the middle of November, fans of all ages showed up in full costume. Some wore telltale round, black-rimmed glasses and drew lightening scars on their foreheads with eyeliner. More serious fans, like the Janoff family, showed up in homemade wizard robes and hats.

As the last scene of the movie faded and the final notes of the now famous score rang out in the theater, the audience applauded, but with a look on their faces that could only mean, "Now what?"

What will fans do now? Will they wear robes and Gryffindor scarves to casual Fridays at work? Will they drown their sorrows in butterbeer at Harry Potter World, the new theme park at Universal Studios in Orlando? Will they move on to Twilight (probably not an option for the most dedicated fans who, at the premiere, let out exasperated moans when the trailer came on)?

"I did decide that after the movie, I'd reread the whole series again," said Blee. "...and I have high hopes for Pottermore so I'm looking forward to that."

Pottermore is author J.K. Rowling's answer to the growing demand for, well, more Potter. The site launches in October and the goal seems to be to help keep the Harry Potter community going.

Regardless of future plans to quench their thirst for Potter, all fans will agree that there is only one way to sum up the end of the Harry Potter era:

Mischief managed.

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