The Harry Potter Franchise Has Finally Run Its Course

Another July 31^st has come and gone – leaving both J.K. Rowling and her infinitely famous creation Harry Potter another year older. Hopes were high across the Internet that Ms. Rowling planned to grace humanity with yet another Harry Potter book as a gift to Mr. Potter himself. Alas, the day is gone and no book is to be seen. Are Harry Potter fans getting greedy? And should J.K. let the series sit as it is?

Rowling introduced Potter and his posse back in 1997. The little eleven year-old wandered into Hogwarts and nothing was ever the same. Since then, the books and movies have accumulated a cult-like following, with every book in the series reaching bestseller status. And let’s not forget about the Harry Potter theme park that sprung up in Florida – people seem to be happy about that, too.

But perhaps these things aren’t enough for Harry Potter enthusiasts. No, an amusement park isn’t enough. An online platform won’t cut it. Even thousands of pages of re/reading material is too little for some of them. They want another book. Heck, they’d take as many books as they could get. And, of course, Rowling is feeding into their hopes.

In early July, she posted via Pottermore (her online Harry Potter outlet that keeps readers mercilessly obsessed) that there was a possibility of a new book release. This was all delivered through the voice of Rita Skeeter – a notorious gossip columnist in the books. So when Skeeter hinted at Book #8 – saying: “My new biography, Dumbledore’s Army: The Dark Side of the Demob will be available from Flourish and Blotts on July 31^st,” – should she have been trusted?

Her tendency to rustle up scandal and controversy appears to have been swept under the rug by all of these wishful followers. They shrug off the inability to trust Miss Skeeter, choosing instead to believe in a glorious future for the Potter series. Would you trust a contractor after he’s let your new home sink into the swamp? Of course not. And yet, people desperately latched onto her words like leeches onto human flesh. Sites all over the web reported the news – I mean, rumors.

Even if Skeeter isn’t pulling our legs (unlikely) and Rowling actually is setting up some real-life release hype, should we be so excited? Rowling has given us tidbits of Harry’s future on Pottermore, and it really isn’t all that magical. He’s graying and his marriage strays from perfection – the youthful elegance has been passed on to newer generations.

So I am going to come out and say it: Harry Potter has run his course. Fans are greedily hoping for more when, in reality, they might not be very happy with what follows.

I can’t deny that the series is incredible – Rowling wove a surprisingly intricate storyline and filled every page with enchantment and wonder. I can’t even tell you how many all-nighters I pulled from craving every last page. Cheers to J.K. for delivering a collection of masterpieces.

But now it’s time to quit. Leave Harry Potter to bask in the glow of his youthful glories. Let us remember Quidditch matches won and Dark Lords defeated. Cute, childish crushes and blooming adolescent love – these are the things we should hold onto. Let’s not corrupt the magic with elderly woes like gray hairs and marriage problems.

For all of you who think I’m crazy – who are cursing me for blasphemy right now – I challenge you to forget about Book #8. Re-read the existing stories a few more times before you declare the story unfinished. Memorize the words, if you’re so inclined. Soak up the action and let your heart throb with the romance. Find satisfaction in all the countless triumphs and tragedies occurring in books 1-7, and let that be enough.