it's not exactly a revelation that i am a huge and desperate loser.

I should probably update about the beach and other fun activities. But.

I just watched the full trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and admittedly, I got kind of excited.

I haven't been much of an HP fan for a few years now - basically since book 6 itself came out. Context must be given to realize where I'm coming from: I used to be head over heels for this shit. Circa 2005, I had countless discussions with my then-roommate S. regarding the likelihood that Remus Lupin and Sirius Black were lovers before Sirius was imprisoned, or whether or not from a cold-hard-facts perspective, every relationship Harry Potter might have as an adult would be predicated on bizarre perceptions of the world [raised in a closet, self-esteem issues from horrible family members, made to be the savior of the world, manipulated by grandfatherly bastard head of school, etc.] and therefore doomed to fail. Countless discussions. I also read fanfic. I will not disclose how much.

Anyway, I really fell off the wagon after book 6, because the writing seemed to tank - particularly where teenage romance was concerned - and because I didn't like how determined J.K. Rowling was to pair off all her characters in the most heteronormative fashion possible. Book 7 brought me back home for a visit, but I was basically out of the fold (and that epilogue was just a bad aftertaste). BUT.

I am excited for this movie, because of the following things:

- Jim Broadbent (even though I think he's not the best fit for Slughorn)
- Harry v. Draco (is the Room of Requirement scene cut? that'd stick in my craw.)
- Tom Riddle background scenes look really chilling
- I want to revel in Dumbledore's manipulative bastardom, even while it is meant to be perceived as kindly and wise direction

The main problem is that I am afraid to see this movie with Brock, because he will sneer and jeer at me when my latent fandom eagerness boils up in squeals. Ideally, I would love to see this movie with S., but Brooklyn and Pittsburgh are farther apart than my funds can bridge right now. ALAS.

Perhaps I can convince Anjani to see it with me.