I could definitely sit ever going through every day of LeakyCon and tell you how fantastic it was and all of the madness and the tears and the laughter. But that would be a bit overkill and I don't think my emotions could take it. So I'm going to do what I do best and make a list. These were my favorite and most memorable moments at LeakyCon. Sorry if this is chaos. But hey, so was LeakyCon.
Tuesday:
- Getting picked up by a group of friends at the airport and going straight to Downtown Disney.
- Sitting around with said group of friends critiquing the Harry Potter films.
- Walking into the Royal Pacific for the first time.
Wednesday:
- Harry Potter and the Conflict Resolution Line.
- Meeting Abby.
- Seeing Scarlett Byrne, who plays Pansy Parkinson, about twenty times before realizing that she was an actor and not a mutual friend whose name had escaped me.
- Opening festivities. Seeing so many people I know and love on stage or on the screen. Paul DeGeorge snubbing one of the young HP actors for a handshake.
- Open at the Close. The build-up to walking in the park and just that moment where I felt like I'd fallen into the films. (Yeah, I didn't feel like I was in my beloved book-world, but more like the world the films had created. But it was still wonderful.)
- Meeting up with Hank, Katherine and their friend from college and going through the whole park together. (Some hi-lights being Hank NOT throwing up on me on Dragon Challenge, Katherine yelling "Son of a bitch!" as soon as the dragon opened its mouth on Forbidden Journey and seeing Lauren get chosen in Ollivanders.)
- Standing in line for about an hour to get free Butterbeer behind Starkid and with Hank. I'm thinking that the line would have moved quicker were I surrounded by any other group of people.
- The taste of the frozen Butterbeer foam and John making me take his non-frozen one because he said it was disgusting…which is sort of was.
- Sitting at a table in the Three Broomsticks with old friends and new friends.
Thursday:
- The panel with all of the young Potter kids.
- Finding Hogwarts. Seeing the culmination of the last few years of my friends hard work and getting to hug Bre, John, Rita, Frankie and everyone afterwards.
- Walking past a Potter Puppet Pals signing and have a line literally form in front of my eyes to take pictures with me or sign autographs. Insane.
- Live LeakyMug.
- The film. Oh god. Seeing the film with nearly every person who has been a part of making my Potter journey so beautiful. Being in the same cinema as so many others who feel the same. Having Evanna, Scarlett, Starkid, the whole Leaky staff and everyone else in there. Having the young cast of the film two rows ahead of me while I watched them on stage and being told later in the evening that it was the best screening they went to because we were so genuine and expressive.
- Starting to cry the second Harry steps out into the Room of Requirement.
- The sounds of choked sobs, suppressed gasps, laughter and cheers.
- Talking animatedly about the film with Katherine, John and Hank as we walked back to the hotel. There was a lot of screaming.
- Night one of wizard rock.
- Spending the evening between meriting and the "VIP" section right behind the table.
- Playing limbo using Evanna's scarf with her, Starkid and tons of others.
- Eventually becoming friends with Scarlett and making plans to hang out when I move to London.
- This picture. Because Tom and I are being adorable and AJ is just passed out on the table and it makes me laugh a lot.
- The final Remus Lupins show. :(
- Bababa's with Eia and Andrew Slack.
- Passing out with about 20 people in the room and waking up to hilarious conversation with Hayley, Kristina and Eia at about 5am.
Friday:
- Live Pottercast. #LeakyCountry
- POTTERMORE. Oh my god, it's going to be so brilliant, guys. I cannot wait to sell my soul to it.
- The final Parselmouths show and going on stage to do weird things like tape streamers and throw party blowers. :D
- The best Whomping Willows show EVER.
- Evanna being all over the stage for Draco and the Malfoys and then playing bass for Harry and the Potters. So epic.
- Dancing on chairs behind the merch table with Abby.
- "That's why I watch porn, for the romance."
- Hayley signing Adam's "boob."
Saturday:
- Coming down early for the Luna, Percy and the Kids keynote and seeing people actually SOB after taking awkward group photos with Starkid.
- HP trivia contest between the actors.
- All of them talking about how cool it was to be in the cinema with such devoted, loving fans and knowing I was a part of that experience.
- Friends and family of Esther Earl meet-up. Meeting such a beautiful, kind group of people who are doing an amazing job at keeping Esther's spirit alive.
- Rosianna doing my hair for the ball.
- These people.
- Asking Rohan Gotobed, aka young Sirius Black, to dance with me. Getting rejected. By a 13 year old. Awkward. Then being told by everyone that "he'll regret in three years, just wait!"
- Dancing with Helena Bow and Ellie Darcey-Aiden, Rose Weasley and young Lily Evans, instead.
- This picture.
- Total Eclipse of the Heart. Three times.
- Post-ball chaos in Jake's.
- Eia coming over having caught a FROG. Convincing her to let it go because we could not take a frog home with us.
- So much love from all of my friends in one of my lower moments.
- After party in the Starkid suite and everyone insisting on "no sleep till breakfast." Until leaving before we all fell asleep on the floor.
Sunday was a day of exhaustion, sadness and goodbyes. The last day of cons is always the worst because I never feel like I get to say goodbye to everyone and it's just a lot of chaos. This was no different. I don't really have much going for me here in Seattle, so being around SO many friends at once, while a bit stressful, was just so wonderful for me. I had such a brilliant time and just thinking about it being over has me welling up.
I'd like to thank Melissa for being a warrior, the Leaky staff for following her lead and just every single person who made me smile over the week. And a special thanks to Kristina and Eia for letting me be a merch girl. Even though I sucked. I am so thankful for everyone and so happy that tons of you came up to say hello! If you were at Leaky, share your memories in the comments. If not, tell me what you thought of the film! I'm seeing it again soon and will have a video up after that.
Cannot wait for VidCon next week and Leaky 2012! (If we keep saying it, it'll be a thing, right? …Right?)
10 comments:
this sounds like the most amazing time in the world
That sounds so wonderful I've never gone to a Pottercon and I'm rather depressed about it. They sound like such an amazing thing to experience. Your dress for the ball was loverly :)
this pretty much sounds like the best time anyone could ever have! Gah, I'm so jealous. I wish I could have gone - curses! thanks for recapping, as I love the way you write about things. I can just imagine you saying it all. :D
I had such a great time!
It really felt the whole time as if I was going from perfect moment to perfect moment and through all of it, I learned so much about myself, others, and life in general. It sounds super cheesy and dramatic but LeakyCon has actually changed me as a person and has allowed me to become the person that I've always wanted and needed to be.
It's as if everything that happened at LeakyCon, everyone that I spoke to, and everything I did needed to happen for this to come about and it's absolutely amazing.
My highlight was meeting Hank after his set.
I was in my friends' room and suddenly we realized that it was already 8:30 and I thought that I had missed him perform which I felt a bit disappointed about but didn't feel awful about because there wasn't anything I could do. I eventually made my way down and was walking outside when two of my friends texted me at the same time, letting me know that Hank was startig, and to RUN! I did and made it just as people were cheering for him just before he started.
I danced near the back of the crowd with a friend and sang along and loved all the songs, even the ones to which I didn't know all the words.
During Accio Deathly Hallows I'm not really sure what came over me but I just started crying because of the fact that I was actually seeing him perform and he was so awesome live!
At the end of his set he said he'd be over at his merch table for a while so I just turned around and ran for my life to go get my copy of So Jokes that I had bought earlier in the day so I could have him sign it.
I got in the small line and started talking to a girl in front of me, who turned out to be awesome, and who was also in my picture with Hank.
After we got the picture taken, I said to him, "I didn't think I was going to cry but I started to cry—." And he just gave me a big hug and it was a perfect moment.
We then exchanged high fives and if you want to know why, you should find a physical copy of So Jokes and read the back. Hilarity will ensue.
Anyways, sorry for the long story but I can't stop gushing about LeakyCon, even to those who went, and I feel like those who went do want to keep talking about it and reliving moments(!) because they were all so perfect.
I saw you a couple times but you were busy with friends so I didn't say hi but I just want to say that I thought your hair looked awesome and I liked your ball dress!
Ah! I really wish I could have gone to LeakyCon! Reading all the blogs and seeing the videos about it make me feel sad and happy at the same time and I didn't even go...I can't imagine how it is for people that actually attended.
As for the movie, there were a few things that bothered me but they left my favorite line in when Dumbledore says of course it's going on in your head but why shouldn't that mean it isn't real. And they didn't mess up a Prince's Tale, so I was happy with it. :-)
Oh and I think it would make more sense to say LeakyCon 2013 since they've been alternating on the odd years and it seems more realistic to plan things out. At least, that what I keep telling myself. :-P
I'm really disappointed in myself. I have not devoted myself to the fandom as much as I should have. I seriously wish time machines existed so I could go back in time and tell younger me to make sure he somehow has money to go to the cons and everything. I have never been to a con...but I am determined to save enough money this year to go to LeakyCon2012, because, like you said, if we say it enough, it'll become a real thing.
"If we keep saying it, it'll be a thing, right?" This is my reasoning. I remind @leakycon2011 about LC2012 once every few days, just to make sure they don't forget how much we want it!
I'm so sad I couldn't come to it this year and I've never been to a con before, so I really need the opportunity next year for my HP life to be complete.
It sounds like you had such an amazing time! Thank you for telling us about it!
As for: "If we keep saying it, it'll be a thing, right?" ...I hope so! I've never actually be able to go to any of the HP conventions (er, any conventions really), and I'd really like them to have some next year so that those of us that haven't, could! :)
Maybe if we keep on talking about it they'll get the idea of how wanted it really is. :)
~ Katie
a) it sounds like you had a ton of fun, and though I'm very jealous, I'm happy to live through it at least a bit through your blog post.
b) I thought you were making fun of Rohan's young age in his last name (Go To Bed), but then I googled it and turns out that's actually his name. How very apt!
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