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Wizard bits

Odds and ends on the occasion of the final book's release
By SHARON STEEL  |  July 18, 2007

070720_poter_main

The last Potter: What does the end mean for Harry's strange Boston disciples?

What's in a name?
The Potter series has been translated into 64 languages. Here’s what the pubescent sorcerer is called in five of them:
1) Lithuanian: Haris Poteris
2) Bulgarian: Xari Potûr
3) Arabic: Hari Butar
4) Russian: Garri Pottyer
5) Japanese: Harii Pottaa

Throwback
People did enjoy reading serials before that Potter kid showed up. Here are five vintage titles:

1) The Time Quintet by Madeleine L’Engle: from A Wrinkle in Time to An Acceptable Time, Meg, Charles Wallace, and the rest of the Murray kids saved everyone, from their own father to entire planet.
2) Sweet Valley High by Francine Pascal: oh, those Wakefield twins. Did anyone actually care what Elizabeth thought?
3) The Fudge Books by Judy Blume: we like to think of Peter Hatcher as the Woody Allen of kid-lit.
4) The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin: raise your hand if Stacy McGill was your favorite sitter. Yeah, us, too.
5) The Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon: god, Nancy Drew was so much cooler than those bozos.

Lyric sheet
From Harry And The Potters’ “My Wizard Scar Still Burns For You”
Oh, Ginny Weasley
You’re so dreamy
Ginny Weasley
Ron’s gonna kill me

So you know that Voldemort is trying to kill me
And I don’t want you caught in between
Like Sirius Black and my mom and my dad
I don’t want to lose you
So I can’t see you
I don’t want to lose you
So you know I can’t see you

But my wizard scar still burns for you

From Harry And The Potters’ “The Foil (Malfoy)”
Your blood may be pure
But your heart is spoiled
You wouldn't be so tough
Without Crabbe and Goyle
Malfoy wouldn't be so cool if I wasn't around
I'm his enemy at school
He really wants to get me down

Draco Malfoy what’s your problem?
All your friends think you're rad
’Cause you treat me so bad
Draco Malfoy what’s your problem?
All your friends think you're rad
’Cause you treat me so bad

You think you’re so cool
’Cause youre Slytherin’s seaker
You're only that good cause you're a dirty cheater
You hate muggle-borns like Hermione Granger
I wouldn't be surprised if you became a Death Eater

Draco Malfoy what’s your problem?
All your friends think you’re rad
’Cause you treat me so bad
Draco Malfoy what’s your problem?
All your friends think you're rad
’Cause you treat me so bad


Midnight parties
Without the assistance of a time-turner, it’d be difficult to hit all of these Potter bashes at once. Choose your favorite July 20-midnight fête from the handy guide below. But remember, neither therapists nor Denial Spells will be made available if you spoil yourself with a sneak peek at Deathly Hallows’ epilogue. Repeat after us: celebrate now, break down later.

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