The final chapter of Harry Potter is finally playing out on movie screens courtesy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, and I couldn't be more depressed. Oh, don't me wrong, I was happy as a clam to head out for a rare "mama's got a movie night" last evening. But the end of Harry Potter also means the end of Hermione Granger.
And this mama isn't seeing a whole lot of bad ass geek girls lined up in the coming releases for the next few months . . . or ever. J.K. Rowling did something with the character brought to life onscreen by Emma Watson that few authors ever bother. She gave two boys a life that wouldn't exist without the girl in it. And she made that girl a brainiac with bushy hair.
Harry would not have survived one single movie without Hermione's brain solving puzzles for him. He was the brawn (and the heart). She was the brain. Whatever "lessons" you take away from Harry Potter, this is what I'm taking away from this iconic series for my daughter:
1. Ron and Harry won't appreciate your smart mouth, but it doesn't matter when you're the only one who can mix up a real Polyjuice Potion. Real Life Version: Don't censor yourself because you want the boys to like you. It's better to have their respect than their adoration.
2. When the house elves need a champion, don't shy away from the task. The creation of Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare (SPEW) will save your life one day. Real Life Version: Be kind to everyone, even the "help." It's the mark of a good person to value all humanity.
3. If Ron can't see you as a girl, Victor Krum can. Real Life Version: Don't wait around for a dopey guy to figure out you're worth it; you deserve better.
4. When in doubt, hit the library. The really good stuff is in the restricted section, and you may need to borrow Harry's invisibility cloak to get at them. Real Life Version: Cool girls read books, the more challenging the better.
5. Being a Mudblood doesn't mean jack when you're the most talented witch at school. Real Life Version: Your past is just that. Leave it there.
Are you bidding a sad goodbye to the part Hermione Granger has played in making Harry Potter speak to the young girls of America? What has she taught you?
Image via popculturegeek.com/Flickr