cdnbookslave

I am home now from the insanity of Harry Potter. I had no intention, nor was I scheduled, to stay clear to the end but I did anyway. Up until 9 things continued much as they had to that point when I wrote before. At 9 we sold vouchers until we kicked everyone out and the lineups were pretty crazy. Nothing like last time but I think people knew they didn't have to stand in line the same way this year. I think it only went to the Safeway when I took a picture. From 9 until 10 the people who knew what they were doing moved purposefully while the rest of us tried to be useful and largely milled around.

At 10 we opened the doors to a great rush of people screaming loudly. I recorded the image from the stairs but you didn't realize until later just how many people there really were. It was a solid mass of people from one end of the store to the other. Dementors guarded the books and some people set up camp at the pickup stations almost immediately. Most others milled around and looked at all the different stations. Some worked better than others and I ended up more frequently at the Great Hall (the restaurant) because I could get better shots there. I got once to the Magical Creatures but the crowd was so thick it was almost impossible to move and you couldn't step back far enough to take a decent photo. Still, I wandered from one end of the store to the other taking pictures until about 11:30 at which point I was considering leaving. I made the mistake of talking to Chris first though.

I asked him if it would be useful to have an extra pair of hands or if they were all set. Of course he came up with several things I could do. I got change for the sweets trolley a couple of times and then we set to getting the books ready behind cash. That was about 10 to midnight so it was getting close. I was directed to the pickup station in the health alcove to be another pair of hands. That was the craziest part of the whole evening. The thick, hot press of people all evening was insane but this was more intense than anything. The crowd poured at us and we quickly got a system going of taking the vouchers and handing out the books. We went through a ridiculous number of people and were done in about 15 minutes. We presold over 1300 books and even if half that number were in the store tonight then the speed was insane.

Once we'd killed the lines and the people were leaving, still more slowly than we might have preferred, we started trying to straighten the store and put the Harry Potter books on the 30% off display and get then stickered as such. Thankfully I managed a ride home with Krista or I might have been left walking at 1 in the morning. As it is, unscheduled as I was, I am expected back in the store at 9 in the morning. I'm starting to crash now but the degree to which I will be exhausted in the morning may be almost beyond comprehension.

So goodnight all. If any of you have started the book already, don't spoil it for me.

e.t.a. Additional staff/cast included Professor Sprout (Diane), Madam Hooch (Margaret) and Mad Eye Moody (Kris). Graham (Lockhart) and Priscilly (Trelawny) were absolutely wonderful and stayed in character all night. And Sirius Black, the dog, did make an appearance.