Sometimes Hype is a Good Thing

I like hype sometimes. I loved the Harry Potter hype. I worked in a bookstore selling kid's books so I got involved in the hype. It was fun, big time. I did it for Order of the Phoenix, not spectacular but a learning experience, the event, not the book, the book I loved even if she did kill Sirius (and I have noticed, that it doesn't matter how many times I read it, he still dies) (dies in the movie too). Half Blood Prince was bigger, better, I think I had fun but frankly, I was too freaked and too busy, to actually remember much until after midnight. I left the bookstore after Christmas last year, but there was no way that I was missing the last book, so Deathly Hallows became my final (sniff) duty for the store. It was fantastic. I didn't have to be freaked, I got to spend time with my niece and my nephew, who absolutely rock.
My favourite parts of the night:
1. Getting my 3 Weasleys and Lucius Malfoy dressed for the night. Red spray on hair colour, dark marks, death eater masks, last minute shopping trips to Value Village.
2. I should probably set this up...I came as Molly Weasley, with knitting and a wrapped Christmas present. The plan was to give the Christmas present to the first other Weasley that came to the sorting hat and that's what I did. A very cute little boy, dressed as Ron arrived, and got sorted into Gryffindor and I stopped him and told him I had his Christmas present. He took the package and unwrapped it. It was of course a Weasley Sweater, red with a big W glued to it. He went off to join the activities. A little while later his mother came and tapped me on the shoulder, I turned around and there he was wearing the sweater, grinning from ear to ear and having his picture taken. His mother said "He's having the time of his life".
3. My nephew (who rocks) came as Lucius Malfoy and he basically ran the sorting hat. He has an unerring knack for reading how far or not far he can go with kids and parents. He never scared anyone off or disappointed anyone who wanted the whole loud, treatment. At about 9 he discovered that the sorting hat was a puppet and he started bellowing like the movie version of the hat every time he sorted someone. People were coming back to the sorting hat just to watch him go. It was great!
Now I am trying to decide how to fill my "free" time... I need something to hype. Any ideas?