Amber Lilley, 15, and Brittany Wooten, 16, arrived outside the Rave theaters in East Ridge at 11 a.m. Tuesday and sat outside.
“It’s important for us to be at the front of the line,” Amber said. “Harry Potter is something we have grown up with.”
Throughout the day a steady stream of fans showed up to await the midnight screening of the new Harry Potter movie, “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,” the sixth film based on the books by J.K. Rowling. The film opened nationwide at midnight.
“Harry Potter was the first boy I fell in love with,” Brittany said.
Just behind them in line was Ana Prieto, a 15-year-old from Brazil who recently moved to Chattanooga.
“I’ve loved Harry Potter since I was seven,” she said. “It’s a childhood dream all put together in books, and now they’re movies.”
Some eager fans started gearing up for the new movie early Tuesday morning at the Northgate 14 Cinema’s Harry Potter Marathon.
“I wanted to watch them one after another,” said Jacob Miller, a 15-year-old from Birchwood who attended.
Marathon viewers arrived at 9 a.m. to catch the first film in the series, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Upon arrival, they received a schedule for the film showings as well as a day pass. While some dressed up, others brought pillows and blankets to ensure their comfort for the day. After the initial film, fans were treated to an intermission and a complementary lunch from Quiznos.
“It’s a great crowd,” said Morgan Howard, a 14-year-old Chattanoogan. “Everyone in the theater quotes their favorite lines.”
As people refilled their drinks and popcorn before the screening of the second film, the midnight release was on their minds.
“We are all really excited,” said Jennifer Riddle, a 34-year-old from Chattanooga.
Most avid fans cited attending the midnight release as more of a necessity than a choice.
“I want to be the first in the know,” said Abby Meyners, 14, of Chattanooga. And after all, “everyone is going,” she said.
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