@h PhEn's Confession Room: My Harry Potter adventure

Cherrie, my new friend told me about how crazy Harry Potter (HP) fans were for the past 2 years when J.K Rowling launched the sales of her books worldwide at the same time. She said that some are crazy enough to camp outside the major bookstores just to get the book early next morning. I don't really quite believe what she said so I went to "conduct a research" during my trip to KLCC the week before the launch.

True enough, the employee at Kinokuniya Bookstore told me how extreme these people were. He also encouraged me to come early on that day itself to get the free books. First 3 people gets a special edition HP book with the author's signature and it's PRINTED one..hello!! Then the next 10 people gets a free normal edition. That means, I must be in the top 13! What are the chances rite? Hmm, I thought of hiding in toilets or those corridors near the toilets etc but better not, let's be fair. I don't want to embarrass myself if I get caught.

So I decided to give it a try and be adventurous with these Harry Potter freaks. Btw, I have yet to read any HP books and I only watched the first movie. I got mixed up with the titles of subsequent HP movies and so I stopped watching them. Unless Cherrie lends me all her HP DVD movies.

I reached KLCC around 4pm and had my late lunch at the foodcourt. Was reading a book till 6pm then went to watch DIE HARD 4.0

After the movie, went surveyed around the ground floor if I can spot any HP fans. Guess what, you can really spot those HP fans. They are teenagers who carry bags as if they are going to camp outside KLCC for 3 nights. Bring such a big bag for what?? Throw at people when you start running?

Still long way to go before the books are on sale(700am) or the queue up session (530am) so I went to watch Transformers at 1155pm. Yes, at this point of time, it's pathetic that I haven't watch, shut up!

Before the movie starts, I was standing outside TGV watching the workers setting up the booth or whatever you call it. You are supposed to whisper the Gillyweed and Violet answer to the Fat Lady in order to get into the bookstore.

HP fans being shoo-ed away by the guards as the time was already 1130pm and they were gathering outside the bookstore.

Transformers were great!! Kick ASS movie althought I nearly fell asleep. Was too tired. Luckily someone was being nice. She slept whole afternoon and woke up at 11pm and accompany me throughout the night through SMS. After the movie, whole KLCC was empty and I was so tempted to cheat and hide in the one of the toilets.

Imagine I get caught and appear in newspaper for hiding in KLCC toilet? Bad...so I went out to the KLCC park entrance and rot with these HP fans.

Sorry for the lousy image, if you see properly, these 2 girls actually brought along their sleeping bags.

This group brought their laptop. For nuts meh??

This group of guys were playing Magic Cards, I think. Since young and until now, I don't understand the game and what's so nice about Magic Cards. I prefer BlackJack or CHO TAI DI!!!

This girl forgot to bring her sleeping bag so she just sleep on the floor.

Guess what? Alot of people were caught hiding in KLCC. I am not sure where they hide but most of the people who got caught were females. Those heavyweight contenders. I am sure you know why they decided to hide instead of queuing up. One of them who got caught was an uncle. I think that's sweet and horrible. Sweet in the sense that, he might be getting it for his children. Horrible in the sense that, he was trying to cheat while other teenagers were queuing up. For goodness sake, I am sure he can buy the book, rite?

Everytime someone get caught, the crowd will clap hands and shout,"Pergi belakang la..go line up behind..boo boo....!!!"

I was standing whole night so that I can get a nice position when guards open the doors. Throughout the night, I heard funny conversations among these crazy people. One of it was

Teenager 1: Hey, what would you do if you have magic like Harry Potter?
Teenager 2: Wah...good question. Never thought of that. I will make myself invisible and then walk past the guards and be the first to be in the line to get the signed book.

What a jabroni!! If I have the magic like HP, I would make myself invisible, go into Kinokuniya, steal the book and fly back to my bed with my broomstick. What for still want to line up? I got nothing to say about these fella. Damn stupid.

Another one was trying to strategise his plans on how to get in first. For example, using which staircase and which door etc. Come on la...it's purely depends on luck and what is there to strategise?

Around 5am, everyone was pushing each other and was standing behind the line. Once it's 530am, the guard stepped aside and said, "GO!"

Everyone dashed towards the door. The guy who was infront of me was reaching the door when someone pushed him to the side. He banged into the mirror. Hahaha..oops! It was very chaotic and you can hear all the guards shouting," Don't run. Don't run!"

Unfortunately, my way was blocked because a girl fell down and it caused a few fellas to fall as well. So there goes my hope of getting into top 13. I gave her a hand and then we ran again towards the escalator. Again, it was blocked. Know why? Some bastard dragged the dustbin and left it at the escalator so that those who were behind can't catch up with him/her.

What an idiot!! Malaysian Boleh or Harry Potter fan boleh!! Made my way up to 3rd floor and there you go. Look at the queue.