And just like that, it was all over.

The applause came slowly at first; it was awkward for everyone in the audience. Harry Potter, who has enchanted minds since 1997, slowly faded off the silver screen and into our memories.

The knot had been tied on the fasting-selling book series and its cinematic counterparts, but it just didn’t seem right. The aurora of magic and mystery, which had spellbound hundreds of millions of people for over a decade, was now over.

Saying goodbye to the fantasy that allowed each of its readers to escape their Muggle lives and traverse dimensions into the world of Hogwarts, Quidditch, and Albus Dumbledore is tough, but finally, the big screen Potter has done J.K. Rowling’s brilliant novels some much-needed justice.

This series finale is a celebration of all that Harry Potter was.

Unlike past Potter films, the final installment leaves behind the drudgery of the laws that govern the wizarding world. Of course, the films were bound to the plots of the correlating books, but much-needed fast-paced action was definitely lacking from films one through six, as the stories were simply piecing together an untold prophecy.

While the first three quarters of the series were paced slowly and sped up only with the pivotal final battle between the story’s protagonist and antagonist, Deathly Hallows threw action-packed battles at the audience in every which way. The destruction of each horcrux left audience members clinging to their seats, and the combat between Harry and his enemies was breathtaking.

Magical warfare took center stage as even Neville shattered the feeble perception of himself with his courageous actions. Special effects-wise, this movie shines brilliantly as well, especially in 3D.

What made this movie better was that it managed to create a perfect medley of virtue, morality, love, and destruction without sacrificing the values it worked so hard to muster up in the previous installments. Dumbledore’s final words echoed throughout the story as Harry discovered the truth behind his scar, his mother’s death, and his connection to Voldemort.

More importantly, the series finally grows up and focuses on what Rowling says is the main theme of the series: death. Instead of dancing around the topic, Deathly Hallows approaches it maturely and effectively.

The wizarding war between the savage Death Eaters and Hogwarts was particularly riveting, as the film took defensive measures, artillery and combat to entirely new levels. The Terracotta-like soldiers and the force field were brilliantly brought to life, providing beautiful visuals. In this rare case, Rowling’s words failed to bring justice to an epic scene.

As characters like Dumbledore, Snape, and Harry captured fans’ hearts with their beyond believable charms, potions, and heartfelt messages, Potter fever spread like mad.

Overnight campouts for a book that would shortly be available in any public library were not rare when it came to Rowling and the magical world she created.

Potter was as much a part of our generation as the Beatles were to the 60s and hairdos were to the 80s, so as you Harry Potter fanatics weep for the end of your beloved heroes’ journey, view the situation in a positive light: It has been a great 14 years.