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After a week that started with shenanigans and ended in three funerals, tonight was pretty great. I was supposed to go out of town but sadly my trip had to be canceled because of a dear friend's loss.

Luckily, despite most of the weekend being taken up by another loved one's loss, I was still able to get to the Harry and the Potters show at the NY Public Library (the one with the LIONS), in a gorgeous paneled room and featuring a horn section like at last summer's Astoria Beer Garden show. Without a doubt it was one of their best ever. Paul and Joe could not stop grinning and geeking out onstage, about being in that library, with that horn section, with Fortitude the Lion roaming around the room and taking their picture. It even caused a total meltdown during Song for the Death Eaters, but in their defense, my brain froze too; as they stared at each other in funny panic, trying to figure out the verse, I and Chaya were trying to remember the lyrics and came up blank, too. It's one of my favorite songs. Maybe someone cast a charm. :) Anyway, the whole thing was pretty amazing. Watch the joy:

Save Ginny:

And because SOMEONE had to capture this, The Lion Jams to the Weapon - sadly I missed the air guitar portion:

Also pics are here on flickr.

just cause:

As I edit, and look back on the time leading up to the seventh book, and the time right after, I find myself really nostalgic for Prophecy. That was the conference that happened right after the book, and the magic of it happened outside any panel or event - it was in the Leaky staff room at night or the totally insane Room of Requirement 514 party (I am still ASTOUNDED we did not get kicked out of the hotel. Astounded). And then I happened upon Andy's photo vid of the week and it just reminded me why I'm so blessed with the people who work on Leaky, whom I don't get to see often enough, but are collectively fabulous and individually awe-inspiring. Check them out:

And also watch Alex and Sam's re-enactment of Prophecy, because I laughed all the way through it.

ps: Alex, Sam, best dance party ever EXCEPT for the one in January thanks. :)

So, um, thank you Leaky readers, for pointing out that my book is on Amazon.com. I cannot describe what it's like seeing "author" next to my name.

My sister ordered three already. I wonder how many she'll buy before November.

ETA: And now my mother and my father are doing the same. If they have it their way this book will be a bestseller before I'm done editing it.

LOL - look how right I was - between my family and Leaky staff, and everyone they're tellng, the book only took a few hours to shave 1,517,000 posts off its ranking. HAH! I'm sure it will be back to normal tomorrow but still, I'm finding it hilarious. Of course, dropping the last 3,000 numbers, that's the hard part. LOL. You're all too funny. For a minute there we were hotter than Roget's Thesaurus. Whoooa, dude. Cool.