At page 699, Proma Kholsa almost threw up. While reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the University of Michigan student and HP superfan simply could not stomach the drama playing out on the pages before her.

As she recalled in a recent Michigan Daily column, “My face was already soaked with tears, my body convulsing with hysterical sobs, but on page 699, I had to drop everything and run to the bathroom because I was sure I was going to be sick.”

Fortunately, the feeling passed, and she was able to complete the book.

Kholsa, the student newspaper’s senior arts editor, has long felt a strong connection to Harry and company. She is part of what her fellow staffer Ankur Sohoni previously dubbed the “Harry Potter generation.”

“I’ve been with Harry since I was eight years old,” she confirms. “That’s well over half my life, and for all that time, there has always been something to look forward to in the world of Potter. Even since the last book and the empty feeling of knowing it was the end, there was always this last movie. It was a pleasant, unreachable future, distant enough that I didn’t need to worry about losing Harry forever. But that day has come.”

In the Q&A below, Kholsa discusses what the series has meant to her, her hopes for the final film and why she is attending a convention in Florida to simultaneously celebrate its premiere and the “definitive end” to her childhood.

CB: For those who don’t get it, what is so wondrous about all-things HP?

PK: I think the wonder lies in how realistic the stories are, despite often being shunted into the “fantasy” genre. Sure, there are dragons and ghosts and people flying on broomsticks, but there’s also humor, romance and just the everyday adventure of being at school. What really got me personally was that this whole magical world is hidden from Muggles. I love the idea that it could all be real and we just don’t know it.

CB: Nineteen years from now (or thereabouts), what will you tell a child who sees the HP books on your shelf about what the series meant to you growing up?

PK: Harry Potter was, above all, my constant while growing up. There was always a book, movie or convention on the horizon. There was comfort in knowing that if something went wrong in real life, Harry would be there for me. Most importantly, a shared love of these books has introduced me to people that I would never have met otherwise. What started as a bond over Harry Potter has grown into true friendships that transcend age and location. The evidence of what these books have done for me lies in every text, phone call, conversation and hug that I share with my “fandom” friends. I will always be grateful for that.

CB: What are your hopes for the final film?

PK: My hope is that it will be as gritty and heartbreaking as the book, which is a daunting prospect, but that’s just what it has to be. By this point in the series, it’s not about kids at magic school. It’s about life and death. It’s a war story. Part 2 will have to be relentless to deliver on all the battle sequences and emotional gravitas that the book has. Honestly, I thought Part 1 was pretty much perfect. If that’s where the bar is, the final film will go above and beyond the hype.

CB: When the opening credits appear on screen, what will you be wearing and doing?

PK: I’ll probably be in Hogwarts uniform (adapted to Florida weather), though I’m still toying with the idea of dirtying up my white shirt and Ravenclaw tie so that it looks more like the Battle of Hogwarts than anything else. I keep saying that I’ll be crying as soon as the opening titles appear, but I’ll more likely be clutching my friends’ hands and trying not to blink in case I miss something. The tears will come later.

CB: Who is your favorite character, and why?

PK: I still find this such a difficult question. I always come back to Fred Weasley. It seems stupid because Fred and George always appear together, but if you’ve read the books as many times as I have you’ll notice that Fred always seems to have the funnier lines and the more significant actions. The twins in general are just hysterical. I’m a big fan of using humor to defuse tension, so I appreciate that about them. I also love Luna and Neville — Luna for never being afraid to be different and Neville for learning to believe in himself and becoming, essentially, a total badass.

CB: What is LeakyCon, and why is it the perfect event to be attending for this premiere?

PK: LeakyCon is a Harry Potter conference organized by the wonderful people behind The Leaky Cauldron, one of the foremost sites for Harry Potter news. I’ve encountered people and events by Leaky at previous conventions, and it sounds like they’re planning nothing short of an epic, five-day party for this convention. This includes an event with exclusive access to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter[at Universal Orlando] after-hours for attendees, screenings of the final movie, concerts, a ball and actual academic programming. For me, it’s the perfect place to watch the final film because it’s a last hurrah on so many fronts. It’s probably my last convention and therefore the last chance to be with a lot of people I’ve come to know and love in this kind of environment. It feels like a definitive end to my childhood.

You might also be interested in:

1. For today’s college students, ‘Harry Potter’ series made ‘nerdiness’ cool
2. Financially-strapped New York University student lives in school library
3. “O” generation says goodbye for now
4. A University of Missouri student wraps up last night’s GOP debate
5. Dubstep explodes within student music, dance scenes