By Konstantine Vrazhilov

This past summer was the three-year anniversary of the last time I read a book. When “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” was unveiled, I waited in front of my local Barnes & Noble on the night of its release. I then snatched the (supposedly) last installment of my favorite series a few agonizing minutes after midnight. Before the next midnight hour rolled around, I was finished with the book. It was a euphoric and grievous moment.

In a recent interview with Oprah, author J.K. Rowling said that upon finishing writing the last book in the series, she found herself “unprepared for the psychological shock.

“It was huge, although I knew it was coming,” she said. “Initially I was elated, but then I cried like I haven’t cried since my mother died.”

That’s funny, because I, too, cried uncontrollably, (age 15) in ways I haven’t cried since my pet parrots flew out of the house forever, upon finishing the last book. So traumatizing was the experience of Harry Potter being “over,” I’m not too surprised I’ve stopped reading. What is surprising is the fact that I haven’t attended any therapy sessions to cope with the emptiness I feel.

But seriously, why shouldn’t there be another book or two in the series? In that same Oprah interview, J.K. Rowling confessed that she also misses Harry and would not rule out writing more books in the future. “I’m not going to say I won’t,” she said, but she would not comment any further.

The arguments against more novels are old and repetitive. They consist mostly of complaints about future books being potentially lackluster, causing the Harry Potter series to be commercialized and ruined. How can you predict the quality of future books? J.K. Rowling is a capable author who understands the value of the series of novels that made her into an icon. She would not compromise that for more money—she has enough! I think Harry Potter fans worried about the merit of more books should trust her judgment.

As for the topic of future books, I ask that you recall the “Deathly Hallows” epilogue. Only a handful of pages informed readers that Harry and Ginny married and had three children. Ron and Hermione had done the same and had two. Numerous new characters were introduced. The potential for new storylines is limitless. Of course, the seven years in Hogwarts for the original gang are over, but their lives and those of their children continue. If Rowling wants to write more Harry Potter books I’d be happy to start reading again. I just hope this interview wasn’t a publicity stunt to build excitement for the first part of the “Deathly Hallows” movie, coming in November. That would be just cruel.

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He May Be The Boy Who Lived, But Nobody Can Live Forever

By Diana Denza

As an avid Harry Potter fan, I tuned in to J.K. Rowling’s appearance on Oprah. I found the interview interesting and informative, until Rowling said there is a possibility she will continue her beloved series. I won’t lie, I was shocked, and not in a good way.

Let me explain: I grew up with the Harry Potter series. I went to the midnight book release parties dressed as Hermione—wand, robe, broomstick and all. You could never imagine how difficult it was to style my straight hair into an unruly mess of frizz, but I somehow managed with curlers, wads of hair gel and super stick hairspray. My friends and I went to pick up the seventh book at midnight believing it was truly the end of the series. I thoroughly enjoyed the last book, mourned the ending of the series, and  I moved on. It took a lot of time and even more tears, but I eventually pulled through and got to a place of closure that more books would ruin.

Don’t get me wrong: Harry Potter will be something I cherish for the rest of my life. After receiving closure through the epilogue of book seven, the series does not need to be tampered with. Good triumphed over evil in the last book; Voldemort is dead. Though the books were well-researched and written, captivating audiences around the globe and defining our generation, the series had a clear beginning and a finale that tied up the loose ends. And I really don’t want to read Harry Potter take two, or read about the new kids’ time at Hogwarts.

Even the most well-respected geniuses of our time have stumbled over sequels. “Love Never Dies,” Andrew Lloyd Weber’s sequel to “Phantom of the Opera,” bombed with critics and audiences alike. The play fell flat, received terrible reviews, and didn’t even make it from London to New York. Though Weber is considered a Broadway legend, he ended up tainting his original story by opening up story lines for the sequel that had already been tied up.

When you get to that point, the story didn’t need to continue, and it seems as though Weber basically continued it not for his audience, but for his own purposes, because the original made millions.

I’m not saying that if Rowling decides to write more Harry Potter books, they will be bad. I do believe that she does, there is a good chance they will not be able to live up to the greatness of the original seven. Rowling is one of my favorite authors ever, and I will be one of the first in line if any more books do come out, but I can’t shake the feeling that I will end up being terribly, terribly disappointed.