There are students dressed in their house colors, be it burgundy and gold, green and silver, black and yellow or silver and blue.

There are witch’s hats, perched atop heads here and there, accompanied by cloaks and wands.

There are even a few house elves waiting anxiously to get into the theater — and this was two hours before the movie even began.

Harry Potter, which began as a children’s series, has quickly captured the hearts of more than one overgrown child and gained popularity — and sometimes disdain — worldwide.

The premier of the series’ latest movie, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” was Tuesday night at midnight, and fans turned out in swarms. Many of those same fans will line up again July 21st at midnight and wait patiently to take home their very own copy of the seventh and final book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

According to Jessica Lawrence, a graduate student in entomology who attended the premier and plans to be in line the night the book is released, the magical creatures and characters are what caught her attention about the series.

“I didn’t actually like [Harry Potter] until one of my friends drug me to [the third movie],” she said. “And after the third movie I went and bought the first five books in hardback.”

An avid reader of science fiction and fantasy novels, Lawrence has about six bookcases full of books right now, and said she would have another full one if she had room for it. But of all her collection, she said Harry Potter is definitely one of her favorites.

“It’s written so well and so many things tie in so well,” she said, referring to the connection J.K. Rowling made between characters attributes and their names, among other things.

Lawrence even went so far as to buy a pet that looks like one of the main characters: Sirius Black’s animagus form. An animagus is a witch or wizard who can take the form of a creature, and Black’s form is a dog named Padfoot — Lawrence now has a blue pit bull, which she said reminds her of him.

Caitlin Cashman, an alumna who is now studying theater education at Appalachian State, said she is counting the seconds until the final book is released. But she won’t be waiting in line this go around, because her mom, who works at a bookstore, is just going to grab a copy for her. Then she said she has a long night ahead of her before heading to a friend’s party in Blacksburg, Va. the next day.

“I’m planning on staying up all night, reading it, taking a nap… and then waking up and driving to Blacksburg,” she said. “[Her friends] were like, ‘You can just read it later,’ and I was like ‘No, you don’t understand.'”

Cashman was also one of those who rushed to see the premier of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” but she said she didn’t dress up.

“I did get there early so I could get a seat but I didn’t dress up or anything,” she said. “I’m a nerd but, I dont know, I just didnt feel like dressing up and having my friends make fun of me.”

Lawrence, however, did dress up, donning a “I speak Parseltongue” Tshirt and a time-turner necklace. In the series, Parseltongue is the language of snakes, and is an ability Harry Potter possesses. A time-turner necklace allows its wearer to travel back and forth through time.

But Cashman said most of her friends are just as nerdy when it comes to Harry Potter as she is, so the taunts are few and far between. And she used to be the one giving it to them.

“I was in middle school. I remember I was never a big reader and I kept on making fun of my friend because she was obsessed with Harry Potter,” she said.

But finally, she gave the books a try.

“I picked up the first one, finished it, picked up the second one, finished it, picked up the third one — because those were the ones that were out — and I became obsessed,” she said. “My friend was like, see I told you.”

And though the latest movie, which runs about two-and-a-half hours, did cut pieces out of the book, which has a hardcover edition page count of 768 pages, neither Lawrence or Cashman were too disappointed. Cashman said she thought it was one of the best movies yet, and that it was a movie meant for people who had read the book. Lawrence was glad they got most of the main points, pointing out that a good deal of key events were left out of “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.”

As for the new and final book, Cashman said she is prepared to be heartbroken when it is all said and done.

“Oh yeah I’m going to be a total dork and cry. I mean I’m already going to cry because I know people die in it,” she said. ” But most people have grown up with Harry Potter and read them… and now it just ends. This sucks. This is the end of an era.”