Pottermania swept the nation within the first 24 hours after the release of the latest Harry Potter installment, and students at St. Thomas have thoughts on the second-to-last movie in the franchise.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” obtained $24 million from its opening midnight screening, a record for the series, according to CBS News.

Freshman Sarah Haag saw a midnight viewing in Eden Prarie and said all 18 theatres were packed with dressed-up Harry Potter fans.

“I thought it lived up to what it said it was going to be like, and it was super scary,” she said.

Senior Katherine Hendricks had not seen any of the movies but knew many people who went to the midnight showing.

“I’ve just heard people being real excited for it,” she said.

Hendricks said fans of the books and films are flocking to the film because it’s the beginning of the end. Students have grown up with the films, so it’s the ending of a saga in some students’ lives.

But not everyone was as hyped for the film. Junior Andy Broderson did not see the film and has no plans to.

“I watched the first four, but haven’t seen any since,” he said.

Broderson also did not hear much about the movie.

“People on Facebook like it, I guess, but no word-of-mouth,” he said.

Broderson said he views the films and books as entertainment, but not much more.

The series finale, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” is expected to be released in July.

Ariel Kendall contributed to this report.

Nathan Spencer can be reached at spen9079@stthomas.edu.