<p>I am still mourning Dobby. I wanted a much more happier ending for him. I loved the turning of Kreacher. How did he get to Hogwarts? But there he was leading the elves in fight. Colin upset me, and the twins...oh boy, I am still trying to gather that in my brain. It was a wonderful story. A great adventure. I loved every minute of it and can't wait to see the interpretation on film. I loved the character Snape in the movie version. He is who I envision Snape to be as I read. I will hate saying good bye to him on film as I hated to see him go in print.</p>
<p>Yeah really (why not Percy instead of Fred), although I loved it when Percy burst in shouting "I was wrong!" I had hopes for him although they've been somewhat dashed by the brief mention in the epilogue of him being officious at the Hogwarts train. I guess I kind of hoped that Fred's last words to him about finally making a joke again would mean that Percy would join George later.</p>
<p>After Harry looked at all the memories, the meaning of Snape's last words to Harry, "Look at me," made me cry the most.</p>
<p>Yes, Zimmer. He passed him the memory, but I think that Snape wanted to look in Lily's eyes again. Did you get that from it?</p>
<p>I took it both ways, but more the second way - look at me and understand and look at me, I want to see Lily one more time. Both made me cry (I'm such a crybaby!!).</p>
<p>Okay, I teared up just then. :)</p>
<p>Harry did honor Snape's sacrifice in the end. I just loved this book. I really did. I think I am going to have to look through it again or read it again at a slower pace.</p>
<p>Me too. I could be wrong, but I vaguely remember Snape using his doe patronus in OP, maybe. I'm sure that lots of connections will be more evident when I re-read the series from the beginning. But I need a breather first!</p>
<p>
[quote]
Why oh why couldn't it have been Percy instead of Fred?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>YES! :D</p>
<p>Also, Kreacher works at Hogwarts, Harry told him to in book 6.</p>
<p>Thanks for the Kreacher update. I did not remember that info.</p>
<p>I didn't really like the epilogue - it seemed a bit trite to me. I am interested to know which characters got reprieved and which was the unexpected death. I think Hagrid was probably one she intended to kill off, but didn't.</p>
<p>I loved Snape - I won a bet with my 70 year old father that he was good. =) </p>
<p>I lol'd at the "snape ran away faster than when confronted with shampoo" line.</p>
<p>I loved this book. I do agree that the parts with Hermione, Harry, and Ron wandering were getting tedious, but I feel that was necessary to help show the reader just how desperate and dim the situation was getting.</p>
<p>I heard people say Harry would die, and I truly thought he would. That was where I cried the worst in the book (although I did cry during many, many intervals lol), but I thought in the back of my mind, ROWLING COULD NOT DO THIS! And my gut was right.</p>
<p>Snape I originally thought was good, but in the book I just knew he had to be bad, especially after the first part. Looking back on it now, there was some foreshadowing by Rowling as it was mentioned a punishment for Ginny and some others was going to the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid--Snape would have know that was no real punishment. I knew that Snape did not kill Dumbledore--rather Dumbledore had to die--but I thought it was a result of the potion in the cave--rather than the locket.</p>
<p>I loved the epilogue, and just the whole book in general. Rowling gave us one last glimpse of so much we have seen throughout the books--the Dursley's, Ministry of Magic, where the Quidditch World Cup was, Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, Hogwarts, Gringotts, etc. and wrapped the book up so nicely, that I feel rather content instead of feeling sad it is all over, although I still am a bit depressed at that fact.</p>
<p>Well, of course there has to be a new orphan (the young Tonks).... doesn't anyone else see the NEXT series (written by a partner, no doubt) coming?</p>
<p>Personally, my reaction was "well, she managed to pull it off!"</p>
<p>You know, it started out a children's fantasy book, and we grown ups took a ride on the train. Then as the characters matured, the book started to take on what the press called a "darker" side. But Book 7, I think, put it all back in it's place. It was indeed a children's fantasy book. Rowling did a great job with it. The death scenes in the book were not gross or overkill, and best of all, the kids who we loved, (the 3), they all survived and lived happily ever after. What a gift she gave to readers. I am just so pleased with this book.</p>
<p>I absolutely loved it. Rowling is a genius. I have been reading this book from childhood into adulthood and as I grew, so did Harry and the other characters!!</p>
<p>Cried when Harry was digging the grave for Dobby. Cried at the "Look at me" part . Liked the book a lot( with the exception of the "endless wandering" part).</p>
<p>I cried as Harry walked to his death with his parents, sirius and lupin.</p>
<p>I thought the book was poorly done in many ways. The main flaw was the King's Cross's chapter. Everytime dumbledore and HP discusss Voldemort things get confusing to a point that doesn't make sense. Throw in Lily's love plus a scar plus a wand plus a prophecy and an elder wand. </p>
<p>IMO, if it was longer it would have been better. The epilogue was WEAK. The death scenes were poorly done except for Dobby's. Just a few sentences here and there to explain Hedwig and Lupin's death. Just like, oh this guy's dead and next scene. No emotion or anything. There's much more I can write, but I am sure you all can think of more stuff.</p>
<p>I thought the epilogue was a bit stupid, in the "oh look how hunky dory everything is now" vein. I agree that is was a very weak epilogue (as many are).</p>
<p>I loved the book as a whole, but at parts it did seem that she just had to keep finding excuses for Harry to not die. I don't really get the sadness over Dobby's death, as I think it was very beautiful and exactly what he would have wanted, but Fred Weasley's absolutely broke my heart. I did cry at both, though (and Snape's memories...)</p>
<p>Regarding the "how did Kreacher get into Hogwarts" question, remember house elves can apparate there, while wizards can't. </p>
<p>I didn't find the scenes with Harry and co. wandering to be too slow paced, but then again, I wanted the book to last forever. </p>
<p>In the scene where Harry, Ron, and Hermione go back up to the headmaster's office and it says something along the lines of "but Harry was interested only in speaking with one of the pictures on the wall" for a split second I thought it meant Snape. He was just such a sympathetic character, I would have liked something there. I also, however, laughed out loud at the "he has the capability of running faster than Severus Snape when confronted with shampoo!" line.</p>
<p>What are the questions that you're all most curious about?</p>
<p>
[quote]
The death scenes were poorly done except for Dobby's. Just a few sentences here and there to explain Hedwig and Lupin's death. Just like, oh this guy's dead and next scene. No emotion or anything. There's much more I can write, but I am sure you all can think of more stuff.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I totally disagree. It was a time of war, Harry was on a mission and Hogwarts was under seige. There was no time for mourning. I liked the epilogue. It leaves my mind at ease that the wizarding world has healed (just the fact that it seemed Malfoy and Harry were at least semi-cordial.</p>
<p>Strangely, the "cleaning the Shire" section was always one of my favorite bits of LotR. I would have liked a longer epilogue, including a tad more about what the Boy Who Lived would go on to do for the rest of his life. Does he run a quicky-mart? Is he a suit in the Ministry of Magic? Did he invest some of his gold into the Weasley's magic pranks business and spend his time collecting dividend payments? Does Ron go on to selling cars to muggles? I need to know.</p>
<p>Oh, and I thought the book was fine. I'm glad I don't have tens of millions of people studying every detail of how I pulled together plot twists that cover over 1,000,000 words written over 17 years of my life.</p>