<p>I agree with the above. Harry had time to immediately grieve for Dobby, but did not have that luxury with Lupin, Tonks, or Colin.</p>
<p>I am guessing that Ron joined George in the business. I can't imagine George going it alone, and it would probably drive Hermione nuts!</p>
<p>As for Harry - I always imagined he would end as headmaster of Hogwarts. At the very least, the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher - assuming Voldemort's one-year curse has ended.</p>
<p>I agree, Washdad. Since the crowd is at the train seeing their kids off, it would seem that none of them are teaching at Hogwarts. So what is Harry doing? And since the 3 didn't "graduate" from their 7th year, having never gone, did they get jobs based on their heroics? What's Luna doing?</p>
<p>Here's a question I thought of when reading the part about Luna's father having acquired the Crumple-horned whatever. Hermione said it was an erumpient or something that would explode. I thought it seemed likely that the Deatheaters arranged that and were hoping it would blow up the newspaper.</p>
<p>I enjoyed the book but the absolute best was "not my daughter you *****!" I suppose this forum will edit that but what a great line. Which of us parents don't immediately sympathize with Molly, the essential mother, going into battle for one of her children !</p>
<p>I was surprised she did not identify the careers followed by the main characters (other than Neville). But on thinking about it, I decided that it really was in keeping with her priorities. She cared a lot more about who loved who, and who ended up with families, than with what their jobs were. I would have liked to have seen a glimpse of Luna, though.</p>
<p>
[quote]
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.
[/quote]
Writing is not for the thin-skinned. And the higher a writer's profile, the more intense the scrutiny of the work. The HP series was fun. It was not completely well done. JK, imo, is a much better story teller than she is a writer. </p>
<p>Her flaws--and all writers have flaws, though JK imroved a <em>lot</em> from the first book to even the second--include bald "author's convenience" plot points and awkward handling of info dumps, e.g., Snape's dying thoughts that he gives to Harry. Side note: for me, Snape is probably the most interesting character in the book and Dumbledore's clay feet as revealed in the last two books made him much more interesting. </p>
<p>Side note #2: virtually every woman I know, across several decades of age, goes weak in the knees for Alan Rickman, the actor who plays Snape in the movies. If asked if the would sleep with Rickman for a million dollars, several would reply "yes," but that it might take a while to raise the money. I refer to the Emma Thompson SENSE & SENSIBILITY as SNAPE IN LOVE, wherein Rickman plays Colonel Brandon.</p>
<p>The D has raised the issue that Snape's death is unsatisfying and upon a moment's reflection, I agree. It's very passive, a result of Voldemort's judgment, not of any action or decision of Snape's.</p>
<p>From HP fan connections, opinions about "bad" or "wrong" deaths seem to cluster around:</p>
<p>Dobby
Hedwig
Snape
Remus (in that it's off-stage)
Tonks</p>
<p>Hedwig's still annoys me the most but I agree with D about Snape. Dobby's I thought was handled well.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Side note #2: virtually every woman I know, across several decades of age, goes weak in the knees for Alan Rickman, the actor who plays Snape in the movies
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Not me, I think he's gross, at least as Snape.</p>
<p>I think Hedwig's death was unnecessary. Pets dying in fiction is always traumatic for me, they're so innocent and uninvolved. </p>
<p>Fred's, though...I don't think people give him proper respect. Poor, poor Fred. He was the only character that died in this book who has been beloved throughout the entire series. Though I loved Moody as well...</p>
<p>Why exactly did Harry feel that in order to accept death, he had to not fight? I'm sure I should get that right away since she spent so much time explaining that whole so I'm a little embarrassed to have to ask.</p>
<p>The idea was that Harry himself was a horcrux. So, in order for Voldemort to eventually be destroyed, Harry had to be destroyed himself, just like all the other horcruxes. So, he let Voldemort kill him</p>
<p>Yeah, it was evident to all the obsessive readers that Harry was a Horcrux. However, I think that JK palmed a card: if Harry is killed, destroying the V horcrux in the process, then there is still the original non-horcrux fragment of V's soul in the living (if you can call it that) V body. Which would be very very vulnerable, just like any other entity, with hocruci no longer providing back-up.</p>
<p>thanks hotpiece (first time I've ever typed that word!). But if all the other horcruxes needed to be "killed" by special means (the sword, the basilisk venom), why could the Voldermort part of him be killed by a wand? The snake had to be killed by the sword, after all. Plus, wouldn't it have made more sense for him to try to kill Lord V and then manage the Lord V part that was in himself, by himself? And if he failed to kill V, then V would have killed him, so it's a win either way, right? He had more of a chance to kill V than anyone else did. (And am I taking all of this too seriously !?!)</p>
<p>Well, I cannot resist throw my thoughts onto the pile....I will go on record as saying I found it to be a very, very satisfying read. Yes, the wandering was a tad too long, but, it seemed to echo their school year......so in lieu of a final year at Hogwarts....they had a final year on the road... perhaps we can call it a "gap year?" I think the strain of searching needed time to percolate for Ron to get fed up and bolt......for time apart.....for a sense of relief to have him back at Harry's side. I loved that Harry, Ron, Hermoine and Neville all destroyed a horcrux....I do wish that Ginny could have also destroyed one instead of one almost destroying her! My youngest felt that Ginny was almost inconsequential in this book and I have to agree.....when she stayed for the fight at the end of the book, I did expect her to have a specific impact on taking out someone, ie Draco or Lucius....Neville really grew leaps and bounds in his confidence and leadership. Liked his evolution the most. </p>
<p>I always believed that Snape was good....and yes, the line "look at me" as he died was the saddest moment for me. He wanted to die with Lily in his minds eye.... he was the ugly duckling....who mastered his studies but lost the girl.....it would have been too trite perhaps to have had Petunia pine for Snape, but, one could imagine what one might see if a memory thread of hers was available, yes??? </p>
<p>I loved the idea of Ariana being afraid of magic and "stiffling" herself which in turn led to her madness. And Harry's view that the Dursleys kept him inside because he could do magic and Ariana was kept inside because she wouldn't do magic.. classic example of how JK takes her readers on such unexpected detours along the way. </p>
<p>One of my favorite aspects of this book was the introduction of the Hallows... a brand new quest..... we all knew we would be going after Horcruxes... I did not envision another hunt..... and so it was something explained in Book 7, but, begun in Book 6 that took down Dumbledore....</p>
<p>I too wanted a merciful end to Percy.....especially after his "I was wrong" speech....not sure why it had to be Fred.....</p>
<p>I loved Harry digging Dobby's grave himself.....I totally love JK for that.. there was no justification to lose Lupin and Tonks except to set up a new orphan..... certainly seemed to me that all of the deaths during the final fights were almost footnotes. </p>
<p>We had a fabulous evening Friday night in Portland at Mugglefest....a charity fundraiser.... with a Hogwarts Express train ride to a large marina/warehouse....where DiagonAlley was set up....with all the shops and different activities for the kids.... a sorting hat (moms were asked very difficult questions and often ended up in Slytherin!! whereby the kids were all delighted to be in Griffindor!) They had hired actors/actresses to portray all the main characters and sold autograph books for $1 for the kids to use and go around and get the signatures of Harry, Sirius, Professor Lockheart, Professor Umbridge etc etc...wonderful dementors, house elves, it was a delight (though a bit hot) anyway, some of my youngers friends (10 and 11 yrs of age) were speculating what they expected in the final book when we went out for a late pizza while we waited for the stroke of midnight.....and that is when the young ladies told me their expectation for Neville to kill Bellatrix , most definitely NOT Mrs. Weasley. </p>
<p>My hubby just came downstairs....he is the last to finish.....so, now we can talk freely about the book.....we only got 2 copies this time...and there are 4 of us.... my youngest and I both wanted our own copies....the oldest son and my hubby were willing to wait til we were finished.... however, they were a tad like buzzards waiting for us to finish.......I did pick up a set of CD's for the book also..... so, I am looking forward to a 2nd pass thru the story....because I also am very fond of Jim Dale.</p>
<p>I'm not sure the snake had to be killed with the sword; it was just the tool available to Neville at the time. Remember Harry contemplating aiming his wand at the snake to kill it, but deciding against it because he knew all the Death Eaters would aim theirs at him?</p>
<p>Sword still bothers me. How did Neville have it in hand? The goblin was not nice, but still seemed sympathetic towards Harry (who wouldn't, after he buried Dobby the old-fashioned way?). Still, no clue how the sword was able to leave the vault and be with Neville. (Did I miss something?)</p>
<p>I too felt the epilogue was cute but not informative. I thought some of the deaths at the end were not necessary. I absolutely loved Neville's grandmother and Molly doing battle!</p>
<p>Also, Malvoy and parents still seem like enemies, tho Harry saved M twice, and the mom saved H at the end.</p>
<p>The sword will present itself to any worthy Gryffindor.</p>
<p>I think that the sword "knew" it's true owner- the worthy Gryffindor, and when it was needed must have vanished from the goblins. Perhaps the goblin-made objects "understand" their ownership better than the goblins do.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Side note #2: virtually every woman I know, across several decades of age, goes weak in the knees for Alan Rickman, the actor who plays Snape in the movie.
[/quote]
/me raises hand: hot for Rickman-Snape.</p>
<p>OK I'm going to ask a really stupid question. Perhaps my brain is addled from non-stop reading this weekend but... what was the "cowering figure" under the chair in King's Cross?</p>
<p>MM: Tom Riddle (dec.)</p>
<p><strong>Raises hand with new question</strong>
The Deathly Hallows were created by the Peverell brothers. Marvolo Gaunt said the stone/ting was a family heirloom making the Peverells part of the Slytherin line. We also read that James inherited the cloak from family. Wouldnt that make Harry a descendant of Slytherin or am I missing something?
I think Snape being good and the Harry Horcrux lines were predictable. the Dumbledore/Grindelwald thing was a nice addition as was the Hallows concept although I found the forrrest boring. I guess it was neccesary because it set up some clues for the rest of the book. I think Severus Snape is my favorite villian/anti-hero in literature, period.</p>
<p>
[quote]
wouldn't it have made more sense for him to try to kill Lord V and then manage the Lord V part that was in himself, by himself
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure Dumbledore tells Snape that Harry has to be killed by Voldemort. JK doesn't really say why, but I'd imagine Harry commiting suicide would not go over well with parents at all. But part of it may have been the need for the deep elemental magic that comes from willingly giving one's life to save another. </p>
<p>
[quote]
I think the strain of searching needed time to percolate for Ron to get fed up and bolt....[etc]
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I felt during Order of the Phoenix that JK does this on purpose. People can write entertaining things about a bored character or amusing things about a depressed character, but she doesn't do this with Harry. If Harry's miserable, she wants you to be miserable. If Harry's bored and frustrated, she wants you to be bored and frustrated.</p>
<p>The Gaunts could be descended from both Slytherin and Peverell without those lines being at all related. For instance, Marvolo Gaunt's mother could be descended from Slytherin while his father could be descended from Peverell. So there's no real reason to think the Potters are descended from Slytherin simply because they are descended from Peverell. Regardless, Harry and Voldemort are related through the Peverell line.</p>