The Official Harry Potter SPOILER DISCUSSION Thread [Archive]

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WildWill

07-21-2007, 12:23 AM

Here, you wanna discuss HP without worrying about spoilers, go right ahead.

I'm not getting my book until tomorrow, but I already spoiled it for myself. I don't care.

Go ahead and talk amongst yourselves - but keep on your best behavior.

Kyo

07-21-2007, 12:28 AM

Can we post links to spoilers?

Near

07-21-2007, 12:35 AM

Well, well, finally. Thanks, Will.

I guess I don't have to alert on massive spoilers in this post..

Anyways, I found the Epilogue a bit of a disappointment.
First, I feel she went a bit overboard with the amount of children.

Second, having the couples from the 7th book be married is just too.. plain and unattractive.

Lastly, they didn't mention enough.
No professions, almost nothing about other characters, whatever.

The deaths which have most affected me are Dobby's and Snape's.
Snape was too pathetic, to be honest. I only felt for him because he was my favorite character.
And because of the chapter following it.
Dobby's was dramatic and stuff, so it made a nice impact.

Snape being good was no surprise, to be honest.

My favorite chapter was the prince's tale,
although it made me detest Harry's parents.

Tsk, Dumbledore was quite the power hungry man when he was young.

Oh yes, I voted for pretty darn good, as it had some elaboration on characters,
and answered many questions.

I found it a bit short.
As in, the entire Horcrux destruction voyage thing was a bit.. eh.

I found it too easy the way they found them.
Simply looked at Regulus' room's door and figured out everything?
Eh.

Oh well, I knew she'd get rid of the last Marauders in this book.

Kyo

07-21-2007, 12:41 AM

I didn't like what happen to Snape.

Harry Coming back to life was interesting ~_^.

Near

07-21-2007, 12:47 AM

I didn't like what happen to Snape.

Harry Coming back to life was interesting ~_^.
He didn't die in the first place.
There's no way to come back to life.

Kyo

07-21-2007, 12:50 AM

What I mean is he was badly injured SUPPOSEDLY dead then automatically OMG IM HEALED. I dun't know how to explain it. I'll start reading the book later and post what I meant.

Near

07-21-2007, 12:52 AM

What I mean is he was badly injured SUPPOSEDLY dead then automatically OMG IM HEALED. I dun't know how to explain it. I'll start reading the book later and post what I meant.
He wasn't even injured, I think.
The explanation is supposedly that he couldn't die because a part of Voldemort was in him.

Kyo

07-21-2007, 12:55 AM

He wasn't even injured, I think.
The explanation is supposedly that he couldn't die because a part of Voldemort was in him.

Something like that. I might have read it wrong.

Junior

07-21-2007, 01:01 AM

I can't believe it's already the end. =/ This book sure revealed a lot of things people have been wondering over the last 4 or so years.

I voted Pretty darn good.

Mist_Shinobi

07-21-2007, 01:12 AM

ppl who died:
Hedwig (hit by killing curse)
Moody (hit in face, fell to his death)
Dobby (pwnt like Sasori)
Crabbe(owned by fiendfyre)
Snape(owned by snake)
Fred (owned by an explosion or something??)
Belatrix (owned my Mrs. Weasly)
Tonks(owned while fighting)
Lupin(owned by fighting)
Voldemort(owned by Harry)

It was a good book overall. A very nice call by Rowling to introduce the Hallows, or else the story would have been too predictable.

I'm kinda dissapointed with the Snape stuff. He didn't even get to TALK to Harry other than say "look at me."

I'm also kinda dissapointed about what Rowling did with Wormtail. I was under the impression that the author would have made Petigrew's friendship with James prevail over his master's wishes. He should have done more.

Also, I'm dissapointed with Harry a little bit. Yes, his accomplishements for 7 years have far surpassed anyone elses. However, he has never really shown himself to be magically powerful. And Voldemort was right- Harry was always, even when he defeated Voldemort, kept safe behind his friends and family, protected by everyone, especially protected by the author (for good reason to hahahaha).

Finally, the "duel" between Harry and Voldemort was too short. It kind of went like this.

Harry: hey riddle
Voldemort: you're alive!!??
*they talk for a few pages*
Avada Kedavra
Expelliarmus
*Voldemort dies*
Harry: kewl
*leaves*

LOL

And for everyone discussing the Harry dying part...

Dumbledore says that Harry went to his death without fearing it, thus becoming the Master of Death.
Also, his mother's blood in him made Voldemort unable to do him damage (or something like like). That is why when Voldemort hit Harry with the killing curse, only the part of Voldemort in Harry was destroyed.

Near

07-21-2007, 01:27 AM

Mist_Shinobi

07-21-2007, 01:37 AM

Scrimgeour? Ted Tonks?
That muggle studies woman in the first chapter?
Colin Creevey?

Etc

I was very happy when Harry saw them carrying Colin Creevy's body off. lol

Kyo

07-21-2007, 02:37 AM

Near

07-21-2007, 02:48 AM

I knew I wasn't dreaming the death thing.
Read the quoted part again.
Harry didn't die at all.
He was hit but was protected from dying, most likely by Voldemort's part in him,
or because his blood is in both of them.

ajpajpajp

07-21-2007, 03:02 AM

I take it Molly Weasley actually Avada Kedavra-ed Bella then? Because it doesn't specifically mention the curse used...

Hmmm, the epilogue was definitely too short. The horcrux search was decent; how else could she have fitted the hunt in?

And Harry did marry Ginny pre-epilogue, didn't he (I damn well hope so); it doesn't specifically mention anything about it... Ditto for Ron and Hermione...

Lots left unanswered...

Edit: why the hell didn't the order use Fred and George's shield clothing; waste of time to incantate "protego" if you've got one of those shield cloak thingos around...

Second Edit:
Point one: The last word wasn't scar, what the heck?
Point two: Did the book mention Snape's boggart?
Point three: What did Dudley see when attacked by the dementor (it was told we'd find out)?
Point four: I probably skimmed over this, but why was Dumby's "look of triumph" so significant?
Point five: What was so important about Lily Potter that we were to find out in this book? That she was childhood friends with Severus? I doubt it...

Junior

07-21-2007, 04:25 AM

I knew I wasn't dreaming the death thing.

Dw, I thought I was reading wrongly too because of all the deaths. >.> What a way to end a book.

I had that nostalgic and funny feelings whenever someone died and at the end of the book. I was nearly in tears.. ='(

DarkEvangelist2005

07-21-2007, 04:46 AM

Point four: I probably skimmed over this, but why was Dumby's "look of triumph" so significant?

The look of triumph was linked to harry telling DD that voldemort used his blood to regenerate. It doubled the bond between him and VM. It also put the sacrifice of Harrys mom in voldemort. Dumbledore explains it in the chapter King's Cross.

Near

07-21-2007, 04:58 AM

Just got my copy. Read King Cross, which I had saved for when I got the book.
I take it Molly Weasley actually Avada Kedavra-ed Bella then? Because it doesn't specifically mention the curse used...

Hmmm, the epilogue was definitely too short. The horcrux search was decent; how else could she have fitted the hunt in?

And Harry did marry Ginny pre-epilogue, didn't he (I damn well hope so); it doesn't specifically mention anything about it... Ditto for Ron and Hermione...

Lots left unanswered...

Edit: why the hell didn't the order use Fred and George's shield clothing; waste of time to incantate "protego" if you've got one of those shield cloak thingos around...

Second Edit:
Point one: The last word wasn't scar, what the heck?
Point two: Did the book mention Snape's boggart?
Point three: What did Dudley see when attacked by the dementor (it was told we'd find out)?
Point four: I probably skimmed over this, but why was Dumby's "look of triumph" so significant?
Point five: What was so important about Lily Potter that we were to find out in this book? That she was childhood friends with Severus? I doubt it...
Of course Harry didn't.
They were both still at school when the book ended [barring the epilogue]

Those shielding stuff don't really work for higher level spells,
as the twins mention.

1 - It was one of the lasts, as she later on said she edited
2 - No
3 - Who said so? Anyways, he did mention it.
5 - Of course it's that. It explains all of Snape's behavior, motives,
hate for James, and completely makes him a more interesting character.

It's a very crucial thing, seeing as it has affected Snape until the end of his life.

Anyways, I liked how we learned why Petunia hates Wizards and stuff so much,
and how "that horrible boy" who told Lily about Dementors was actually Snape.

I also love that Harry is Teddy's Godfather.
Kinda cool how much Lupin likes and trusts Harry,
and that Harry is pretty much like Teddy's father since Lupin and Tonks both died.

I also found that Bellatrix has caused quite a lot of damage during the book.
The part where Dobby dies is still hard to read..

She should've died a better death.
As in, not simply get hit by a spell, she should have, instead,
received some nice speech from someone like Harry.

Mentioning Dobby, of course.

frank7

07-21-2007, 11:46 AM

Its a Harry Potter book so I have to say pretty darn good by default. Like I said in the other thread I think parts of how things panned out 'lacked daring' to create more drama cuz I was pretty unfazed. The way Harry has thrawted Voldemort again is getting to meh, I guess becasue I prefer protagonists to overcome through development rather than Deus Ex Machina but his nonfear of death compensated.

I was not the biggest fan of a Horcrux hunt from HBP since ot sounded a tad like some RPG adventure like Triforce or get the 3 Legendary birds, but i thik it was handled well enough. Since OotP my theory has been all 4 Marauders dieing (My theory was Lupin to die in HBP:confused:)but Tonks was not what I expected but I didn't care as much. I ver ymuch enjoyed knowing Dumbly not being squeeky clean but with age JKR described him as the epitome of good. ZOMG a flippin OWL:rolleyes:.

The deaths that I thought were significant fro me were Hedwig lol, Dobby rofl and Snape (died with good character). Tonks and Lupin were significant but I wonder who JKR meant on 2 people who she didn't expect to kill. If it was Remus and TOnks it would be like a weak attempt to create surrow, imo while I believe Snape was condemned for death for the great actions he has taken and really helped this book move forward and look backward. If Fred, Hedwig, Dobby, Colin (nice of to see Harry with that one I guess) or Moody were unexpected extra deaths then imo it added inadequately to the overall story.

Anyway I think I'll re read for further discussion. Meanwhile I'm showing off my new HP sig in regards to spoilers, 'Keep the spoiler, you can read it... in Hell!' No prizes on the reference and character.

stephen756

07-21-2007, 12:27 PM

Mist_Shinobi

07-21-2007, 01:33 PM

I thought it was good and i thought she summed up the story good but, she also left it open for another book as it did not mention harry's career in the last chapter if i am not mistaken, so when she gets poor lol YAY! new book :D

Yeah. I want to know Harry's career!! And everyone else's lol. I also want to know if Harry finished school or not and stuff like that.

Dead_Pool

07-21-2007, 02:42 PM

If she dowsn't want to write any more novels, maybe she'd write a couple of short stories at least. That would be nice.

exodia424

07-21-2007, 03:06 PM

everyone seemed to throw around those unforgivable curses fairly lightly dont u think? mcgonagall...harry....mrs weasly.....not so unforgivable i guess? also i wanted umbridge to die somehow......but meh........

i was very pleased with how snape was summed up tho i kind of hoped he would die fighting somehow......quick question did it ever say how voldemort could fly? i mightve missed it or did he jsut gain the ability??

Lol one thing i got outta the book is DONT F*** WITH MOLLY WEASLEY!!!!

Mist_Shinobi

07-21-2007, 03:33 PM

Ilovecheese

07-21-2007, 04:41 PM

Voldy was supposedly the strongest wizard in the world and he dies in a stupid way? That just crap! Everything he did and he dies again by his curse rebounding?! Thats so stupid!

L2theZ

07-21-2007, 05:36 PM

Meh, even before the book was released online I pretty much knew what was going to happen. Nothing was really suprising, Snape giving them the sword, Harry being a horocrux, none of the main characters dying. It was just pretty bland.

ajpajpajp

07-21-2007, 06:38 PM

Voldy died because the elder wand malfunctioned for him, correct?

So Molly did AK Bella? Cool.

Umbridge so shoulda have been tortured though, after threatening to do the same to Harry in OOTP.

mynameiscloud

07-21-2007, 06:54 PM

Voldy died because the elder wand malfunctioned for him, correct?

So Molly did AK Bella? Cool.

Umbridge so shoulda have been tortured though, after threatening to do the same to Harry in OOTP.

Voldemort died because Harry was the rightful owner of the Elder Wand and the Avada Kedavra backfired.

Molly killed Bellatrix.

Additional Comment:

I take it Molly Weasley actually Avada Kedavra-ed Bella then? Because it doesn't specifically mention the curse used...

Hmmm, the epilogue was definitely too short. The horcrux search was decent; how else could she have fitted the hunt in?

And Harry did marry Ginny pre-epilogue, didn't he (I damn well hope so); it doesn't specifically mention anything about it... Ditto for Ron and Hermione...

Lots left unanswered...

Edit: why the hell didn't the order use Fred and George's shield clothing; waste of time to incantate "protego" if you've got one of those shield cloak thingos around...

Second Edit:
Point one: The last word wasn't scar, what the heck?
Point two: Did the book mention Snape's boggart?
Point three: What did Dudley see when attacked by the dementor (it was told we'd find out)?
Point four: I probably skimmed over this, but why was Dumby's "look of triumph" so significant?
Point five: What was so important about Lily Potter that we were to find out in this book? That she was childhood friends with Severus? I doubt it...

Point one: JK Rowling's stated (long before the book was released) that "scar" wasn't the last word in the book, but close to it.
Point two: No, I don't recall it doing so.
Point three: I don't recall anything other than a rumor that we would find out. The only clear thing on Dudley was that he "owed Harry" for saving his life.
Point four: The "look of triumph" was when he found out Voldemort used Harry's blood to resurrect himself in Goblet of Fire because it doubled the bond between Harry and Voldemort.
Point five: Severus Snape was, basically, in love with Lily Potter. Even after she married James, Severus basically wanted to protect her from Voldemort. In the Pensive flashback, it is shown that Lily and Severus had a friendship before they went to Hogwarts, as they met in a playground.

Mist_Shinobi

07-21-2007, 07:04 PM

Snape's relationship with Lily also explains the deep hatred he had for Harry. Voldemort Lily had the choice to run and leave Harry. She chose to stay to protect Harry. She died. Harry survived. Snape wanted Lily to live. But she saved Harry's life rather than her own's.

Kyo

07-21-2007, 07:09 PM

Dw, I thought I was reading wrongly too because of all the deaths. >.> What a way to end a book.

I had that nostalgic and funny feelings whenever someone died and at the end of the book. I was nearly in tears.. ='(

Yeah I know.

Meh, even before the book was released online I pretty much knew what was going to happen. Nothing was really suprising, Snape giving them the sword, Harry being a horocrux, none of the main characters dying. It was just pretty bland.

Snape being good never really surprised me at all. A lot of people thought Harry was going to die way back then. I wish a main character did die to make it more interesting.

L2theZ

07-21-2007, 07:27 PM

Snape being good never really surprised me at all. A lot of people thought Harry was going to die way back then. I wish a main character did die to make it more interesting.

Given that's it's still geared at kids there's no way he was going to die. If I had written the book Harry would be dead right now, as well as about 1/2 the main characters. Also the Harry being a Horocrux thing was incredibly stupid, as well as a lot of the actions many of the characters take. But it's a kids book, I expected too much.

I voted Mediocre

Kyo

07-21-2007, 08:17 PM

Given that's it's still geared at kids there's no way he was going to die. If I had written the book Harry would be dead right now, as well as about 1/2 the main characters. Also the Harry being a Horocrux thing was incredibly stupid, as well as a lot of the actions many of the characters take. But it's a kids book, I expected too much.

I voted Mediocre

Didn't already half the characters die already ~_^? I would of made Hermine and Ron dead. Then Harry goes to the dark side and more books come out :O. I would love to see Harry turn to the dark side. I voted for the first one (just for series in general).

mynameiscloud

07-21-2007, 08:20 PM

Harry Potter and the Death Eaters? lol

Kyo

07-21-2007, 08:21 PM

Harry Potter and the Death Eaters? lol

I can dream! HIM TURNING EVIL WOULD BE SUPER SPECIAL AWESOME! ^_^

L2theZ

07-21-2007, 08:39 PM

Didn't already half the characters die already ~_^?

The only real important characters that died in this book were Dobby, Mad-Eye, Lupin, Fred and Snape. Not nearly enough IMO.

Kyo

07-21-2007, 08:42 PM

The only real important characters that died in this book were Dobby, Mad-Eye, Lupin, Fred and Snape. Not nearly enough IMO.

True. The less-important ones died. I was sad when Lupin and Snape died though.

mynameiscloud

07-21-2007, 08:46 PM

The only real important characters that died in this book were Dobby, Mad-Eye, Lupin, Fred and Snape. Not nearly enough IMO.

Hedwig blew up, dude. =/

L2theZ

07-21-2007, 08:51 PM

Hedwig blew up, dude. =/

Hedwig was an owl that got one brief mention after being killed, and was far from a main character in my book.

Kyo

07-21-2007, 08:54 PM

LOL I can't believe the owl died.

patmather

07-21-2007, 09:32 PM

LOL I can't believe the owl died.

Just a sign of things to come.

Kyo

07-21-2007, 09:53 PM

Just a sign of things to come.

Yep !

stephen756

07-21-2007, 10:10 PM

Lol the book was not bland at all lol most of the book was full of death and threats/suspense it was a great way to end the series though but i also think she will make more books on harry's career

Junior

07-21-2007, 10:11 PM

Hedwig didn't have to die. =/ I don't think there was any point of killing him.

Also! It's the end of Harry Potter.. I can't get over it.. ='(

Kyo

07-21-2007, 10:31 PM

I can't get over it either :(

L2theZ

07-21-2007, 10:53 PM

I can't wait until some evangelist reads this book and gets to page 411. Lulz of epic ammounts will happen.

BerserkerAzn

07-21-2007, 11:34 PM

-It feels great to finish the series and I think this one's my fav now.
-I thought there should've been some more emphasis on how the wizarding world changed after the battle what with the magical equality undertones throughout all of the books.
-And the same goes for the Sorting. =/
-And not very much use of the silent spell casting they learned previously is there.

Mist_Shinobi

07-21-2007, 11:42 PM

I wanted to see the aftermath of Voldemort's defeat. I mean, look at Dumbledore, Rowling did some chapters in the sixth book after his death, and Voldemort is way more important to the story. Yet, there was no "post-death" chapter where every celebrates, etc. And she should have least included if Harry really did become an Auror and if they completed school and stuff.

Can someone explain what the purpose of the Ressurection Stone was?

SJUNB85

07-22-2007, 12:12 AM

The stone does what it was meant to do, brings people back from the dead. The stone does not bring people back to life. I interpret it to allow one to commune with the spirits of loved/close ones since parted.

The tale says the Middle brother's fiance was said to be behind a veil.

Kyo

07-22-2007, 02:17 AM

I can't wait until some evangelist reads this book and gets to page 411. Lulz of epic ammounts will happen.

Yep then people will ***** about it.

Junior

07-22-2007, 02:41 AM

My friend was crying her eyes out, lol. She love HP a lot and she's like the biggest fan.

F22/aRaptor

07-22-2007, 03:09 AM

Dirk cresswell died
Gornuck that stupid Goblin got it
and Five Other Muggles did to?

The nineteen years later bit was a bit pointless......

Kyo

07-22-2007, 03:43 AM

My friend was crying her eyes out, lol. She love HP a lot and she's like the biggest fan.

But she should be happy that Harry didn't die!

Dirk cresswell died
Gornuck that stupid Goblin got it
and Five Other Muggles did to?

The nineteen years later bit was a bit pointless......

Yes it was. Not the best way to end the book IMO.

F22/aRaptor

07-22-2007, 03:47 AM

Still, i feel a bit sorry for Crabbe dying. For the first time, he actually showed that he actually DID have a brain. Oh, and Dudley thanked Harry, Bit of a shock really!

Junior

07-22-2007, 03:53 AM

But she should be happy that Harry didn't die!

Lol, that's what I said but she said, "So? It's soo obvious he won't die! *cries*" Lol.

Yes it was. Not the best way to end the book IMO.

More like not the best way to end the series. :p

Kyo

07-22-2007, 06:21 AM

Lol, that's what I said but she said, "So? It's soo obvious he won't die! *cries*" Lol.

More like not the best way to end the series. :p

Yep .

Junior

07-22-2007, 06:23 AM

Omg! I don't get it. Why can everyone post 5 characters but I have to post 10? O.O

On topic, can someone tell me how it ends in a summary? I haven't read last chapter I think.. might be last 2. =/

Kyo

07-22-2007, 06:28 AM

What you do is post like one worse that space like just about 10 times ten press submit reply everything will merge together.

Harry has three kids named Albus Sevreus, lilly, and James. He marries Ginny.

Draco has a kid name sylpheuis or something.

The improtant characters die: Snape, Lupin, and mad eye moody. Technically the owl but he/she/it is o cute.

Junior

07-22-2007, 06:33 AM

OMG! That was soo expected! Harry marrying Ginny. :O OMG! He named his kids after his parents and Dumbledore! xD

Thanks for the spoiler and tip or whatever you call it. :p

Hoitash

07-22-2007, 10:42 AM

Scorpius. Draco's kid was called Scorpius. Do the Malfoy's know any nice names?

Dragonic

07-22-2007, 12:53 PM

Mist_Shinobi

07-22-2007, 12:54 PM

Did anyone else find the final fight between Harry and Voldemort extremely lame?

Snapper

07-22-2007, 03:28 PM

I found Hedwig's death disappointing. It seemed like, at best, she was killed so Harry wouldn't need to carry her around anymore. The rest of the book was fine; considerably better, I thought, than Book 6. However, the fact that everything that could have been speculated about what is revealed/happens in the book had been accurately guessed well over a year ago is never a good thing. I also would have liked an expanded post-Voldemort world, specifically something sooner than 19 years later and with more than five of the recurring characters. But whatever; maybe JKR will put some thought into it at some point in time.

Masterdramon

07-22-2007, 06:38 PM

Personally, I loved the book. Best in the series by far, IMHO. My favorite moments included Neville killing Nagini (woot! Go Neville!), Dobby's death (which I found to be the most heartwrenching in the novel), the unspooling of Snape's past (which was mostly predictable but nonetheless incredible), and the locket-stabbing scene. The locket was by far the creepiest Horcrux...it had a definite One Ring-ish quality, what with the way that it corrupted the wearer.

Oh, and I loved the house-elves at the very end...it's just a great image in my head, house-elves stabbing Death Eaters in the legs with kitchen knives. :D

As for careers and the eventual fates of the other characters, I'm quite sure we'll get those in that encyclopedia-type thing JKR keeps hinting about. It would also be an ideal medium to reveal stuff like what Dudley saw when he was "demented", and what Snape's boggart would be.

redshift71388

07-22-2007, 07:01 PM

That was a friggin good book. I'd say my favorite moment was when the Hogwarts teachers were preparing for battle against Voldemort, and Kreacher leading the house elf assault.

And I knew one of the Weasleys was going to die. They had been lucky to last that long without any deaths, considering they had so many family members direclty opposing Voldy.

Additional Comment:

Hedwig didn't have to die. =/ I don't think there was any point of killing him.
Her.

Though I sort of agree. I think Hedwig's death was the only truly uneccessary death in the series.

Airknight

07-22-2007, 07:13 PM

straight forward ending IMO. the only surprise was Dobby and Snape, others was just plain predictable to be honest;

and kinda disappointed in some plot tho: like when they all got locked up in Mafly (spelling?), how on earth would they be able to escape just like that?? i'd expect Luna and that wandmaker would be dead ages ago; also, are the death eater really stupid enough to not have someone to look after harry and others? after all, they were gonna summon Voldy and gotta make sure harry was in their hands, right?

another disappointment is the silver doe chapter, it seems to me they just lucky disappearated into the right spot so that Snape can give them the sword.

last of all is the ending, its just too happy, well i guess it is for children after all. but it just seems so unreal that bunch of the just over-age take on those master duel type death eater and they were able to match evenly. i guess i kinda expect too much even tho after book 5, in which the 6 under-age were able to escape peacefully.

Additional Comment:

Additional Comment:

Her.

Though I sort of agree. I think Hedwig's death was the only truly uneccessary death in the series.[/QUOTE]

probably kill her off so harry dont have to carry her around during the journey.

ImperialStingmon

07-22-2007, 07:15 PM

Easily the best book I've ever read. I was kind of ticked to see Hedwig die and then when everybody else started falling I was really shocked, but my personal worst death was Dobby. I really couldn't believe it when he died.

I liked the final fight, and the discussion. I also loved how some of the characters who may have kind of emoted before really blew up this year, especially Mrs. Weasely before she killed Lestrange.

I also liked the epilogue, Harry naming his kids after his parents and after two Hogwarts Headmasters was a nice touch, although I wonder where Ron and Hermione are supposed to have pulled Rose and Hugo from. Now, that I think about it though, I kind of want to know what happened to Luna.

Finally, Scorpius=best name for a kid ever.

Kyo

07-22-2007, 07:56 PM

Scorpius. Draco's kid was called Scorpius. Do the Malfoy's know any nice names?

It's Draco! What would you expect ^_~

Sephirtoh_Masamune

07-22-2007, 09:51 PM

The one thing that bothered me...is that HARRY blew up Hedwig. Even in death she serves a purpose...a bomb!!

Snapper

07-22-2007, 10:12 PM

another disappointment is the silver doe chapter, it seems to me they just lucky disappearated into the right spot so that Snape can give them the sword.
It was far luckier that Hermione mentioned where they were while she was opening her bag and when Phineas Nigellus happened to be listening.

DigiAngel

07-22-2007, 10:29 PM

Masterdramon

07-22-2007, 10:41 PM

I really loved the book,it was awesome.Mrs.Weasley FTW!!lol

I still kinda wanted to know the spell Dumbledore had used on Voldemort at the battle of the Department Of Mysteries...oh well....

Also,was it just a rumor that someone would use magic at a late point in life or did I miss something???:confused:
No, it's not just a rumor; JKR definitely said that, but she must have dropped it from the book. She'll probably reveal who she planned to do so in an interview in the future.

DigiAngel

07-22-2007, 10:46 PM

No, it's not just a rumor; JKR definitely said that, but she must have dropped it from the book. She'll probably reveal who she planned to do so in an interview in the future.

Also didn't she say she was going to reveal a bit about Wormtail's family?

redshift71388

07-22-2007, 10:50 PM

probably kill her off so harry dont have to carry her around during the journey.
She could've stayed at the Burrow.... Or wherever Pig was.

By the way, didn't JK say that the flying car would reappear at some point?

Dark Necrophia

07-23-2007, 12:45 AM

I didn't like what happen to Snape.

Harry Coming back to life was interesting ~_^.

He was never dead.

Additional Comment:

But she should be happy that Harry didn't die!

Yes it was. Not the best way to end the book IMO.

It was a great way to end the series, I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it really was a great epilogue. This is her story not ours, lol.

It was really well done, it gives you a sense of seeing that not only have Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville all come through their journey but they have started lives of their own, and wonderful families, who will have their own great adventures in the walls of hogwarts.

Also if she didn't include something in the book she said she would include, remember its already over 700 pages and she had alot of story to tell! I am sure all of the stuff she didn't include will be released in interviews later.

Dobby's death really hurt me alot, I cried for several minutes when I read it.

The part with Mrs. Weasley finishing off Bellatrix at the end though was inspired, I enjoyed that part so much.

I also enjoyed how Voldemorts supporters got basically DESTROYED, overwhelmed, trampled, owned, pwned etc, etc. Leaving Voldemort alone to be totally wrecked by Harry, who publicly made a fool of him pointing out all of his blunders and how he still failed to understand.

SJUNB85

07-23-2007, 01:01 AM

Dark Necrophia

07-23-2007, 01:10 AM

I felt that the book was pretty good, finished on Saturday night around 10:45 pm after getting around 1 am that morning, with 4 hours of sleep in between.

I felt that the ending battle between Voldemort and Harry was kind of anti-climatic, but my friend has a good point in that Harry should not have been the one to kill Voldemort. Harry's soul is one of purity and hope, and killing Voldemort would have tainted it. Though, I would have preferred there to be more action leading up to that point, instead of the two of them pacing around taunting each other.

I feel that people have come to associate action with being more interesting, and think it makes a better plot. I think in actual fact it is exactly the opposite, while action is important and can obviously not be ignored, and is of course a vital and interesting part of any book, too much action takes away from the intellectual aspect that one can only attain by reading a book. In a movie everything must be described for the most part through actions, since you have no window into peoples thoughts, words are used yes but they are not as neccesary because of the visuals. Books are a different medium. Yes to those with good imagination action is very fun in books, I enjoyed all the action in the book, however I think most important in a book are the words, the truly intellectual aspect of it. In my opinion it would have been far less climactic to have Harry and Voldemort throw a bunch of cool looking curses at each other, while it would have looked good on film, it really wouldn't have been much of an ending. For the most part however, no matter what medium you are using, people place way too much stock in action scenes, truly good scenes use characters, plot, words and thoughts and are the scenes that have true depth, truly great meaning behind them and something that truly takes you out of the moment where you forget you are simply sitting in your room reading, but feel like you are actually there, watching, listening. Action scenes have their place, they are of course fun, but for the culmination of a journey many of us have been taking with Harry since we are very young, and coming of age with him, it would somehow detract from his final triumph, somehow ruin it forever, for all of us, if the scene was mostly a bunch of pretty bangs and flashes. And I for one would not have it any other way than the way it is written, it is afterall Jo's story, the rest of us our just along for the ride, and what a ride it was.

Kyo

07-23-2007, 02:40 AM

He was never dead.

What he you talking about? On page 658 Harry was clutching Snape's hand then he died. Look it up for yourself.

Darth Payne

07-23-2007, 04:24 AM

Personally i loved the book, and i feel that is my favourite of the lot, sad to see Potter end but i thought it was a fitting end to the series, though i would have liked to have heard what the characters were doing in that last chapter as other people have already mentioned.

I voted Pretty darn good btw.
I was hoping Ron was kidding about the name. >_> But the Malfoys don't seem to have nice names.

I somehow knew Snape was in love with lily all along. His character's story was perfect and my favorite by far. I almost cried at "The Prince's Tale"

Sad to see the series end, but glad I lived to read it.

Junior

07-23-2007, 04:42 AM

Didn't the previous books state that Snape was in love with Lily? =S

I wish it didn't end... >.>... i hope there's like a surprise installed for HP fans.

BadLuck

07-23-2007, 05:05 AM

so many death and a children book dont mix :C

Junior

07-23-2007, 05:06 AM

It isn't a children's book. It's more of a teenager-Young Adults like in the early 20s.

RjAkaPeanut4U

07-23-2007, 05:39 AM

It isn't a children's book. It's more of a teenager-Young Adults like in the early 20s.

No, it IS a childrens book.

Finished it in one day, pretty proud of myself to say the least :].

Junior

07-23-2007, 05:54 AM

Length and size, thriller, killing (which leads to blood and gore), the words used.. certainly seem for a child does it?

Airknight

07-23-2007, 08:44 AM

one Q: what happen to the secret of ghost?? i thought it will reveal why happy people wont become ghoset while those with remorse does??

Betelgeux

07-23-2007, 09:31 AM

well, between waiting out for a wristband, and then for the book, and then the 22-hour reading marathon, i'd say i've officially destroyed my sleep schedule for the next few days.

that aside, though.... wow. seriously among the most satisfying endings ever. i love how, even if you have a good idea what happens, she can make you feel differently. by the time i reached the king's cross chapter i had a feeling everything would turn out alright but there was still this overpowering sadness.

reading was pretty cool, too, because i stayed up all night and as i read that the dawn was breaking (battle of hogwarts) the sun came up through my window. nice added effect. hahaha

i seriously doubt anyone would write a continuation to the series now. maybe rowling, but she finished everything so well anyone else would be disrespectful to add on.

i mean, yeah, there are a couple possibilities but still.

Dragon Rider16

07-23-2007, 09:36 AM

It's all over. I'm very disappointed with the epilogue. It was a bit short for me. Then again, it's an epilogue. I sent 2 days reading it, taking breaks of course to play football with my cousin and Xbox 360 from what I can remember and spent until today at 4:19 in the morning reading it.

My Highlights of the 7th story, I guess
-Neville becomes a hero!
-The war on Hogwarts
-Harry believed to be dead...
-Ron and Hermione; took em long enough
-Mrs. Weasley; WTF just happened, beatdown on Bellatrix!
-Dobby Died!
-Being related to your school friends in 19 years is unexpected.
-Why Snape killed Dumbledore; And Harry named his kid after both!
-The epilogue; I'm glad they put one, at least. I am disappointed.

What I was Expecting in the 7th book
Maybe J.K. Rowling mentioning a possibility on new series on the Potter and Weasley Kids; she did say "Never Say Never."

What to Look Forward To...after reading the final.
-Releases of Final 2 Movies and criticize how wrong from the book they are, before realizing it's due to budget cuts and limited screen time. They're better be some heavy battle scenes in the final movie.
-Buy DVD's of 5th-7th Movie, unless they have something, like a Warner Bros. Special Edition Pack of all 7...

Favorite Book/Movie
The 1st Book-It leads us into the story...
The 2nd Book-The basilisk owns. My personal favorite among the first 6.
The 4th Book-The idea of a tournament is perfect; Rowling bend the rules for Harry.
The 6th Book-It marked the beginning of the great war. The Lightning Struck Tower.
The 7th Book-the Great War, mentioned in highlights.

I hated reading....until the Harry Potter Series came into my life... The good thing about Harry Potter was that the books are lengthly in pages; the bad thing was that they are short in pages.

Additional Comment:

It's all over. I'm very disappointed with the epilogue. It was a bit short for me. Then again, it's an epilogue. I sent 2 days reading it, taking breaks of course to play football with my cousin and Xbox 360 from what I can remember and spent until today at 4:19 in the morning reading it.

My Highlights of the 7th story, I guess
-Neville becomes a hero!
-The war on Hogwarts
-Harry believed to be dead...
-Ron and Hermione; took em long enough
-Mrs. Weasley; WTF just happened, beatdown on Bellatrix!
-Dobby Died!
-Being related to your school friends in 19 years is unexpected.
-Why Snape killed Dumbledore; And Harry named his kid after both!
-The epilogue; I'm glad they put one, at least. I am disappointed.

What I was Expecting in the 7th book
Maybe J.K. Rowling mentioning a possibility on new series on the Potter and Weasley Kids; she did say "Never Say Never."

What to Look Forward To...after reading the final.
-Releases of Final 2 Movies and criticize how wrong from the book they are, before realizing it's due to budget cuts and limited screen time. They're better be some heavy battle scenes in the final movie.
-Buy DVD's of 5th-7th Movie, unless they have something, like a Warner Bros. Special Edition Pack of all 7...

Favorite Book/Movie
The 1st Book-It leads us into the story...
The 2nd Book-The basilisk owns. My personal favorite among the first 6.
The 4th Book-The idea of a tournament is perfect; Rowling bend the rules for Harry.
The 6th Book-It marked the beginning of the great war. The Lightning Struck Tower.
The 7th Book-the Great War, mentioned in highlights.

I hated reading....until the Harry Potter Series came into my life... The good thing about Harry Potter was that the books are lengthly in pages; the bad thing was that they are short in pages.

For anyone who decides on reading this and ruins their story before actually reading the book, don't go to the library or bookstore; go to the department and grocery stores for your copy. They're cheaper and easier to access.

Betelgeux

07-23-2007, 09:38 AM

one Q: what happen to the secret of ghost?? i thought it will reveal why happy people wont become ghoset while those with remorse does??

isn't that the 'secret' though? people can choose to stay behind as ghosts if they so desire, or move on. dumbledore didn't stay because he was content with his fate.

OjamaMama

07-23-2007, 10:45 AM

One very minor issue with the book...

Hedwig having his head tucked into his wing - ignoring Harry in the beginning of the book, only to be killed shortly thereafter! So much for the close bond with his pet/companion.

Also, I expected Fawkes to come through for Harry again at some point in the book. It would have been very cool to have Fawkes step in as Hedwig's replacement.

One general frustration with the book...

In the earlier book(s) there seemed to be the possibility for a foundation to expand the "war" to all branches of magical creatures and to a broader area. I almost expected a more epic feel to the last couple of books. The whole Giant recruitment seemed glossed over at the end (I think I recall only two generic giants mentioned that were included in the final battle scene), the Centaurs also were glossed over until the moment when Hagrid vents while carrying the "dead" Harry, and then they are mentioned as having joined the final phase of the battle.

Dragon Rider16

07-23-2007, 10:58 AM

Length and size, thriller, killing (which leads to blood and gore), the words used.. certainly seem for a child does it?

Well the thing is that European and Asian children are more open minded towards subjects that we Americans may find inappropriate for our children.

For example, the past 2 years I have traveled to Great Britain, France, and Spain, noticing a few advertisments of celebrities and models in the nude or topless. If that's what was posted all over our streets, we would make such a commotion about it because we Americans are so conservative and want to hide our children from being exposed to anything. probably why crime rate is so d@mn high.

That's probably why Rowling wrote all this heavy content; that or she just wanted to make it as dark as possible and possibly forgot it was a children's book in the 1st place. Originally, it was a children's book; then teens and adults got into it, so she might have concluded that it was acceptable to write such dark, gloomy descrptions of violence.

Harry Potter broke some of those limits on American children, in my opinion. The series, I'm sure increased the literacy of many as well as an idea of how the English lifestyle is lived comapred to Americans lifestyles. It was the first time that some of my friends, as well as myself, were actually excited for the arrival of a...book.
The series also teaches us that in some stories, as it is always in life, it doesn't always have a completely happy ending. There will be sacrifices, strife, and other negative points and stuggles we must endure before we truly get that happy ending.

OjamaMama

07-23-2007, 11:06 AM

Let's HOPE that Rowling is smart enough to insist that the final MOVIE is long enough to include the whole book - and doesn't cut portions out just to make it the typical movie length.

Narchais

07-23-2007, 11:27 AM

This hasn't been a children's book in quite awhile. The maturity content of the books has grown with the children who read the first one.

Now then, the 19 Years Later bit sucked eggs. Bad. Spoiled that whole sense of accomplishment that the ending gave. "Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, who had so many great things in store for him, ended up quite plain. He married his best friend's little sister and the two of them cranked out kids. So did everyone else he knew." Yeah, awesome there.

Also, did anyone else notice that Teddy Lupin was still going to Hogwarts school for an education... at nineteen years old? Poor kid must be slow or something.

Anyway, the deaths that bothered me the most were that of Tonks and Lupin (Dobby's death I read over and could only find myself thinking "its about freakin' time). Teddy's parents both died, and now he's got a man with no parents as his godfather. Wait a minute... thats what happened to Harry! Curious...

All and all, it was a pretty good book. I really expected Hagrid and maybe a couple of named teachers to be taken down in the battle, but whichever.

As for "tossing around Unforgivables", they're only that way because of the law. In times of battle, I'd imagine its all fair game except for Avada Kadavra, which only the Death Eaters (and Harry, heh) ever used. Whatever it was that Molly nailed Lastrange with, I doubt it was as straight forward and painless as a mere death spell.

Dragon Rider16

07-23-2007, 11:47 AM

Let's HOPE that Rowling is smart enough to insist that the final MOVIE is long enough to include the whole book - and doesn't cut portions out just to make it the typical movie length.

I was also ticked off about the fact that they changed a little of the plot b/c of that typical movie length.

-Get a new Director-The scenes were too dark during the broom flight and like the previous 2 films by Newell and Curron, Newell cut off many scenes.

-Parts that should have been included:
-Cho's friend who actually betrayed them, not Cho herself.
-NO QUIDDITCH? WTF happend there? Where are the Weasley's Our King Moments He's my favorite character in the book and yet he got a extremely small part in the movie. The movie was all about Harry and his anger management issues.
-After returning from the Dept. of Mysteries where Voldemort was, didn't Harry get into some tantrum, thrashing Dumbledore's crap everywhere b/c he felt that no one understood him?

Additional Comment:

LOL I can't believe the owl died.

Did anyone even think of the owl when talking about Harry Potter? I forgot about the bird since the 4th movie was released.

DarkEvangelist2005

07-23-2007, 11:52 AM

Voldy was supposedly the strongest wizard in the world and he dies in a stupid way? That just crap! Everything he did and he dies again by his curse rebounding?! Thats so stupid!

Voldy would have been the strongest wizard in the world if he had been more like dumbledore. That was the point of dumbledore's past being revealed. If Voldemort had understood what dumbledore did about death and many other things he wouldn't have been like he was. And his ignorance is what did him in.

Dragon Rider16

07-23-2007, 12:01 PM

Anyone ever think how odd it is that everyone ends up being related to each other?

Voldemort and James Potter are descendants of the 3 Brothers of the Deathly Hollows, which make Harry a cousin of Voldemort many generations down the list.

Sirius is Molly Weasley's cousin by marriage, and his cousin, Narcissa marries Lucius, making Ron related to Draco. Funny how that works.

Now Harry is Ron's Brother in law and Hermione is Harry's sister in law. And their all related to Draco and Voldemort-but he's dead, so... weird.

DarkEvangelist2005

07-23-2007, 12:08 PM

Harry should not have been the one to kill Voldemort. Harry's soul is one of purity and hope, and killing Voldemort would have tainted it

Your soul does not split when you defeat a dark wizard. The spliting of the soul is a deliberate attempt at making a horcrux. From what I gathered from Horcruxes is that you take advantage of the damage murder does to your soul and you extract the piece of soul from your body.

I higly doubt your soul splits in half if you kill an evil wizard to protect innocent people. Its kind of like scientific laws except with magic.

redshift71388

07-23-2007, 12:22 PM

Harry should not have been the one to kill Voldemort. Harry's soul is one of purity and hope, and killing Voldemort would have tainted it
Well technically, Voldemort killed himself, just like he did when Harry was a baby, only this time he had no Horcruxes left.

Now everyone, on August 1st (I think that's the day the Hogwarts Express gows), 2016, go to King's Cross and check out Harry and Ron's family. :D

CardMaster92

07-23-2007, 12:30 PM

I read it in about...12 hours...yeah, i was THAT bored. Anyway, i agree about the epilogue...very disappointed, indeed. Overall, it was a very good book. It answered many of my questions, but also created some more...which have all been discussed here.

I voted Pretty Darn Good.

Chaostamer

07-23-2007, 12:43 PM

This hasn't been a children's book in quite awhile. The maturity content of the books has grown with the children who read the first one.

How can people think it's still a children's book? Maybe the first couple books, but in the third, things start to get very dark. I mean, demonic beings that suck out the soul? Come on! But I think Rowling scrapped the whole "children's book" thing by Goblet of Fire, when she announced that there would be significant deaths in the rest of her books. I think that was truly the point where she embraced her wider fanbase.

Now then, the 19 Years Later bit sucked eggs. Bad. Spoiled that whole sense of accomplishment that the ending gave. "Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, who had so many great things in store for him, ended up quite plain. He married his best friend's little sister and the two of them cranked out kids. So did everyone else he knew." Yeah, awesome there.

The Epilogue was very generic. The only truly noteworthy aspects were the fact that Malfoy is cool with Harry and friends, Neville's future (who didn't see that coming?), and Harry's tribute to Snape...

Also, did anyone else notice that Teddy Lupin was still going to Hogwarts school for an education... at nineteen years old? Poor kid must be slow or something.

Actually, the book said he was just "seeing off" Victoire (who is almost certainly Bill and Fleur's daughter, and probably a Sixth or Seventh-Year).

All and all, it was a pretty good book. I really expected Hagrid and maybe a couple of named teachers to be taken down in the battle, but whichever.

I was sure Hagrid was screwed, but I forgot how much Rowling liked him. I think most of the deaths were just to emphasize the fact that they were at war, and casualties happen. Hedwig's death was just to get her out of the way, and Moody's death was a warning of what what was to come. Lupin's death was necessary, as he was the last surviving Marauder. However, Tonks shouldn't have died along with Lupin. It sucks for their kid to have to grow up an orphan like Harry (though he - unlike Harry - grew up with his Godfather, and other family [Tonks' mother]).

As for "tossing around Unforgivables", they're only that way because of the law. In times of battle, I'd imagine its all fair game except for Avada Kadavra, which only the Death Eaters (and Harry, heh) ever used. Whatever it was that Molly nailed Lastrange with, I doubt it was as straight forward and painless as a mere death spell.

There was no law with the Ministry gone, and those were desperate times...But Harry never used a Killing Curse...

-Parts that should have been included:
-Cho's friend who actually betrayed them, not Cho herself.

A minor detail. The movie's take on it effectively covered both the betrayal of the Order and Harry breaking up with Cho. It was efficient.

-NO QUIDDITCH? WTF happend there? Where are the Weasley's Our King Moments He's my favorite character in the book and yet he got a extremely small part in the movie. The movie was all about Harry and his anger management issues.

Hmm...Maybe because Quidditch is virtually irrelevant to the storyline...Things had to be cut for space.

-After returning from the Dept. of Mysteries where Voldemort was, didn't Harry get into some tantrum, thrashing Dumbledore's crap everywhere b/c he felt that no one understood him?

I thought you objected to "Harry and his anger management issues"...Yes, they should have extended the bit about Dumbledore telling Harry everything about the prophecy. The filmakers are slowly digging themselves into a deeper hole with the films. If they keep altering the storyline, they're going to have some serious problems in Movie 7. And to think they almost didn't include Kreacher.

Dragon Rider16

07-23-2007, 12:59 PM

Chaostamer

07-23-2007, 01:10 PM

I never said I wanted the scene with Cho fighting with Harry in the movie. I just mentioned that was one of the scenes that were just excluded from the movie.

I will flip if they screw up movie 6-7. Hell, the whole movie lineup should have been like Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. Return of the King was 4 hours long, but worth it! What is it with Harry potter, a budget cut or laziness?

Well, considering how profitable Harry Potter is, a budget cut seems unlikely. I doubt it's laziness either. I think it's just the result of making an 850+ page book into a two-and-a-half hour-long movie. Corners have to be cut to make it fit.

Hoitash

07-23-2007, 01:18 PM

True. By the way, does the fact that I finished the book in nine hours thirty-nine minutes with an hour and a half break to buy a lamp get me a medal or make me a bigger geek than before?

My mom cried when Dobby died... and while i thought the epilogue was short, it was open, there's the chance for more... Why does everyone get a redhead but me?

Dragon Rider16

07-23-2007, 01:25 PM

Well, considering how profitable Harry Potter is, a budget cut seems unlikely. I doubt it's laziness either. I think it's just the result of making an 850+ page book into a two-and-a-half hour-long movie. Corners have to be cut to make it fit.

Oh well. I'm really going to miss waiting for a long book to open.
The ending's kind of depressing; Rowling (I know she probably won't) should start a series for the kids. A new dark wizard that Albus Severus fights or something.

Too bad I have to wait until I'm in my Freshmen year of college to see the 6th movie.
Wonder what the actors for the final movie are going to look like in the epilogue?

Chaostamer

07-23-2007, 01:57 PM

True. By the way, does the fact that I finished the book in nine hours thirty-nine minutes with an hour and a half break to buy a lamp get me a medal or make me a bigger geek than before?

The fact that you actually timed yourself makes you look ridiculous. The people who are still reading are the lucky ones.

Rowling (I know she probably won't) should start a series for the kids. A new dark wizard that Albus Severus fights or something.

Terrible idea. It would be completely anticlimactic and redundant.

Still, this book had a bunch of very touching moments:

Mrs. Weasley battling Bellatrix.
Percy's return, and utter rage at Fred's death.
Kreacher leading the House-Elves in the name of Regulus.
Harry reassuring his son about the Slytherin house, and paying respects to Snape.
Dumbledore telling Snape (indirectly) that he may have been more suited for the Gryffindor House.
Snape's Doe Patronus.
The Hogwarts teachers assembling a resistance team.
Neville drawing Gryffindor's Sword.

Come to think of it, how DID Neville get the Sword? Can the Sorting Hat produce Swords at will to any "true Gryffindor"? Or did the Hat steal it from Griphook?

redshift71388

07-23-2007, 03:14 PM

Come to think of it, how DID Neville get the Sword? Can the Sorting Hat produce Swords at will to any "true Gryffindor"? Or did the Hat steal it from Griphook?
Neville drew the sword the same way Harry did in the Chamber of Secrets, oh so long ago. I assume the hat 'got' the sword from Griphook just as it got it from Dumbledore's office that time.

Chaostamer

07-23-2007, 03:21 PM

Neville drew the sword the same way Harry did in the Chamber of Secrets, oh so long ago. I assume the hat 'got' the sword from Griphook just as it got it from Dumbledore's office that time.

My question was really, "How did Neville get the Sword when Griphook had it?". I assume that the Sword wasn't hanging in Dumbledore's office BEFORE Harry pulled it from the Hat.

Mist_Shinobi

07-23-2007, 04:00 PM

My question was really, "How did Neville get the Sword when Griphook had it?". I assume that the Sword wasn't hanging in Dumbledore's office BEFORE Harry pulled it from the Hat.

The sword was enchanted so that it would appear to any true Griffindor when they were in great need.

To me, this is essential to Rowling. Creating such a sword gives her the chance to, when any character is about to die or loose, make them pull it out. It's something that, whenever she needs it, she can use it. A plot changer that doesn't exactly make sense, but does enough to be logical.

redshift71388

07-23-2007, 04:39 PM

My question was really, "How did Neville get the Sword when Griphook had it?". I assume that the Sword wasn't hanging in Dumbledore's office BEFORE Harry pulled it from the Hat.
I can't imagine where else it would be. In any case, it wasn't in the Chamber of Secrets, and therefore was (logically) somewhere else. The location doesn't really matter; the point is it came to be in the Chamber when Harry needed it. So, no matter where it was (in the latter case, in Griphook's possession), Neville was still able to draw it when needed.

Dark Necrophia

07-23-2007, 05:21 PM

What he you talking about? On page 658 Harry was clutching Snape's hand then he died. Look it up for yourself.

Well of course Snape died.

I thought you were saying that Harry was dead and came back to life, Harry was never actually dead.

Additional Comment:

Harry Coming back to life was interesting ~_^.

I was referring to this line.

Harry didn't come back to life because according to Dumbledore he didn't actually die, all of it happened in his head, though it was still real, he didn't actually die at all, so he couldn't "come back" to life. Unless you were referring to it in a more metaphorical sense as in, everyone thought he was dead and then he saves the day.

Betelgeux

07-23-2007, 05:39 PM

did anyone else think it was cool that voldemort essentially set up his own death and humiliation?

dr strange

07-23-2007, 05:41 PM

I liked it.

I thought the slowness of the horcrux hunt was overdone a bit. But overall very good.

The Epilogue makes perfect sense:

-- it shows Harry really surviving his ordeal humanity intact

-- the couples have 2-3 kids each. that's not weird

-- by skipping 19 years into the future, Rowling makes it harder for the
series to be hijacked by another author, which is something her
interviews make it seem she is keen to do

-- the ending focuses on human connections, versus job achievements,
which is what ultimately let harry beat voldy

-- whatever happened to harry, he didn't slide into a life of forgettable
mediocrity as all the kids on the train are still staring at him, which is
one constant fm his schoolhood days

couple other points:

-- Harry doesn't kill Voldy. Voldy does himself in with the same inability to
understand the human aspects of magic that led to his near-demise
before. Having the series end this way is, I think, necessary. Kind of the
whole point?

-- their search for the horcruxes is hardly easy. they have to infiltrate
the MoM and assault Umbridge and they have to penetrate Gringotts,
largely considered impossible tasks. Figuring out who RAB is from the
nameplate isn't too shocking. Tons of readers jumped to it being
Regulus and the locket as soon as they saw the words in book 6.

-- Harry does show some magical chops. He picks up all the complex,
defensive area spells Hermione does pretty quickly to hide their
campsite, for example.

-- Ollivander and Luna being alive makes sense. Ollivander will obv be kept
alive as long as Voldy hasn't killed Harry, as a just-in-case for wand
questions. Luna can potentially serve as bait for Harry and friends, as
well as being used to extort her father. Oh, nd Ollivander can fashion
Voldy and co. wands as needed.

-- Harry and company's success isn't that surprising. Adults have a
tendency to underestimate teens (and vice versa) and Harry, Ron and
Hermione are all very good wizards, even if Ron tends to hide it

-- the casual nature of Snape's death helps highlight Voldemort's inhumanity
and could also be a commentary on the ignominy of much wartime
death irl so it makes sense

just my 2 cents tho

Kyo

07-23-2007, 06:01 PM

Well of course Snape died.

I thought you were saying that Harry was dead and came back to life, Harry was never actually dead.

o.o No

Charninja

07-23-2007, 07:00 PM

Coupla things:

1.) I assume the "flayed baby" Harry saw while at the metaphysical King's Cross station was the little shard of Voldemort's soul, right? Or does anybody have any better guesses?

2.) Where the HELL was the rest of the world? The most powerful dark wizard in possibly the history of the world is revived, goes on to very nearly take over the British Wizarding community... and nobody from the rest of Europe, America, Africa, or Asia does a damn thing? None of the refugees tell the ministries in other countries what the hell has happened and that after England is completely conquered, the rest of the world will be on Voldy's list? Frankly, nothing would have pleased me more than to see an American wizard go Schwarzenegger on a couple dozen Death Eaters.

3. Is it just me, or does the scene where the centaurs, thestrals, and house elves attack the Death Eaters seem like a send-up to the Battle of the Five Armies in The Hobbit? Or even moreso, the battle in the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe? Hell, Harry even pulls an Aslan.

TightEyes

07-23-2007, 07:00 PM

Busterslash35

07-23-2007, 08:05 PM

Just finished it. it was a fun book I guess. Better than the 6th by far. But the epilogue seemed really fanfic-ish to me.

I still don't really understand the significance behind Harry having his mother's eyes.

I loved that Dudley had shown some form of kindness at the beginning.

I don't like how her writing style uses a lot of "I've seen that before..." then later "that's where I've seen that before! It all makes sense now!"

@Charninja:
I agree with the piece of Voldy's soul at King's Cross.

I wondered about the rest of the world as well. I guess it suffers from the same "anime occurs only in Japan" disease, except "Harry Potter's adventure only concerns Britain."

Hoitash

07-23-2007, 08:37 PM

I'll have a go at the eye thing:

Harry's eyes are the last remaining earthly piece of Lily's body, and snape loved her, and she left him forever, and she died at the hands.. er wand, of Snapes master, and becasue her son survived he protected hair because of her, even though he was so much like James Snape detested him. Even as Snape gave Harry the memories Harry needed, he asked Harry to look at him, likely for one last look at the eys that were his long lsot loves.

also, Albus Severus Potter has her eyes, and he is named for Snape.

That's the best I can do right now, sorry if it was jumbled.

Busterslash35

07-23-2007, 08:48 PM

I guess that makes sense. I just thought they'd have some magical significance.

Hoitash

07-23-2007, 09:03 PM

Well Dumbledore said the most powerful magic was love.

redshift71388

07-23-2007, 09:47 PM

Didn't like how they wrote out the deaths of James and Lily Potter.

From the previous books I thought James Potter had died in some kind of Super Duel with lasers, backflips, throwing down face downs and ewoks.

O.o

Sounds like you wanted Harry Potter to be Star Wars.

And think of it this way; James and Lily didn't expect Voldemort to know where they were, so of course they wouldn't be prepared.

1.) I assume the "flayed baby" Harry saw while at the metaphysical King's Cross station was the little shard of Voldemort's soul, right? Or does anybody have any better guesses?

2.) Where the HELL was the rest of the world? The most powerful dark wizard in possibly the history of the world is revived, goes on to very nearly take over the British Wizarding community... and nobody from the rest of Europe, America, Africa, or Asia does a damn thing? None of the refugees tell the ministries in other countries what the hell has happened and that after England is completely conquered, the rest of the world will be on Voldy's list? Frankly, nothing would have pleased me more than to see an American wizard go Schwarzenegger on a couple dozen Death Eaters.

3. Is it just me, or does the scene where the centaurs, thestrals, and house elves attack the Death Eaters seem like a send-up to the Battle of the Five Armies in The Hobbit? Or even moreso, the battle in the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe? Hell, Harry even pulls an Aslan.
1. The 'flayed baby' was most certainly the piece of soul that had been inside Harry.

2. And as for the rest of the world... Well, the same thing happens in real life. Maybe wizards don't feel like they have to get involved in everyone else's wars like American muggles do. And, the book said that when Dumbledore's friend, the dark wizard (forget his name), was in power, not many people in Britain knew about him because he wasn't in power there, and they (the British magical people) didn't really intervene.

3. That's bound to happen when such an array of magical creatures exists in the first place.

I don't like how her writing style uses a lot of "I've seen that before..." then later "that's where I've seen that before! It all makes sense now!"
I was ok with most of it, except the time when Harry recalled Marvolo talking about a Peverell. I didn't even know what the hell he was talking about when he said that, and I had just finished reading Book 6.

CloudStrife189

07-23-2007, 10:36 PM

Maybe this is stupid, but the part I really liked was at the end when harry was talking to his youngest son, albus serevus, when his son was scared about which house he may join. Harry told him that it didn't matter, and if he joined slytherin, that he would be a great slytherin. For some reason, I really liked it because througout the previous books, it always appeared that nothing but bad people came out of slytherien and nothing but bad people always joined it. But i guess after snape's death, Harry, and other people, saw that really good and brave people can come out of that house. Gryffindor is a good house and everything, but they keep hinting that they are always the best and everything... I like how they made everything kind of "equal" at the end...

Dragon Rider16

07-23-2007, 10:38 PM

Chaostamer

07-23-2007, 10:59 PM

No one else finds this odd besides me?

Sirius said in the 5th Book that the Pureblood families are all related to one another somehow. Get with the times, man!

Junior

07-24-2007, 02:00 AM

Lmao, although it's "Get with the program" even though it isn't a program. It's the correct saying. But anyway, it was kinda obvious that everyone would end up related.

Narchais

07-24-2007, 11:25 AM

There was no law with the Ministry gone, and those were desperate times...But Harry never used a Killing Curse...

I apologize, you were right. I was thinking of the end of Book 6, when Harry was going after Snape. He was attempting to launch some nasty curses, but kept getting thwarted. I thought AD was one of them, but it was just Crucio and Sectumsempra.

AvA Forever

07-24-2007, 12:21 PM

I apologize, you were right. I was thinking of the end of Book 6, when Harry was going after Snape. He was attempting to launch some nasty curses, but kept getting thwarted. I thought AD was one of them, but it was just Crucio and Sectumsempra.

I thought that they would have mastered silent spell casting by now.

At the end of Book 6, Harry couldn't cast anything succesfully because Snape would counter it. O well.

Did anyone else notice Rowlings use of miles instead of kilometers? I thought that only us Americans used this system and not the metric. Makes me wonder a bit.

Charninja

07-24-2007, 12:50 PM

Did anyone else notice Rowlings use of miles instead of kilometers? I thought that only us Americans used this system and not the metric. Makes me wonder a bit.

I'm pretty sure that's something that was edited for the American market. They've done it for the other books, so they did it for this one two. Whenever there was something that American audiences just wouldn't understand, they'd have a quick chat with Rowling and come up with something roughly equivalent.

Also, I just do not buy the suggestion that the rest of the wizarding world "isn't interested in other peoples' wars". It's patently obvious to anyone with a functioning brain that after Voldemort had finished bring England, Scotland, and Ireland under his control, he'd go for the rest of Europe, then start heading for Asia and Africa, and eventually go for North and South America and Australia. Maybe, just maybe, the rest of the wizarding community would be smug enough to think that they could handle Voldemort if he ever tried gunning for them directly, or that they actually did think he'd be satisfied with England, but I guarantee you, there would be a lot of people wanting to take his creepy snake ass out.

redshift71388

07-24-2007, 02:05 PM

Did anyone else notice Rowlings use of miles instead of kilometers? I thought that only us Americans used this system and not the metric. Makes me wonder a bit.
Yea, that's just for the American version. I'm sure you'll see 'color' instead of 'colour' throughout the series, and such.

Watto

07-24-2007, 02:22 PM

Did anyone else notice Rowlings use of miles instead of kilometers? I thought that only us Americans used this system and not the metric. Makes me wonder a bit.

The UK still uses miles for measuring distance, along with the US, Liberia and Myanmar. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilometre#International_usage)

Although the UK has officially adopted the metric system, there is no intention to replace the mile on road signs in the near future, owing to the British public's attachment to traditional imperial units of distance, i.e., miles, yards and inches. It is possible that at some point in the future, the European Union's Commission may apply pressure upon the UK to conform with the other member states. Organisations such as the UK Metric Association (UKMA), which is supported by a number of politicians from all parties, have attempted to raise awareness of what it calls 'a very British mess'.

Anyone who says that the US edition uses miles as a result of an edit is mistaken. The UK version does indeed use miles as a measurement of distance.

Master K

07-24-2007, 07:45 PM

I'm pretty sure that's something that was edited for the American market. They've done it for the other books, so they did it for this one two. Whenever there was something that American audiences just wouldn't understand, they'd have a quick chat with Rowling and come up with something roughly equivalent.

Also, I just do not buy the suggestion that the rest of the wizarding world "isn't interested in other peoples' wars". It's patently obvious to anyone with a functioning brain that after Voldemort had finished bring England, Scotland, and Ireland under his control, he'd go for the rest of Europe, then start heading for Asia and Africa, and eventually go for North and South America and Australia. Maybe, just maybe, the rest of the wizarding community would be smug enough to think that they could handle Voldemort if he ever tried gunning for them directly, or that they actually did think he'd be satisfied with England, but I guarantee you, there would be a lot of people wanting to take his creepy snake ass out.

Maybe it's the same situation as WWII, when other nations did not want to get involved until they had to (such as the United States). I'm sure plenty of wizards around the world were reluctant to start fighting unless absolutely necessary.

Shazam!!

07-24-2007, 07:54 PM

I don't mean to sound corny, but I kind of feel nostaligic after reading the "Deathly Hallows". I remember back in 5th grade when I was reading the first, second, and third books in succession, without any breaks, and here I am, 6 years later, finished with the final book of the series. Maybe I'm just a big wuss. =P

I thoroughly enjoyed the final book, and I know it would have been unlike him to do so, but I would have liked to have seen Harry cast "Avada Kedavra" just ONCE out of sheer rage. Here's to hopes lost eh? Haha

All in all, I am very pleased with the series. I believe she outdid herself, and it's a piece of my childhood that I can bring with me throughout the rest of my life. Who knows, maybe (and hopefully), in ten years, I'll pick the books back up and start all over again. So much has happened, and it's a shame that I don't have a photographic memory, because I'd like to remember it all.

I know it's just a book series, but it's kind of bitter-sweet ending I think. Great that we finally know how one of the finest series in recent literature ends, but also bitter, because the anticipation of cracking open the next new book and continuing to read on about Harry, Ron and Hermione is gone.

I swear I'm not insane...haha.

zephyr_

07-24-2007, 07:58 PM

I know it's just a book series, but it's kind of bitter-sweet I think.
I agree.

Mist_Shinobi

07-24-2007, 08:08 PM

The encyclopedia will be so cool :)

I didn't like it how the Deathly Hallows never became that important in the story. And the book kinda sucked in the sense that Harry Potter isn't a strong wizard, just a strong human being. He never had any prodigious magical "skill" and Voldemort was correct in saying that Harry hides behind everything and everyone. Someone give me an instance where Harry, by himself, does a great magical feat (excluding feats associated with plot advancement, like him running from Voldemort and 20 death eaters, not getting hit by anything).

Bunnyzilla

07-24-2007, 08:20 PM

I was wondering, did they ever explain the moaning creature in the, er, "King's Cross" of Harry's head?

Shazam!!

07-24-2007, 08:23 PM

Yes, in the last few pages where harry and Voldemort are circling each other, Harry says "Try some remorse, I've seen what you become otherwise...try some remorse."

That little helpless creature...WAS Voldemort.

zephyr_

07-24-2007, 08:28 PM

Shazam!!

07-24-2007, 08:44 PM

I believe that was the sound of zephyr owning mist_shinobi.

Hoitash

07-24-2007, 09:09 PM

...(Avoids insult contest)

I know what you mean about nostalgia. I keep rereading the Epilogue of Deathly Hallows, just because its the last part of the series.

Shazam!!

07-24-2007, 09:10 PM

It's weird to read to the epilogue really...after reading all 7 of the books, and all the things that happened to these teenagers over thousands and thousands of pages...to read about them being in their mid 30's...with Ron married to Hermione and them having children....I don't know...it's odd.

I suppose I just loved reading the books so much, I never thought, that even after finishing the sixth book, that it was coming to an end. For only being books, I got a ton of joy out of them, because it was kind of an escape from everyday hell. Books like these....don't come around often at all...I'll miss that.

Mist_Shinobi

07-24-2007, 09:25 PM

Patronus Charm.

What else though.

Chaostamer

07-24-2007, 10:00 PM

What else though.

What, that's not good enough for you? YOU try to do a corporeal Patronus, then, smart-ass.

DarkEvangelist2005

07-24-2007, 10:05 PM

What else though.

He taught other students how to perform defensive magic for one in the DA meeting. His emotions are also a blessing and a curse. They hinder occlumency but help with the Patronus and so on and so forth.

Not to mention he has all of his talent at defending himself from the dark arts. Another thing is Harry is also only 17 years old. IT would take years to garner the kind of knowlege about magic dumbledore had. That was one of the reasons why dumbledore was a great wizard, he had more knowlege about magic than all wizards(even voldemort)

I also seem to remember how powerful his shield charms are. I also believe the one he cast between Molly and voldemort vertically expanded across the great hall. Plus he defeated a basilisk, albeit crudely, he still slayed it nonetheless at age 12.

Lets also not forget he was the only one who could break the imperius curse on him in his 4th year.

redshift71388

07-24-2007, 10:35 PM

Plus, Harry survived at least eight attempts by Voldemort to use Avada Kedavra against him. That's eight more than most everyone else could boast about.

And then there's that other minor thing he did...you know, kill him for good.

Mist_Shinobi

07-25-2007, 12:17 AM

Chaostamer

07-25-2007, 12:32 AM

Mr. Shinobi, you DO know that I was just being sarcastic, right?

Cyberdark Feind

07-25-2007, 12:41 AM

Is dumbledoor alive????

DarkEvangelist2005

07-25-2007, 01:22 AM

I think you guys misunderstood my point. However, I thank you all for insulting me. I'm sure that trying to hurt me brought great joy to your hearts.

Someone just explain to me. I really don't understand. Nowhere in the book was Harry said to be brilliant or have great MAGICAL skill, like someone like Dumbledore had.

It really seemed to me that Harry's encounters with Death Eaters and Voldermort involved some twisting of plot elements. Take the last battle between Harry and Voldemort for instance. It was not Harry skill that won, but Voldemort's own arrogance and Dumbledore's manipulation of events, that ultimately led to Voldemort's defeat.

Please, do not flame me. I am stating my opinion, and, if one wants to counter it and discuss it, feel free, but do so without being an ass.

Technically, Harry had to act on his own accord and face death in order for the magic DD had placed to work. It was harrys love that protected himself and the others from voldemort. The magic had to be activated by love which voldemort doesn't have.

BTW, LV is more ignorant than arrogant. It was IMO ignorance that did him in. OH, and if DD beleived he was more powerful than LV then I'm with him. I beleive Harry's ability to love gives him "strength".

Harry also successfully used the Cruciatus Curse(Which Snape claimed he couldn't acheive).

Hollow Golem

07-25-2007, 02:51 AM

Is dumbledoor alive????

Umm... no. If you read the book he specifically answers this question, asked by Harry. By the way, you spelled your User Name wrong; It's "F-i-e-n-d"

Anyway, I believe it's not in Harry's skill, but in his perseverance and courage. Essentially, in his ability to be a true Gryffindor, as many have probably pointed out.

Junior

07-25-2007, 02:53 AM

Is dumbledoor alive????

I guess you don't read HP books since he died in the last book before the 7th.. >.>

*Looks at the poll's progress*

I wonder how people can call this the worst book ever written since it's better than all the other books in the series so far. >.>

Hollow Golem

07-25-2007, 03:18 AM

I guess you don't read HP books since he died in the last book before the 7th.. >.>

*Looks at the poll's progress*

I wonder how people can call this the worst book ever written since it's better than all the other books in the series so far. >.>

I'm willing to bet that people who didn't read the book clicked worst ever seeing as more people voted for worst ever than pretty darn bad.

Junior

07-25-2007, 03:55 AM

EDIT: Whoops. Someone delete this.

familyguy1491

07-25-2007, 10:40 AM

What I loved about this Book:
Snapes Tale (the best chapter in the book no arguing its the truth)
Dobby dying (it was well written)
Duddikens befriending (or acknowledging) harry
The Epilogue
Crabbe's death
Hogwarts battle

What I didn't like that much:
The epilogue
How some people died
How some people died that we didn't get to witness
How like 4 horcruxes were destroyed in 4 chapters
How Harry was a Horcrux and no one knew it till the end...

Let me discuss that actually. HOW THE FUZZ DOES NO ONE IN THE BOOK UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS ONLY 6 HORCRUXES??? Everyone kept saying that there was 7 horcruxes because thats the special cool number. Let's count.... Goblet,ring, diary, slytherin chain, diadem, nagini. Now I know some people are going to say that they didn't know what the last one was, but if you read the book carefully you will see the frustration I face. It says while Harry is walking to the Forest where he is suppose to be killed that he bumps into Neville. He tells Neville to kill Nagini. He thinks (not says) there at least the Horcrux thing will be easier because there are again 3 people looking for Nagini and thats the only one left. THE ONLY ONE! He doesn't think there 3 people on the job and 2 left. NO HE THINKS ONLY ONE! So he either knew that he was a horcrux or this kid can't count. Seeing how Hogwarts doesn't teach math I would say the latter.

Additional Comment:

I don't mean to sound corny, but I kind of feel nostaligic after reading the "Deathly Hallows". I remember back in 5th grade when I was reading the first, second, and third books in succession, without any breaks, and here I am, 6 years later, finished with the final book of the series. Maybe I'm just a big wuss. =P

I thoroughly enjoyed the final book, and I know it would have been unlike him to do so, but I would have liked to have seen Harry cast "Avada Kedavra" just ONCE out of sheer rage. Here's to hopes lost eh? Haha

All in all, I am very pleased with the series. I believe she outdid herself, and it's a piece of my childhood that I can bring with me throughout the rest of my life. Who knows, maybe (and hopefully), in ten years, I'll pick the books back up and start all over again. So much has happened, and it's a shame that I don't have a photographic memory, because I'd like to remember it all.

I know it's just a book series, but it's kind of bitter-sweet ending I think. Great that we finally know how one of the finest series in recent literature ends, but also bitter, because the anticipation of cracking open the next new book and continuing to read on about Harry, Ron and Hermione is gone.

I swear I'm not insane...haha.

This is exactly how I feel about the ending of the series. I only had one wish about this book and this was it: I wish that it had a cliff hanger. I wished this for the sheer fact that I never want this series to end, or it ends on my account not the authors. I wanted to stay in this magical world just long enough to see more. Jk Rowling I thank thee for giving us this series, but I also dislike the fact that she got sick of writing it and ended it:(.

zephyr_

07-25-2007, 11:01 AM

What else though.

Imperius Curse. "Extra strong" shield charm.

But I think the point was that he doesn't have prodigious skill like Dumbledore.

hyori

07-25-2007, 12:23 PM

What ever happened to Nagini? Wasn't it supposed to be a Horcrux?

ShadowZ

07-25-2007, 12:24 PM

What ever happened to Nagini? Wasn't it supposed to be a Horcrux?

didn't you read the book? Neville cut her head off

Jk Rowling I thank thee for giving us this series, but I also dislike the fact that she got sick of writing it and ended it:(.
while she was getting sick of writing about harry potter, it wasn't the reason why she ended it. She said from the very beginning that it was going to be 7 books.

but I do agree, I am sad to see it end, sigh... back to reading normal books...

hyori

07-25-2007, 12:31 PM

I did read it, but I probably got distracted during the part where Nagini died then. Now I have to go and re-read not that it's a bad thing =)

darkmagicianofchaos7

07-25-2007, 02:27 PM

Let me discuss that actually. HOW THE FUZZ DOES NO ONE IN THE BOOK UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS ONLY 6 HORCRUXES??? Everyone kept saying that there was 7 horcruxes because thats the special cool number. Let's count.... Goblet,ring, diary, slytherin chain, diadem, nagini. Now I know some people are going to say that they didn't know what the last one was, but if you read the book carefully you will see the frustration I face. It says while Harry is walking to the Forest where he is suppose to be killed that he bumps into Neville. He tells Neville to kill Nagini. He thinks (not says) there at least the Horcrux thing will be easier because there are again 3 people looking for Nagini and thats the only one left. THE ONLY ONE! He doesn't think there 3 people on the job and 2 left. NO HE THINKS ONLY ONE! So he either knew that he was a horcrux or this kid can't count. Seeing how Hogwarts doesn't teach math I would say the latter.

Oh yeah. I guess people can say that Harry would be the 7th Horcrux. But I thought that Harry was an accidental Horcrux and Voldemort intentionally made 7 Horcuxses. That would make Harry an 8th Horcrux. And I like how they spent like 1/3 or more on looking for/destroying just one Horcrux. Then the other Horcruxses were found fairly quickly and destroyed fairly quickly. I guess the journey for the Horcruxses had to end soon in order to make room for the final battle.

About the deaths:
I was really mad about the killing of Hedwig. I was like "What the heck did the owl do to deserve this?!" And, I didn't really see the need to kill both of Ted Lupin's parents. I was thinking "Oh, I guess we have a new 'Harry Potter' now." when I read of their deaths. I wish Harry could have witnessed them dying though. I think that the best written death was Dobby's. It had the most emotion for me.

I was wondering about the whole Sword of Gryffindor thing also. I guess it just teleports the sword to the person who asks for it from the sorting hat. Like Griphook is walking around or something, then the sword suddenly de-materializes from his hand and ends up in the sorting hat.

The epilogue was really disappointing. Like other people said, I wanted more info on the jobs and other stuff on all the characters mentioned throughout the series. Like they have a reunion or something and tell each other how life has been like since that night. The whole epilogue could have been replaced with "And they lived happily ever after." Although, finding out the names of the kids was pretty interesting.

Masterdramon

07-25-2007, 02:49 PM

What I loved about this Book:
Snapes Tale (the best chapter in the book no arguing its the truth)
Dobby dying (it was well written)
Duddikens befriending (or acknowledging) harry
The Epilogue
Crabbe's death
Hogwarts battle

What I didn't like that much:
The epilogue
How some people died
How some people died that we didn't get to witness
How like 4 horcruxes were destroyed in 4 chapters
How Harry was a Horcrux and no one knew it till the end...

Let me discuss that actually. HOW THE FUZZ DOES NO ONE IN THE BOOK UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS ONLY 6 HORCRUXES??? Everyone kept saying that there was 7 horcruxes because thats the special cool number. Let's count.... Goblet,ring, diary, slytherin chain, diadem, nagini. Now I know some people are going to say that they didn't know what the last one was, but if you read the book carefully you will see the frustration I face. It says while Harry is walking to the Forest where he is suppose to be killed that he bumps into Neville. He tells Neville to kill Nagini. He thinks (not says) there at least the Horcrux thing will be easier because there are again 3 people looking for Nagini and thats the only one left. THE ONLY ONE! He doesn't think there 3 people on the job and 2 left. NO HE THINKS ONLY ONE! So he either knew that he was a horcrux or this kid can't count. Seeing how Hogwarts doesn't teach math I would say the latter.
Did you even read "Half-Blood Prince"?

As Dumbledore stresses, Voldemort never wanted 7 Horcruxes. He wanted 7 pieces of soul. The main one, which stays in his body(s) and cannot be destroyed until all the Horcruxes are, still counts. If there were 7 Horcruxes (which, in the end, there turned out to be), then he would have 8 pieces of soul.

And they do teach math at Hogwarts (though it's an elective). Arithmancy is essentially "magical math".

And people, you can stop complaining abbout the shortness of the epilogue. JKR confirmed in a recent interview that she will be doing the encyclopedia, so we'll be getting all of the backstories and future fates of the various characters at some point in the future.

Incidentally, she also confirmed which character got a reprieve from dying: Arthur Weasley

Chaostamer

07-25-2007, 02:49 PM

Oh yeah. I guess people can say that Harry would be the 7th Horcrux. But I thought that Harry was an accidental Horcrux and Voldemort intentionally made 7 Horcuxses. That would make Harry an 8th Horcrux. And I like how they spent like 1/3 or more on looking for/destroying just one Horcrux. Then the other Horcruxses were found fairly quickly and destroyed fairly quickly. I guess the journey for the Horcruxses had to end soon in order to make room for the final battle.

Voldemort intended to divide his soul into 7 parts, one of which would be in his body, giving him 6 Horcruxes. However, somehow when he killed Harry's mother, a part of his soul jumped into Harry...As for the journey, there were 6Horcruxes: the Ring, the Diary, the Locket, the Cup, the Diadem, and Nagini. The first two were destroyed prior to the book. They found the Locket early on; the problem was destroying it. It wasn't until much later that they found the Cup, after which Voldemort realized what was going on, so obviously they had to find the Hogwarts Horcrux quickly, before Voldemort did. As for Nagini, it was pretty much common sense that she would be the last Horcrux destroyed, though I hoped that Harry would kill her when she attacked him in Godric's Hollow. Anyways, the pace of the Horcrux quest makes perfect sense.

About the deaths:
I was really mad about the killing of Hedwig. I was like "What the heck did the owl do to deserve this?!" And, I didn't really see the need to kill both of Ted Lupin's parents. I was thinking "Oh, I guess we have a new 'Harry Potter' now." when I read of their deaths. I wish Harry could have witnessed them dying though. I think that the best written death was Dobby's. It had the most emotion for me.

They needed to get rid of Hedwig somehow...But yeah, it sucks that Tonks died. I'm cool with Lupin dying, especially since it brought the Marauders together again, but it sucks for Teddy to grow up as an orphan, even with family and friends. Tonks shouldn't have died too.

I was wondering about the whole Sword of Gryffindor thing also. I guess it just teleports the sword to the person who asks for it from the sorting hat. Like Griphook is walking around or something, then the sword suddenly de-materializes from his hand and ends up in the sorting hat.

I know...Griphook's gotta be pissed.

familyguy1491

07-25-2007, 03:03 PM

Lol somehow i didn't make the connection of the sword reapearing again! Poor ugly Griphook.

Mist_Shinobi

07-25-2007, 04:19 PM

Technically, Harry had to act on his own accord and face death in order for the magic DD had placed to work. It was harrys love that protected himself and the others from voldemort. The magic had to be activated by love which voldemort doesn't have.

BTW, LV is more ignorant than arrogant. It was IMO ignorance that did him in. OH, and if DD beleived he was more powerful than LV then I'm with him. I beleive Harry's ability to love gives him "strength".

Harry also successfully used the Cruciatus Curse(Which Snape claimed he couldn't acheive).

Yeah, I agree that Harry's love gave him access to very powerful magic, but that in no way proves he has great magical SKILL.

I am under the impression that it was Harry's human characteristics (love, selflessness, compassion, quick-thinking) rather than his magical skill, that made him a great wizard.

Just my opinion, but I really do think that that's what Rowling was trying to get across to the readers.

Chaostamer

07-25-2007, 04:24 PM

That Encyclopedia should be awesome. It'll really tie up all the loose ends nicely...

Shazam!!

07-25-2007, 04:31 PM

I was actually thoroughly satisfied with the Epilogue, she kept it really simple, she keeps us guessing about everything. She made it so that Harry Potter will stay in our minds for a long time to come.

redshift71388

07-25-2007, 05:06 PM

She's writing an Encyclopedia? W00t! Not that I think there were really any loose ends, but I'd like to know what everyone does and such.

I didn't mind the Epilogue because it contained (in my opinion), the most important line in the book, when Harry praises Snape when speaking to Al.

Dark Necrophia

07-25-2007, 05:08 PM

Yeah, I agree that Harry's love gave him access to very powerful magic, but that in no way proves he has great magical SKILL.

I am under the impression that it was Harry's human characteristics (love, selflessness, compassion, quick-thinking) rather than his magical skill, that made him a great wizard.

Just my opinion, but I really do think that that's what Rowling was trying to get across to the readers.

But the point is that Love is the deepest, strongest, most ancient magic there is, and Harry had it in spades.

So thusly, Harry did have prodigious magical skill. Remember bangs and smoke are usually the mark of ineptitude rather than expertise. Harry was a truly gifted wizard.

Chaostamer

07-25-2007, 05:21 PM

I didn't mind the Epilogue because it contained (in my opinion), the most important line in the book, when Harry praises Snape when speaking to Al.

I completely agree. The whole tribute to Snape was beautiful...

Shazam!!

07-25-2007, 06:23 PM

I thought Dumbledore telling his side of the story of what happened was rather touching, but ad far as single lines go, the one where Harry says Severus was one of the bravest men he had ever meant was truly great. I always liked Snape, I thought a character so boldly casted as being "bad" had to have some other story behind him, and I'm glad it was revealed.

frank7

07-25-2007, 09:34 PM

Mr. Shinobi, you DO know that I was just being sarcastic, right?It's called a sarchasm Chaos which is a constant obstacle for sarcastic wit especially on the internet. Mist Shinobi sorry to disappoint you but no one tried to hurt you, they just tore up your theories and opinions and you're being a bit paranoid that people want to 'hurt you' even mentally or emotionally.

Anyways Harry's calls are deux ex machina like Harry having Lily's protection in Sorcerer's Stone (Philospher's for non-Americans), granted the protection theme was brough back in later novels. Anyway I believe JKR said Harry has suffered to much to be capable in Occlumency and Unforgivables since his temper and emotion are always so pushed but on the flip side his emotions allow him to produce his Patronus and give him the determination to block Imperius. Harry also learns spells quickly like the summoning charm in Gof or Expeliarmus (sp?) by just seeing ot once in CoS , he also used the HBP spells in one try (albeit he was f'in careless in using them) and managed Apparating himself and Dumble away from the cave before he got his licence in HBP.

Deus ex machina is hardly new either eg. Luke is being electrocuted by Sidious and Darth Vader just strolls up behind him and throws him or Goku just pulling out new levels of SSJ whenever a baddie is stronger than him. Heck Dumbledore is imo a way better wizard than Voldie but Voldie can't be killed unless you take out his Horcruxes (seriously whats another plural of Horcrux? Horcruxi and Horcruxes sound wrong for some reason). Voldies overconfidenc has always screwed him over like in GoF, I was expecting a scene with
Harry: Your overconfidence is your weakness.
Voldy(in mufflled Sidious voice): Your faith in your friends is yours.

Voldie also misunderstood the Elder which was understandable, he killed Snape to become Master of the Elder Wand since Snape did kill Dumbly, but it was overlooked that Draco Malfoy disarmed Dumbly so Draco was for a time Master not Snape and since Harry easily bested Draco in dueling it passed to him. Its JKR using the Chekov gun where a seemingly insignificant detail plays a larger role. which was what Buster brought up I don't like how her writing style uses a lot of "I've seen that before..." then later "that's where I've seen that before! It all makes sense now!" Again at times I think JK stretches it a bit far like up stuff from CoS, it was kinda like a murder mystery wehn you have one crime that says 'hey that rapist we arrested a month ago knew the prime suspect for this murder', 'yeah but we already closed that case and I don't want to go to jail to see him again and bring back all the crap from the ****'. It also might hinder movie adaptation since you can re-read a passage in a book but not as many people can grap a DVD while watching the new movies and look for clues.

Cyberdark Feind- no, Dumbledore is not alive since I can't tell if youre joking or not. As for the Sword of Gryffindor its another piece of Deux ex Machina, although it might help that the Sorting Hat was actually Godric Gryffindors actual hat before it sorted students. I was also glad Percy lived, everyone I knew wanted him to die for walking away from his family. I also wasn't a fan of the travellign around for a scavenger-I means-Horcrux hunt concept as I felt it dragged the book longer but meh there are more than enough positives for the book to overlook it.
Didn't like how they wrote out the deaths of James and Lily Potter.

From the previous books I thought James Potter had died in some kind of Super Duel with lasers, backflips, [B]throwing down face downs and ewoks.

Too simple.

Good book overall thoughO.o at the bold, if the Star Wars part wasn't bad enough theres:
James: OK Lily its time to get your game on. Anyway I agree with Narchais on the overall feel of the book Anyway, the deaths that bothered me the most were that of Tonks and Lupin (Dobby's death I read over and could only find myself thinking "its about freakin' time). Teddy's parents both died, and now he's got a man with no parents as his godfather. Wait a minute... thats what happened to Harry! Curious...

All and all, it was a pretty good book. I really expected Hagrid and maybe a couple of named teachers to be taken down in the battle, but whichever.
I was also ticked off about the fact that they changed a little of the plot b/c of that typical movie length.

-Get a new Director-The scenes were too dark during the broom flight and like the previous 2 films by Newell and Curron, Newell cut off many scenes.

-Parts that should have been included:
-Cho's friend who actually betrayed them, not Cho herself.
-NO QUIDDITCH? WTF happend there? Where are the Weasley's Our King Moments He's my favorite character in the book and yet he got a extremely small part in the movie. The movie was all about Harry and his anger management issues.
-After returning from the Dept. of Mysteries where Voldemort was, didn't Harry get into some tantrum, thrashing Dumbledore's crap everywhere b/c he felt that no one understood him?That belongs in the movie dicussion thread and I'll post there but Marietta was a marginal character and it was better to combine Cho and Marietta which creates more drama for Harry and Cho. If you haven't noticed even the BOOK is about Harry and his anger. Its not about Ron playing Quidditch. Harry is annoying enough as it is as well, who wants to see a 15 year old throw a hissy fit, no chick flick moments please. You're arguments are about as valid as Spidey fans complaining the 'Outta web fluid' gag was not included in Spidey movies.
I feel that people have come to associate action with being more interesting, and think it makes a better plot. I think in actual fact it is exactly the opposite, while action is important and can obviously not be ignored, and is of course a vital and interesting part of any book, too much action takes away from the intellectual aspect that one can only attain by reading a book. In a movie everything must be described for the most part through actions, since you have no window into peoples thoughts, words are used yes but they are not as neccesary because of the visuals. Books are a different medium. Yes to those with good imagination action is very fun in books, I enjoyed all the action in the book, however I think most important in a book are the words, the truly intellectual aspect of it. In my opinion it would have been far less climactic to have Harry and Voldemort throw a bunch of cool looking curses at each other, while it would have looked good on film, it really wouldn't have been much of an ending. For the most part however, no matter what medium you are using, people place way too much stock in action scenes, truly good scenes use characters, plot, words and thoughts and are the scenes that have true depth, truly great meaning behind them and something that truly takes you out of the moment where you forget you are simply sitting in your room reading, but feel like you are actually there, watching, listening. Action scenes have their place, they are of course fun, but for the culmination of a journey many of us have been taking with Harry since we are very young, and coming of age with him, it would somehow detract from his final triumph, somehow ruin it forever, for all of us, if the scene was mostly a bunch of pretty bangs and flashes.Well imo it was more that characters and how they moved the plot was not up to scratch rather than 'action'. Whether it be action or interaction if either are done poorly it will turn off an audience. Action is crtiticized to the same extent like in Lord of the Rings, it must be meaningful or its just to much grit like the current state of some slasher/horror films. Character development is the same, there comes a time when you have to say 'Hey quit developing your characters we have card game... *cough* I mean a plot to move forward'. Hamlet couldn't just be Soliloquys (sp?), it did move forward even with Hamlet as a character's procrastination. Regarding Magical skill Mist Shinobi has the point - Harry's strengths are normal human characteristics like love and compassion and with the exception of love fueling his Patronus he has few magical skills but his normal human skills eg. learning to understand what he sees and Quick thinking & determination are applied to magic. Harry stabbed a basilisk and Riddles Diary, while the echos saved him in GoF, willpower saved him against Imperius but his strong emotions prevent his Occlumency and Dumbles came to the resuce in OotP and he got owned by Snape in HBP. I'll look over the flaws in my post later though.Sirius said in the 5th Book that the Pureblood families are all related to one another somehow. Get with the times, man!Thats because it seems to be an unwritten law that characters must be married to someone with the last name Black or Weasley, hell even Teddy Lupin is into Victoire Weasley. Seriously Scorpious though? If the Malfoys keep coming up with these names for their kids they should not be allowed to even have sex to prevent such atrocities. Albus Severus as well? Poor kid if it weren’t for his last name Potter he would be the asses end of several taunts and hopefull his initials ASP mean nothing, James and Lily are normal considering Harry’s parents but they have been included in about a kazillion fanfics about Harry and co’s kids so I would have liked somthing original, that and Lily's I wanna go to Hogwarts now and James with his lame jokes were annoying but meh they're kids. SEriously the names JKR comes up with, if you put all the characters in the series names on a list it will look like the hit list of your local elementary school bully. Anyway I'm finally done and have WAAAYY to much time on my hands, guess I’m dumber than normal when I’m tired.

Chaostamer

07-25-2007, 10:00 PM

Seriously whats another plural of Horcrux? Horcruxi and Horcruxes sound wrong for some reason.

It's Horcruxes, hence the title of the Half-Blood Prince chapter.

WildWill

07-25-2007, 10:29 PM

Finished late last night, all told, probably took me about 6 hours to read, maybe a bit more, I didn't time myself, and I didn't go quickly, that's just how fast I read. Plus, let's be frank here, HP is not heavy duty fiction. I've been well trained to read heavy duty literature, while HP is fun, it ain't tough reading.

Now, here's my thoughts:

I enjoyed it quite a bit, as pretty much a guilty pleasure. I knew the ending before hand, but not the details. As I've previously stated being a lit major gives me a weird focus on the story as a whole, not just the ending, so I don't care one iota about spoilers. It's not about the end, it's about how you get there.

In a good long episodic series, a good writer will often pepper just enough plot devices and story elements through the series in order to give the audience a feeling that they HAVE to read every book. Even still though, a good commercial writer won't assume that their audience HAS read every book, so she gives a decent amount of exposition to touch on the important facets of the story that have gone before, without alienating those who alrady know the story. Rowling is a master of this technique. Everything in HP went back to the beginning of the story. Those small details in the first book became very important by the last book.

Is the story simplistic? Of course it is, it's a classic bildungsroman tale, and in almost every one of those, it's a happy ending. HAD Rowling chosen to off ANY of the main three she most likely would have been LYNCHED, or at least skewered in the media. I found her pretty darn bloodthirsty, but I also noticed that most of the main deaths happen "off screen" as it were. These ARE children's books after-all.

The early death of Hedwig is important because SOMEONE very close to Harry has to die, and Rowling obviously had plans for Ron and Hermione that precluded her from killing them off. It also brings home the danger to Harry as well, and gives him a point to come back to when he's in deep thought about what he's doing and why. Remember at one point he thinks that he would have rather died when Hedwig died. He also dwells on her death more than once in thought, and it makes the danger very real to Harry (and to her audience).

[I'll also say this, Owls, though known for being "wise and sage" are actually very, very stupid birds. While I love all animals, I'm not overly fond of owls, and I wasn't the least bit surprised that she was killed.]

I was not the least bit surprised at who died and why, and expected about as much. There has to be consequences for characters in a story like this, or it doesn't have any reality. The truth is that fictional characters never truly die, and there can always be stories written about them at an earlier age. You know them as "prequels". Heck, we learned a lot more about Darth Vader (more than we really WANTED to know) AFTER he died.

Snape was obviously working for Dumbledore the entire time, I never had any doubts. I thought he kind of went out like a punk though, about as good as Mace Windu got. I hate bringing it back to SW, but there are a LOT of similarities in the overall narrative.

Voldemort's connection to Harry being as strong as it was also seemed to me to be inevitable, and a bit cliched. Of COURSE Harry was the only one who could have possibly defeated Voldemort, everyone knew it, except Harry. And that's exactly what made him the classic Joseph Campbell type of hero. In fact, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if in a few years a lot of college literature papers focus on exactly that aspect of the story.

While I feel the connection between them is cliched, I like the way that Rowling constructed the link, because only one of them realized how deep the link actually was, and that was the other's downfall.

Voldemort is a classic evil villain as well, pretty much sterotypical to be precise. One dimensional villains are very stock, and unfortunately this is where I feel Rowling is the most disapointing. Voldemort isn't the least bit interesting in his single minded quest for power. He exhibits all the typical traits of bad villains without anything distinguishing him from the others. Yes, we got it, he's a bad guy. In the beginning he was mysterious, but as more bits of him were revealed, the more he became a carbon-copy for every other bad pulp-fiction type of villain with all the foibles that always bring those types down. Ultimately where the series fails is that the threat never actually seemed to be capable of winning the ultimate battle, not seriously.

The epilogue is a throw-away device which is the sign of a weak storyteller. It is FAR better to allow the reader to make up their own minds about what happens to the lead characters after the main storyline is completed.

So while I liked the series in general, I don't give it that much literary weight. The plot is too formulaic and the characters while being interesting in their own rights, are still copied from the classical molds without much development from book to book - which I find really sad because Ron is the same twit from book one to book seven, and Hermionie doesn't show much signs of developing as a character either. For that matter, none of the characters really show any growth with the exception of Harry himself, and that alone will not give the series any serious academic weight.

So while it's an incredible pop culture phenomenon, it's not Earth-shatteringly great intrinsically.

I enjoy it the same way I enjoy other light-weight fluff. But I doubt I'll be missing it in the future.

Though I do kind of want to dig out my Harry Potter TCG sets and make decks to have fun with.

Shazam!!

07-26-2007, 08:34 AM

Everything you've written makes fabulous sense Will, and it brings up some points I really hadn't thought of myself before. Hmm...

Bunnyzilla

07-26-2007, 09:00 AM

All I have to say about this book (right now anyway, I usually read a book 2 or 3 times before I can get a real opinion on it) is than I gained so much more respect for Snape that he is my new favorite character.

Hoitash

07-26-2007, 11:20 AM

Mr. WildWill, your Modship, sir, if I may I have a slightly different take on the epilogue. While in some cases they may be weak here it serves two purpoeses: one, for people like me, who like to read, and not think while doing it, but merely read the book as a journey, with a spelled out beggining, middle, and end, the epilogue provides an end. Here it also serves the purpose of being final. It says "There, seven books, I'm done. That's it, get over it."

also, while you're probably right about it being serious literary discussion, its at least at the general education level, as the full class of "Harry Potter" in the English section during my Registration proved. Still, the HP books are so far the only ones I'v reread so many times and continue to enjoy. Maybe the saga itself is what attracts people to the world, where all six books tie together.

And don't forget a lot of the character growth was with Nevilles and Ginny. Ron did become more mature, sort of.

DarkEvangelist2005

07-26-2007, 02:43 PM

Imperius Curse. "Extra strong" shield charm.

But I think the point was that he doesn't have prodigious skill like Dumbledore.

Dumbledore was how old though? Like over 100. The man did nothing but study magic and learn everything he could. It would take the same amount of years to gain that much knowlege about magic. DUmbledore had an answer for everything, he knew everything there was to know about magic.

I also noticed that harry shows the the qualities of all 4 hogwarts founders. Kind of ironic if you ask me.

EDIT: I also seem to remember that Harry also was able to sense the enchantments in the cave along with dumbledore. Albeit, he couldn't sense it like dumbledore(who had years of practice), but he sensed it nonetheless.

Black Paladin

07-26-2007, 04:56 PM

I couldn't help but laugh at the names of the kids' names at the end.

I can understand James, Lily, and Rose...but Albus?:D Albus Severus??? That's like an old geezer name! :D

Hugo sounded pretty funny for a kid too.

Scorpius's just asking to be made fun of....

Overall I liked the book. It provided me with the entertainment I wanted from it, and gave me a happy ending. Never a dull moment.

Secret Squirrel

07-26-2007, 05:10 PM

Mr. WildWill, your Modship, sir, if I may I have a slightly different take on the epilogue. While in some cases they may be weak here it serves two purpoeses: one, for people like me, who like to read, and not think while doing it, but merely read the book as a journey, with a spelled out beggining, middle, and end, the epilogue provides an end. Here it also serves the purpose of being final. It says "There, seven books, I'm done. That's it, get over it."

He wasn't saying that was a bad thing. The point was that Harry Potter books don't really hold any literary weight.

And in my opinion, the epilogue doesn't even guarantee the series is finished. Others have already pointed out the (small) similarities between Tonk's child and Harry. And it's not unheard of to write books taking place 10, 50, or 100 years after the last book. You can even write more about dead characters and say the book takes place before the character dies...

Hoitash

07-26-2007, 05:16 PM

True, Star Wars Legacy takes place 137 years after A New Hope. There is a chance she'll let someone else write, and it could snowball like Star Wars... and it depends on how you define literary weight, also.

Secret Squirrel

07-26-2007, 05:27 PM

So while I liked the series in general, I don't give it that much literary weight. The plot is too formulaic and the characters while being interesting in their own rights, are still copied from the classical molds without much development from book to book - which I find really sad because Ron is the same twit from book one to book seven, and Hermionie doesn't show much signs of developing as a character either. For that matter, none of the characters really show any growth with the exception of Harry himself, and that alone will not give the series any serious academic weight.

I was disappointed with this to. I remember thinking while reading book 6 "wow, this is fun, but I wish Ron would do something other than stick with some random girl." Sure enough, Ron spends much of book 7 trying to get with Hermione. It's almost as if he's regressed -- in book 1, he was essential to Harry getting to the Sorcerer's Stone (the chess game). Whereas in book 7, I can't recall a time when Ron suggested an idea that the group used; from what I remember (and I'll have to re-read to confirm this as I'm not entirely sure), he just agreed with Harry or Hermione.

So it was disappointing from a literary perspective, but I like to think of the books as just fantasy. One of the comforting things about fantasy (in any medium) is that it isn't real and you can get attached to characters that don't change and always fall back on it. You couldn't seriously expect major character developments because people would be too uncomfortable with the shift...

TeamUnderdog

07-26-2007, 07:28 PM

I was disappointed with this to. I remember thinking while reading book 6 "wow, this is fun, but I wish Ron would do something other than stick with some random girl." Sure enough, Ron spends much of book 7 trying to get with Hermione. It's almost as if he's regressed -- in book 1, he was essential to Harry getting to the Sorcerer's Stone (the chess game). Whereas in book 7, I can't recall a time when Ron suggested an idea that the group used; from what I remember (and I'll have to re-read to confirm this as I'm not entirely sure), he just agreed with Harry or Hermione.

So it was disappointing from a literary perspective, but I like to think of the books as just fantasy. One of the comforting things about fantasy (in any medium) is that it isn't real and you can get attached to characters that don't change and always fall back on it. You couldn't seriously expect major character developments because people would be too uncomfortable with the shift...

Only thing i can think of is Ron suggesting towards the end that him and Hermione go to the Chamber of Secrets to get the Basilisk* Fang...

Mist_Shinobi

07-26-2007, 07:40 PM

It's called a sarchasm Chaos which is a constant obstacle for sarcastic wit especially on the internet. Mist Shinobi sorry to disappoint you but no one tried to hurt you, they just tore up your theories and opinions and you're being a bit paranoid that people want to 'hurt you' even mentally or emotionally.

Lol, I was trying to be sarcastic. However, it seems to me that I lack the ability to both interpret such things and express them correctly.

Ilovecheese

07-26-2007, 09:28 PM

Griphook deserves to lose the sword. Dirty backstabber....

Hoitash

07-26-2007, 09:49 PM

The same could be said about humans. These books are about a lot more than a kid who gets the redhead.

Chaostamer

07-26-2007, 11:08 PM

Griphook deserves to lose the sword. Dirty backstabber....

Well, being as Harry was essentially trying to backstab him in the first place...

redshift71388

07-26-2007, 11:09 PM

The epilogue is a throw-away device which is the sign of a weak storyteller. It is FAR better to allow the reader to make up their own minds about what happens to the lead characters after the main storyline is completed.
It was probably better she write it, since otherwise everyone would've been badgering her about whether or not Harry and Ginny got together or Ron and Hermione. It was going to be revealed eventually.

These books are about a lot more than a kid who gets the redhead.
Well, that made it even better.

King Atlantis

07-26-2007, 11:43 PM

well, just finished it...

suprised me harry didnt name one of his kids after sirius...

redshift71388

07-26-2007, 11:48 PM

suprised me harry didnt name one of his kids after sirius...
There's always a chance they have another go.

Anyway, I'm more suprised that none of them were named after Ginny's relatives.

Ron, as well, probably would've done better to name his kid Fred after his dead brother, not Hugo.

Snapper

07-27-2007, 12:07 AM

Don't know if this has already been pointed out, but Rowling has given extra epilogue details (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19959323/). Mildly more interesting than the actual epilogue, but still leaves something to be desired.

Junior

07-27-2007, 02:30 AM

Heard that a few hours ago from another Foum. I haven't read it yet though, but still, sounds interesting. I'm going to read the site later on. =/

redshift71388

07-27-2007, 10:53 PM

Hehe, gotta love The Onion.

Final Harry Potter Book Blasted For Containing Spoilers (http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/final_harry_potter_book)

Mystic Vegeta

07-28-2007, 12:59 AM

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was definitely the best book in the entire series, and one of my top favorite books that I have read. I thought that J.K. did a fantastic job with this final book. She knew exactly how to wrap things up without being extremely corny, and without being extremely depressing.
My favorite chapter was the Prince's Tale. I absolutely loved Snape's storyline throughout the entire series and it was a great way to end it. I actually would of rather have Snape die in an intense duel against Voldemort. I found Dobby's death to be extremely sad, as well as Snape's. But one of the highlights of the book was when Mrs. Weasley killed Bellatrix.

TightEyes

07-28-2007, 01:35 AM

Guess my attempt at humour was bad one >.<

What I meant was, that the earlier books made it seem like that James Potter and Voldy had an intense duel, but James ultimately lost and it cost him his life.

I didn't like how Rowling revealed that both Elder Potters were unarmed and were killed and tossed aside while Voldy went after Harry.

Anyone else notice how Rowling shaped Teddy Lupin to be a cookie cut of Harry?

They both have the same pattern in names, Teddy and Harry.

Both were orphaned at a really young age. Both parents were members of the Order of the Phoenix.

Both have/had loving GodFathers.

"Snogging" on a Weasley.

WildWill

07-28-2007, 09:40 AM

Yes, it's pretty obvious that Teddy is meant to be a doppleganger for Harry, and thus the possibilities for continuing the series are left open. Then again, any writer worth half their salt could continue ANY story.

As for the extra details Ms. Rowling provided, those are obsessive fan-type details that I really didn't need to know in order to enjoy the entire series. They don't add to the story one iota.

DigiAngel

07-28-2007, 11:22 AM

Anyone else have a feeling Ravenclaw's item was a tiara??

I did,I don't know why,I remember thinking''what would Ravenclaw's item be?''

And I went back through all the books,looking for a Horcrux.

Turns out I was right.:p

Amazing how much people got right about the book,eh?

How much people guessed??

That whole'Harry's a Horcrux'' thing really threw me for a loop.
I dunno why,I knew it was popular theory,I guess I just didn't want to believe it.

buu11235

07-28-2007, 12:22 PM

hmm. pretty good book.

Stuff i liked
- The book in general
- Snape's side story
- Hogwarts vs Voldy and co.
- The Horcrux search (thought it showed the near hopelessness of trying to find/destroy them)
- Dumbly's ambitious childhood
- Mrs Weasly vs Bellatrix
- Both of the Longbottoms
- The final Convo between harry and voldemort
- The Hallows not coming together in the end

Stuff i didn't like
- Dobby's death(though it was well written, i didn't like it)
- Not enough Ginny action(thought she would be more written about in the hogwarts battle)
- Not enough post-Voldy information (school, Ministry, life in general)

And was i the only one who thought that Harry would talk to Snape's portrait after his death? Maybe for thanks/apologies?

And who else thought Dumbledores plan was to die, then help harry as a ghost?

Mist_Shinobi

07-28-2007, 12:52 PM

Does Rowling ever explain the mechanics of magic spells? It really seems odd that a spell is performed solely through the simultaneous use of a specific sound (or thinking of a sound/word) and a movement. Or is there something else that I missed?

Chaostamer

07-28-2007, 01:51 PM

And was i the only one who thought that Harry would talk to Snape's portrait after his death? Maybe for thanks/apologies?

And who else thought Dumbledores plan was to die, then help harry as a ghost?

Harry and Snape were bitter enemies throughout the seires. It doesn't work like that. In lieu of a direct conversation, he paid tribute to Snape by naming his son after him.

Dumbledore's not the kind of wizard who would become a ghost. Besides, he helped Harry (indirectly) as a Portrait.

Morzan

07-28-2007, 06:08 PM

Children of the Grave would be a pretty good song to fit with this book, methinks. Especially with the Ministry bits when Harry and co are fleeing from the M.O.M.

Shazam!!

07-28-2007, 07:53 PM

I had a feeling Harry was a Horcrux after the sixth book, but couldn't be certain. I also ALWAYS liked Snape, thought he was bad-ass. I was pleased that he was a good guy until the very end.

I think I'll go back and read the series over again, I'm feeling an urge to just immerse myself back into that drug of a world.

Morzan

07-28-2007, 08:15 PM

Snape just needed a shoulder to cry on. I felt bad for the poor guy. How the bloody hell wasn't he in Gryffindor?

Hoitash

07-28-2007, 08:20 PM

That's essentially what Dumbledore said with "sometimes we Sort too soon." I agree he woulda been a good Gryffindor, but the two Houses are more similiar than they'll ever admit.

redshift71388

07-29-2007, 12:46 AM

I agree he woulda been a good Gryffindor, but the two Houses are more similiar than they'll ever admit.That may be why they didn't like each other. But after this book, Snape has been bumped to one of my favorite characters.

zephyr_

07-29-2007, 01:00 AM

Snape and Dobby were the best characters.

myth buster

07-29-2007, 01:33 AM

After having Harry build up the use of Unforgivable curses throughout the novel, I was expecting him to use the killing curse on Voldemort.
FYI, Harry= basic messianic hero arcitype, which explains the whole cheating death thing from a plot perspective. The messianic hero has to cheat death, either by surviving a near-death experience or dying and coming back to life in order to get a lot stronger. It's actually quite normal for stories to progress like that. NDEs are used by writers as a means to cause a messianic hero to get a lot stronger and/or retrieve lost memories.

Primary Lotus

07-29-2007, 12:38 PM

FYI, Harry= basic messianic hero arcitype, which explains the whole cheating death thing from a plot perspective. The messianic hero has to cheat death, either by surviving a near-death experience or dying and coming back to life in order to get a lot stronger.
Harry Potter's a Sayian?

Wow!!

Black Paladin

07-29-2007, 02:26 PM

Hehe, gotta love The Onion.

Final Harry Potter Book Blasted For Containing Spoilers (http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/final_harry_potter_book)

hahaha. I can't help laughing at that. What was he thinking? The seventh book was going to leave everyone hanging?

myth buster

07-29-2007, 04:18 PM

Harry Potter's a Sayian?

Wow!!

No, Zenki was just a similar plot device. If you pay attention, you'll see this theme all over the place.

Mr.Missingno

07-29-2007, 10:01 PM

Just finished reading...and all I can say is:

1) 7 years of my life has been with the HP books,and its over.Damn!

2)This book was awsome,great series ender. But the story's over. Double Damn!

3)This will be a hell of a movie. So the 6th movie better come out quickly so I can see the 7th one!

Sephirtoh_Masamune

07-29-2007, 10:21 PM

One thing I feel I must point out maybe as a sign for some later book about Harry's son Albus. First of all Harry tells his un-given information about the sorting hat and it trying to put him in Slytherin. Why has he only told Albus? Because he shows more as Harry's son?

Who knows? But the thing I really must point out is Albus' name.

Albus Severus Potter

Initials...A.S.P. Asp, or in other words, a snake. Snakes being used in only the darkest of Dark Magic. Snakes and Slytherin? To me it was too much of a connection that I guess only I saw. Maybe I am just putting too much hope in wanting another series and trying to tie in things that don't matter.

*sigh*

I truly didn't want the series to end =(

Additional Comment:

Oh, and yeah...I just GOTTA do this...

I F'in KNEW THAT SNAPE WAS A GOOD GUY!!!!!!

lol...had to say it...

Mr.Missingno

07-29-2007, 10:39 PM

So what if they make another series about one of Harrys offspring? who would they put as the enemy in the series?

lindsay_123

07-30-2007, 01:25 AM

voldemorts ******* children. or something. Or vegeta.

Junior

07-30-2007, 02:00 AM

Blue Sea Dragoon

07-30-2007, 04:15 AM

3)This will be a hell of a movie. So the 6th movie better come out quickly so I can see the 7th one!

The HBP movie comes out next year, and the Deathly Hallows movie comes out in 2010.

One thing I feel I must point out maybe as a sign for some later book about Harry's son Albus. First of all Harry tells his un-given information about the sorting hat and it trying to put him in Slytherin. Why has he only told Albus? Because he shows more as Harry's son?

Maybe he only has told Albus because he might've been the only one to worry about it. It never was stated, but I think James was already a Griffyndor, so he had nothing to worry about. But this being Albus' first year, and James probably filling his head with stories about Hogwarts, it's only logical he would be worried.

Chaostamer

07-30-2007, 09:02 AM

I think I'll go back and read the series over again, I'm feeling an urge to just immerse myself back into that drug of a world.

True, I've been doing the same thing myself. I'm working my way through Prisoner of Azkaban again. Problem is, I can't find my copy of Goblet of Fire (nor can I find mine of the first 3, but I had spares). I'm reading through the series and working back to the 7th again. I may skip 5 & 6, though. I've read them both within the year, and they're SO long...

myth buster

07-30-2007, 11:39 AM

I can't help but wonder what the world's militaries must have been doing during the 7th book.

Black Paladin

07-30-2007, 03:35 PM

How'd you get snake from asp?

Black Paladin

07-30-2007, 03:50 PM

aw nuts...

Ranma1178

07-30-2007, 04:12 PM

Just finished the book... and wow. All I can say is amazing.

redshift71388

07-30-2007, 04:40 PM

hahaha. I can't help laughing at that. What was he thinking? The seventh book was going to leave everyone hanging?
Well it's a joke. :p They write stuff like that purely for humor; it's not real news.

Black Paladin

07-30-2007, 08:23 PM

Well it's a joke. :p They write stuff like that purely for humor; it's not real news.

oh wow. I feel so stupid. I can't believe I thought there was a hint of seriousness in it the first time I red it.

zephyr_

07-30-2007, 08:39 PM

How'd you get snake from asp?

Asp is a type of snake.

dr strange

07-31-2007, 05:53 PM

Snape going into Slytherin makes sense.

Slytherin was all about ambition, and given his background, it's easy to see how Snape would be interested in a way to get over on other people and finally have the upper hand.

And on Ron -- well, i don;t think he's that static. In book 6 he's still insensitive (so rare in teen boys, right?) but he starts to come into his own a bit as a quidditch player. In the last book, he single-handedly wards off a team of snatchers, saves Harry in an icy pond, destroys a Horcrux under trying circumstances, displays some compassion at the end (and scores smoochies with Hermione as a result), comes up with an idea for how to destroy horcruxes, manages to fake parseltongue, stays cool enuff to help break out when hermione is being tortured and uses his talent for impressions to save everybody, helps incapacitate one of the people they polyjuice for disguise in the ministry, after he returns he takes over the role as leader, helping energize Harry and Hermione and so on.

Just my opinion, tho

TightEyes

07-31-2007, 11:17 PM

Snape going into Slytherin makes sense.

Slytherin was all about ambition, and given his background, it's easy to see how Snape would be interested in a way to get over on other people and finally have the upper hand.

Or maybe its a possiblity that it was because Snape was aiming to go to Slytherin? I thought the Sorting Hat caters to your liking?

Chaostamer

07-31-2007, 11:52 PM

Or maybe its a possiblity that it was because Snape was aiming to go to Slytherin? I thought the Sorting Hat caters to your liking?

I don't think Snape necessarily wanted to go there. Wasn't he hopeful that he might be an exception when he was on the train?

Darth Payne

08-01-2007, 12:55 AM

I don't think Snape necessarily wanted to go there. Wasn't he hopeful that he might be an exception when he was on the train?
I believe that was Sirius. Snape was telling Lily she'd better be in Slytherin.

Junior

08-01-2007, 04:59 AM

I'm glad Lily did end up in Griffindoor since Lily hated the people in Slytherin.

superman

08-01-2007, 03:44 PM

I have a question I had this in my mind ever since last week, I only read 759 pages..counting the blank one's in the back numberd 77? (forgot now) when they mentioned the number of pages they said 784 pages.

Junior

08-02-2007, 05:00 AM

I'm not sure about that either because I don't have that many pages. O_O

Chaostamer

08-07-2007, 12:32 PM

I believe that was Sirius. Snape was telling Lily she'd better be in Slytherin.

You're right. I didn't read it carefully enough. Sirius was a bit of an ass back then, wasn't he?

Morzan

08-07-2007, 01:27 PM

You're right. I didn't read it carefully enough. Sirius was a bit of an ass back then, wasn't he?

Yep. You could say that 3 out of 4 of the Marauders were asses back then, or "little berks" as Sirius said in OOTP. Lupin was quite reserved when it came to their pranks, and I could relate to him most, I think.

The Elder Wand:

It can only be obtained if its weilder is defeated. By this rule, a wizard/witch could be defeated by a simple disarming spell?

Black Paladin

08-07-2007, 03:33 PM

Maybe. I thought you'd have to kill the previous owner to actually defeat him/her. I think it said somewhere that a wand might not like you even after the ownership changed.

Death is the surest way, IMO.

soviet prince

08-07-2007, 04:22 PM

I still don't get how malfoy got control of the elder wand.

Morzan

08-07-2007, 05:54 PM

I still don't get how malfoy got control of the elder wand.

I *think* it was his wand Snape used to AK Dumbledore, or something like that. I'll have to look it up.

Hoitash

08-07-2007, 06:43 PM

More likely it was when Malfoy disarmed Dumbledore.

Near

08-07-2007, 06:59 PM

I still don't get how malfoy got control of the elder wand.
It was all well explained.
It was because he disarmed Dumbledore before Snape killed him.

Darth Payne

08-07-2007, 07:29 PM

He disarmed Dumbledore and had him as good as dead if he had been a killer.

Chaostamer

08-08-2007, 09:29 AM

Just re-read the book. It's excellently explained.

Black Paladin

08-08-2007, 01:17 PM

Just re-read the book. It's excellently explained.

Easier said than done. ;)

Chaostamer

08-08-2007, 07:01 PM

Easier said than done. ;)

Not at all. It's not a tremendously hard-to-read book at all. And at any rate, if you re-read the book from "The Elder Wand" on, you should easily find all you need.

Decontrolled-Raichu

08-10-2007, 10:37 AM

WildWill

08-10-2007, 11:05 AM

I really cannot stand people who are too lazy to read the book intently the first time around. It's like Reading Comprehension isn't even taught in elementary school anymore.

Listen, if you're having problems with reading comprehension on a Harry Potter book, then you have serious problems and need to take a remedial reading course.

I wish I were kidding.

I really hope Rowling is actually DONE with HP. I wasn't too happy with the epilogue, it should have ended where the narrative ended, leaving us all to make our own minds up about what happened to the big three and everyone else. I seriously doubt she'll write another one to be honest. 7 books is a good number to end on (magical you know).

I hope though, that the end of HP doesn't mean that kids will stop reading, because to be honest, while HP is good and all, it's not the greatest series in the universe, and it's not even all that original. There's TONS of other series out there, and tons of better authors. Explore your library or book store, you'll find them.

Joy, my 23K post.

Decontrolled-Raichu

08-10-2007, 11:19 AM

*nods* That is a worry. HP was largely hailed as helping to encourage lots of kids to read, praticularly boys. It was a bit over hyped in that sense. Luckily my school has encouraged the reading of lots of books other then Shakespeare, e.g. The Wind on the Fire triolgy.

Hoitash

08-10-2007, 01:41 PM

Don't forget that whole reinventing the book sale industry thing. The internet book sales were another jumpstart to HP. I should get a new copy of War of the Worlds...

WildWill

08-10-2007, 06:32 PM

I don't think that HP had anything to do with the jumpstarting of internet book sales, book sales on the net were doing VERY well before HP came along.

Hoitash

08-10-2007, 06:48 PM

True, but it was one reason it became popular so fast.

New York Man

08-10-2007, 10:23 PM

A little late but here's my review.

The story was good. A lot of funny and entertaining moments and I'm glad everyone in Hogwarts played a role in it. Slughorn is my second favorite character behind Snape and Hagrid is behind them. I KNEW Snape was really a good guy and my assertions behind that thesis were perfectly right.

The Epilogue was way too rushed. WildWill was right, it shouldn't have even been included. Harry and Ginny getting married was to forced. I dislike Ginny for some reason. Ron and Hermonie marrying each other made it seem to fan-fic like. Despite being a huge Cho Chang Mark, Harry should've ended up with Luna but meh, couples aren't important in the series to me. Mrs. Weasley killing Belltrax Lestrange was funny but I was shocked and sad over Dobby.

I wish we could've found out what happened to Cho, Seamus, Dean and the others. They weren't mentioned after the battle was over. A chapter dedicated to them would've been cool. Glad Malfoy had a good ending. Overall a good book but my favorite HP book remains to be Order of the Phoenix.

Alley Cat

08-10-2007, 10:30 PM

I don't read Harry Potter at all, but I've always wanted to see how it ended. I knew the characters quite well since a ton of my friends are so into the series.

Let me just say this one thing. Harry and Ginny? EW.

kthx

Near

08-10-2007, 10:36 PM

Let me just say this one thing. Harry and Ginny? EW.

kthx
I really find it too pathetic that they end up marrying their girlfriends from their teens.

It's kinda.. very unrealistic and cliché.
[God did I have trouble getting that "é", had to copy & paste it from the Pokemon forums]

Chaostamer

08-11-2007, 01:01 AM

I was actually hoping for Ron to die. I thought that in the final showdown a curse would rebound and hit him or something. The pairing up at the end also annoyed me, as did the names of two of Harry's kids (you can guess which ones). I thought that along the road Harry and Hermoine would end up together and Ron and Ginny would get hitched with other people. Slightly more realistic then having them wed their "childhood sweethearts".

As for the epilogue, there's a reason it's so short. In a few years time once the final book has stopped bringing in so much money, JK has stated that she might write a book covering the fates of all the surviving characters. Still, I felt it was a so-so book.

I personally hated the Ron-Hermione match. They just don't suit each other at all. Maybe it's because Hermione is one of my favorite characters and Ron is tolerable at best...

She has (I believe) confirmed that she will write an Encyclopedia, so...Yeah. I loved the book.

Additional Comment:

I really find it too pathetic that they end up marrying their girlfriends from their teens.

It's kinda.. very unrealistic and cliché.
[God did I have trouble getting that "é", had to copy & paste it from the Pokemon forums]

I never had a problem with Harry-Ginny.

As for the é, ALT + 130.

Morzan

08-12-2007, 02:06 AM

If you cats are looking for something nice and lengthy, there's always A Song of Ice and Fire...

ahem

Yeah, the epilogue did sort of bring it down just a tad. A more bittersweet ending, with Harry on the job as an Auror would've been cool. Maybe wondering, "oh, I wonder what Ron and Hermione did with their lives" or something.

jeff16

08-12-2007, 07:54 AM

I was fairly disappointed with the book.

It may just be me getting older/having a higher expectation for my reading material, but this book seemed to be very poorly written, even in comparison to the other 6 books.

I don't know, I think I was expecting a superly epic ending to the series, like a Lord of the Rings type ending, but it just didn't do it for me, I guess I just had my standards too high =/.

I really wish that they hadn't done the chapter with Dumbledore at the train station, I think that she could have thought of a better way to get all the information out there without it actually coming from him.

I also really wanted Snape to become openly good during a big battle or something, and go out on a better note than he did, but its expected that Snape gets shat on.

My 2 cents.

Hoitash

08-12-2007, 10:12 AM

Anti-heroes rarely fight in the open unless cornered.

Lost Digi Girl

08-13-2007, 04:42 PM

I know the main characters marrying childhood crushs is cliche, but from another perspective, now they're famous for everything, so it'd be harder for them to find someone that likes them for themselves, compared to crowds of people like Romulia, or just branching out into the muggle world, which wouldn't be too easy because they're so well known.