Harry Potter Post Mortem Discussion: LOTS OF SPOILERS

[ddd]

isn't this a kid's book?

It's grown up with us!

[Lunkhead]

I just finished reading the series, so far. I bet Hogwarts won't be left behind, because of the portrait of Dumbedore, and because of Voldemort's fascination with it. I'm feeling pretty skeptical about Harry's ability to destroy the horcruxes, though, since as others have pointed out just getting rid of one of them and then getting to what was supposed to be another basically killed Dumbledore. Harry can't even do non-verbal spells well, and he can't even do Occlumency. And though he did try out Crucio a couple times, he wasn't good at it the first time and the second time he couldn't finish it because Snape stoppepd him. He's got a lot to learn for it to be believable to me that he can destroy the horcuxes, and Voldemort, as well. Actually I'm a little bummed that the prophecy narrowed down the possible endings to Harry killing Voldemort or vice versa. Prior to reading about that, my guess was that Harry would be able to take away Voldemort's magical powers somehow by giving up his own (in some scenario involving their shared blood). Anyway, there's a lot of ground to cover in the last book: (Bill and Fleur's wedding maybe?) finding and destroying the horcuxes, learning who "R.A.B." is and what his story is (even if it's Regulus there's lots to explain about that because previously he was only mentioned briefly), finding out exactly why Dumbledore trusted Snape and who's side he's really on, seeing what happens to the Malfoys, and Bellatrix Lestrange, and the Order of the Phoenix, and No. 12 Grimmauld Place, etc. etc. It's either going to be a huge huge book, a huge huge let down, or not the last book in the series after all... I think I'm actually most curious about Snape, which seems to be a common sentiment. I think HP6 made him seem to me to be like another Voldemort-esque character. Wizard mother, human father, very gifted, except unattractive and completely despised at school. Still, he gave himself a fancy nickname, invented some dark spells, had ambitions on the DADA job, etc. I wonder if he loved Lily Evans, though? Maybe it was his love for her and his remorse about getting her killed that convinced Dumbledore he was trustworthy or something? Seems a bit farfetched, though, I don't know.

Anyway, I liked The Prisoner the most, followed by The Order, then Half-Blood, Goblet, Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone, and lastly the Chamber. The first two books didn't leave nearly as much of an impression on me as the last four. I think she may have responded to the older age range of her audience, but who knows.