Harry Potter Book 7 *SPOILERS*

[PaulaSB12]

I liked the way that Hermione charmed her parents to forget that they had a daughter, to protect them. I assume that after all the fighting she would reverse the spell.

 

[BoyLovesBuzz]

All in all a great book. What I did't like was

1. Like many have said, Tonks and Lupin. At least let them die killing greybeck.

2. Snape's portrait was not in the head master's office at the end. I thought, a least a look between Harry and Snape, once Harry knew the story, whould have been appropriate.

3. Draco Malfoy did not do enough to avoid a life sentence in prision. That fact that he had an 11 year old son 19 years later, he probably did no time.


I liked the epilogue, I think if you don't have that, then you have to get Harry and Ginny together at the end of the battle. Which immediately after Fred and Tonk's (very close to Ginny) deaths, that would not have felt right.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Dumbledore originally told Harry that Voldemort had only split his soul into seven pieces;
1. The diary
2. The cup
3. The locket
4. The ring
5. The tiara
6. Nagini
7. The seventh piece remained inside of Voldemort because he needed at least a piece of his soul to be inside his body in order for him to survive.

Dumbldore told Harry in book 6 that he thought Voldemort had intended to make a horcrux the night he killed Lily and James but was shocked that his spell backfired when trying to kill harry. So to quickly make the 6th horcrux he used Nagini not realizing that he had already made the sixth one when he tried to curse Harry.

Dumbledore waited to let harry know hat he was a horcrux to make sure that he destroyed the others before he allowed himself to be killed.

Voldemort did not intentionally make Harry a horcrux and therefore was not aware that he was one. He inadvertantly split his soul into eight pieces instead of his intended 7;
1. The diary
2. The ring
3. The locket
4. The cup
5. The tiara
6. Nagini
7. Harry
8. The piece that had to remain in voldemort

IIRC in a previous book when Dumbldore is talking about splitting ones soul, that to split it into more than 7 pieces was very dangerous. V split his into 8.

 

[Laura]

Okay, so I must have missed it in the sleep deprivation, who used magic for the first time late in life?

I never noticed--I'd love to know. I read for about 11 hours straight, and by the end I was frequently flipping back a few pages because I could tell I missed somethng!

 

[sugahjunior]

I have finished the book and then went back and re-read select chapters and the last 200 pages, and I still don't think that I have processed everything. But I think the book broke me. I sobbed so many times -- at Hedwig, and Moody, and Fred, and Lupin and my beloved Tonks. The second time through when I understood Snape's "look at me" I lost it. Some things surprised me. I think Neville was the one who got the reprieve. I thought for sure he was going to die after killing Bellatrix and avenging his parents (and I still wish he had been allowed to do it). I thought Hagrid also was a goner.

The one part of the book that did nothing for me was the part with Griphook. Yes, I realize that they had to lose the sword at some point, but the easiest way for it to be left at Malfoy Manor. I didn't need to know about the wizard-goblin conflict, and the portrayal of Griphook and the goblins did them no favors (when really I think all of the other non-wizarding species -- giants (via Grawp, Hagrid and Madame Maxime), centaurs, and oh especially house elves) got a very favorable portrayal that lends towards a peaceful world after Voldemort.

I also wish we got more about Lupin and Tonks' deaths. I think it was implied that Lupin died in the duel with Dolohov, but I would have loved to know that Tonks took out Greyback before she died. Also, am I right that Greyback got to Lavendar Brown? Did she die? And do we know who took Greyback out?

I agree that there is a big difference between Harry, Voldemort, and Teddy -- that Teddy would grow up loved. Also, Remus making Harry Teddy's godfather gave me the first big clue that Harry would live (although oddly, it didn't tip me off that Remus and Tonks were done for -- willful blindness I suppose). I also see a BIG difference between Lupin wanting to go off with them at Grimmauld Place and going into battle at the end. Harry -- correctly -- I think saw Lupin's desire to accompany them, not as a noble protective gesture, but as an effort to avoid the responsibility and anxiety of bringing his child into the world, especially that world. At the end, Lupin was going into battle to give Teddy a world in which he could safely grow up and not be hunted. The difference might be subtle, but I think it was Lupin's motive for action that Harry was questioning and chiding Lupin for, not the action itself.

My favorite chapter, I think, was the one with Ron and Harry by the lake. It was note perfect. From Ron being the one to destroying the Horcrux to his explanation for how he found them, to Harry explaining his and Hermione's relationship. But then again, Ron is my favoritest of favorite characters.

I liked the epilogue. No ending would be perfect, but there was something very satisfying about seeing the friends as the family they always were. In my mind, James's middle name is definitely Sirius and Lily's is without a doubt Dora.

This is also the one book I do not want to see as a movie (yes, I know it will get made, and yes, I will probably see it seventy-billion times), BUT I just can't see how they can possibly do it justice. I liked OOP as a movie but having gone back and re-read the end, it was terribly rushed, they cut way too much out (not mentioning either Regulus or Narcissa Black on the family tree), and you cannot even get me started with them cutting 99% of the scene between Dumbledore and Harry in Dumbledore's office. I can't see how it won't happen here. Much of Harry and Hermione's travels (except Godric's Hollow) will get cut, I am afraid the strife with Ron will get taken out all together, and I think the wedding and much of the Shell Cottage bits will get taken out (okay so Shell Cottage won't be that much of a loss). I also see the is Dumbledore what he seemed subplot at ripe for the cutting -- that would be a big problem I think, but I never would have thought that they would have left Regulus out of OOP either.

 

[Laura]

As for the reprive, I'm guessing either George or Hagrid. It seems like Hagrid should have died several times.

I agree. I thought Hagrid wasn't going to make it, that he would be one of the main characters to die. Especially when he was following Harry to his confrontation with Voldemort.

I expected Snape to die, that wasn't a shock. But the reason Voldemort killed him was surprising. I thought V would find out that Snape was a double agent.

 

[bananiem]

I didn't think it was written that well, but it ended the way I thought it should. The middle drug on a bit. I am mad that Fred died. He and George are my favorite characters!!! Also, as soon as Lupin asked Harry to be godfather, I knew he and Tonks were going to die.
I thought the epilogue was a good way to end.

 

[Maleficent13]

I think it was Hagrid who got the reprieve. It just felt to me that his scenes in the book were just thrown in there as an after thought. I feel like originally he was supposed to die escaping from Privet Drive and she just couldn't do it. I never saw a point to him the rest of the book, even at the end. Had he not been there, the Death Eaters could have just levitated Harry's "body" to Hogwarts.

I also feel a bit "eh" about Draco. I expected a far bigger role for him in the book, or at least one dramatic gesture for Harry or against him.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I didn't have time to read the whole thread, but I wanted to ask my questions before I leave for work! Sorry if the answers are somewhere in pages 6-15 of the thread!

1) HOW did Dumbledore get the wand from Grindelwald if it was a wand that could never lose a duel? Was that ever explained? Or am I not understanding the Elder Wand?

2) HOW did Neville get the sword back from the goblins? The last we saw of the sword was at Gringotts, and the goblin had it, correct? The 3 escaped on the dragon without the sword, and all of a sudden Neville pops up with it at the end?

 

[Lanshark]

I need to reread because I'm sure I missed a lot of details.

Someone please explain all the "wand", twin core, wand of destiny thingy.

I know the what the wand of destiny was but jow did Malfoy get it?

 

[Maleficent13]

I agree it wasn't as well written as some of them. I know a lot of people liked HBP, but I feel like that one and this one were written under intense pressure and scrutiny, and they weren't the better for it.

Plus, she left a lot of ground to cover in the end. I think maybe even she was surprised at how much she had to squeeze in.

 

[Laura]

I didn't think it was written that well, but it ended the way I thought it should. The middle drug on a bit. I am mad that Fred died. He and George are my favorite characters!!! Also, as soon as Lupin asked Harry to be godfather, I knew he and Tonks were going to die.
I thought the epilogue was a good way to end.

I agree about the writing. Rowling does three things very well: she gives us very believable characters, she creates a marvelous world for them to exist in, and can write very good individual scenes. But the way she puts her books together has always been her weakest point; the plots have always been shaky and I never liked the whodunit thing. I was really surprised how the middle of this book bored me; I've never been bored reading any of the previous books. Frankly, I almost didn't blame Ron for leaving Harry and Hermione.

 

[wendy46001]

Glad to know everyone read late into the night...

Have to say i have a new found love for Mrs. Weasley...
and the swearing was needed it conveyed emotion more than anything else
as soon as Harry was named god father i knew Lupin and Tonks wouldn’t make it....

And have to admit i cried the most when Hedwig died...so sad...and then to off Dobby...

Loved when Ginny made Luna take Harry to the common room...
but couldn’t stand that Harry left the great hall with just Ron and Hermione...
and Ron’s line after their kiss was the best...

Will have to read it again as I know I missed a few bits late at night…think I dozed off during one of the many times they sat in the tent

 

[Maleficent13]

I was really surprised how the middle of this book bored me; I've never been bored reading any of the previous books. Frankly, I almost didn't blame Ron for leaving Harry and Hermione.

I was this way with HBP. I have tried to read all of it, but the last third of it is too much for me. I just skip to the end.

I have to admit, the whole Horcrux thing was not the most exciting plot device.

Random thought: I would have liked Harry to have gone into his old house and looked around.

 

[wendy46001]

I didn't have time to read the whole thread, but I wanted to ask my questions before I leave for work! Sorry if the answers are somewhere in pages 6-15 of the thread!

1) HOW did Dumbledore get the wand from Grindelwald if it was a wand that could never lose a duel? Was that ever explained? Or am I not understanding the Elder Wand?

2) HOW did Neville get the sword back from the goblins? The last we saw of the sword was at Gringotts, and the goblin had it, correct? The 3 escaped on the dragon without the sword, and all of a sudden Neville pops up with it at the end?

For the duel I’ll let someone else with a better train of thought answer that...

As for the sword, Neville pulled it out of the sorting hat just like Harry did in the chamber....a true gryffindor has the power to pull it out of the hat...

 

[SnowWtch]

Finally, a place I can talk about this. I've been sworn to secrecy by my DH and my whole office. I'm the only one finished so far. I was expecting only two casualties as JK said but there was a body count in this one. I think this is her bloodiest book. It was great but so sad. I hated it when Hedwig died. I was completely stunned. Glad to see Neville grew into such a fine man. He finally got a backbone and came into his own. I had a feeling Snape would be a good guy after all. I told my DH months ago to watch and see that Snape is actually watching over Harry b/c he had a thing for his mom. Can't believe I was right about that one. I'm just sad that it's over. The epilogue was nice but seemed detached and just like it was thrown in as an afterthought. I was curious as to who became the next headmaster of Hogwarts and what about the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher position? Also, what about Umbridge. I wanted her to get hers. It would have made for a good next book to show all that stuff. I agree that she ought to take the kids and write their own stories. It would make for a great tv series.

 

[Amy]

Jumping in here - I finished the book late last night. Wow!

Like somebody else posted, I'm a little shaky on the whole wand thing. So Harry's wand couldn't be mended, but he managed to fix it in the end?

And while I"m on the wands, thank you to whoever posted about Draco disarming Dumbledore in book 6. So even though Draco didn't pick up Dumbledore's wand (one of the Hallows) after disarming him, the wand still "belonged" to Draco, even though Voldemort had it, correct? And when Harry disarmed Draco, even though Draco wasn't using the Hallow-wand, "ownership" of the Hallow-wand transferred to Harry since he disarmed the wand's rightful owner, right?

So in the fnal battle between Harry and Voldemort, V sent a killing curse at Harry and Harry just did a disarming curse at V, but since Harry's wand was stronger, that's why V's killing curse didn't work on Harry but bounced back. Did I understand it right? (It was late at night when I finished the book.)

After all the fighting at Hogwarts, I expected more from the battle between Harry and Voldemort - just one curse and it was over. Too easy. Almost like JKR realized that the book was getting too long and had to wrap it up fast.

The epilog was ok. I wish there had been more on the rebuilding of Hogwarts and burying of the dead. I kind of understand why she did the epilog - so that no other writer can try to continue the story.

I agree with those who think that Hagrid was supposed to die and JKR saved him in the end. Lupin and Tonks were just thrown in - they arrived at Hogwarts and the next time we see them, they're dead.

I really thought Snape was a bad guy - nice to be wrong! I'm glad for the penseive chapter - really explained Snape's actions.

Way to go, Mrs Weasley!! The swearing didn't bother me - she was filled with all kinds of emotions - Percy came back into the fold, Fred died, and now Bellatrix was going after Ginny. To me, her ouburst fit in perfectly.

I'm glad Ron and Hermoine ended up together. Wish she would have told us what happened to Luna.

And what about all that speculation that the prophecy could have also applied to Neville? I was kind of hoping to see more with Neville in this movie. He seems to have gone abruptly from bumbling and having trouble with spells to this take-charge, very capable wizard. What gives?

Ok, those are my initial thoughts. I'm sure as I digest more of the story, I'll have more to post.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Well, it's been a long and winding road. Way back when my DH and I were just dating and working in the university library, DH snuck the first three books out of the children's section so that we could read them. When the 4th book came out, we waited at midnight at our local bookstore, where all the sellers had dressed up as characters from the books, and got waited on by Draco Malfoy. The 5th book came out the week before we were married, and the 6th the week I took the Bar exam. We've been waiting so long for the finale and we finally got it last night. We spent the whole weekend reading in tandem, waiting for each other to turn the page and getting one heck of a neck crick. Then we watched the 1st movie...can't believe how we've grown up with the actors...and with the characters in general.

Anywhoo, I cried when Tonks and Lupin died, and I cried when Harry was going to the forest to die. But, the hardest I cried was when McGonagall was marshalling the defenses of Hogwarts. Laughing and crying at the same time. I have always hoped that we would someday get to see Hogwarts in full battle mode, and I was not disappointed. The suits of armor, the ghosts, the house elves...even the owls (which I didn't even think of). That was, for me, the defining moment that all the books have been leading up to. You want to kill Harry? You'll have to get past all of us.

I always suspected something about Snape and Lily. When the doe showed up in the forest I thought what a fitting patronus that would have made for her, and I had an inkling who it might belong to now. When Snape told Harry to look at him in the end, I knew. He just wanted to see Lily's eyes one last time.

I have never been more proud of possibly anyone than I was when Neville defied Voldemort, said he would never be a Death Eater, and shouted "Dumbledore's Army!"

I thought Hagrid got the reprieve and that Tonks and Lupin bought it in his stead. Hagrid certainly wasn't integral to the plot here, and Tonk's and Lupin's deaths seemed almost an afterthought.

I was thoroughly surpirsed by Kreacher's turn around. I never would have thought he had it in him.

I actually liked the epilogue. I felt you needed something like that to wrap it all up. I'm not sure where Rose and Hugo came from, my thought would be that they were Hermione's parents' names. After you modified you mom and dad's memory and sent them off to Australia, you do sort of owe them.

Oh, and Hedwig. That one shocked me more than anything.

 

[mickeyfan2]

So in the fnal battle between Harry and Voldemort, V sent a killing curse at Harry and Harry just did a disarming curse at V, but since Harry's wand was stronger, that's why V's killing curse didn't work on Harry but bounced back. Did I understand it right? (It was late at night when I finished the book.)

A wand would never kill it's master.

 

[Maleficent13]

I thought maybe Rose came from the barmaid in Hogsmeade that Ron liked. Wasn't her name "Madame Rosemerta" (sp)?

I'm sure Hermione wouldn't have gone for that, but it was the only thing I could come up with. Hugo I have no idea. I thought one of their kids would be named Fred. Heck, maybe they were just names JKR liked.