Deathly Hallows - It's over.
Oh. My. Gods.
WARNING: This post will be completely out-of-order and all train-of-thought musings I've been having since I started reading and finished.
Well then. Okay. I finished the book maybe half an hour ago.
I pretty much wibbled my way through the entire thing, and I've been more emotionally moved by this book than by all the others. I didn't cry when Cedric died. I didn't cry when Sirius died, or even when Dumbledore died.
I cried when Dobby died.
I did, I swear. DOBBY?? I knew JKR was going to be killing off the hordes, weeding out this one and that one and giving us the true horror of war and the dangers of power falling into the wrong hands. But DOBBY?! WAIL. To be honest, Hermione would be ashamed of me, for I'd never given a second thought to the little guy. SOB.
MAN, JKR didn't hold back, did she? I mean, she hit us with Hedwig (OMGs, HEDWIG!!), then Mad-Eye, and from there the deaths just kept rolling on in. Not that I didn't know there would be deaths, but somehow I'd got it into my head that most of them would occur during the final battle.
Chris-Brad, how right you were in guessing Dumbledore had a secret, dark past no one (except Rita Skeeter, it would seem) had any clue about. POOR LITTLE DUMBLEBABY SISTER. Ariana. Still, totally in on young Albus being just that, young. A lot of young Albus' anti-Muggle feeling would have come from the anger of what happened to Ariana, also, so I think when all is said and done, one can forgive him. Also, I'm seeing a pattern when I look back on Dumbledore, and how he was constantly saying stuff like "Well, you know, being rather cleverer than most...." I think he wasn't so much reminding other people of how clever he was, but more reminding himself about what sort of cost can come from being so clever AND arrogant. He learned the hard way.
Still trying to figure out the Elder Wand thing. 1) How could Dumbledore defeat Grindlewald if Grindlewald was using a unbeatable wand? WTF? 2) So wait, was the wand Draco had that Harry stole the REAL Elder Wand? Seemed obvious at first, but then no, Harry disarms Voldie, and the Elder Wand goes spinning. Thought Draco had stolen the Elder Wand long before Voldie got to the tomb? What? This was the impression I got. So if Draco didn't steal the wand, then... because he disarmed Dumbledore on the Astronomy Tower? But... UNBEATABLE WAND???
Here's me not getting the whole Lupin/Tonks/OMGSBABYBADTHINGI'MSCARED thing. While I can understand his fears, and don't question the fact that he has them. I never figured Lupin for the running out on his wife and kid sort, though, no matter the potential danger. ESPECIALLY not while being so indifferent about it, and that's exactly the word Rowling used to describe him in that very uncomfortable scene in Grimmauld Place. Seriously, Lupin was acting so off there I suspected them of finding out he was a Polyjuiced Death Eater the entire time. Even after he left. SERIOUSLY. For me, it was totally outside his character.
Dumbledore being as absolutely ruthless with his pawns as Voldie? The sadistic part of me says "WIN!" while the gentle part of me says "HOW COULD HE??" I don't think I'd have been as forgiving as Harry. I'd be all: "You THOUGHT I MIGHT not die?!? WTF, BAD MENTOR!!!" But then, that's what makes Harry, Harry.
FRED. NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! FRED!!!! ::SOBSOBSOB:: NOT ONE OF THE TWINS!!! T^T I grieve.
Lupin and Tonks... rushing off into danger... leaving their baby son. W. T. F. I know two people who are totally NOT winning the Parents of the Year award. Lupin was bad enough, and I guess no one could really expect him to stay away. But TONKS YOU IDIOT. Harry needs to go find that Resurrection Stone, bring back the both of them and BEAT THEM UNTIL THEY DIE AGAIN. After Harry gave his impassioned speech about how parents shouldn't leave their kids unless the absolutely have to, BOTH Teddy's parents go off and get their stupid asses killed. Personally, I was never on the "Lupin is a Saint" fantrain, but I liked him up until this book. I don't even feel sorry for him or Tonks, because they deserved it, being as stupid as they were.
Snape loved Lily. I know there's a good portion of fandom that are now screeching "HAH WE TOLD YOU WE KNEW WE TOTALLY SAW IT COMING HAHAHAHA!!" Liars. Snape/Lily fandom began and revolved around the idea that Snape loved her because she was the only one at Hogwarts who was nice to him. WRONG. He liked her before Hogwarts, and before they'd even met properly. They were ALREADY FRIENDS before going to Hogwarts. So fandom: STFU.
Petunia writing to Dumbledore to beg to be admitted to Hogwarts? Awww! How CUTE! I LIKE little Petunia, just for that.
DUDLEY?! WHA?! >.> I... supposed... miracles never cease. To amaze.
Relationship between Ron and Hermione: PERFECT. Every detail, every nuance, every little bit of it was FLAWLESS.
Draco almost/sorta saving the Trio at Malfoy manor: Alright, so not the rousing redemption I (and half of fandom) was hoping for, but it shows he learned something from the night on the Astronomy tower. Also, maybe he's not entirely a coward; I imagine it took some courage to sit there and pretend not to know Hermione and Ron, even if he were truly baffled by Harry (which I don't think he was). I'd even be willing to bet he wasn't sure what he planned to do with Harry if and when he caught him during the battle of Hogwarts. If Crabbe and Goyle hadn't been there, who knows what would have happened?
However, I WAS right about Voldie not particularly caring who killed Dumbledore as long as it was done! Draco didn't have to do on the run after all!
SNAPE IS VINDICATED.
Would have liked to find out some of how Snape protected the kiddies at Hogwarts during his stint as Headmaster. Also, would like to know if the DADA position is still jinxed, or if it ended with Voldie's death.
SO wanting to write short fic about Voldie in the afterlife going "DAMN." Maybe being Levicorpused by James and Sirius. Who invite Snape to join in on the fun, seeing as how he turned out to be cool after all.
Did anyone else notice that we don't know anything about what Harry chose to do with his life? Did Rowling just assume it would be obvious he'd be an Auror (he's obviously NOT a teacher, that's for certain), or does she want us to use our imaginations?
Entire epilogue: BAD. Ron/Hermione and kids, cute. Harry/Ginny and kids... DAMN IT. Knew it was going to happen, but still. Did have a shock and get a little misty-eyed to learn Harry had named one son after Dumbledore AND Snape. SNAPE. ALBUS SEVERUS. BWAHA. That kid is SO gonna get picked on at school.
In the end: BUH. It was an emotional roller-coaster ride, and while some parts were bumpier than others, my overall impression is that genius still rules. I will ignore the epilogue in all subsequent readings, however, despite my love of canon. I HATE IT THAT MUCH.
Also, I TREMBLE WITH FEAR to imagine what the Designated Director will do with this book when it comes Deathy Hallows' turn to the chopping block. So many deaths, and some of them that will certainly make the little kiddies have nightmares (can you imagine a six year old watching Dobby the nice house-elf get stabbed in the chest with a silver knife?). But without them, the story and the sacrifice mean nothing. Also, some of that "useless" stuff they've cut out in previous movies is actually sort of important, here. How are they going to make up for that?
Done. ::collapse::
~~**Sailorcelestial**~~
P.S. Chris-Brad, totally CAN NOT wait for our next movie/lunch. Somehow, I doubt we're going to spend lunch talking about the movie.
WARNING: This post will be completely out-of-order and all train-of-thought musings I've been having since I started reading and finished.
Well then. Okay. I finished the book maybe half an hour ago.
I pretty much wibbled my way through the entire thing, and I've been more emotionally moved by this book than by all the others. I didn't cry when Cedric died. I didn't cry when Sirius died, or even when Dumbledore died.
I cried when Dobby died.
I did, I swear. DOBBY?? I knew JKR was going to be killing off the hordes, weeding out this one and that one and giving us the true horror of war and the dangers of power falling into the wrong hands. But DOBBY?! WAIL. To be honest, Hermione would be ashamed of me, for I'd never given a second thought to the little guy. SOB.
MAN, JKR didn't hold back, did she? I mean, she hit us with Hedwig (OMGs, HEDWIG!!), then Mad-Eye, and from there the deaths just kept rolling on in. Not that I didn't know there would be deaths, but somehow I'd got it into my head that most of them would occur during the final battle.
Chris-Brad, how right you were in guessing Dumbledore had a secret, dark past no one (except Rita Skeeter, it would seem) had any clue about. POOR LITTLE DUMBLEBABY SISTER. Ariana. Still, totally in on young Albus being just that, young. A lot of young Albus' anti-Muggle feeling would have come from the anger of what happened to Ariana, also, so I think when all is said and done, one can forgive him. Also, I'm seeing a pattern when I look back on Dumbledore, and how he was constantly saying stuff like "Well, you know, being rather cleverer than most...." I think he wasn't so much reminding other people of how clever he was, but more reminding himself about what sort of cost can come from being so clever AND arrogant. He learned the hard way.
Still trying to figure out the Elder Wand thing. 1) How could Dumbledore defeat Grindlewald if Grindlewald was using a unbeatable wand? WTF? 2) So wait, was the wand Draco had that Harry stole the REAL Elder Wand? Seemed obvious at first, but then no, Harry disarms Voldie, and the Elder Wand goes spinning. Thought Draco had stolen the Elder Wand long before Voldie got to the tomb? What? This was the impression I got. So if Draco didn't steal the wand, then... because he disarmed Dumbledore on the Astronomy Tower? But... UNBEATABLE WAND???
Here's me not getting the whole Lupin/Tonks/OMGSBABYBADTHINGI'MSCARED thing. While I can understand his fears, and don't question the fact that he has them. I never figured Lupin for the running out on his wife and kid sort, though, no matter the potential danger. ESPECIALLY not while being so indifferent about it, and that's exactly the word Rowling used to describe him in that very uncomfortable scene in Grimmauld Place. Seriously, Lupin was acting so off there I suspected them of finding out he was a Polyjuiced Death Eater the entire time. Even after he left. SERIOUSLY. For me, it was totally outside his character.
Dumbledore being as absolutely ruthless with his pawns as Voldie? The sadistic part of me says "WIN!" while the gentle part of me says "HOW COULD HE??" I don't think I'd have been as forgiving as Harry. I'd be all: "You THOUGHT I MIGHT not die?!? WTF, BAD MENTOR!!!" But then, that's what makes Harry, Harry.
FRED. NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! FRED!!!! ::SOBSOBSOB:: NOT ONE OF THE TWINS!!! T^T I grieve.
Lupin and Tonks... rushing off into danger... leaving their baby son. W. T. F. I know two people who are totally NOT winning the Parents of the Year award. Lupin was bad enough, and I guess no one could really expect him to stay away. But TONKS YOU IDIOT. Harry needs to go find that Resurrection Stone, bring back the both of them and BEAT THEM UNTIL THEY DIE AGAIN. After Harry gave his impassioned speech about how parents shouldn't leave their kids unless the absolutely have to, BOTH Teddy's parents go off and get their stupid asses killed. Personally, I was never on the "Lupin is a Saint" fantrain, but I liked him up until this book. I don't even feel sorry for him or Tonks, because they deserved it, being as stupid as they were.
Snape loved Lily. I know there's a good portion of fandom that are now screeching "HAH WE TOLD YOU WE KNEW WE TOTALLY SAW IT COMING HAHAHAHA!!" Liars. Snape/Lily fandom began and revolved around the idea that Snape loved her because she was the only one at Hogwarts who was nice to him. WRONG. He liked her before Hogwarts, and before they'd even met properly. They were ALREADY FRIENDS before going to Hogwarts. So fandom: STFU.
Petunia writing to Dumbledore to beg to be admitted to Hogwarts? Awww! How CUTE! I LIKE little Petunia, just for that.
DUDLEY?! WHA?! >.> I... supposed... miracles never cease. To amaze.
Relationship between Ron and Hermione: PERFECT. Every detail, every nuance, every little bit of it was FLAWLESS.
Draco almost/sorta saving the Trio at Malfoy manor: Alright, so not the rousing redemption I (and half of fandom) was hoping for, but it shows he learned something from the night on the Astronomy tower. Also, maybe he's not entirely a coward; I imagine it took some courage to sit there and pretend not to know Hermione and Ron, even if he were truly baffled by Harry (which I don't think he was). I'd even be willing to bet he wasn't sure what he planned to do with Harry if and when he caught him during the battle of Hogwarts. If Crabbe and Goyle hadn't been there, who knows what would have happened?
However, I WAS right about Voldie not particularly caring who killed Dumbledore as long as it was done! Draco didn't have to do on the run after all!
SNAPE IS VINDICATED.
Would have liked to find out some of how Snape protected the kiddies at Hogwarts during his stint as Headmaster. Also, would like to know if the DADA position is still jinxed, or if it ended with Voldie's death.
SO wanting to write short fic about Voldie in the afterlife going "DAMN." Maybe being Levicorpused by James and Sirius. Who invite Snape to join in on the fun, seeing as how he turned out to be cool after all.
Did anyone else notice that we don't know anything about what Harry chose to do with his life? Did Rowling just assume it would be obvious he'd be an Auror (he's obviously NOT a teacher, that's for certain), or does she want us to use our imaginations?
Entire epilogue: BAD. Ron/Hermione and kids, cute. Harry/Ginny and kids... DAMN IT. Knew it was going to happen, but still. Did have a shock and get a little misty-eyed to learn Harry had named one son after Dumbledore AND Snape. SNAPE. ALBUS SEVERUS. BWAHA. That kid is SO gonna get picked on at school.
In the end: BUH. It was an emotional roller-coaster ride, and while some parts were bumpier than others, my overall impression is that genius still rules. I will ignore the epilogue in all subsequent readings, however, despite my love of canon. I HATE IT THAT MUCH.
Also, I TREMBLE WITH FEAR to imagine what the Designated Director will do with this book when it comes Deathy Hallows' turn to the chopping block. So many deaths, and some of them that will certainly make the little kiddies have nightmares (can you imagine a six year old watching Dobby the nice house-elf get stabbed in the chest with a silver knife?). But without them, the story and the sacrifice mean nothing. Also, some of that "useless" stuff they've cut out in previous movies is actually sort of important, here. How are they going to make up for that?
Done. ::collapse::
~~**Sailorcelestial**~~
P.S. Chris-Brad, totally CAN NOT wait for our next movie/lunch. Somehow, I doubt we're going to spend lunch talking about the movie.