Read-along Harry Potter (part 5)
I was hoping to get this all written up before we start the chapter-a-day re-read of Deathly Hallows on 1st August in deathly_cntdwn. Not sure if that's going to happen, but here goes with a few more chapters ...
Yes, there are spoilers.
Chapter 20
Sunday 22/07/2007 13:40. Aha, that's clever, putting a jinx on using Voldemort's name. Looks as if Ron saved them a few more times than we realised, stopping them from saying the name.
13:45. I think going to see Xeno Lovegood is a good idea. Well pointed out, Hermione, that the symbol has been around for ages if it was on old graves. Maybe it expressed sentiments that Grindelwald agreed with, but it wasn't exclusively Grindelwald's mark. Anyway, i wonder if Xeno is behind this pirate radio station, rallying round the resistance. Which reminds me of something about oppressors fearing those they oppress, in case they turn one day. Did Dumbledore mention that once?
13:50. I love how knowledgeable Harry has become of the things Luna talks about!
13:55. Oh yes! I've just checked Fantastic Beasts, and Hermione's right! There is a dangerous Class B Erumpent horn. Sounds like another good way of destroying a Horcrux, to me!
14:00. Aha! The sign of the Deathly Hallows! Which is, of course, what it has been taken to mean - the book - the Deathly Hallows - except we don't know what it/they are. Hopefully we're about to find out. After lunch, cos i'm starving!!
* * *
14:30. Gosh, this book is so LONG! I'm only just past half way. I'm enjoying reading slowly, hoping not to miss anything, but i need to finish before going to work tomorrow!
Chapter 21
Sunday 22/07/2007 14:30. Oh dear. These Deathly Hallows sound like another crazy Lovegood theory.
14:35. Oooh! A wand that always wins duels. Could that explain what Harry's wand did? That was a very nice story, and again, brought out the point that death needn't be feared.
Oh yes! Now i get it! Didn't somebody speculate that the vertical line could symbolise a wand?!
14:40. Is Harry's Invisibility Cloak one of the Deathly Hallows? A stone ... the Philosopher's Stone?
14:45. Oh great. This Deathly Hallows malarky has turned into a game of rock-paper-scissors! Trio love: they all complement each other because they'd all choose different things!
14:50. Oh dear. There's something fishy going on. Luna's not there, and Mr Lovegood tried to hide what was being printed, not dampen the noice. Imperius Curse, perhaps?
14:55. Nice escape, Hermione! But what are you going to do about Luna? The Death Eaters said they would kill Luna, and i think they might have meant it, just as punishment for Xenophilius. I wonder what kind of a memory charm that was?
Chapter 22
Sunday 22/07/2007 15:05. Nice one, Harry! I had forgotten about the Gaunts and their Peverell descent. Very good.
Oh dear. Now Harry's gone into a daydream about the Hallows. I hate to spoil the fun, but Harry's Cloak is not impenetrable like Mr Lovegood described. Mad Eye Moody could see through it. Though it's a good theory that Dumbledore needed the cloak for extra invisibility.
15:10. Yes i bet Voldemort is after the wand. And probably Harry's Invisibility Cloak, too.
15:15. Hmm. I don't want to completely dismiss this Deathly Hallows legend, but i do think Harry's getting a bit carried away. I suppose it would make sense if Grindelwald was interested in the story - stole the wand from Gregorovitch - but who stole it from Grindelwald? Dumbledore! Must have been! What happened to Dumbledore's wand? Oh crap! Snape's probably got it!
15:25. Oh my gosh. Good thing the Trio didn't hang around with Ted and Dirk, and those goblins. What about Dean, though? Oh, they think Dean escaped. I hope everything is alright.
15:30. Oh, that's really lovely: "Every human life is worth the same" ... JKR has always been strong with the anti-discrimination themes.
Good old Hagrid, with the "Support Harry Potter" party!
15:35. Ohhh dear! Harry said The Name!! Quick! Apparate away!
Chapter 23
Sunday 22/07/2007 15:40. Dudley? That's not a good name to use, being a Muggle and all? Or maybe now is the time to reveal that Dudley is secretly a wizard ... ha ha.
15:45. Ah, very good story, Harry. It nearly worked. But now you're in trouble, and meanwhile, what is Voldemort up to?
15:50. Oooh! Maybe Draco will rescue Harry? What was Dean doing there just now? I missed something there.
15:55. Haha, and now they're all arguing about who is going to Summon the Dark Lord! This is becoming a pantomime!
16:00. YES! Dumbledore's eye! Surely they are saved! Something will happen now! OH WOW! Dumbledore sent Dobby! Something amazing is about to happen!
16:05. Another "I welcome death" message. And a clue that it isn't the answer, and there's so much that Voldemort still does not know.
Gosh! They said that Wormtail's life debt was still to come into play but i wasn't expecting THAT!
16:10. Oh, i know what's happening! That's Griphook slung over Harry's shoulder, holding Gryffindor's sword. They must be about to escape from the Malfoy Manor.
16:15. Oh no. Dobby! Another friend gone, what a tragic loss, after everything Dobby did to help. Poor Dobby. Oh wait, i see what happened. Dobby got hit by the knife that Bellatrix threw. Yikes. I guess there's one good thing ... Bellatrix doesn't have the knife any more. And Harry got away, yet again.
Chapter 24
Sunday 22/07/2007 16:20. Oh well done Harry, at last learning to close your mind against Voldemort.
16:25. Oh, the image of their loving gifts to Dobby ... the socks and hat ... that is making me properly cry. I never cried at Cedric's death, nor Sirius, nor Dumbledore. This is the first one that has hit me so hard. I think it's all the worse because Dobby was killed with a weapon. A real physical death with blood and pain.
16:30. The burial is, without a doubt, the saddest thing i have ever read in Harry Potter. My partner just came in and i had to ask to be left alone. I don't need to be lauged at for getting upset at this. Dobby was a wonderful character; one of my very favourites. It's all the more touching because Dobby was so small and fragile, yet very powerful. Goodby, Dobby. I love you.
16:35. I've just thought, did Harry's face get back to normal yet?
16:45. Ahh, Harry! Very clever! I thought Bellatrix was afraid because they had the sword, but maybe there is a Horcrux in there!
16:55. My goodness, Harry, you've become a bit clever, haven't you! I am impressed! What are you planning to do with this information about the Elder Wand? I have a feeling you have a big plan up your sleeve ... like sharing information with Voldemort ... though i don't see what good that could do ...
17:00. Oh great. Voldemort's got the wand. We're all doomed. I was right about one thing, though; that Dumbledore took the wand from Grindelwald. That is a bit sick, pulling up Dumbledore's body to get the wand. But Dumbledore is not in the body. Dumbledore is in the shard of glass. Or maybe ... Dumbledore is in another world and the shard of glass is the connection to it.
17:20. I've got through two pens in the last 2 days - i'm on my third now!
I should really get to bed. I'm glad i got that far; Chapter 24 was a very sad one for me; incredibly moving. I think i cried more in that chapter than i've ever cried in any other chapter of Harry Potter.
Yes, there are spoilers.
Chapter 20
Sunday 22/07/2007 13:40. Aha, that's clever, putting a jinx on using Voldemort's name. Looks as if Ron saved them a few more times than we realised, stopping them from saying the name.
13:45. I think going to see Xeno Lovegood is a good idea. Well pointed out, Hermione, that the symbol has been around for ages if it was on old graves. Maybe it expressed sentiments that Grindelwald agreed with, but it wasn't exclusively Grindelwald's mark. Anyway, i wonder if Xeno is behind this pirate radio station, rallying round the resistance. Which reminds me of something about oppressors fearing those they oppress, in case they turn one day. Did Dumbledore mention that once?
13:50. I love how knowledgeable Harry has become of the things Luna talks about!
13:55. Oh yes! I've just checked Fantastic Beasts, and Hermione's right! There is a dangerous Class B Erumpent horn. Sounds like another good way of destroying a Horcrux, to me!
14:00. Aha! The sign of the Deathly Hallows! Which is, of course, what it has been taken to mean - the book - the Deathly Hallows - except we don't know what it/they are. Hopefully we're about to find out. After lunch, cos i'm starving!!
* * *
14:30. Gosh, this book is so LONG! I'm only just past half way. I'm enjoying reading slowly, hoping not to miss anything, but i need to finish before going to work tomorrow!
Chapter 21
Sunday 22/07/2007 14:30. Oh dear. These Deathly Hallows sound like another crazy Lovegood theory.
14:35. Oooh! A wand that always wins duels. Could that explain what Harry's wand did? That was a very nice story, and again, brought out the point that death needn't be feared.
Oh yes! Now i get it! Didn't somebody speculate that the vertical line could symbolise a wand?!
14:40. Is Harry's Invisibility Cloak one of the Deathly Hallows? A stone ... the Philosopher's Stone?
14:45. Oh great. This Deathly Hallows malarky has turned into a game of rock-paper-scissors! Trio love: they all complement each other because they'd all choose different things!
14:50. Oh dear. There's something fishy going on. Luna's not there, and Mr Lovegood tried to hide what was being printed, not dampen the noice. Imperius Curse, perhaps?
14:55. Nice escape, Hermione! But what are you going to do about Luna? The Death Eaters said they would kill Luna, and i think they might have meant it, just as punishment for Xenophilius. I wonder what kind of a memory charm that was?
Chapter 22
Sunday 22/07/2007 15:05. Nice one, Harry! I had forgotten about the Gaunts and their Peverell descent. Very good.
Oh dear. Now Harry's gone into a daydream about the Hallows. I hate to spoil the fun, but Harry's Cloak is not impenetrable like Mr Lovegood described. Mad Eye Moody could see through it. Though it's a good theory that Dumbledore needed the cloak for extra invisibility.
15:10. Yes i bet Voldemort is after the wand. And probably Harry's Invisibility Cloak, too.
15:15. Hmm. I don't want to completely dismiss this Deathly Hallows legend, but i do think Harry's getting a bit carried away. I suppose it would make sense if Grindelwald was interested in the story - stole the wand from Gregorovitch - but who stole it from Grindelwald? Dumbledore! Must have been! What happened to Dumbledore's wand? Oh crap! Snape's probably got it!
15:25. Oh my gosh. Good thing the Trio didn't hang around with Ted and Dirk, and those goblins. What about Dean, though? Oh, they think Dean escaped. I hope everything is alright.
15:30. Oh, that's really lovely: "Every human life is worth the same" ... JKR has always been strong with the anti-discrimination themes.
Good old Hagrid, with the "Support Harry Potter" party!
15:35. Ohhh dear! Harry said The Name!! Quick! Apparate away!
Chapter 23
Sunday 22/07/2007 15:40. Dudley? That's not a good name to use, being a Muggle and all? Or maybe now is the time to reveal that Dudley is secretly a wizard ... ha ha.
15:45. Ah, very good story, Harry. It nearly worked. But now you're in trouble, and meanwhile, what is Voldemort up to?
15:50. Oooh! Maybe Draco will rescue Harry? What was Dean doing there just now? I missed something there.
15:55. Haha, and now they're all arguing about who is going to Summon the Dark Lord! This is becoming a pantomime!
16:00. YES! Dumbledore's eye! Surely they are saved! Something will happen now! OH WOW! Dumbledore sent Dobby! Something amazing is about to happen!
16:05. Another "I welcome death" message. And a clue that it isn't the answer, and there's so much that Voldemort still does not know.
Gosh! They said that Wormtail's life debt was still to come into play but i wasn't expecting THAT!
16:10. Oh, i know what's happening! That's Griphook slung over Harry's shoulder, holding Gryffindor's sword. They must be about to escape from the Malfoy Manor.
16:15. Oh no. Dobby! Another friend gone, what a tragic loss, after everything Dobby did to help. Poor Dobby. Oh wait, i see what happened. Dobby got hit by the knife that Bellatrix threw. Yikes. I guess there's one good thing ... Bellatrix doesn't have the knife any more. And Harry got away, yet again.
Chapter 24
Sunday 22/07/2007 16:20. Oh well done Harry, at last learning to close your mind against Voldemort.
16:25. Oh, the image of their loving gifts to Dobby ... the socks and hat ... that is making me properly cry. I never cried at Cedric's death, nor Sirius, nor Dumbledore. This is the first one that has hit me so hard. I think it's all the worse because Dobby was killed with a weapon. A real physical death with blood and pain.
16:30. The burial is, without a doubt, the saddest thing i have ever read in Harry Potter. My partner just came in and i had to ask to be left alone. I don't need to be lauged at for getting upset at this. Dobby was a wonderful character; one of my very favourites. It's all the more touching because Dobby was so small and fragile, yet very powerful. Goodby, Dobby. I love you.
16:35. I've just thought, did Harry's face get back to normal yet?
16:45. Ahh, Harry! Very clever! I thought Bellatrix was afraid because they had the sword, but maybe there is a Horcrux in there!
16:55. My goodness, Harry, you've become a bit clever, haven't you! I am impressed! What are you planning to do with this information about the Elder Wand? I have a feeling you have a big plan up your sleeve ... like sharing information with Voldemort ... though i don't see what good that could do ...
17:00. Oh great. Voldemort's got the wand. We're all doomed. I was right about one thing, though; that Dumbledore took the wand from Grindelwald. That is a bit sick, pulling up Dumbledore's body to get the wand. But Dumbledore is not in the body. Dumbledore is in the shard of glass. Or maybe ... Dumbledore is in another world and the shard of glass is the connection to it.
17:20. I've got through two pens in the last 2 days - i'm on my third now!
I should really get to bed. I'm glad i got that far; Chapter 24 was a very sad one for me; incredibly moving. I think i cried more in that chapter than i've ever cried in any other chapter of Harry Potter.