Spoiler Time!
No relation to Owl-Stretching Time.
For now.
BTW, sorry bout that really brief post earlier, I just needed to get it out for those who read my earlier post and discovered that Rowling can't decide what she's saying.
It's Wednesday, and I'm going at it. I warned y'all, if you haven't finished Half-Blood Prince by now, you're going to want to stop reading this post.
Seriously
Okay, they gone?
Alright, good.
In advance, I'd like to apologize for any misspellings or mis-quotes in this analysis. I read the entire book in less than 24 hours, and don't have it next to me to reference as I write this.
I loved HBP. Not my favorite of the series, which I still think goes to Goblet of Fire. This one had a really interesting plot and a hell of a lot of development, but Goblet's still the best because it 1) introduced a world outside of London, 2) introduced a LOT of new characters, all of whom were fun in their own way, 3) had the series biggest "what the fuck just happened" moment, and 4) started maturing the series to a degree that none of the others have accomplished.
But, yes, HBP, great book. And, like I said in my tally, I had one prediction right, three wrong, and one open to interpretation:
1) I was spot-on about Snape getting the Dark Arts position, with a new potions professor. Not too surprising, considering Potter wanted to be an Auror, at least at the beginning of the book. Where he stands right now, who knows?
2) Harry became Quidditch captain. Not a surprising thing, Rowling would obviously make him captain, especially now that we know that this would be his last year at Hogwarts. I still don't agree with it. If you want to pick a captain, a playcaller, you don't make the Seeker the captain. He spends all of his time away from the game, keeping his eyes away from his players. You select either a Chaser or a Keeper, because they can see the rest of the team and tell them what formations to take, that kind of thing. But, again, not a surprise that I was wrong.
3) Neville and Ginny didn't hook up. And thank god they didn't. But I'll get more into that later.
4) Dumbledore was not the Half-Blood Prince. I like how she did a play on words with the title, but not TOO surprised it wasn't him, as it was basically playing the odds.
5) This one I'm still open to interpretation on. I predicted that Dumbledore would die, but he wouldn't be the only one. No other MAJOR characters were killed, but between Bones dying and Bill Weasley getting mauled, I'll let you all decide if this one was right or wrong.
So, yeah, wow. Book seven can't come soon enough. The main reason I was concerned about spoilers in this one was that, unlike the endings of books four and five, the things that happened in HBP will come up in everyday conversation. Sure, Voldemort came back in book four, sure, Sirius died in book five. We knew V would be back eventually, and Sirius' death, beyond having an emotional impact on Harry, had no real bearing on the story.
Now, Dumbledore's dead. Snape is a Death Eater. Draco's alliegances may be in doubt. Bill might or might not be a werewolf. Relationships in question between Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione, Bill and Fleur, Neville and Luna, Tonks and Lupin. Hogwarts is on the verge of being closed. Closed or not, Harry, Hermione, and Ron won't be there next year, as they search for the remaining Horcruxes.
There is no way that people can talk about book seven without referring to what occurred in book six.
I've spoken to three people about the ending, and they all think that Snape's faking it. I don't buy it. I think Snape's shown his true colors by killing Dumbledore. First, he could have very easily faked the killing. With everything that was discussed in the book about unspoken spells, casting spells without saying the word, he could have easily spoken Avada Kadavara, and thought another spell that would make Dumbledore appear dead. Instead he not only used the spell, but used it to an effect that knocked Dumbledore off the tower. Basically if he didn't plan to kill D with the spell, then he wouldn't have made sure that the fall would kill him.
Also, the Unbreakable Oath spell. I've heard that if Snape didn't kill D, then the spell would have killed him. First off, we don't know what the Oath was for, if it was for helping Malfoy kill D or simply to help him get the Death Eaters into the school. And if it WAS to kill D, then he broke the vow by killing D himself instead of helping Malfoy do it.
And if he truly was a good guy, he would have allowed himself to die before killing D.
And now that D IS dead, and Hogwarts is gone, what good is Snape to the Order as a Death Eater? It's suddenly vastly more difficult to pass information to the Order, and now that Voldemort knows that Snape killed Dumbledore, with witnesses, he'll realize that Snape's connection to the Order has been compromised. Any move by Snape from now on, especially with members of the Order, will be scrutinized by V.
I think Snape's shown his true colors. However, I also think that Draco has suddenly become an unknown element. If anyone is going to turn to the side of the Order in book seven, or at least to assist them, it will be Draco.
I REALLY liked how Rowling handled his character throughout the book. I've never liked Draco in the previous novels simply because he was so two-dimensional. Hate hate hate, snob snob snob. But, thanks in part to Lucius being placed in Azkaban, Rowling showed a depth to the Malfoys I never thought possible. Between Narcissa's pleas to Snape in the second chapter, Draco's showing of true emotion to Myrtle in the bathroom, and his signs of doubt as he spoke with Dumbledore on the tower, I REALLY wonder where he's going to land, both within the Death Eaters and in the storyline in general.
The Malfoys have been nothing but a disappointment to Voldemort. Dobby and the diary in book two. The World Cup fiasco in book four. The prophecy in book five. With Draco not only failing in his mission in book six, but living to tell about it, this all has to be enough for Voldemort to level some harsh punishment on all three of them. It might be enough punishment for them to realize that they're with the wrong team.
Still, I've heard a few people suggest that Dumbledore's not dead. I believe that Dumbledore's murder is for real is because, even though Dumbledore is dead, he's not gone to the world. His power is gone, sure, but his mind lives on in the portrait in his office. From what we know about the headmaster portraits, they have the memory from their previous life, and can also dole out some sound advice every now and then. Dumbledore can still communicate ideas or thoughts to the others when needed. Who knows, he may even be able to talk through his Chocolate Frog Card.
So killing his body isn't THAT big of a deal. He's just become even more of an Obi-Wan than originally thought.
Hmmm... what else to say? Well, the horcrux thing is a very interesting idea. And just because Dumbledore says they are what he says they are doesn't mean that he's right. He was proven wrong often throughout the series. So they are still unknown for now. And the appearance of RAB (Regulus Black, most likely) might throw a wrench into everything.
I also think that this Horcrux thing could do something that hasn't been done in either of the other books, which is take the characters outside of England. We met foreign wizards in Goblet, but no one's ever left the isle yet. Romania was mentioned, but the horcrux locations could be anywhere in the world.
Bill being attacked by Fenrir (one of the coolest bad guys Rowling has ever introduced, btw) is another big questionmark to be answered. Like they said, there aren't any cases of people being bitten by werewolves in human form, so no one knows how this is going to affect him. It may only affect him as far as was shown in the end, where he just has an affinity for rare steak and peeing on trees. Maybe he'll be full-blood werewolf, in the werewolf cycle, but still maintain his human conscience, unlike Lupin. Maybe he'll be able to change at will, like an Animagi. Maybe his transformations will be more human-like, more of a Teen Wolf or Wolverine vision than Lupin's crouched monstrosity.
Time will tell, but it was good to see that Fleur isn't as self-centered and shallow as she was being played throughout the book.
Plus who knows what's gonna happen when Fleur's sister comes to the wedding, with her apparent infatuation towards Harry?
Which leads to another thought. HARRY AND GINNY! The relationship I'vewanted to see since book two actually happened, albeit briefly. And I don't think its over, either. It was a very comfortable relationship, they seemed to care for each other a lot, and was by far the truest, most genuine relationship in the series. Compare how Harry acted around her when they were together to how he acted WHENEVER he was around Cho, and you can see that he's finally ready for something.
I don't think its over. They didn't break up because of lack of feelings. In truth, they broke up because they cared for each other too much. Ginny didn't want it to end, Harry only ended it because he was trying to protect her. It's a Peter Parker/Mary Jane Watson relationship, and we all know how that turned out.
Ummm, they got married. For those not up on Spider-Man lore.
And the major difference between the two relationships is that Harry can see a light at the end of the tunnel. He knows what has to be done in order for him to live a normal life with Ginny, and that's to find the Horcruxes and defeat Voldemort. He accomplishes that and the world is his oyster. He fails at that... well, then it's good that he ended it when he did.
Hogwarts... I think it'll stay open. For one thing, there's too many other characters that have been introduced in the series to just have them fade off into the distance. There needs to be a place for Neville, Ginny, Luna, Dean, Seamus, Katie, and all the professors. Plus the trio has to come back at SOME point, there's no way that, after six years, Rowling's going to finish the story somewhere else.
The only way I can see it closing is if the trio become a sextet, with Ginny, Neville, and Luna, the group who stormed the Ministry, coming with them. But even then there will need to be some closure with Hogwarts the building, if not Hogwarts the school.
Finally, for those who have read my fanfic written before the release of this novel, just know that I still plan to send it into a fan site as a work of alternate fiction. The sequel I was originally planning for it will still occur, but will be written as a stand-alone continuation to book six. The story will remain essentially the same, but will add elements of HBP into it, like the horcruxes and Snape. I think it will come out to be a better story in the end.
For now.
BTW, sorry bout that really brief post earlier, I just needed to get it out for those who read my earlier post and discovered that Rowling can't decide what she's saying.
It's Wednesday, and I'm going at it. I warned y'all, if you haven't finished Half-Blood Prince by now, you're going to want to stop reading this post.
Seriously
Okay, they gone?
Alright, good.
In advance, I'd like to apologize for any misspellings or mis-quotes in this analysis. I read the entire book in less than 24 hours, and don't have it next to me to reference as I write this.
I loved HBP. Not my favorite of the series, which I still think goes to Goblet of Fire. This one had a really interesting plot and a hell of a lot of development, but Goblet's still the best because it 1) introduced a world outside of London, 2) introduced a LOT of new characters, all of whom were fun in their own way, 3) had the series biggest "what the fuck just happened" moment, and 4) started maturing the series to a degree that none of the others have accomplished.
But, yes, HBP, great book. And, like I said in my tally, I had one prediction right, three wrong, and one open to interpretation:
1) I was spot-on about Snape getting the Dark Arts position, with a new potions professor. Not too surprising, considering Potter wanted to be an Auror, at least at the beginning of the book. Where he stands right now, who knows?
2) Harry became Quidditch captain. Not a surprising thing, Rowling would obviously make him captain, especially now that we know that this would be his last year at Hogwarts. I still don't agree with it. If you want to pick a captain, a playcaller, you don't make the Seeker the captain. He spends all of his time away from the game, keeping his eyes away from his players. You select either a Chaser or a Keeper, because they can see the rest of the team and tell them what formations to take, that kind of thing. But, again, not a surprise that I was wrong.
3) Neville and Ginny didn't hook up. And thank god they didn't. But I'll get more into that later.
4) Dumbledore was not the Half-Blood Prince. I like how she did a play on words with the title, but not TOO surprised it wasn't him, as it was basically playing the odds.
5) This one I'm still open to interpretation on. I predicted that Dumbledore would die, but he wouldn't be the only one. No other MAJOR characters were killed, but between Bones dying and Bill Weasley getting mauled, I'll let you all decide if this one was right or wrong.
So, yeah, wow. Book seven can't come soon enough. The main reason I was concerned about spoilers in this one was that, unlike the endings of books four and five, the things that happened in HBP will come up in everyday conversation. Sure, Voldemort came back in book four, sure, Sirius died in book five. We knew V would be back eventually, and Sirius' death, beyond having an emotional impact on Harry, had no real bearing on the story.
Now, Dumbledore's dead. Snape is a Death Eater. Draco's alliegances may be in doubt. Bill might or might not be a werewolf. Relationships in question between Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione, Bill and Fleur, Neville and Luna, Tonks and Lupin. Hogwarts is on the verge of being closed. Closed or not, Harry, Hermione, and Ron won't be there next year, as they search for the remaining Horcruxes.
There is no way that people can talk about book seven without referring to what occurred in book six.
I've spoken to three people about the ending, and they all think that Snape's faking it. I don't buy it. I think Snape's shown his true colors by killing Dumbledore. First, he could have very easily faked the killing. With everything that was discussed in the book about unspoken spells, casting spells without saying the word, he could have easily spoken Avada Kadavara, and thought another spell that would make Dumbledore appear dead. Instead he not only used the spell, but used it to an effect that knocked Dumbledore off the tower. Basically if he didn't plan to kill D with the spell, then he wouldn't have made sure that the fall would kill him.
Also, the Unbreakable Oath spell. I've heard that if Snape didn't kill D, then the spell would have killed him. First off, we don't know what the Oath was for, if it was for helping Malfoy kill D or simply to help him get the Death Eaters into the school. And if it WAS to kill D, then he broke the vow by killing D himself instead of helping Malfoy do it.
And if he truly was a good guy, he would have allowed himself to die before killing D.
And now that D IS dead, and Hogwarts is gone, what good is Snape to the Order as a Death Eater? It's suddenly vastly more difficult to pass information to the Order, and now that Voldemort knows that Snape killed Dumbledore, with witnesses, he'll realize that Snape's connection to the Order has been compromised. Any move by Snape from now on, especially with members of the Order, will be scrutinized by V.
I think Snape's shown his true colors. However, I also think that Draco has suddenly become an unknown element. If anyone is going to turn to the side of the Order in book seven, or at least to assist them, it will be Draco.
I REALLY liked how Rowling handled his character throughout the book. I've never liked Draco in the previous novels simply because he was so two-dimensional. Hate hate hate, snob snob snob. But, thanks in part to Lucius being placed in Azkaban, Rowling showed a depth to the Malfoys I never thought possible. Between Narcissa's pleas to Snape in the second chapter, Draco's showing of true emotion to Myrtle in the bathroom, and his signs of doubt as he spoke with Dumbledore on the tower, I REALLY wonder where he's going to land, both within the Death Eaters and in the storyline in general.
The Malfoys have been nothing but a disappointment to Voldemort. Dobby and the diary in book two. The World Cup fiasco in book four. The prophecy in book five. With Draco not only failing in his mission in book six, but living to tell about it, this all has to be enough for Voldemort to level some harsh punishment on all three of them. It might be enough punishment for them to realize that they're with the wrong team.
Still, I've heard a few people suggest that Dumbledore's not dead. I believe that Dumbledore's murder is for real is because, even though Dumbledore is dead, he's not gone to the world. His power is gone, sure, but his mind lives on in the portrait in his office. From what we know about the headmaster portraits, they have the memory from their previous life, and can also dole out some sound advice every now and then. Dumbledore can still communicate ideas or thoughts to the others when needed. Who knows, he may even be able to talk through his Chocolate Frog Card.
So killing his body isn't THAT big of a deal. He's just become even more of an Obi-Wan than originally thought.
Hmmm... what else to say? Well, the horcrux thing is a very interesting idea. And just because Dumbledore says they are what he says they are doesn't mean that he's right. He was proven wrong often throughout the series. So they are still unknown for now. And the appearance of RAB (Regulus Black, most likely) might throw a wrench into everything.
I also think that this Horcrux thing could do something that hasn't been done in either of the other books, which is take the characters outside of England. We met foreign wizards in Goblet, but no one's ever left the isle yet. Romania was mentioned, but the horcrux locations could be anywhere in the world.
Bill being attacked by Fenrir (one of the coolest bad guys Rowling has ever introduced, btw) is another big questionmark to be answered. Like they said, there aren't any cases of people being bitten by werewolves in human form, so no one knows how this is going to affect him. It may only affect him as far as was shown in the end, where he just has an affinity for rare steak and peeing on trees. Maybe he'll be full-blood werewolf, in the werewolf cycle, but still maintain his human conscience, unlike Lupin. Maybe he'll be able to change at will, like an Animagi. Maybe his transformations will be more human-like, more of a Teen Wolf or Wolverine vision than Lupin's crouched monstrosity.
Time will tell, but it was good to see that Fleur isn't as self-centered and shallow as she was being played throughout the book.
Plus who knows what's gonna happen when Fleur's sister comes to the wedding, with her apparent infatuation towards Harry?
Which leads to another thought. HARRY AND GINNY! The relationship I'vewanted to see since book two actually happened, albeit briefly. And I don't think its over, either. It was a very comfortable relationship, they seemed to care for each other a lot, and was by far the truest, most genuine relationship in the series. Compare how Harry acted around her when they were together to how he acted WHENEVER he was around Cho, and you can see that he's finally ready for something.
I don't think its over. They didn't break up because of lack of feelings. In truth, they broke up because they cared for each other too much. Ginny didn't want it to end, Harry only ended it because he was trying to protect her. It's a Peter Parker/Mary Jane Watson relationship, and we all know how that turned out.
Ummm, they got married. For those not up on Spider-Man lore.
And the major difference between the two relationships is that Harry can see a light at the end of the tunnel. He knows what has to be done in order for him to live a normal life with Ginny, and that's to find the Horcruxes and defeat Voldemort. He accomplishes that and the world is his oyster. He fails at that... well, then it's good that he ended it when he did.
Hogwarts... I think it'll stay open. For one thing, there's too many other characters that have been introduced in the series to just have them fade off into the distance. There needs to be a place for Neville, Ginny, Luna, Dean, Seamus, Katie, and all the professors. Plus the trio has to come back at SOME point, there's no way that, after six years, Rowling's going to finish the story somewhere else.
The only way I can see it closing is if the trio become a sextet, with Ginny, Neville, and Luna, the group who stormed the Ministry, coming with them. But even then there will need to be some closure with Hogwarts the building, if not Hogwarts the school.
Finally, for those who have read my fanfic written before the release of this novel, just know that I still plan to send it into a fan site as a work of alternate fiction. The sequel I was originally planning for it will still occur, but will be written as a stand-alone continuation to book six. The story will remain essentially the same, but will add elements of HBP into it, like the horcruxes and Snape. I think it will come out to be a better story in the end.
posted by Bill at 8:56 AM
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