Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Readalong Post 2

 *sigh*

I'm really excited to discuss the second half of this book (because it is GREAT!) but it also means that we are about to move on, which is sad.

*double sigh*

Grumpy Tommy Lee Jones gets it.

Eeeeeeenough of feeling sorry for myself though! I am PSYCHED to talk about the rest of this book!

So.

Malfoy gets his daddy to bully some Ministry dudes to kill an animal so that he can stick it to Hagrid and the Gryffindor trio, which is SICK. Lupin's a werewolf AND is friends with a serial murderer (TWIST, he isn't really) AND was best-buds with Harry's parents. The Dementors are HORRIFYING, that scene by the lake is INTENSE and I don't know how I slept after reading it as a kid. Harry and Ron and Hermione are friends and then they aren't and then they are, oh wait, now they're not friends anymore. But now they are. McGonagall gets carried away at a quidditch game, and Trelawney makes an actual prediction.

Oh and Snape is all;

WITH EVERYONE.

Ummm, is Pettigrew naked through that whole part in the Shrieking Shack? Or do their clothes transform with them? I'm thinking they must since McGonagall transforms in front of their transfiguration class and that would be WEIRD. But it also seems weird that his clothes just transform into fur or something while he's a rat? For 12 years?  On another note, it must be extra upsetting for Ron to find out his rat was Pettigrew. Scabbers sat in his pocket and slept in his bed, and probably saw Ron cry or practice writing Mr Ronald Granger is pretty script. There is also a good chance he masturbated in front of that rat. Although I hope he didn't because that's creepy.

It is deeply upsetting when Harry is conflicted with the whole Dementor thing. For a 13 year old to be secretly desperate to hear his parents die because that's the only time he's heard their voices... Oh brother, that is intense. And once again I'm realising just how dark even these earlier books are. Well done JK, I don't know how you didn't completely screw me up and turn me into an emotional wreck of a child.

I'm glad Lupin is there to help Harry through all this dark and twisty stuff, but I'm also glad that Lupin acts like a disappointed dad to Harry at times. Because seriously, Snape is kinda on point with the whole "we're spending a gazillion dollars + a bunch of our time and energy and he keeps strolling off grounds because he's THE Harry Potter". The talk he gives Harry post-mudslinging match against Malfoy must have hurt a BUNCH, Lupin is the king of guilt trips;

"Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive, Harry. A poor way to repay them - gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks"

I don't know about everyone else, but I am always kinda disappointed when I get to the end and Crookshanks is still just a cat. I always thought he'd turn out to be an animagus or something, not just a smart cat that can recognise people disguised as animals. Also, I think it's normally forgotten in the excitement of that final section, but apparently animals can talk to each other. Is this an understanding of meows and barks thing, or a reading-each-others-thoughts thing?

And who can forget the wonderful scene where Hermione gets her Jerry Springer on and slaps Malfoy right in his smug ferret face. GO HERMIONE!

I could watch this ALL day.

Bits and Pieces:

*p176 - something wooshed suddenly out of the end of his wand. LOL and *snigger*

*p194 - something silvery white, something enormous erupted from the end of his wand. DOUBLE LOL and *double snigger*

*I'm so happy when Neville's vindicated. He didn't lose the passwords, Crookshanks stole them. Yeah Neville!

*Why can't they use the pensieve to see what happened at the shack? Boom, all problem ever, solved.

*I want to know why Sirius thought Lupin was the spy.

*When Percy holds back and asks Harry to win because he doesn't have 10 galleons on p191 - I feel like that's the first time Percy's come off as a regular human teenager and not someone's 80 year old pompous relative.

*Do not get me started on the 320% result in muggle studies.

*I feel sorry for anyone who gets the Knight Bus bed next to Buckbeak. Is that really the best way for him to travel?

*On p142 there's a margin note next to a passage with Fred and George that just says "love these two". I love owning second hand books.

*I always loved Hagrid, but I just noticed that he uses excessive capitalisation in his letters. HE'S JUST LIKE ME!

*I would very much like a scops owl please. 

So cute. 

Toodle oo Potter heads, 'til next week...

Harry Potter Countdown: An end of an era and a challenge!

Each Wednesday until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows part 2 comes out I'm going to dedicate a post to an aspect of the series. Anyone who wants to join in is welcome, just let me know in the comments!

Today's topic is: Writer's Choice!


So here we are at the final Harry Potter Countdown post and the day (at time of posting) I get to watch the final installation of the epic and beloved Harry Potter series. I wanted to do something a little special for this post and have it specifically tie in with the conclusion we are all so soon to see, and I think I may have found a topic to do it justice.

See, I really enjoyed most of the final book but that horrible final chapter really put a dampener on it for me. I always say that I'll skip it when I next read the book, but it doesn't seem right to finish with an entire chapter still sitting there waiting to be read so I read it and then feel like tearing out my hair. So since the conclusion of the film is looming which signals the end of my childhood, I thought I'd concentrate on the beginning of their adult life too, and write a 5 years later bio for some of my favourite characters. I should make it clear here that these are all works of my imagination and while I've taken some facts (like Quidditch team names) from the Harry Potter series or the other book released about the series, most of it is complete fabrication on my part.

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Harry Potter:
Harry still has people turn around and stare whenever he walks past them on the street, but nowadays it's rarely because of his role in saving the world from Voldemort. The story ran rampant across the Wizarding Press Network for a solid six months before it began to calm down, but once it petered out Harry seemed to have access to a life of solitude and normality that he was quite unused to. In a bid to escape the Quick-Quills of looming reporters Harry spent the first year after Voldemort's death travelling the world, the more hidden and secluded from European news the better. Ginny accompanied his for the first month during her summer holidays, but it quickly became evident that their holiday styles clashed dramatically. Seven years of fighting dark magic and dastardly villains made lying on a beach for 6 hours rather difficult, and after one month and countless petty arguments they decided to take a break until Harry made his way back to England in 10 months time.

After a year avoiding all but the most obscure and old-fashioned of magic communities Harry craved the one part of magical life that had come to him easier than breathing. After two months of intensive training back in England Harry was signed up to the junior side of the Caerphilly Catapults (Wales) where he quickly proved he was more than just "the boy who lived". At around the same time that he started playing for the Catapults Ginny began training with the Holyhead Harpies (Wales) and they decided to rekindle their faltering relationship. It continued shakily for another year until Harry was offered the opportunity to captain the Toyohashi Tengu (Japan) on an unprecedented pay level. Their distance, even with their magical transportation options, proved too much and 2 and a half years after Voldemort's defeat they decided to end it for good.

At this point in time Harry is still captain of the Tengu, but after a stupendous turn as seeker in the Quidditch World Cup playing for England there are at least 10 different teams from across the globe trying to encourage him to switch to their teams. There is no news yet on whether he'll move on somewhere new but with the strength of the Australasian branch of Quidditch growing each year there is every possibility that he'll stay where he is, or at the very least move to a team within this region.

He has spoken several times with press about his future plans after retirement. It seems a coaching or commentating job is low on his career aspirations and he's considering a move into the Aurors (which happily takes new recruits up to the age of 30) among other varied positions.

 The Weasley Family:
The death of Fred shook the entire Weasley family, but they wouldn't be the family we know and love so dearly if they didn't bounce back with their usual strength and resilience. In the chaos that reigned over the Ministry after Voldemort's final demise Arthur decided to end that chapter of his life and move on to something that'd make him happier and keep better hours. With the help of George as a silent partner, Arthur opened his very own muggle emporium in Diagon Alley (while the properties were still nice and cheap) where he spends his days extolling the cleverness of muggles to his customers as he attempts to sell muggle artifacts and operate an artifact repair shop in the back room. The gold isn't pouring in, but with the destruction of Voldemort people seem more open to quirky muggle items so as well as keeping afloat he even managed to spring for a holiday to Australia with Molly to visit her distant family members?

Molly struggled with the death of Fred but she was kept busy with the arrival of Remus and Tonk's son Teddy for her to care for. Andromeda, still struck with grief over the passing of her husband and daughter, didn't feel up to the responsibility of caring for him alone, so she moved into a cottage built 300m from the Burrow. The two women have helped each other greatly through their grief and have showered more love and attention on young Teddy than he could ever require. United through grief and a shared motherhood, the two women are inseparable and proving to be more than a little trouble for Arthur.

George kept Weasley Wizard Weezes open in Diagon Alley, which he runs with Lee Gordon, but held off on opening a second store in Hogsmeade until last year. For the first year or two after Fred's death friends and family of George thought that the spark seemed to have left George's eyes, and it's true  that he didn't create any new or unique jokes or tricks in that time, but a reconnection with Angelina Johnson brought the sparkle back. They're currently engaged and have just bought a house together in Godrick's Hollow.

Bill, Charlie, Ginny, and Percy all remain happy and healthy and moving upwards in their careers. Though they've all spread across the country for work or new families there is a standing invitation for Weasley family dinner every Sunday and more often than not they all make it back for it each week. 

Neville Longbottom:
The transformation Neville went through in his final year at Hogwarts went unnoticed by no-one and while many expected him to move on to a ministry role as an Auror or to take on a role as a professor, he instead decided to train as a herbologist, dedicating his efforts towards hybrid plants which could potentially cure or aid previously incurable maladies. Currently he is working for the herbology department attached to St Mungo's and is working on a natural antidote to aid werewolf victims' (like Bill) scars.

After an impromptu reunion of the DA last year Neville decided to open a DA style defence class as a form of rehabilitation for St Mungo's inhabitants. His natural leadership and understanding of the difficulty of successfully learning the spells and charms has made him a brilliant teacher and he's considering opening up classes for the general public on one or two other nights in the week. Since there is no current threat of dark magic the lessons are more for fun and variety but Neville maintains that constant vigilance is key to survival, and what's fun now may save your life down the track.

In his spare time Neville kicks back in his flat near the hospital with his flatmate Luna and occasionally takes in a show by the latest witch or wizard band doing the rounds.

Luna Lovegood:
Aside from living with Neville and helping out with his classes now and again Luna is working alongside her father on the Quibbler. After the decimation of their house Xenophillius opted to move to larger premises with a separate little cottage for himself attached to the back. Luna joined him on her first year out from Hogwarts and has shown a proficiency for writing insightful and delightful articles on a variety of topics, raising the Quibbler even higher in the esteem of the wizarding public. The Quibbler has taken on a new direction sparked by the popularity of the tell-all Harry Potter story so many years ago. While there are still a fair few articles dedicated to Dinkelwitz and Shrunder-roots the magazine the mission statement of the magazine is to never let a tyrant like Voldemort harness the press again, the truth will be told and no amount of threats will change that.


Hermione Granger (and a little Ron thrown in for good measure):
The first thing Hermione did when the dust settled and Voldemort's death was verified was head to Australia and search for her parents. Using her exceptional witchcraft she managed to track them down to a small town in rural South Australia and return all their previous memories to them. Ron had elected to stay with his family while they dealt with Fred's death, and after two months spent touring Australia with her parents Hermione raced back to London and into Ron's arms. Hermione went back to school to finish her seventh year and after a fair bit of cajoling she managed to convince Ron to finish his education with her. Together they were elected head boy and girl and Ron was elected captain on the truncated Quidditch season (even with magic the pitch took awhile to recover). These two honours, combined with the three 'Outstanding Sevice Awards' he now had in the trophy room, meant that once and for all he could finally step out of his brother's shadows!

After school Hermione went on to work in both the international relations (where she stood as a silent ambassador for the UN- only the UN Secretary knew of her role) and muggle relations departments where she cohesively organised a more logical and smooth structure of roles. She's become an integral asset to the Ministry, and while friends and colleagues have suggested that she set her sights at the top job she assures them she's happy in the area she's in. Her work in the Ministry keeps her close to Ron, who is still in training to be an Auror, and together they travel to and from their tiny little flat (though Hermione has remedied that problem slightly-thank god) in the centre of London. Apart from their usual silly arguments, the most popular being who came on to whom (always started by Ron), their relationship is almost sickeningly strong, but I suppose surviving the Dark Lord together will do that!

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I had hoped to get a few more bios done (Hagrid was to come next) I've run out of time and I'll have to leave it as is. If you want to take part in this final week and are hunting for something to do then consider writing a couple of bios for your favourite characters! Feel free to tell me if you feel like one of the characters should be doing something different with their lives, I know that a few of my careers fly in the face of what J.K has said they end up doing during interviews. Ultimately I just picked careers that seemed right to me, careers that matched their personalities and hobbies and skills. I also made it only 5 years because I didn't really want to have to think about families (the original final chapter ruined that for me) but if you decide to write your own bios don't feel like you have to comply with that! Talk about what they're doing as 100 year olds (do they still catch up regularly?) or what they do directly after the conflict with Voldemort, or anything really! I'd love to hear your personal insights into what lays in store for these wonderful and familiar characters.

Finally, a big thanks to everyone who has taken part in the Harry Potter Countdown or has read and commented on these posts. They've been a delight to write each week and I'm a little sad that this marks the end of them. If you have any ideas of another series or theme I should use for a similar post challenge/feature let me know because I'll definitely have a massive void to fill in the coming weeks!

Harry Potter Countdown: RIP beloved Harry Potter characters!

Each Wednesday until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows part 2 comes out I'm going to dedicate a post to an aspect of the series. Anyone who wants to join in is welcome, just let me know in the comments!

Today's topic is: The most shocking/unexpected deaths.



I learned fairly quickly that J.K. Rowling didn't care how much her audience loved a character, if the time seemed right her pen would snuff them out quick as a flash. It didn't stop me from forging close ties with all the characters, but it did mean that their deaths didn't come as a shock, at least not often. By the final book I was expecting the final page to finish not with 'the end' but with 'they're all dead.' Even so, there were certain characters I thought were off limits, even for the heartless J.K, and I was shocked and saddened when they were added to the list of the dead. This is a list of the characters whose deaths were the least expected or most shocking, at least for me!

1. Sirius Black
JFC J.K why did you have to eliminate the most interesting character of the series and in such a god awful way! He just disappeared! Poof, gone, behind a damn curtain! Alright, I wasn't particularly happy with his character in OOTP (I think he and Harry had been having a competition of who could be the most whiny and emo) but did he deserve to die? Hell no! I know his death probably enabled the plot to progress better than if he lived but couldn't it have been someone else?! Not my dear, dear Sirius!

2. Fred Weasley
This one hurt, not only did J.K stab me with a knife, but she twisted it around to make sure I felt it.  I hate when there are big battle scenes and none of the good guys dies, especially when they're completely out-numbered, but seriously? Fred? I mean he was so wonderful and friendly and didn't have a mean bone in his body. He was a twin, and his family adored him and I adored him and I wanted him to settle down with a girl and have little twins of his own. Wasn't enough that you took his brother's ear and scarred another one? And killing him when Percy finally came back AND cracked a joke?! How could you J.K, HADN'T THE WEASLEYS SUFFERED ENOUGH!

3. Lupin and Tonks
Yeah, OK, this match wasn't my favourite in the series but I never imagined J.K would kill off these new parents. After all the turmoil and sadness and loneliness that Harry went through as an orphan I never imagined that J.K would subject another character to such horrors. Removing J.K's authorial influence from it I also can't believe that Lupin, a man who had seen first hand how the death of three of his best friends had ravaged Harry, would play so fast and loose with his life when he finally had something (someone) to live for. I'm not surprised he went to fight, but I really wish he'd thought ahead and weighed his options instead of leaping into battle so carelessly.

4. Harry Potter
I suppose deep down I always knew that Harry would have to 'die' for the story to end but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little shocked when he took that walk into the Forbidden Forest and just...died. I knew he'd come back, mainly because there were still 3 or 4 chapters to go but also because even if J.K kills of characters left, right and centre she'd be in a hell of a lot of trouble if she killed the title star! Even so it shook me to consider that that could be it for him. After spending a decade getting to know him I really wanted everything to work out for him, his death (if real) would have brought on a lot of tears.

5. Dumbledore
Oh Dumbledore. Poor, sweet, intelligent, amazing Dumbledore. How sad I was after you fell to your death, however surprised I was not. Not only had I expected it (the mentor, sadly, never lives for the whole journey) but J.K sent up sign-posts all through the book. Logically I knew his time was running out, but emotionally? Emotionally I couldn't believe that anyone could possibly kill such an amazing man! I kept thinking something magical would happen and he'd ride off into the sunset on Falkor the Luck Dragon (yeah I blended HP with the Never Ending Story, what of it?!) giving the death eaters the finger while 80s hair metal plays in the background. Unfortunately it wasn't quite like that. Sad face.


So there are five deaths that angered, upset and blew me away. Which deaths hit you where it hurts?

Next week: It's the final HP Countdown post so it has to be epic! I'm going to keep the topic a secret, but if you want to take part write about whatever you want, as long as it's HP related!

June Wrap-up

I don't usually do these but since a couple of challenges began this month I thought I'd start so that I can document my progress and all of that fun stuff. So I'll be listing all my challenges and progress and a mini-mini review and links back to the original reviews should you choose to check them out.

So!

Hosted by Two Bibliomaniacs

Aim: 8 books and 8 films.

Progress: 1 book and film so far. I'm thoroughly enjoying making my (slow) progress through this challenge.

Books Read:
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - A fantastic read and a wonderful way to kick off the challenge. This book is one of my favourite reads of 2011, and is up there with my favourite books of all time.
Read the review here.

Films watched:
Never Let Me Go, starring Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightly and Andrew Garfield -A great movie but lacking some of the oomph of the book.
Read the review here.

Next to read:
True Grit by Charles Portis

Next to watch:
True Grit (2010) starring Matt Damon, Jeff Bridges and Josh Brolin.

Hosted by GabrielReads

Aim: Casual Reader   (1 book per month)

Progress: I am actually trundling on at a better rate than I'd expected, and if I continue like this I might end up aiming for Avid Reader.

Books read:
The Doctor is Sick by Anthony Burgess - A bit slow to start but by the end I really enjoyed it. Not quite A Clockwork Orange but it's left me hungry for more of his books.
Read review here

Pet Sematary by Stephen King - Terrifyingly fantastic. This was the first horror film I saw as a kid and I was glad to see the book was even more horrifying and insomniac-creating than the film!
Read review here.

Next to read:
TBA

Aim: 75

Progress: According to Goodreads, at 39 books read so far, I'm 3 books ahead. Let's see if I can keep it up!

Books read:
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin - Fantastic! Full of intrigue, characters that spring off the page and a world that is so detailed, chaotic and beautiful.
Read review here.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman - Superb. An amazing mythical adventure. Can't even say how much I love it.
Read Review here.

Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis- Outrageous, hilarious and wonderful. Not for everyone, but if you can handle a bit of blood, sex, and foul language this book will knock your socks off!
Read Review here.

Aim: A new Harry Potter post every week until the final film comes out.

Progress: This little challenge is coming to a close, which makes me a little sad. It's been fun though, and it's always amazing when others take part!

Most recent post:
My favourite conspiracy theories that circulated the series.
Read it here.

Next post:
The most shocking or unexpected deaths in Harry Potter.
Read it on Wednesday the 6th of July.


Anything New:
In August I'm taking part in a month long reading challenge to raise money for MS Australia. They work tirelessly funding research into multiple sclerosis and trying to make MS sufferers lives a little easier, so I'm aiming to make as much money as I can to help them with their cause. So if you have some spare change jangling in your wallet or bank account maybe think about sending it to  a deserving charity. You can check out my progress and/or make a donation here. 
 
I'm on Tumblr now, you can find me at Nylon Admiral, Illustrated, and basically it is a companion blog to this one filled with all the photos, videos and bits and pieces that I don't feel right flooding this blog with. It isn't all book related though, more a mish-mash of the many things that inspire me and make me laugh.

I'm after some requests for my Fanart Friday feature. Each week I choose a book/author/character theme and then showcase several artists who have drawn, painted or sculpted around that theme. If you have a favourite book or character that you think would be perfect for this, or perhaps know an artist who creates bookish things then let me know in the comments section, via twitter (@Murphy_Kayleigh) or by email, kayleigh(.)f(.)murphy@gmail(.)com.


So there you have it, my June wrap-up. I'll continue to do this at the end of each month to keep you all up to date with my progress, but if you want to see my progress mid-month, or want links to my challenge reviews or posts you'll find them under the 'challenges' tab.

Harry Potter Countdown: Conspiracy theories

Each Wednesday until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows part 2 comes out I'm going to dedicate a post to an aspect of the series. Anyone who wants to join in is welcome, just let me know in the comments!

Today's topic is: Your favourite HP conspiracy theory!


I remember that everytime the latest Harry Potter book came out my friends and I would be quiet and barely talk until we'd all read it (which could be a couple of weeks if someone's brother or sister shotgunned the first reading) and then explode in a gush of  "Oh my God..." "I can't believe (s)he'd" "I totally saw that coming" and then culminate in a deep and detailed discussion about what was coming next. For the most part my friends and I were pretty mild in our predictions, we didn't jump to any wild conclusions for the most part, and instead concentrated on whether Snape was good or bad.

I can't say the same for the people who discuss Harry Potter on the internet, some of them, for want of a better word, are completely wackadoodle. In some cases they're simply not reading the text particularly clearly, for instance on one Harry Potter website someone exclaimed, after reading book 5, that Harry and Draco were related and they'd join forces sometime soon...sorry to disappoint you but they are not related. Draco is related to Sirius, but Sirius is Harry's Godfather, not his actual father so there is no blood or even marital connection. I read an equally silly one where they suggested that in the final book when Snape and Dumbledore were having that awfully emotional discussion about Harry which lead to Snape professing his undying love to Lily (Always...*sob*), Snape had conjured the patronus to send a message to Voldemort as an act of defiance/revenge/whatever and that was why Dumbledore was crying. What the what!!

But my favourite conspiracy theories have nothing to do with misreads and are by people who have come to a conclusion and then read the books with a fine toothed comb to find anything that appears to back up their hypothesis. It's all Rowlings fault, she's admitted that there are hints and secrets dotted all through the books and some people are determined to find every one!

My favourite has to be that Dumbledore isn't actually dead. I was shocked when he died at the end of book 6 just like everyone else, and I'll admit to considering for a fleeting moment that perhaps it was part of some elaborate plan, but it didn't last. Some people have refused point blank to consider he's actually dead and even after Rowling came out and said "yes he's dead, get over it" (my words not hers!)  some refused to budge! There are quite a few 'reasons' given to prove that he's still alive, so I'll post 5 of the most common and link you all to some hilarious, yet detailed essays stating the case.

1. Dumbledore isn't dead because Dumbledore wasn't Dumbledore for most (if not all) of book 6.
Apparently the proof is in Dumbledore's pensieve memories (page 430) and that he has them locked in bottles and doesn't simply remove them from his mind with his wand tip as demonstrated in previous books and chapters. Using this logic, the reason the memories are in bottles is because it is a fake Dumbledore (polyjuice potion) and they obviously couldn't conjure someone elses's memories as their own. Another essay theorises that it was Slughorn disguised as Dumbledore from the cave onwards. The Slughorn essay is quite a delight to read but makes some ridiculous stretches, like when Dumbledore uses a spell to dry Harry, it is reminiscent to Slughorn warming himself by a fire earlier in the book... yeah, sure, conclusive proof that. (read more here - point 5, or for the Slughorn argument here)

2. After Harry kneels by Dumbledore's 'dead' body we never see his body again. Why?!
There are two main theories that fit under this heading. The first suggests that Dumbledore used a potion or magic to fake his death, and the fact that after he's taken from the base of the tower you never see his body again (Hagrid carries him during the funeral under a sheet, he's engulfed in flames immediately etc) is proof that he isn't dead but doing his best to convince others he is. The second is tied to Fawkes. Apparently because of the multiple references to the phoenix around the time of Dumbledore's death and funeral, and the fact that Dumbledore seems to favour fire spells (i.e. when he proves his magical skill to little Tom Riddle) Dumbledore has the power to be reborn from ashes like a phoenix, hence why there are flames at his funeral. (read more here -point 8& 9)

3. His soul is stored in a magic artifact, awaiting reactivation.
I've only seen this one as a throwaway comment on message boards, but I'd say the idea came from Voldemort's horcruxes. Main reason this couldn't be true (other than the fact that we know so) is it would require Dumbledore killing someone to create a horcrux, and we know he wouldn't do that. It's out of his character to do anything like this and it makes no sense. (originally found on this board)

4. The description of the Avada Kedavra curse is wrong. 
In every other instance people who die from this curse simply drop the the ground whereas Dumbledore flies out the window when hit with it. This must mean that it wasn't the killing curse and instead Snape used a non-verbal ExpelliarmusDumbledore. Another 'hint' is when Harry asks Kreacher and Dobby to follow Malfoy Dobby says that if he does it wrong he'll "throw himself off the topmost tower". Apparently this means he has overheard Snape and Dumbledore talking about the faking of Dumbledore's death and therefore this proves this particular theory. (read more here - point 4)

5. It was Dumbledore disguised as Snape who shook hands in the unbreakable oath.
I can't find where I read this one, but basically the idea was that Dumbledore had taken part in the oath, not Snape, so when they were in the tower Snape used a fake Avada Kedavra curse, Dumbledore hopped out the window to his fake death and then...who knows, went on a vacation to Hawii? However I'm fairly sure this would mean Dumbledore had to then kill Dumbledore, which doesn't really eliminate the whole Dumbledore is dead issue after all, it simply removes any fault from Snape.

So there are just 5 of the many reasons which supposedly prove that Dumbledore did not die at the end of book 6. Some are a little more out there than others, but I think it's fair to say all read way, way, wayyyyyy too much into the text for supposed clues about this issue! What are you favourite Harry Potter conspiracy theories? Or perhaps you were a conspiracy theorist yourself, what was your interpretation? I'd love to hear from you all!

Next week:  The most shocking or unexpected deaths in Harry Potter.

Harry Potter Countdown: Next week's topic

Ooops, I was so wrapped up in Snape this week that I forgot to post the topic for next week! The topic will always be posted under the challenges tab, along with all the links from previous weeks.

Next week's topic: Between the release of the books there was always gossip and theories floating around about what was going to happen next. What was your favourite Harry Potter conspiracy theory?


By that I mean the gossip and theories people made up during the time between book releases, but if you'd like to comment on the conspiracy theories surrounded the series as a whole (i.e. promotes witchcraft) you can do that too! 


If you can't remember any of the theories that floated around when you were first reading the series, hop on google and search 'Harry potter + conspiracy theories' and you should have your memory well jogged!

Harry Potter Countdown: Snape-a-palooza

Each Wednesday until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows part 2 comes out I'm going to dedicate a post to an aspect of the series. Anyone who wants to join in is welcome, just let me know in the comments!

Today's topic is: dedicated to our favourite Potions master, Severus Snape!

I don't know many people who dislike Snape or think he's anything less than an extraordinary character which is why I've dedicated an entire countdown post to the man. I'm expecting some pretty interesting posts from other Snape enthusiasts so I thought I'd take a different path. Instead of just writing why I love, and love to hate, Snape I'm going to show you. I've accumulated a few of my favourite quotes or passages from the seven books that have always been some of my favourite Snape moments. I only got to this last night so it's in no way every great Snape line or scene but it gives you an idea.If you think of anything I've missed let me know in the comments section and I'll add it in.


1. His classroom interactions
Through all the books (except perhaps #7) Snape delivers dozens of zingers that are droll, sarcastic, often venomous and more often than not right on the money. (I mean seriously, I would have chastised Hermione for being such a painful suck-up myself.) A couple of my favourites...

* "I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone)


*"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," said Snape coolly. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all." (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban)


* "Oh, very good....Yes, it is easy to see that nearly six years of magical education have not been wasted on you, Potter. 'Ghosts are transparent.'" (Harry Potter and the half blood prince)


* "Do you remember me telling you we are practicing nonverbal spells, Potter?"
"Yes," said Harry stiffly.
"Yes, sir."
"There's no need to call me 'sir,' Professor." The words had escaped him before he knew what he was saying. Several people gasped, including Hermione. Behind Snape, however, Ron, Dean, and Seamus grinned appreciatively.
"Detention, Saturday night, my office," said Snape. "I do not take cheek from anyone, Potter . . . not even 'the Chosen One.'" (Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince)

2. His confrontation with the Marauder's Map
Let's be honest, for the first three books Snape was a bit of an ass (though a lovable one) and when he was knocked down a peg or two it was always rather delicious. This scene always cracks me up.

“Professor Severus Snape, master of this school, commands you to yield the information you conceal!” Snape said, hitting the map with his wand. As though an invisible hand were writing upon it, words appeared on the smooth surface of he map. 
"Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business." 
Snape froze. Harry stared, dumbstruck, at the message. But the map didn’t stop there. More writing was appearing beneath the first. 
"Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony, and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git."
It would have of been very funny if the situation hadn’t been so serious. And there was more… "Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor." Harry’s eyes closed in horror. When he opened them, the map had ad its last word. "Mr. Wormtail bids professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball.”  (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban)

3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
This is probably my favourite Snape book from the series. In this book he was no longer the sour Potions master who had a grudge against Harry Potter, but the man who had to sacrifice his life to work as Dumbledore's double agent. (And raise doubts over who he was double crossing for another 3 books.) What I noticed most in this book was how brave he was and determined not to hide from the truth.  Looking back at this book now, knowing everything we now know about his character and all the things he sacrificed and all the risks he took just make the following quotes and passages all the more compelling and him all the more incredible.

* Snape strode forward, past Dumbledore, pulling up the left sleeve of his robes as he went. He stuck out his forearm and showed it to Fudge, who recoiled.
"There," said Snape harshly. "There. The Dark Mark. It is not as clear as it was an hour ago, when it burned black, but you can still see it. Every Death Eater had the sign burned into him by the Dark Lord." (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)




* "Severus," said Dumbledore, turning to Snape, "you know what I must ask you to do. If you are ready ... if you are prepared..."
"I am," said Snape.
He looked slightly paler than usual, and his cold, black eyes glittered strangely. (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)

* "Then flee," said Snape’s voice curtly. "Flee, I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts."

4. "Always"
When Dumbledore asks, somewhat shocked, whether Snape still loves Lily, Snapes single word reply speaks volumes. His love, pain, regret, and his desperate attempts to right past wrongs and protect the one he loves...it all comes out with that single word, and to me it perhaps demonstrates more than all the rest of Snape's actions, dialogue and interactions combined how haunted a character he is, why he is the way he is, and does the things he does.

"I have spied for you and lied for you, put myself in mortal danger for you. Everything was supposed to be to keep Lily Potter's son safe. Now you tell me you have been raising him like a pig for slaughter--"
"But this is touching, Severus,"said Dumbledore seriously. "Have you grown to care for the boy, after all?"
"For him?" shouted Snape. "Expecto Patronum!"
From the tip of his wand burst the silver doe: She landed on the office floor, bounded across the office and soared out of the window. Dumbledore watched her fly away, and as her silvery glow faded he turned back to Snape, and his eyes were full of tears.
"After all this time?"
"Always." said Snape.

Next week's topic: Between the release of the books there was always gossip and theories floating around about what was going to happen next. What was your favourite Harry Potter conspiracy theory?* 

*If you are having trouble remembering any outrageous theories floating around a couple of years ago while you waiting for a book to be released try googling 'Harry Potter conspiracy theories' and write about the one that makes you laugh or your head spin!

Harry Potter Countdown: Highs and Lows of the film series

Each Wednesday until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows part 2 comes out I'm going to dedicate a post to an aspect of the series. Anyone who wants to join in is welcome, just let me know in the comments!

Today's topic is: Tell us your favourite and least favourite aspect of the film series.


Dear creators of the Harry Potter film series (for there are too many of you to name individually),

It's no secret to anyone who knows me that the films were a constant sore spot for me, always omitting my favourite scenes or changing events to better suit a 'movie environment'. Even so, they've always had a special place in my heart, you obviously meant well, brought HP to even more people and it was nice to see one of my favourite book settings actually created. Since the final installment is approaching I thought I'd level with you and tell you some of the bigger issues I had with the films and some of the things I thought were...magical. So first up is a biggie, don't get all offended, I'd very much appreciate if you'd read it all and perhaps answer a few of these questions for me.

Harry doesn't have green eyes... This one actually made my blood boil. I don't care about many of the other characters, change their race or hair colour or blend them with another small character whatever, Rowling generally left those sort of descriptions to the reader's imaginations, but a select few things had to be honoured. The Weasleys must all have red hair, Hermione's hair should be big and bushy (well at least you tried for a couple of movies) and Harry has to look like his father, except his eyes, he has his mothers eyes. That detail is drummed into you just about every second line in the first book, every time Harry meets a new character they exclaim that he looks so much like James, except his eyes he has his mother's GREEN eyes. Sure, maybe you don't want to stick contact lenses on an 11 year old kid, I've never worn them but I sure as hell don't want anything on my eyes thank you very much, so I appreciate it if he didn't either. But it is so easy to edit that sort of thing post-production, at least in the close ups and especially on the DVD cover! When I saw he had blue eyes I had to wonder whether you'd actually read the book or just had someone describe the main plot points, but even then surely the person would mention his eye colour since it is mentioned 1003836589602745832 times in book 1 alone!

Why did Draco need the vanishing cabinets... if you're going to go and cut the reason he fixed them? The reason he slaved over them for so long was so he'd have some backup when the inevitable battle began. He didn't need the deatheaters to kill Dumbledore, that was his job and he had Snape to rely on if he wimped out thanks to the unforgivable curse. By eliminating the presence of the Order of Phoenix and the aurors around the castle you eliminated any chance for battle and therefore made the deatheaters redundant. All the Deatheaters did was watch Dumbledore die and then break some windows and swagger across the great hall, and Draco just seemed like an angsty little wiener. If you're going to change the plot, and by all means do, you have to clean up all the plot threads, not just eliminate a scene you aren't keen on, because that's simply messy, lazy and unprofessional.

Uhhhh, where are the robes and silly attempts to dress like muggles? Because I feel like you missed a fairly significant comedic element to the books by having them all dress like muggles all the time. Way to fail at demonstrating the difference between wizards and muggles visually guys, again...did you actually read the books? I'm sure it would have been super difficult with your teeny budget to sew up the front of the Hogwarts wizard capey-graduation gowns you had them wear and surely sewn up bathrobes would have been a viable option for the adults, right? Also wizarding dress robes are not tuxedos. You're taking the magic and whimsy out of the series guys, you do realise that's part of the reason it has so many fans right? The whimsy and the freaking magic. It isn't all about fighting Voldemort to the death.

But it isn't all bad Mr/s HP film people. A few moments really shone through, even for a cynical Harry Potter traditionalist like me. For instance, Voldemort... holy crap guys well done!

Ralph Fiennes was such an amazing choice for Voldemort! I'd never have guessed it, but he perfectly portrayed the calculating and horrific nature of Voldemort and that cold sense of propriety and dry humour? Wow, a really great addition to his character, reminded me a lot of my other favourite bad guy all dressed in black, you know, the one from a galaxy far, far away? Yeah, Darth Vadar, he had that whole creepy icy politeness thing going on as well. But back to he-who-must-not-be-named, his voice, his look, his mannerisms...superb. Pat yourselves on the back because I can't really fault you guys for Voldemort, not one bit.

Oh but uh-oh, that reminds me of another negative.

What was with everyone flying in HP and the Order of the Phoenix? That was meant to be something special only Voldemort (and later Snape) could do. Sure you guys weren't to know because I think that film might have completed before the final book came out (though please don't quote me on that), but why would you add something like that? What was wrong with people duelling with their wands? Don't tell me you guys thought this was a more visually exciting way to go because personally I was really bored watching white and black smudges fly across the movie screen, so if that's the case you failed.

Right but I was trying to concentrate on the good points. So yeah, Voldemort was great.

Actually I think most of the casting was pretty inspired. Sure the kids were a little bit terrible in the first few movies, but they were kids and it's to be expected to an extent, and they definitely grew into their roles. The adult cast, Alan Rickman, Michael Gambon, Helena Bonham Carter, David Tennant, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman...look you'll be hearing no complaints from me. I love them all for being a part of this series, and they did Rowling and the characters they played proud. Bravo film makers, bravo.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows (part 1) was (almost) perfect. I know, high praise right?! But I seriously thought you did an amazing job of condensing the first half of that novel into an exciting and emotional film. To be honest I don't really enjoy the first half of Deathly Hollows in the book, it's a whole lot of waiting and walking and whinging. But you guys condensed it so we understood how much time had passed and what sort of effect it was having on Harry, Ron and Hermione without feeling like we wanted to bash our heads into the seats in front of us in boredom. I thought the slight change of the chronology of the events meant the film ended on a thrilling climax that will make the opening scenes of part 2 all the more impressive. This was the first Harry Potter film I walked away from not feeling a little disappointed, so please accept my gratitude and sincere thanks for a rollicking good flick. Also, I totally cried when Dobby died, and not just once but each of the four times I saw it in the cinema. I expect to cry far more in the next film, don't let me down guys, I'm already stockpiling tissues.

I think I might leave it there. Now you have an idea of your flaws and values, so perhaps when you decide to remake the Harry Potter series in 10 or so years time (don't pretend like you aren't already thinking about it)  you can take some of it on board.

Sincerely yours in magic and all things Harry Potter,
Kayleigh


So....I kind of got carried away and couldn't keep it just to a favourite and least favourite aspect of the films. What did all of you love/hate about them, are my complaints really petty and ridiculous or did some of them really piss you off too? Tell me all about it in the comments, or write your own post dedicated to the wonders and horrors of the film adaptations!

Next week (22/6/11): This post will be dedicated to our favourite Potions master, Severus Snape! Do you love him or loathe him? Should he have ended up with Lily? Was he truly good, or still swayed by Voldemort to the end?

Harry Potter Countdown: Bring on the tears

Each Wednesday until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows part 2 comes out I'm going to dedicate a post to an aspect of the series. Anyone who wants to join in is welcome, just let me know in the comments!

Today's topic is: What one moment is guaranteed to have you bawling like a little baby every time you read it, without fail?  


There are a few scenes in Harry Potter that will have me weeping like a little baby, actually to be honest there are far more than a few! I cried every time Rowling killed off another one of my favourite characters (Dumbledore, Fred, Lupin, Dobby, Sirius...the list goes on), I cried whenever Harry struggled with or learned something about his parents, I cried when Hagrid thought Harry was dead in the Forbidden Forest...well...I think that demonstrates my point!

I decided to pose this question last week when I was discussing Deathly Hollows with Gabe on his last Harry Potter Countdown post and we were discussing the representation of Snape in that book. As Gabe said "Book seven was not a good time to be a hardcore Snape fan," and I agree wholeheartedly that Rowling must have been out of her head when she made Harry recite all of Snape's secrets in front of the crowd as he battled Voldemort. But as much as I wince during that scene and groan when I realise Harry named his son after Snape I instantly tear up when Harry pulls young Albus Severus (bleh) aside and tells him not to worry about becoming a Slytherin because he was named after one who was "probably the bravest man I ever knew."

It takes place in that horribly corny '19 years later' chapter and the line and the situation are both fittingly corny but for some reason I can't help but tear up every time I read it. As much as I don't like a lot of the Snape stuff in that book this line almost makes up for it. It's so simple and yet is quite a powerful representation of the shift in the relationship between Harry and Snape and a much more appropriate homage than naming his son after him. (I mean seriously?!)

Maybe it's because of it's simplicity compared to the over the top theatrics employed during the final duel or maybe because it's such an understated yet strong compliment to a man who was both the bane and saviour in his life and maybe it seems like a small step towards redemption for yelling his secrets from the rooftops. I don't really know, and I'm sure this line isn't enough to appease many Snape enthusiasts, but for me it's a shining gem in that final moronic chapter and a fitting statement to remember the complex potions professor I always adored and believed in.

Next Week (15/6/2011): The films have been a contentious topic for HP fans, what is something you love and something you hate about the films? This can be about any of the films from the series and can refer to absolutely anything; actors, SFX, music, costumes, etc

Harry Potter Countdown: Relationships

Each Wednesday until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows part 2 comes out I'm going to dedicate a post to an aspect of the series. Anyone who wants to join in is welcome, just let me know in the comments!

Today's topic is: The relationships in Harry Potter, which worked and which do I wish Rowling never even attempted?


Every now and then I think how lucky I was to grow up with Harry Potter. I've never been as excited as when I waited for the newest book to be released, and some of my favourite lunch breaks were spent discussing what chapter we were all up to and sitting in a circle each with a copy reading intently with little gasps, ooohs, ahhhs and giggles. I may have not been a part of the magical world, but I still felt like the books mirrored so many aspects of my life and one such area was relationships.

As I grew up and began to see my male classmates as something other than my cootie infested friends the same began to happen at Hogwarts, and as my friends and I were getting involved in stupid and frivolous 2 week relationships and dedicating entire slumber parties to crushes the Hogwarts kids seemed to be as silly as us. As I began to see real love bloom between people I knew I also began to see it between the pages.

As much as I wanted to love all of the matches Rowling made, I'm not always happy with some of the ridiculous relationships my friends find themselves in, so I guess it makes sense for me not to like them all, but some ugh, some were terribly thought out. So I'm going to talk about a couple of my favourite and least favourite relationships throughout the books and at the end I'd love to hear which you guys thought worked and which should have been deleted in the early editing stages.

Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks.
I wanted to like this couple, I really did, but what the hell was Rowling thinking? They simply weren't a good match, they had nothing in common and there were no indicators that they were even friends let alone prospective lovers. It was all too forced and unlikely, at least in my mind, but I had wanted it to work. Tonks was so energetic and colourful (quite literally) and I had hoped that her match with Lupin would bring the spark back to his life. Lupin was so sad, so dejected by society and alone I really wanted him to find love, build a home and live happily ever after. But all that happened was that he grew sadder and more bitter at his cursed lot in life and Tonks' vibrancy evaporated completely. There were a few glimpses of hope for them, when Lupin came to Bill and Fleur's cottage to tell them of his son's birth, I thought that was quite a beautiful scene, an indicator that perhaps he could have the happiness I always wanted for him. But it simply wasn't right. Worse still they both ran off into the fight and left their son and orphan, my love for these two characters plummeted greatly then, I'd spent 7 books seeing how much being an orphan haunted Harry and here it was happening again?! Not cool Rowling, not cool.

Arthur and Molly Weasley.
This was perhaps my favourite relationship of the entire series, no two people seemed to love one another as completely and head-over-heals-y as these two. In the final great battle when I realised Rowling was going to do her damned best to eliminate every single one of my favourite characters I held my breath hoping that she wouldn't dare split apart that relationship. Apart from their devotion to one another I loved that they had their priorities right, family was more important than anything, it didn't matter that they had barely any money or that Voldemort was hunting them down because they had one another. Apart from admiring their love I really respected them because their relationship and the morals that were so important to them lead them to produce some of the most level-headed and wonderful and caring characters in the series.

Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley.
I know people are generally on the fence about this relationship but I'm on the side of blechh. I felt like this relationship was only to give Harry something to lose, something to fear for once Voldemort was back. I know Ginny had a major crush on him from day one but it didn't develop like Ron and Hermione's relationship did, it just appeared one day. One minute Harry was laughing about how pathetic her crush was on him and the next he was imagining snogging her in the castle. I liked that he got to have some sort of human connection, some sun filled days to reflect back on and to fight extra hard for against Voldemort but I wish it had ended. It was one of my real pet peeves that in that terrible final chapter they were all partnered up with friends from school, it seemed too easy and convenient. But I particularly felt like this relationship had an expiry date on it and Rowling ignored it.

Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood.
This wasn't an actual relationship but one I think could have worked quite well. When Harry returned to the school after Sirius's death and could see the thestrals it was Luna who believed him, explained it to him and gave him comfort. There were quite a few of these little run-ins and meetings and I thought that in some ways they were so similar that it might just work. There was something very alone and special about both characters and I wish they'd been able to find a way to recognise that in one another. I feel like this relationship was authentic in all the places that Harry and Ginny's wasn't and I don't think it would have seemed like such a plot ploy for me. If only...

Honourable mentions:
Lily and Snape
Hermione and Ron
Fleur and Bill

Next week (8/6/2011): What one moment is guaranteed to have you bawling like a little baby every time you read it, without fail? 

Harry Potter Countdown: Favourite characters

 Each Wednesday until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows part 2 comes out I'm going to dedicate a post to an aspect of the series. Anyone who wants to join in is welcome, just let me know in the comments! Today's topic is: My favourite characters and why I love them.



Every week when I take part in The Broke and The Bookish's 'Top 10 Tuesday' challenge I struggle to choose which Harry Potter character to use. Regardless of the week's topic I can always think of at least 2 HP characters that perfectly embody what the challenge is asking. As much as I love the characters of Harry Potter, just once I'd like to get through a list without referencing this much beloved series of mine so I'm going to try and get as much out now as possible in hope that it frees the space in my next few TTT posts for other worthy books/characters!

1. Dumbledore
When I first started reading HP I liked Dumbledore mostly because he just seemed like a cool guy, lenient on students when they made silly mistakes and determined to help them to choose the right paths in life. Dumbledore is amazing for a multitude of reasons, he's wise, intelligent, caring, brave, a snappy dresser and has a wicked wit. But the reason I love him is because he's fallible. He isn't the archetype hero/mentor who is absolutely perfect. In his past he messed up, big time, but he learnt from it and he didn't let it define him. That was something you didn't really learn until the final book but at the same time I think it was something you instinctively always knew about Dumbledore, from that bittersweet smile when he sees 'socks' in the Mirror of Erised in the first book you learn he has his secrets, a past we know barely anything of and that he is made up of a complex series of layers.Plus those twinkly blue eyes that see right through you and always seem a little sad...perfect.

2. Peeves the Poltergeist
I was so sad when he was eliminated from the films because he was one of the most comedic elements within the series. His songs were charming and wickedly clever and as annoying as he could always be relied upon to fought for the right side. He doesn't have Dumbledore's noble qualities or wise words and I don't have any deep reasons why I love him, I simply do, in all his mischievous glory!

3-4. Remus Lupin, Sirius Black
I love hearing about all of the Marauders when they were young and adventurous and bulletproof (at least in the way all teens think they are) mainly because they are in such direct contrast with the men we know when they enter the HP story in book 3. When they were young and before they'd seen what darkness was possible they were on top of the world and nothing could bring them down, but after Pettigrew's betrayal and the death of James things begin to unravel. Sirius is so angry that he is unable to see the world as anything other than black and white and Lupin has given up on ever believing that he's as good as everyone else simply because of his "furry problem". It makes me so sad to see those two characters because the flashbacks show how beneficial their friendships were and what potential they had for full and happy lives . I love these two because of their adoration and protectiveness of Harry, dedication to one another (and the memory of James) and general 'goodness',  but also because they conjure up more feelings of sympathy and empathy than any other character in the series.

5. Luna Lovegood
I love, love, love Luna. I loved her dreamy, full of whimsy attitude. As 'off with the fairies' as she may seem she is a together lady, highly intelligent (she was in Ravenclaw after all), highly attuned to emotions and deeply loyal. I found her almost tortuously earnest and always felt a certain level of protectiveness towards her, like she was my beloved little sister. She always seemed to be slightly on the periphery of scenes and I used to silently plead that the others would wake up and realise exactly how important they were to her as it was obvious to any reader. The scene in the final book when Harry sees their portraits on her bedroom ceiling with friends written all around them is heart-wrenchingly sad and beautiful. I just wished they'd fully accepted her as quickly as she accepted them.

By G672

6. Severus Snape
I never truly believed that Snape was all bad, I mean sure, I disliked him for much of the series for being such a moody bastard, but when he killed Dumbledore I knew he was as devastated at having to do it as the rest of us were that it happened. I'll admit that I wasn't sure what was going on with him for much of the final book but deep down I knew that he'd never betray Dumbledore's memory. While I always enjoyed his involvement in the story it was until book 6 that I began to really see the complexity and depth that abounded his character. It wasn't until he'd died and Harry was witnessing his memories and everything clicked into place that I truly fell in love with him as a character. He lived with such sadness and internal conflict for all of his life and Harry must have been the hardest thing to see day in day out, a reminder of what he both loved and hated. Similarly I loved the dedication and loyalty she showed Dumbledore, even after his death. It may have started off as a way to save Lilly's life but I think he truly was Dumbledore's greatest confidant and friend.

These are just six of my favourite characters (and not specifically my top 6 favourites) but I thought I'd leave it here and perhaps pick up later with the rest of them. I definitely notice a theme, I'm drawn to the characters that show a complexity and a duality within them, whether that be good/bad, happy/sad, inside/outside etc.  So how about all of you? Who are you favourite Harry Potter characters and why?

Next week: The relationships in Harry Potter, which worked and which do I wish Rowling never even attempted?

Harry Potter Countdown - The fantastic three

Each Wednesday until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows part 2 comes out I'm going to dedicate a post to an aspect of the series. Anyone who wants to join in is welcome, just let me know in the comments! Today's topic is: The dynamic of the fantastic three (Harry, Ron and Hermione) and why it works.

The friendship between Harry, Ron and Hermione has been one I've envied for over a decade now. All three are somewhat new to the whole friendship thing, Dudley always scared the kids away from Harry, Hermione probably annoyed the hell out of everyone and Ron was so overshadowed by his charismatic older brothers that I bet nobody noticed him for his own merits. Yet somehow they manage to forge a strong friendship early on (well, it took a little longer with Hermione!) that exceeds any of the friendships depicted elsewhere in the series, except perhaps the friendship of Wormtail, Prongs, Moony and Padfoot.

One thing this series has taught me is the value of friendship and of working together, yet not at the expense of your own self identity. On the one hand you have Voldemort who has a legion of followers but no friends. He trusts no one to help him and as a result when the going gets tough he's surrounded  by a throng of panicking idiots wearing sheets and masks. He doesn't allow his followers any sense of identity, they're all the same to him except one has the ability to infiltrate the Auror's office or Hogwarts or has a nice big house to use as base. They're a commodity used to bolster numbers and appear menacing and to perform the bottom most level of jobs without any explanation or reason why.

The situation in a way isn't that much different on the 'good' side. While they trust one another and work together to try and defeat Voldemort there are still so many secrets which erode away at the people in the relationship. You only need to look at how hurt and confused Harry is in Deathly Hollows when he realises how little he knew about Dumbledore.

However the relationship between Harry, Ron and Hermione is different. The key to their relationship is the fact that they are three parts of a whole. Individually none of them would have what it takes to take on Voldemort but together they're like the Power Rangers when they power up and create the indestructible Voltron. This is perhaps best exemplified in the very first book when they try and beat Quirrel to the Philosopher's Stone (Sorcerer's Stone for anyone in the States). Without Hermione's cool use of logic, Harry's sporting ability and techniques and Ron's mental strategy prowess they would never have made it through. Together they got through a maze of spells that were designed to stump adult wizards, Quirrel took the best part of a year gathering the information he needed to get through the barriers. They were just kids!

More importantly though, while they recognised their own weaknesses none of them allowed those weakness to grow. Hermione hounds Harry in preparation for the Triwizard tournament and as a result his proficiency in the brand of spells he uses become the basis for his job as leader of DA, a position that Hermione recommends him for because she understands his strengths.

Basically while they have three vital components crucial to succeeding in whatever their endeavour is for that particular book they don't rest on that strength and let the others handle the other areas. They are constantly gaining strength in their weaker areas because the others are there to back them up and provide them the support and expertise they need. They constantly grow and evolve and help one another in new ways. By Deathly Hollows Hermione isn't the bookworm she once was, she's absorbed strengths from the other two, however she still isn't equipped to tackle something as large as Voldemort by herself, she still needs the other two.

By the seventh book it isn't so much about the individual strengths or weaknesses they may have, but the complete unity they've achieved means that it is completely unfeasible that together they couldn't complete what they started together. In addition to knowing spells and coming up with plans they give one another strength on an emotional level which in turn gives them a strength in their outer lives. And that is why their dynamic works, because they help one another grow so thoroughly.

I fear I've blathered on a lot with this and probably haven't got my point across too well. Hopefully I've managed to make a little bit of sense with all the gobbledygook I've bee spouting! What do you guys think? What is the crux of the group dynamic between Harry, Ron and Hermione, am I on the right track or do you think it's something completely different? I'd love to hear what you all think!

Next Week (25th May): My favourite Harry Potter characters and why I love them so much.

Harry Potter Countdown

Like (almost) all of the book bloggers online I owe a great deal to the wonderful magical world that J.K. Rowling created. With only 60 days to go until the final chapter of the Harry Potter saga goes global I thought I'd pay tribute to the amazing series with a series of my own. Every Wednesday until the film's release I'm going to dedicate a post to Harry Potter, discussing the characters, plots, language, costumes...anything and everything about the books and the films we all love so much.

It won't be a challenge per say, but if anyone wants to join me I'll be posting the next week's topic underneath each post, so by all means write a post with your opinion of the topic and post the URL in the comments section, I'd love to read them. Similarly if you have any suggestions on topics I should cover shout 'em out in the comments and I'll do my best to give them a go!

Week one(18th May): I'll be discussing the dynamic of the terrific three (Harry, Ron and Hermione) and why I think it works.