Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - the SPOILER thread!

I was heartbroken to see Dobby die. I finished up early Saturday Morning, but my stupid puter at home isn't working, so no internet for me over the weekend. I wondered about another series too, maybe about Harry and Ginny's kids and the next generation at Hogwarts, but I don't think it would ever be as good as the HP series.

Was anyone else confused about who was who in the 19 years later bit? I got that Lily, James & Albus belonged to Ginny & Harry, it was Rose and the others that made for a bit of confusion.

Absolutely! Even having figured out who Lily, James, & Albus were, I had a hard time following it--dratted people who name children after other people!  My best guess was that Rose and Hugo belonged to Ron and Hermione and Victoire to Bill and Fleur.

(who else found it ironic that everyone's most hated train station became heaven? *snort*)

I didn't think it was heaven, just a "waiting room" of sorts. I'm figuring that the "thing" under the bench was the bit of Voldemort's soul that Harry had received, and there's no way that was going to heaven! 

Personally, I was disappointed that Harry didn't kill mouldy Voldy () by making him feel remorse for all the crimes he'd committed, as per the footnote in Hermione's book about Horcruxes.

Harry did try to get Voldemort to feel remorse though, but nothing doing, he's just too evil! 

I had a hard time finding out who Victoire was too. I read somewhere that that is a French name and so that would be a child of Bill and Fleur. I just assumed that Rose and Hugo were Ron and Hermione's.

I just noticed the timestamp on your post.  Either you're a scary-fast reader... or you peeked!!

Absolutely.

Got the book soon after midnight, went to Costa, read the end of the book, texted a pal whose son is back in New Zealand with his dad for the summer holiday (she wanted to know in advance in case there was something a thirteen-year-old would find devestating), then went home and phoned my sister in Texas to tell her (per her request).

The best part of the whole thing was that Kreacher turned good.   

I'm finished.

That was weak.

 

I must say that although I enjoyed the book overall, I thought the ending was pretty darned weak too.

Although I thought the bit before and after Harry's death were the best.  I was confused by Snape.  I kept waiting for Snape to show himself as a double agent for Dumbledore, and then he died and I lost hope. But then he did turn out to be one, after all....Stupid Snape jerking my emotions around.  No wonder Harry forgave him though, when he realized what he'd been through for him and his mom. 

I've just finished reading this afternoon and I have to say that I loved the book, although that could have been because it was the last one and tied up the loose ends .

I did think the final chapter was a bit of a letdown though - it did seem a bit cheesy, in a happily-ever-after kind of way. I thought it was going to end maybe a few weeks or months after the big fight rather than years later.

My immediate feeling after finishing book 7 is that Deathly Hallows is my favourite book and Prisoner of Azkaban is my favourite film so far (although obviously the last 2 haven't been made yet).

A few things:

• Prof. Trelawney killing Fenrir Greyback with a crystal ball was fabulous.  She killed the Grim!
• Did anyone else half-expect Ron to start referring to the Elder Wand as "My precioussss?
• Lupin's freak-out was completely out of character and very annoying
• The centaurs coming to the aid of the wizards/witches made no sense.  They've made it abundantly clear that they have always stayed clear of wizarding problems, and that they don't give a rat's youknowwhat about who Harry is and what he did.
• Umbrage got off too easy.  They should have turned her into a newt.
• The Grawp storyline was completely pointless and a waste of our time.
• WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DURSLEYS??! (seriously, I'm dying to know)
• I would have gladly skipped a couple H/R/H camping scenes for a few of Neville, Luna and Ginny kicking butt at Hogwarts.
• Apparently in the wizarding world you marry whoever you date when you're seventeen
• There was a continuity error.  Hermione mentions that she changed her parents' memories and sent them to Australia.  Later, she says she's never done memory charms.
• Grawp served no purpose whatsoever in any of the final three books.  I defy anyone to prove he's useful.

• Lupin's freak-out

Did the whole Lupin dying/having a baby seem like a big set-up for something else or was it just me?


• There was a continuity error.  Hermione mentions that she changed her parents' memories and sent them to Australia.  Later, she says she's never done memory charms.

I caught that.


• Grawp served no purpose whatsoever in any of the final three books.  I defy anyone to prove he's useful.

I have to agree with this.  We know Hagrid's half-giant.  We also know he's kind and incredibly loyal.  I found the Grawp character jarring in every book and in the movie.

There's also a flaw regarding the Invisibility Cloak.  If it's so powerful and ultimate that the wearer can escape Death, why are there earlier references with Harry suspecting that Dumbledore can see through it (or at least 'sense' through it)?  Also, Nagini-as-Bathilda-Bagshot also 'sees' through the cloak when they are in Godric's Hollow.  A bit of an oversight!

Also, Nagini-as-Bathilda-Bagshot also 'sees' through the cloak when they are in Godric's Hollow.  A bit of an oversight!

J's theory about that is that the snake is seeing in infrared, sensing the heat from their bodies.

I prebought the book from my local independent bookseller but couldn't pick it up until MONDAY!  I went to NYC early (6am) on Saturday and then I was off to Bristol, RI before the stores opened on Sunday.  It was killing me!  Monday morning I rushed out and picked it up, I tried reading it while I was watching Squidge.  She FINALLY went to bed at 7pm and I got down to some serious reading.  I finished it by 2am.  I loved it, I wanted more and am going to re-read it again.  I cried LOADS but I'm glad R/H/H didn't die. 

i was content with the ending, but the epilogue was just too gushy/mushy for me. 

Want to know more about what happened to the characters?  JKR's plans?  Who was supposed to die originally and didn't?  Did they get another headmaster?  Did the curse lift on DADA Professors?  Here's the answers to some of those questions:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/19935372/

I saw that this morning!  Hurrah for an encyclopedia!!