Quick responses

[cassandraclaire73 at yahoo.com]

"I understand where you're coming from in saying this (other people's
POVs) but why can't two people simply be best friends without everyone
jumping up and shouting, "slash couple!"

*blinks.* That was a joke, in response to Barb joking. I never for a 
moment ever meant to suggest that I saw any Ron/Harry shippiness 
there. I hardly think two people joking constitutes "everyone jumping 
up and shouting slash couple!"

"They are just shy of twelve, for 
heaven's sake.  Look for shippiness when we get to PoA, if you will, 
but it just feels out of place for the first film."

I guess I'm with Anthony Lane on this one. (He has, after Pauline 
Kael, always been one of my favorite movie critics.) In his New 
Yorker review he said, "The movie patches Harry together with 
Hermione as a pal, yet, if I were his age, I would already be rolling 
a pencil under her desk and trying to look up her skirt. (Rowling, 
acute as ever, knew this; she had Harry flushing with awkwardness at 
Hermione's embrace.)" Hey, if he's noting shippy canon/movie moments, 
I can too. :D

Cassie