Howdy; ponderings (rather lengthy)

[Marvin Long, Jr.]

No: HPFGUIDX 9659


Since I know everybody has been waiting with bated breath, I just thought
I'd let you know that I've ordered my HP books from Chapters.ca and now
have a couple of weeks to try to catch up with the archives until they
arrive.  :-)  Thanks again to folks for answering my questions about US
vs. UK versions of the books.

***

That done, I thought I'd introduce myself.  "Hello, my name is Marvin and
I'm a Harry Potter addict."

"Hi, Marvin!"

***

It all started around new year's...my mom had given me the first 2 HP
books for Xmas and I was regarding them rather skeptically (oh come ON,
they're kiddy books!) until I happened to get really sick (stomach bug) 
and, casting about for something to read, opened SS and was immediately
hooked.  I devoured the first two books in two days and then went through
another couple of days of withdrawal until I was able to convince my wife
to go out and buy me books 3 and 4 so that I would have something to
occupy my mind as my fever raged on.  I plowed through them and was
finally sated...GoF has a great cliffhanger/new beginning ending, the sort
you can savor for a while.

Anyway...I'm 31, have a BA in Philosophy, and work as a sort of
combination product-support/development/salesperson for a
computer-based service provided by the Texas Association of School Boards.
I dabble in martial arts (tai chi for now) and am trying to teach myself
to play the guitar.  Married for 3+ years, no kids, not planning on any.

PONDERINGS (I'm sure I'll rehash something somebody's said--but poring
through the archive just takes so long, and I'm impatient when I get all
worked up over books.)

* I wish JKR would offer us some sympathetic characters from Slytherin
House.  The one-note nastines of Malfoy and company is getting old and
unconvincing.  I've known ambitious rule-benders who were not wantonly
cruel, and it would only make sense for somebody in Slytherin to be
sufficiently concerned about his/her reputation to try to stop Malfoy et
al. from giving the rest a bad name.

* Snape is very interesting.  I see him as a kind of aristocrat who is
loyal to principles of honor and decency but who feels conflicted about
associating with and teaching the "lower orders"--mudbloods and so on.  He
probably sympathizes with Voldemort's dislike of muggles but understands
that V's methods are evil and to be eschewed--I suspect that he went
through an enormous crisis of character to reach this conclusion
(something that would make a good story in a future HP book, methinks)
and, though he dislikes Harry and gravitates towards aristocratic-minded
folk (Slytherins) he won't betray the good guys--his own goodness was
too hard-won for that.

*  The stag, James Potter's animal form and Harry's patronus, is an old
symbol of love and loyalty.  I seem to recall that there is a Scottish
clan crest that consists of a stag and the motto "Amo" (I Love).

*  I think that Dumbledore resists giving Snape the DADA job because he
doesn't want Hogwarts' students to be too competent in the dark arts.
Snape would teach the class *too well,* making Hogwarts student more
vulnerable to the big V's temptations rather than less.  I think that
Dumbledore's convinced that resisting Voldemort is a matter of character
and unity more than sheer magical power.

* I suspect that one of the reasons the Dursley's haven't turned Harry
into a total little sh*t is the strength of their counterexample.  They
are such awfully revolting people that I imagine Harry recoils whenever
he's tempted to behave in a way that reminds him of them.  On the other
hand, I think that one of the reasons he was eligible for Slytherin has
little to do with Voldemort and more to do with years of pent-up
resentment over the treatment he received in the Dursley household.  Great
talent and great resentment sometimes give birth to great ambition and
little regard for rules (after all, the Dursley's follow none of the rules
of decency regarding their treatment of *him*).  Ok, that's reminiscent of
Tom Riddle, but that's just similarity of circumstances; what I mean is
that his eligibility for Slytherin doesn't derive from any bits of Voldy
that got stuck in him as an infant.  He has a comparable personality, but
superior character.  (But we knew that.  Duh!)

* I agree with the theory that by taking Harry's blood, Voldemort has made
himself vulnerable.  I don't believe that Harry is any more immune to
danger; still, Voldy might be forced to resort something other than the
standard death curse...like maybe a knife in the back.....

* I think that Neville will acquit himself grandly at some future date.

* And Fred and George will become suppliers of discrete but lethally
ironic arms for the forces of good--whoopee mines, anybody?  :-)

Marvin Long
Austin, Texas