Petunia, Spies, Libraries, Birthdays, Dying, Why and a random side note...

[M. Barnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 22617

Well, I have been lurking lately, but not on purpose, working from 
6pm to 6am kind of screws with your life and doing things you like to 
get harder and harder.  Anyway, on to more important things ...

I think it would be an absolutely wonderful enhancement to the 
stories if dear Aunt Petunia, who depises all things magical, turns 
out to be a witch later in life.  And it would make sense.  DO we 
know anything about Lily and Petunias parents?  Or the rest of the 
family for that matter?  Is is actually stated anywhere in the canon 
that Petunia has never done anything magical?  I do not have the 
books handy as I am at work, however I don't recall it ever being 
said that she CAN'T do magic, just that she and Vernon do not approve 
of it.  I think it is quite possible that Petunia does know a little 
bit of magic, but because she does not understand it, and her husband 
certainly doesn ot approve of it, she is terrified to admit it.  
Perhaps she knows a little bit of defensive magic, hence Dumbledore 
wanting Harry to go back to the Dursley's for the summer after GoF, 
although I like the whole Mrs. Figg is Arabella theory.  I think 
Dudley would be more prone to keeping to his diet if he knew his own 
mummy could put a pigs tail on his bottom.

It was said somewhere that Voldie can detect 
lies/falsehoods/untruths/etc and that Severus could not go back to 
him as a spy because Voldie would be able to tell.  I believe in Gof 
he says something about there being a traitor among them when the 
DE's gather int he graveyard, but does not identify them.  I don't 
think that was Severus, because folks at Hogwarts would have noticed 
(or at least I would have ... Alan Rickman is kinda sexy, but I 
digress ...) because you can't disapparate out of Hogwarts.  Ok, that 
is kind of rambly ... anywho, Severus has proved already that he can 
deceive Voldie by being a double agent during VWI, it would stand to 
reson, that since then, he has become even more loyal to Dumbledore 
and his causes and would therefore still be able to deceive Voldie as 
a spy for the good side (The good side being the side I am rooting 
for :) ).  So, yes, Severus shall be a double agent again and won't 
be detected by Voldie for a while.

Perhaps there is a part of the library we haven't seen yet.  The wall 
that you walk up to and say, "I'd like to use the search engine 
please."  And it is kind of like yahoo or altavista or <insert name 
of other search engines here>.  But since our heros only spend time 
in the library when it is relevant to the story, we just haven't seen 
it yet.  

I signed Harry's birthday card today.  And he's going to be 21?  I'd 
like to think he'll come over to the states, head down to Key West 
and walk in to Margaritaville and demand a really big margarita and 
start to get completely smashed, dancing on the tables, making the 
tables dance on the tables, and generally being quite rowdy and fun 
(but not obnoxious), but he won't wake up the next day with a 
hangover, because he has become friends with Severus (who obviously 
lives through all 7 books) and has gotten a hangover cure potion 
already made. 

While I want to hope beyond all hope that everyone except Voldie, 
Peter, and Fudge live to see the end of Book 7, I have resigned 
myself to the fact that people will die.  I don't think JKR will 
disappoint so many fans by killing off any of the trio, perhaps a 
maiming for Ron and he gets a magical eye, but no death for them.  
I'm quite certain the deaths of the people I like will make them 
matyrs.  Afterall, they are trying to prevent VWII and such a noble 
cause can't go without some tragic loss of life by people that 
everyone likes.  Top candidates for death, IMHO of course, Remus, 
Prof. McGonagall, Prof. Snape (directly contradicting myself) and one 
of the Weasley's, more than likely Percy or Arthur.

I started reading the HP books after the GoF frenzy in the states.  
My roomie and I were astounded that so many people, kids and big 
kids, could be this excited over a book.  So a couple months passed 
and my birthday rolled around, and my roomie gave me SS and CoS.  I 
went to work with SS and started reading.  Although I kept getting 
interrupted by people and their pesky emergencies, heart attacks, 
houses on fire, car wrecks, etc., I managed to read it all in one 
night and proceeded to kick myself for not bringing both books in.  I 
read CoS the nest night and went home and kicked my roomie for not 
buying me all 4 books.  Well, not really, but I did tell him he HAD 
to read them and I went to the mall to find PoA.  He finally read SS 
this June and loved it.  He is now reading CoS (he's got a girlfriend 
now and she seems to take up his reading time :) ) and is really 
enjoying it.  Now I bide my time waiting for OoP, can time drag any 
more?  My room looks like an exploded hallmark store too.  I watch 
the trailer(s) daily and I have no nitpicks because I accept the fact 
that movie producers and directors must take some creative license 
when turning paper into live action.  Only 122 days until the 
movie! :)

Ok, this is quite long enough and I hope readable.  But I have one 
last sidenote.  I am SOOOO excited.  I have the real versions of the 
books coming to me.  I ordered them from amazon.co.uk and I can't 
believe I spent almost $40(US) on paperback books!  I wish they would 
get here ... maybe tomorrow :)  I'm just wondering how the charge 
will show up on my mastercard ... in pounds or us dollars?

I do hope you are all doing well and not entirely annoyed by the 
length of my post ... I haven't done one in so long!

Michelle :)