Thoughts and observations of OOP (SPOILERS)

[Angela Burgess]

No: HPFGUIDX 61644

I'm not quite sure where to start with this.  I began trying to read 
through posts and then decided just to quit and get down my feelings 
before they became too muddled with others thoughts.  It's been close 
to two years since I posted, although I have peeked in now and then, 
so forgive me if I go off track.

But first, a little space...
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I was so excited when I finally got home with my copy at 12:50 am on 
Saturday, but terrified as well.  What if, after all the wait, after 
all the hype, after all the build-up, after all the analyzing, 
criticizing, theorizing, what if this book
.sucked?  I was almost 
scared to read it, scared that it would not live up to the 
expectations I, and millions of others, had for it.

But, sit down I did, having promised my husband that I would only 
read through the end of Ch. 8 before going to bed, as I needed to 
take my 1 year old son to a play class at 11 AM.  Well, I just 
couldn't believe it when I finally got to the end of Ch. 8 and it was 
3:30!  But, I'm good so I went to bed (it was a good stopping point, 
the end of Harry's trial) and went to bed dreaming about Harry.

So now, some general thoughts and observations:

Gred and Forge
I'm really glad to see that they used Harry's money, er, wisely.  
That is to say, they truly used it for the purpose Harry intended for 
it to be used.  Many 17-year-old boys, upon receiving $1000 from a 
friend, even with the intent to start a business, would end up 
wasting it on other things.  I'm also thrilled, as a reader and a 
teacher, with their actions throughout the book.  There are many 
students out there for whom school is just not the answer.  They are 
wonderfully bright, amazingly intelligent; they even have the 
discipline to do their work enough to pass.  However, one can just 
tell that they would be so much better doing something other than 
advanced algebra or team sports.  Unfortunately, many of these 
students go on to jobs which do not make them happy simply because 
that is what they feel they should do.  Now, I'm not saying that 
anyone who would rather do something other than school should fly 
away on a broomstick, after having wrecked the school.  They brought 
laughter to their friends and family and went on to run a (so far) 
successful business.  Cheers for them!

Luna Lovegood
So, Luna saw here mum die, did she?  Wonder how she died.  We know 
from JKR's use of appropriate names that the moon probably plays an 
important part in Luna's character.  Although she seemed somewhat out 
there on her own with just what we've seen so far, so perhaps that is 
all she is.  I liked her.  I liked that she seemed to be more 
interested in Ron than Harry and that she still seemed so naïve, even 
though her Daddy works in the tabloid business.  I guess naïve isn't 
actually the word I mean here, but just good, trusting, trustworthy, 
etc.  Does this make sense?

Mad-Eye
I was disappointed that Mad-Eye didn't have more time because I think 
he would have helped Harry a lot, in the same way that the imposter 
Moody did.  I think he would have told him where things stood, 
without watering down the truth.

Cho
I actually liked Cho in this book as Harry's first relationship.  
First relationships should be short and filled with mistakes.  If 
they weren't, where would we go from there?  Nowhere.  Harry doesn't 
need to find the love of his life at this point; he's 16.  He still 
has to either kill or be killed.  After that is done, then, if he's 
still alive, then he can settle down
at the ripe old age of 18.  

Sirius
I can't talk about this too much, because I'll well up again.  I 
thought the death of Sirius left a lot unsettled issues with which 
Harry will have to deal.  First off, as it doesn't seem to be AK that 
killed him, why didn't he block it?  Secondly, would he even have 
died if he hadn't gone through the veil or was the curse similar to 
the one that got Hermione?  Thirdly, how is this going to affect 
Harry's "hero-thing"?  

I also question Sirius' behavior while cooped up at HQ.  He did not 
seem to be acting like himself.  I know that he was frustrated to be 
locked away safely while everyone else was fighting, but he dealt 
with Dementors for 12 years, while trapped on an island.  One would 
think that he has coping abilities by now.  My personal belief 
(possibly shared and already posted by some of you) is that Kreacher 
was doping him with the stuff Harry dreamt about in his exam.  While 
it hasn't yet been explained, I expect it will be in Book 6 or 7.  
JKR doesn't put stuff in, and then continue to repeat it over and 
over for no reason.  (By the same line of logic, I expect Neville's 
plant to have importance later on.)

Well, that's all for now
my husband has the book, so I can't go back 
through until he finishes.