OOP: Plot/Character development

[Gregory Lynn]

No: HPFGUIDX 61657

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When first I read the prophecy, after having to physicially hold my hand over the text printed in different type to force myself to actually read up to the prophecy in the normal way rather than just skipping to it, well, it was kind of a let down.  Yeah a boy born at a certain time will be his downfall yada yada yada.  But then Dumbledore I think it was pointed out the key element.  Voldemort picked his enemy.  It's the decisions in life that define who we are according to Dumbledore.  And here we have both Neville and Harry being defined to a certain degree by someone else's decision.  Somehow I think the whole thing is a bait and switch and Neville will play the crucial role in defeating Dumbledore.

As for the death of Sirius, well, it's really necessary for the continued development of Harry's adult self IMHO.  Going in I figured it would be Dumbledore but Sirius makes as much sense if not more.

I absolutely love the development of Ginny Weasley.  That bit where she throws dungbombs at the door to see if it's been spelled, then blandly tells mum that Crookshanks likes playing with them was fantastic stuff.  Other than Hermione, none of the female Hogwarts students had much depth to them, and really, Hermione wasn't all that deep either.  Cho, Pavarti, and the rest seem more or less cardboard cutouts or props.  Ginny was like that but now she's got personality and I'm now certain that she and Harry ARE going to end up together.  Yeah, she's not infatuated with him any more--she had to get past that, and Harry had to get past the Cho thing.  Remember back in GoF it must have been, when Harry and Ron weren't speaking, there's a comment to the effect that when Hermione is your best friend there's more time in the library and less fun?  Well Ginny now seems like she's going to be as fun loving as Ron, Fred, and George.  And the Quidditch.  It was playing quidditch where Harry first noticed Cho was it not?  Well in the next book I imagine we'll be seeing Ron, Harry, and Ginny all on the team at the same time which will put Harry and Ginny together more, and in situations where Harry can come to appreciate Ginny's skills.

Hermione.  She's a pretty smart cookie, and not just in a "books and cleverness" kind of way but in a real world, use what you know to get what you want kind of way.  Right before the first quidditch match there's a great scene.  They get up to go and Hermione gives Harry and Ron a little kiss.  She's figured out that Ron has that kind of feeling for her somewhere and would be all confused by it while Harry doesn't and would be less so.  She wanted Ron confused so he wouldn't notice the Weasley is King badges the Slytherins were wearing and knew giving him a little kiss would throw him off just enough.  And giving Harry a kiss was just a decoy so Ron didn't know he was being manipulated.

Neville.  Good for Neville.  Did you notice that he's been using his father's wand ever since coming to Hogwarts?  And you know, you never get as good a result using someone else's wand.  I think that, coupled with a confidence problem (like Ron as keeper) is what's been holding Neville down and now that he's had a taste of some success I think he's going to come out like gangbusters.  It fits you know, with the "things aren't always what they seem" theme.

I'm sure I'll have more to say, gotta read this sucker again.
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Gregory Lynn


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