OotP: Overall/Sirius&Lupin/Molly/Alice/Luna&Ron/HarryHarry&Cho/Prophecy and more

[Helen]

No: HPFGUIDX 62307

Subject: OotP SPOILERS: Overall thoughts, Sirius and 
Lupin/Molly/Alice/Luna and Ron/Harry and Cho/the Prophecy/McGonagall 
and Snape/the next DatDA teacher/Jenny's Question about Hagrid/ 
Ewdotson's "loopy" theory/Favourite lines

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A few thoughts
I have read many of the responses, (though not all – I 
read about three hundred and then stopped due to a headache! Lol) so 
I'm hoping these thoughts won't be too repetitive. 

OVERALL:
I did enjoy OotP, of course, but I can't help thinking that it may 
have been slightly more predictable than the other books? I don't 
mean I guessed every single bit of it, but often I found that I 
wasn't surprised by revelations, and I know I'm not the only one to 
have seen the Prophecy coming a mile away. I was wondering what 
everyone else thought – was the plot more predictable, or is it 
simply that we've had three years to speculate and theorise, so we've 
discussed most of the possibilities already?

I also thought that it was quite obviously a middle-of-the-series 
book, as it was so full of development of earlier plot that there was 
less new action in it until the end. I personally found that it 
seemed like most of the books was the introduction, though maybe 
that's just me. 

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SIRIUS, LUPIN, MOLLY AND ALICE:
As someone pointed out, it is a little odd that Harry automatically 
turns to Sirius not Remus, though, as someone else replied, it makes 
sense that he would see Remus as more of a teacher and therefore less 
like family. However, I found that, having seen less of Sirius than 
Remus, I was not nearly as upset by his death as I would have been if 
it had been Remus, as I theories before the book came out. 

I definitely agreed with Molly, though, that Sirius kept forgetting 
Harry was not James. (I imagine neither Sirius nor Snape would be 
pleased to know that they have something in common!) I did find, as 
several others have pointed out, that Molly's fear with the Boggart 
and Neville's meeting with his mum were far more upsetting. I agree 
that it does seem like Alice's gifts of chewing gum wrappers to 
Neville do seem significant, though maybe they simply symbolise her 
futile attempts to show affection to the son she cannot recognise

*sniffs* 

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LUNA AND THE POSSIBILITY OF LUNA/RON SHIP
I absolutely adore Luna, she's fantastic. I was surprised to see a 
what seems to be a new major character introduced this late in the 
series, but I think perhaps if she'd been there since CoS, we'd be 
irritated with her by book seven! I do think she's great though, and 
I love her accessories!

I was wondering about her name, since we all know JKR doesn't give 
names by accident. Luna, of course, suggests something to do with the 
moon, but what? Is it simply because it sounds like "loony," or 
because being "moony" can often mean the same thing? Or is there more 
to it? Another werewolf, or with some connection to werewolves, 
perhaps? OK, perhaps that's a bit too obvious after Lupin, but I'm 
sure there must be some significance. (Especially now we're noticing 
the irony in "Virgin"ia's name
she gets around a bit, doesn't she! 
*grins) 

Then we come to "Lovegood." Apart from sounding, as someone pointed 
out, quite a lot like a bond girl(!) I am torn between wondering if 
it is assurance that she is on the side of Right (Love for Good) or 
if it suggests a romance with someone (she is a Good person to Love). 
I don't know, both seem a little ridiculous, but it's the best I can 
come up with. And speakinf of romance, I definitely agree with the 
people who have suggested that she might be a potential love interest 
for Ron, though I can't quite say what it was that gave me that 
impression. Perhaps it will be clearer on re-reading. It did surprise 
me, though – I was and am an ardent R/H shipper, so I was taken aback 
to find the idea of R/L in my head. I don't think I'll ever really be 
torn away from the good ship R/H, but I have been trying to think of 
a good name for the R/L ship
possibly Ron Obvious Fancies Luna (even 
though, if anything, it's the other way round), simply because it 
abbreviates to ROFL, and I think that's what I'd do if I read about 
them trying to date!

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HARRY AND CHO:
I can't help wondering if the disastrous H/C relationship is a little 
bit of a dig at the fanfiction world? Because so many of us are full 
of these ideas of great romances, but actually, those are hard enough 
to find when you're a teenager if all you have to worry about it how 
to style your hair – it's easy to see that when you're trying to save 
the world, you might not have the time to be bothered with it all


I laughed so much at Hermione telling Harry what he should have said, 
and suggesting he mention her ugliness! She's so much smarter than he 
is
I do think having some teen relationships in the book adds an air 
of realism, but the awkwardness and embarrassment is far more 
realistic than any romantic moment. I also though the "fadeout" on 
the kiss was handled nice and tactfully in view of the number of 
child readers.

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THE PROPHECY
One thing I don't understand, is why it was so important for 
Voldemort to get hold of the prophecy. I mean, I know he didn't know 
what was in it, and I know that it had never yet been spilled out 
that he had to kill Harry if he wanted to take control of the 
wizarding world, but still, it was a little unconvincing, I thought. 
I mean, even if You-Know-Who didn't know what was in the prophecy, 
Dumbledore did, so why did he bother to protect it from LV when he 
knew it would not give away crucial information? I can only suppose 
that he wanted to keep LV from focusing on killing Harry for as long 
as possible, but still, I thought that came up a little short.

In my mind, the only interesting part of the prophecy was not really 
discussed yet, though maybe Harry will wax lyrical about it in the 
next book, which was that Harry will definitely have to kill if the 
Dark Lord* is to be defeated. I was reminded of Hermione in 
PoA "Don't be silly, Ron, Harry doesn't want to kill anyone
do you 
Harry?" He has been getting more aggressive as the books have 
progressed, culminating in the Cruciatus curse, but does he really 
have it in him to kill? I do wonder, and I'm not sure he could, so 
this does lead me to at least be curious about the idea of a redeemed 
Tom, even though that in itself seems a bit too Hollywood-ish.

(* - I have plenty of alternative interpretations of the prophecy, 
involving Neville, of course, but I'm putting those in another post 
as they're quite long.)

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MCGONAGALL AND SNAPE

I've certainly never been a M/S shipper, but OotP has reinforced my 
view of them as better friends than most in their houses, though 
possibly good-natured rivals when it comes to the House and Quidditch 
Cups! I think, though I don't have the book to hand and can't check 
exactly, but hasn't Minerva been a teacher enough longer than Snape 
to have been his Trans teacher when he was at school? I seem to 
recall she remembered James Potter as a student, as well as a friend 
and member of the Order
? 

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NEW DatDA TEACHER
Harry as the new DatDA teacher
I'm not sure that would come in the 
actual books, whilst he's still a student, but I imagine Dumbledore's 
Army will grow, and I could see him being offered the job after he 
leaves, if he doesn't get the grades for becoming an Auror. 
Personally, I'd like to see Snape get the job, at long last! Though 
now I think of it, I remember at one point during reading thinking 
I'd found a hint that Snape actually failed/didn't do well in his 
DATDA OWL, though I can't remember where I got this idea from – was 
this my imagination, or has anyone else seen this too?

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JENNY'S QUESTION

<<Jenny from Ravenclaw asked: Should Hagrid stay on as CoMC teacher? 
Am I the only one who continues to think he's a moron?>>
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I think many of us – like Harry – forget that there is a difference 
between being a good person and being a good teacher. I do not think 
Hagrid is a good teacher, and it would be better for the students if 
he were not to teach anymore. However, he is obviously a good man, 
and I hope he will still have an important role in the school and the 
Order.

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EWDOTSON'S THEORY

Ewdotson wrote: <<Harry might die and yet return.  It could also be a 
way to allow  Harry the opportunity to live out a normal, healthy 
childhood
"...and Hagrid held little baby Harry in his arms, exactly 
as he had been all those years ago, except that this time, his face 
was not blemished by a scar.">>

WOW! Seriously, wow! I have to admit, I don't think it's likely to 
actually happen, but what an incredibly fantastic idea! I would love 
it if this happened!

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FAVOURITE QUOTES
 
Haven't got the book with me, so I'm paraphrasing, but:

1.	"I'm feeling a little
. rebellious!" – Hermione
2.	"Harry was reminded irresistibly of Mrs. Weasley appealing to 
her husband
" 
3.	"Professor Sprout awarded Gryffindor twenty points because 
Harry passed her a watering can
Professor Trelawny suddenly predicted 
that he would live to be very old, become Minister for Magic, and 
have twelve children"







~ Helen

PS. Nobody expects the Hogwarts Inquisition
!