OOP: Thoughts and more thoughts

[Aesha Williams]

No: HPFGUIDX 64786

    I've at least 4 hours the past two days trying to catch up on HPfGU emails- and that's just the digests that I got after I went back to mail, not the emails from the previous two days (there were 27 digests!). I can't keep up, as the words are just swimming before my eyes. So here's some of my thoughts and things, with a few comments. I apologize if it's a little hard to follow- my notes are all over the paper in a very hap-hazard fashion, so it's a little confusing for me to read. LOL. 
    I will say that all those who were a little disappointed in the book are not alone- I thought that, too. I think someone hit the nail on the head when they said it was exhausting to read because Harry was so angry. I was tired of him getting mad at everyone. He got mad at Hermione and Ron, but did he get mad at Sirius for keeping quiet about what was happening? I thought it was selfish for him to think that that he should have been Prefect over Ron- for someone who hasn't gotten a lot of attention as a growing boy, he sure thinks he deserves it now (and yes, he does deserve thanks for his actions against Voldemort). Yes, he's a teenager, and been through a lot, but they're all trying to help him, and he couldn't help but bite their heads off quite a bit. 

1. Lots of people have said they think the DA group should continue and I agree- and I think now it can be a little less of a covert operation, since the whole reason for the secrecy to begin with was umbridge. However, to keep out unwanted people- such as some of our favorite Slytherins- it might be advisable. Not that I think these Slytherins would want to be able to fight *against* Voldemort, but rather would join to spy on the DA just to see what they're preparing for, to give the DE's a heads up. Then again, perhaps there will be no need for a specific "club" called the DA, since I believe without a doubt that they'll be training in the use of practical defense against the Dark Arts next year- and heavily, what with all the wizarding world will be facing in the years ahead. Harry was a good teacher (and yes, it made me too think perhaps he's being groomed for the teaching position, though I love the Aurors), but he was just teaching the others what he knows already (duh), which isn't much compared to the abundance of imformation that is presumably out there. So a more knowledgeable wizard is needed (IMO, it's Lupin, but I don't know if he'll be added back to the faculty for next year). 

2. The Put-Outer. Well, Moody used it again, as we were sure he would- but still it didn't give us much insight into it's true purpose (I don't believe; I left my book at my grandfather's house, so I don't have it to refer to). I can't believe that it's sole purpose is to darken the street. And presumably, if any muggles had noticed, they would have taken a look outside to see why all the lights went off anyway- so perhaps going in with the lights on would have been just as safe. 

3. I'm curious why there's still no classes with Ravenclaw. I mean, they don't even mention it in passing- I don't care if it's a class they show us or not. Even if they said while looking at their schedules "History of Magic with Ravenclaw, Double Potions with Slytherin", I would be satisfied. Something tells me that there's something more to this, too, because it seems just silly to keep excluding Ravenclaw from having much of a function in the book (besides introducing us this book to a few of the residents of that house). I mean, the book could have functioned just as easily with three houses instead of four, so why keep skirting around the existance of Ravenclaw?

4.What will happen to Kreacher? I don't think that the OoP would like to have him around as a constant reminder of his betrayal, and of course they would not give him clothes, as then he would probably run straight to Malfoy Manor. Will he be sent to Azkaban? Locked up? Hmm..

5. New characters- loved them. I don't know why, I really love new characters- even though they only said a little about some of them, like Sturgis Podmore (right?). I love Tonks, of course, and I can't decide which between her and Kingsley is my new favorite.  I don't know why but I just think that Kingsley is awesome- perhaps because his name rocks, maybe because I imagine the Wizarding world's Michael Clarke Duncan- who knows. LOL. I can't wait to learn more about him.

6. Here's one of several comments about Petunia/Lily/their parents. Firstly, if as someone suggested, the Evans were a pair of Squibs who got married, had Petunia (non-magical) and Lily (magical), then Petunia wouldn't be a squib, she'd just be a muggle, as a squib is a non-magical child born of Wizarding parents. Lily would be a muggle-born witch. This having been said, I do think (as many have suggested) that although Petunia acts like she may have been the oldest, that she was younger- someone (I believe it was lizcrosssmith) said exactly what I thought, which was that Lily gets a letter saying she's a lost member of this wonderful hidden world, she comes home and shows her younger sister (who of course looks up to her, as all little sisters do) all these tricks and neat things she can do, and then Petunia doesn't recieve a letter saying that she, too, is "special". This would be a particular upset if since their parents were so excited that they had a witch in the family. To play the devil's advocate, if the Evans' had been a wizarding family, making Petunia a squib, they would have rather been expecting a letter to show up- they probably would have already known that she was a witch, and Petunia a Squib, before the letter would have come, anyway. In other words, they wouldn't have been surprised to get a letter for Lily from Hogwarts. Besides, the Weasley's weren't waiting for a letter from Hogwarts to confirm that their children were magical, right? 

7. When would Petunia hear James talk to Lily about the Dementors? Obviously they did not start dating until 6th year, at the earliest (people keep referring to them starting dating 7th year, but I don't recall reading that, and I don't have OoP here to look at if it's in there). So what, James came over to Lily's house and started chatting her up about Azkaban? Or was this after Hogwarts, and they (Petunia and Lily) were still on speaking terms? As for Perseus Evans, I liked that theory, but now I don't think it could be. Why would he have been a death eater, if he was from a muggle family? And even if someone wants to say perhaps the Evans were wizards and Petunia was a squib, don't you think you'd feel sufficiently affectionate toward your own sister not to want to be rid of all muggles? Why would he have been so indifferent to Lily, going so far as to call her a mudblood when she tried to help her? But as I think about it, was part of the Perseus Evans theory that he didn't *know* he was an Evans? 

8. I'm curious about Dumbledore's relationship with the Evans clan. Obviously there's something more, as has been pointed out by them being on a first name basis. Even saying "Remember my last, Petunia Dursley!" would have been a little more formal. And I don't think that bit about her having sealed the charm by accepting Harry was all. Remember my last what? Words to you? Letter? Hmmm. Also, with Dumbledore saying that he didn't want LV to see anything more than a headmaster/student relationship between he (DD) and Harry, I was just waiting for him to say they were related. And I still believe there's more... Dumbledore feels a special relationship with Harry, a special kind of affection, and there's a reason for it.

9. Someone said that if Sirius had simply fell on the dias [instead of through the veil] he would not have died. I'm okay if this is an assumption, but I'm going to be a little 
LOON-y about this (I hope this point is LOON worthy). It didn't say that that was the cause of death (falling through the veil), so I'm going to assume that we didn't see what Bella did to Sirius. No, we didn't hear Avada Kedavra or see a flash of green light at that time, but we can't know for sure that the veil was the cause of death. 

10. I have to re-read OoP to reabsorb things, but I'm going to loan it to a friend first. I didn't remember reading that Tonks was related to Sirius, but I did remember Molly. What kind of relation is Tonks- second or third cousin? Ohh- is she the daughter of Andromeda and her husband.... because Andromeda was the sister of Bellatrix and Narcissa who married a muggle, right? Okay. As for Molly, he said they were cousins by marriage. Well... hmm. That would mean that his brother married one of Molly's sisters (presuming she has any), or that Arthur was Sirius' cousin, right? Then why wouldn't he say Arthur is my cousin? I think I'm missing a link here, and it's driving me mad.

11. Sara said she thought it was nice that they took Neville's suggestion for the password to Gryffindor tower, but I don't think they take suggestions- I think the password is set. I think it was just a coincidence that the plant name was the same as the password. Again, this is a point I'm willing to be pretty LOON-y about. 

12. Loved that Ron was Prefect, and I felt that he deserved it. I feel, in all these hero stories, I sympathize most with the "sidekick", and am most interested in them. Here is no exception- Ron is my favorite character. He's the one who never gets any spotlight, but is the hero's right hand man (with Hermione, but she does get recognized more). And without the "sidekick", the hero wouldn't be able to get the job done. I was terribly disappointed, therefore, when Dumbledore suggested that the only reason he made Ron a prefect instead of Harry was because Harry had enough to deal with. I don't feel we've been told that Harry's grades, or actions that should have bearing upon the decision of who are Prefects, have been any greater than Ron's. I don't think that Harry's defeat of Voldemort on numerous occasions should have anything to do with it- none of the other houses have had the opportunity, and like I said, Harry couldn't have done it without Ron and Hermoine, anyway. I think that Ron deserved it on his own merits, not just because Harry was busy already (and yeah, there may have been better candidates in Seamus, Dean or Neville, but I think Harry and Ron are pretty equal in the grade department, and if he was going to give it to Harry, then his grades must have been sufficient). 

13. Now here I'm very sure I'm in the vast minority (I'm thinking perhaps 10 people out of our 8300 may think this as well). The relationship between Sirius and Harry has always bothered me, even last year, and definately this year (OoP). They've known one another less than two years, and yet Harry is willing to listen almost exclusively to what Sirius has to say. He won't go to Dumbledore, he won't ask anyone else for advice, and I'm not sure I understand why. He's known Dumbledore, the Weasleys, even Lupin longer and better... Why go exclusively to Sirius for advice and counsel? I'm thinking this way- if I was told I had a sister I never knew I had, and someone introduced us, I wouldn't instantly love them just because someone said she was my sister. Yet this is how I think it happened with Sirius and Harry. Why does he love Sirius any more than Lupin, or Molly, or Dumbledore? He's known those three longer; they too have his best interests at heart; Molly even thinks of him as her own son. Is it just because Sirius has the title godfather, or because he's one of Harry's father's best friends? 
    I was touched when Harry was part of Mrs. Weasley's Woes. I think part of what bothered me so much about the H/S relationship in this book is that Sirius didn't seem to have Harry's best interests at heart for quite a bit of the book- he was reckless, a little selfish, and so that bothers me. Perhaps, when I can articulate my thoughts and feelings on this matter a little more clearly, I will post about it. Hehe. 

14. Rubie suggested that Neville will be easy for LV to manipulate and will turn evil to serve him. I don't think there's any chance of this- not after what LV's done to his parents. I don't think anyone who belongs to a family that LV has destroyed would go over to his side to fight with him. Especially with Neville training so hard to fight him; he's doing it to live up to his parents' legacy, and to avenge them. 

15.  Neville vs. Harry as the one to fulfill the prophecy: Something tells me there's still more to this- a reason Voldemort would go for Harry, or a reason that although the propechy seemed to fit them both, there was something that certified that it was Harry it spoke of. Why would Dumbledore be so worried that he'd offer to be the Potters' *personal* secret-keeper, instead of the Longbottoms'? Unless, assuming you can be the secret keeper for two people at once, he'd offered to do both. I don't know, it's just fishy- I still think that there's more there. 

16. The prophecy. It was marked Lord Voldemort and (?) Harry Potter. Not Neville. Why? Unless the name was hidden somewhere in those ellipses, they shouldn't have known who it was to put a second name on it, unless they put HP's name on there after LV's demise- but then they wouldn't have needed the question mark. Otherwise, they should have put the names of both Neville and Harry on there. And I also think that, unless because Neville fit the prophecy as well, the only other reason he could touch it was because it had to be pulled from the shelf by the one it was made about and then anyone could touch it. However, I still think there's either been a mistake here (that Neville's name should also have been on the prophecy), or there's something that still hasn't been revealed about why, although the prophecy seemed to fit them both, it was undoubtedly Harry it referred to.
    The whole thing Dumbledore said bothers me. I don't want Harry to be "the one" just because he was chosen by Voldemort; I want there to be a greater reason why Harry was destined to be the One. Yes, I know there's this whole theme throughout the series about how your choices make you who you are, but I'm feeling a litttle let down by this. Perhaps that's why I was so disapopinted in the book.

    If you've gotten this far, congratulations and thank you!! :)

Aesha

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