Are we having fun?

[boyd_smythe]

No: HPFGUIDX 80628

Wanda Said:
> Are WE having fun anymore?

Boy, do we have some great posters! Well said, Wanda.

For my part, I'm really torn. I really loved SS/PS; what a wonderful 
fantasy/mystery. And then to get to revisit that world in CoS, plus 
get another mystery to solve, was just great! In fact, CoS is still
my 
favorite, because it was so self-contained and fun. Go Harry!

So, like many of us, I read the first two books in quick succession
as 
just "fun" reads. And fun they were! But I didn't think too much, 
because the ride was so *very* enjoyable.

With GoF, the series changed for me. Where before I had been happily 
oblivious to the long-term plot (and some would say I still am!), GoF 
intentionally turned our and Harry's focus to the big plot. Yes,
there 
was much to distract & entertain us--GoF had it all--but I now *knew* 
to pay attention to more than just the short-term mystery at the
heart 
of each book. Of course, GoF was brilliant, too, but HP was now more 
than just a fun roller coaster ride. I cared and worried.

Then came the long wait for OoP. And I thought about the GoF ending  
and what might happen next, and joined groups like this where 
everything got dissected and the future was guessed at many times 
over.

And I waited. And then the little spoilers started coming out.
Someone 
JKR loves will die! There's a hall and a door that are important!

And when I got the book, I raced through it with unreasonable 
expectations. And was disappointed. There were so many long-term plot 
points I wanted resolved. But instead JKR gave us more questions,
more 
uncertainty. And a main character in transition.

And the other books had each had a big, self-contained mystery to 
absorb us. They had more fun times and rollicking adventures. They
had 
Harry's strong bonds with H/R and DD. Not OoP.

But OoP needed to accomplish quite a bit for JKR, and I think worked 
well as a pivot despite a few flaws (see Ravenclaw Black's heartfelt 
post of Aug 15 at 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/77317). But I 
think that's how we have to see it. Why is there so much discussion 
now? Because she left us in a state of flux on almost everything. She 
had to.

It's been said by many here, but Harry does need to grow up. And that 
means seeing the dangers for what they are. And understanding that no 
one's perfect, even DD and Sirius.

So, OoP is my least favorite to read for *fun*. But it has largely 
tied together the first 4 and set up the two-book endgame that we now 
know must come.

So I call OoP some much-needed medicine that actually tasted pretty 
good, just not as good as the candy she gave us in 1-3. And here's to 
5&6!

-Remnant