Some questions/comments about OOTP (LONG)

[Brenda]

No: HPFGUIDX 102748

>>> Barbara wrote:
Barbara, still hoping for more responses to my post "Some 
questions/comments about OOTP" <<<

Bren: Heehee, I feel ya!! I was going to respond to your "Some 
Questions/Comments about GoF" post, but oh well, this one first 
then ;-)

>>> Barbara wrote:
I have tears in my eyes from those last few paragraphs where some of 
the OOTP members confront the Dursleys. And I was just on the edge of 
my seat from the moment Sirius was killed, all through his palpable 
pain, anger at DD (and himself) and guilt, the scene with Dumbledore 
explaining Harry's doomed future (as he says, he'll either be a 
murderer or a victim)... Such powerful chapters. JKR is really 
brilliant.

Bren: Yes, it is a powerfully emotional book.  And very depressing 
too, I found.  I was actually laughing in the last chapter when Moody 
revealed himself to Vernon - serves him right!  But yeah, I was SO 
incredibly depressed when Sirius died.  Although my friend had told 
me that Sirius dies and it wasn't AK so I wasn't crying me a 
river...  Sirius was the only character I had hoped so much to be 
safe and he turned out to be the "infamous death" of OoP that JKR had 
publicized.  Dang...

In regards to HArry being either a murderer or a victim... I always 
figured that they couldn't survive together in this world or life 
time.  VM was always after Harry, Harry had to kill Voldemort in self-
defence before VM does HArry (wells that VM is so darn persistent!), 
so the prophecy wasn't much of a news.  What did surprise me though, 
was that Neville was the other candidate.

>>> Now some miscellaneous comments I wrote down as I was reading the 
book: <<<

I tried doing that with GoF the first time around, to follow up with 
suspicious characters.  But needless to say I miserably failed.  How 
are you supposed to just *not* believe that a seemingly-minor DEAD 
character was in fact alive?!?!

>>> How does Dumbledore know exactly what is happening on Privet 
Drive and how is he able to send a Howler minutes after Vernon tells 
Harry to get out? <<<

Perhaps Mrs Figg alerted D-Dore after the Dementor's attack and DD 
saw it coming?  Or maybe another canon for DD time-traveling? (I 
doubt it though)

>>> I can totally understand Harry's anger and hurt at being left out 
of things when he is the one that has had to endure the trauma and 
havoc wreaked by VM. Not only has he handled himself well enough to 
be told what is going on, but he has suffered so much and then feels 
like people have abandoned him just when he needs them most. <<<

I know I've said this before and been argued, but I still believe 
HArry learning about the Prophecy before OoP-ending might have been 
dangerous.  This isn't some "memory" Harry will have, it will haunt 
him down.  The thought of being the murderer or the victim of most 
evil wizard... it would have given him nightmares, left him highly 
vulnerable and unstable, and I think VM would have taken advantage of 
it.  Learning the full content of prophecy through HArry's emotional 
roller-coaster ride.  I also doubt that D-Dore would have told Harry 
that the record is kept in DoM, so VM might have used the same vision 
to lure Harry out, whether Harry knew about it or not.

>>> Maybe you're all right about him not being the "one too cowardly 
to return." I actually think it takes a lot of (misplaced) chutzpah 
to twist things around and create the rumors of DD being senile and 
HP being nuts (sorry British members, nutters :^) ) ... esp. since DD 
is considered so powerful and all. To doubt him, to openly attempt to 
cause people to distrust DD... boy, if Fudge isn't a DE, he's just 
plan STUPID. <<<

Hmm, I always thought that "the one too cowardly to return" was 
Karkaroff and the one "who has left me" was Fudge.  Karkaroff seems 
the more likely candidate for being *too cowardly*, who will face 
wrath of hell from the DEs on top of VM.  Fudge OTOH has problem with 
VM, but not with DEs (compared to Karkaroff that is). 

>>> And to come back to VM for a minute, I wonder if we'll hear more 
about his loathing of DD. I mean, I wonder if it is only because DD 
challenged him, when he became LV, or if there is some back history 
we don't know about between Riddle and DD. Maybe some father-like 
rejection just fueled his already psychopathic personality. <<<

I'm definitely up for seeing more of young Tom Riddle and DD.  I 
wonder just WHY he fears him and loathes him at the same time?!

>>> I found some parts of the book very funny (although I can't quote 
them at the moment). That was a nice contrast to all the stuff that 
Umbridge was putting them through. I think the funniest parts 
(although they were more touching than funny) were the parts with Cho 
(when she wasn't crying!). Harry discovering how it feels when a girl 
likes him, getting kissed, holding hands, etc. I think those were the 
best parts of his whole year. <<<

My favorite parts in OoP:

5. Lockhart in St. Mungo's -- he's just so incompetent it cracks me up
4. "Weasley's our King..."
3. Ginny's *Hem, Hem*
2. Fred & George's escape -- bloody brilliant!
1. Sirius singing carols during Christmas break!! How lovely!! 
<sheepish grin>  

I liked Cho in GoF but not at all in OoP, she's going to be one of 
those manipulators in Soap Opera!  

>>> And as far as Harry not practicing Occlumency or doing his best, 
I have to give the kid a break. <<<

Errr, let's not open that can of worms that had just recently been 
closed... 

>>> And all this happens when he's dealing with raging hormones and 
his attraction to Cho! I can't help but feel for him!
<snip> Ultimately I am just so sad for Harry. What a life he's had! 
How much sadness he has had to endure! What a year! It was probably 
the only year he's ever been at Hogwarts that he was miserable or 
unhappy most of the time.  And yet, he still didn't want to go back 
to the Dursleys, so that tells you how awful it is there! <<<

I agree with you, and yes I do think Harry had an absolutely horrible 
year, but it still doesn't justify him rashing out on his emotion, 
IMHO.  All these anger, rage, and even using Crucio... he's becoming 
non other than VM himself!!  If Harry's had such a hard life than so 
did Voldemort.  His muggle father abandoning his witch mother, his 
mom dying right after his birth, being raised in an orphanage.  At 
least Harry had a "family" better than the orphanage staffs.  Top 
that with a surge of snaky Salazar's blood running through him (is he 
the last remaining "ancestor" of Salazar?  I heard that JKR meant it 
that way.  That is quite odd.  Time-turning again?) - not so 
different from Harry!  Harry = VM = Salazar?!?!  Yikes!

Harry really really REALLY needs to control that anger, or else Hell 
breaks loose...

>>> In the "Beyond the Veil" chapter ... Hermione says "Accio Wand!" 
How does the spell know which wand? And if wands in the WW are like 
weapons, why not break the wands of the DE whenever they fall or let 
go of their wand? Destroy the wand, destroy some of the concentrated 
power. Although I realize the more powerful DEs will not need their 
wands to continue. <<<

Hmm, maybe breaking other wizard's wands are federal offence?  Not 
that breaking DE's wand will bring you troubles from the Ministry.  I 
imagine destroying the wand will be very difficult though.  I can 
imagine flashes of all different colour (green predominent?) coming 
out of the broken wand.  Regardless of how powerful, I think you 
still need the wand to perform the Unforgivable curses.  HEck, even 
Voldemort, the master of AK, still shouts the incantation!

>>> I didn't really get that Harry blames Snape for Sirius's death as 
much as he blames himself for not keeping up with the Occlumency or 
practicing. Yes, he hates Snape and threw some blame his way when 
Dumbledore mentioned Snape's part in things, but I felt that Harry 
was blaming himself more than anything. And oh my God, if he had just 
opened Sirius's package sooner, even if he intended not to use it, if 
he had seen what it was, he could have confirmed Sirius wasn't in the 
DOM before going off half-cocked with his friends! <<<

I never thought Harry blamed it on Snape till I read some posts a few 
weeks ago.  Another reason I'm SOO mad at HArry for not opening 
Sirius' gift -- can you imagine all those times they could have 
talked to each other??  He could've talked to Sirius every night 
under his bed!!  It would have made both of them so happy, Sirius 
wouldn't have been so restless...

I really hope he learns not to jump to conclusions in the future... 
or listens to HErmione, at the very least.

>>> I vaguely recall some discussion about Neville showing some 
powerful abilities, but I didn't really see that. What I did see is 
proof that he is rightfully in Gryffindor! He showed such bravery to 
be by Harry's side the whole time! I was very impressed with that. 
And what the heck was that brain-thing doing to Ron? Actually there 
was so much happening in those couple chapters, I might have to read 
them again to absorb it all. <<<

I'd love to see Neville battling Bella in the next books.  Gran will 
be oh-so-proud of him!!

>>> Was thrilled that DU finally got what's coming to her. Anyone 
wonder what EXACTLY happened to her with the centaurs? <<<

And I wonder how DD even had the *courage* to lift her up and bring 
her back to the castle?  I know he probably used some charms, but 
gosh just to imagine how much she'll weigh... and after what she's 
done to him, DD could have just dropped her on the ground and dragged 
her, hehehehe.  Now there's an amusing thought!

>>> Boy I want those DEs to get what they deserve! Especially 
Bellatrix who is such a sadistic b*tch! <<<

And that Wormtail!!!  He's the reason Sirius lost everything!!

HEck, time to go to class!!

Bren, who must eat dinner in 5 mins and run to 3-hour class