How has HBP effected your favorite characters?

[Tammy]

No: HPFGUIDX 134468

Naturally everyone has their favorite characters in the HP series.
We've spent so much time talking about Snape lately that many of the
other characters only get touched on briefly. So I thought I'd ask the
following question: In general, how did HBP effect who your favorite
characters were and how? (feel free to add your least favorites as well!)

I'll start with Snape, to get him over with. He was a slimy git before
HBP, and I loved him. He's a slimier git after HBP, and I still love
him. I love evil characters, so I can accept him as evil or redeemed,
it matters not to me. As JKR said, he's a gift of a character,
remarkably complex and yet still seemingly so shallow. He's a paradox,
someone who has saved Harry's life repeatedly, but now we know he was
the one who initially put Harry's life into danger. 

Ginny Weasley - I've always been on the "Ginny Rocks" side of the
argument, and this book just cemented my place. For putting Hermione
in her place, Ginny definitely earns 2 thumbs up from me. I saw
someone somewhere (not sure if it was here or elsewhere) say that
Ginny seems to be a perfect compliment to Harry, that's even more
apparent in this book (to me at least). 

Luna Lovegood - Easily one of my favorite new characters last book,
she's gaining ground again. I love her commentary at the Quidditch
match. And her comments to Harry through the book about how terribly
she's treated just tug at my heartstrings. Something, or someone, good
needs to happen to Luna in book 7. The way she just takes everything
that everyone throws out at her and accepts it is just so amazing. If
it wasn't for Ginny, I'd be all for putting Harry with Luna. 

Albus Dumbledore - How utterly cool is AD? I didn't like how he shut
Harry out in OOtP, but I loved that he finally came to his senses in
HBP (though I thought it was a little fast, but I suppose some
developments need to happen off-book). I can't wait until book 7, when
we hopefully find out more about him.

Draco Malfoy - I never liked him, but in this book I finally started
to see some promise. I'm not of the opinion that he'll get redeemed,
but I finally feel like he's a well-rounded character now. Up until
HBP, he felt too one-dimensional to me. 

Hagrid - hate him, hate him, hate him. I hate him a little less now
though, possibly because I don't see his lousy teaching. Hagrid's like
an overgrown child, and at his size, with his knowledge, that's very
dangerous. I can't shake the feeling that he'll let some valuable
information go to the other side - again.

Hermione Granger - honestly I don't like her much, she's nosy, bossy,
and a know-it-all. I was very happy that this time she did NOT know it
all. In the end, Harry was right for once. Let's hope it took her down
a peg or two!

The Weasley Family - I decided to bundle the rest of the Weasley's all
in one. I love them all (with the exception of Percy who still needs
his come-uppance). I'd love for the next series of books JKR writes to
be entirely about the Weasleys. Fred and George are definitely my
favorites, they're so funny and talented. It's a shame they got so few
O.W.L.s

Last but not least, Harry Potter - I was very happy to see that Harry
is completely different than OOtP. I really started to dislike Harry
in that book. Even if the change in character was too fast and takes
Harry completely out-of-character, I'm pleased. Harry was an annoying
prat in OOtP. If he had still been annoying, I would have had to start
rooting for LV to win.

There were a lot of characters that I was disappointed not to see more
of, or learn more about. I really missed Mad-Eye Moody. And I love
Lucius Malfoy, I was so hoping he'd get out of Azkaban somehow and
play a part in HBP. For the record, I don't love the evil characters
because some part of me wants to redeem the bad boys. I love the evil
characters because they are so deliciously and completely evil,
without being cartoon character evil (with the possible exception of
LV). They are extremely well written and for the most part I want them
to get what's coming to them (Malfoy I'd like to see wiggle out of it,
simply because that's what rich people do and it's the most believable
end result if someone evil ends up coming out of it okay).

Feel free to list characters I've forgotten, it's so hard to think of
everyone that people really like. 

-Tammy, who had a lot of blonde moments and had to look up character
name spellings online *sigh*