[HPforGrownups] Harry's happy death /Potter family wealth - On the Nature of Elves

[Magpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 161699

 Julie:
> Wow. So JKR's message is if a teenager sees death/afterlife as
> preferable to life, we should applaud that sentiment and even
> rejoice when he is given (or chooses) his heart's desire. If
> it's too hard to live, boys and girls, embrace death because
> you'll get to see all your previously departed loved ones.
> No need to work on improving your unhappy life when you can
> just end it and get on with your reward.

Magpie:
I totally agree with you, but wanted to add one series where the main 
character(s) die without it seemingly being a problem with popularity is 
Narnia. An ending I do find really bizarre, but illustrating Lewis' own view 
of this world as the Shadowlands, with "real life" not starting until after 
death. (There's also books like Bridge to Terebithia, Old Yeller, Sadako and 
the Thousand Paper Cranes--death in general is a big theme for children's 
books, but not always of the main character.)

I don't think Harry's story supports that kind of ending, myself.  The book 
just isn't about death as much as, say, Tolkien's is. I mean, there's a lot 
of death in it, and one of the messages is not to fear death, but it doesn't 
seem to have put in the right foundation for Harry's death to me. Of course, 
if that's how it goes I might change my mind.

Steve:
All Harry has to do is ask, and I'm sure Dobby would jump at the chance. 
Further I predict that is exactly
what will happen. Let's face it, Kreacher is a pretty
much worthless house-elf; he doesn't clean and who
would want that filthy unstable creature cooking for
them.

So, once again, I predict that Dobby will join Harry
at 12 Grimmauld Place, and help take care of things,
inclucing Harry.

I predict Kreacher's death, sometimes I suspect by his own hand, though I'm 
not willing to predict that aspect of it. Kreacher is very old and generally 
useless, so I don't see him long for this world. Actually, I had previously 
assumed he would already be dead; can't get them all right though.

Magpie:
I can't help but be a little amused at your continually calling Kreacher 
useless given how much he affected the plot. Seems to me he's more 
rebellious and often depressed than useless. (Also it keeps making me think 
of the Black ancestor who beheaded house elves when they got too old to 
carry tea trays.) Underestimating Kreacher was a bad thing to do in OotP. He 
seems like he'd be more useful to the Blacks.

Harry himself called Kreacher, not Dobby, to do work for him in HBP--which 
was kind of surprising. I can't get over Harry the slaveowner. Basically 
he's got the choice between Kreacher who is a slave but doesn't act like 
one, and Dobby who isn't an actual slave but acts like one. (And Hermione 
having no problem with Kreacher whatsoever, somehow.)

However, I'm hoping there's no more cleaning to be done at Grimmauld 
Place--I had quite enough of the never-ending housecleaning in OotP and 
would hope Molly had finished by now. (In fact, that housecleaning might get 
them into trouble re: that Slytherin locket.) Harry's a healthy 17-year-old 
boy-it's not like he needs a personal valet or a slave. But then, I'm also 
hoping we don't get the Dursleys at Grimmauld Place since I don't yet see 
the point of it except an extended Ton-Tongue Toffee incident after we 
probably already get Ron and Hermione inviting themselves to stay on Privet 
Drive for the summer. JKR's got a lot of stuff to deal with in Book VII. I 
don't see how teasing the Dursleys gets that done. The only main thing that 
seems important for them to do is reveal whatever it is Petunia knows.

-m