What things that you wanted did you get? (was: Killing Harry)

[Renee]

No: HPFGUIDX 175494

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214"
<dumbledore11214 at ...> wrote:
>
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" 
> <susiequsie23@> wrote:
> <SNIP of the whole post>
> > Anyone else care to bite?
> 
> 

Renee:
Yes. Here's what I hoped to see:

1) a seriously flawed Dumbledore. I wanted that ever since the CoS
scene where DD said that the appearance of Gryffindor's sword meant
that Harry was loyal to him. My initial thought was: Who the heck does
DD think he is - God? But at that point, I dismissed it, even tried to
rationalise it as a kind of general HP-litmus test provided by the
author. My doubts about him resurfaced at the glimpse of triumph in
GoF, I found his talk to Harry at the end of OotP a bit questionable
and I positively disliked the HBP chapter where he encouraged Harry to
take revenge on Voldemort for his parents' deaths. (My daughter took
the book along on vacation, so I can't check if my wording is correct
here.) 

But stupidly, I let JKR's insistence that DD was the epitome of
goodness lull me asleep, thinking that she just didn't see him the way
I did - that she wouldn't lie in interviews  (You said it once,
Pippin, but I didn't believe you then...) So DH Dumbledore still came
as a surprise. Reading the book, though, I felt immensely vindicated
for having started to doubt him as early as CoS. I absolutely loved
DD's storyline here, and that he admitted Harry was the better man in
the end. One of the best things of the book.

2) Snape loving Lily. I got everything I wanted here, and more: like
Dante loved Beatrice (who also had green eyes!), Snape loved Lily from
the age of nine - an added bonus.  

3) non ESE!Lupin. 

4) Neville doing something immensely important.


Renee