The hardest parts

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 173546

I love this place.  I have been a part of HPfGU since May '03, and I 
love this place.  In this post I'm going to talk a little about the 
part of the book which was hardest for me to take, but I'm also 
going to talk a little about what's been the hardest thing for me 
since finishing DH.  The latter first.  It has been very hard for me 
to read posts from those who are upset with the books, whether 
that's evidenced by disappointment, flatness, outrage or contempt.  
It's been very hard to feel happy, enthused, positive and *content* 
at the end of the adventure (knowing I'm one of the lucky ones who 
can and does feel that way) and then be surrounded by long-time 
HPfGU chums, people I've loved sharing with over the years, and 
seeing their disappointment and even anger.

Please note:  this is not a gripe or a complaint; I am not annoyed 
as much as that I am simply saddened.  There really isn't anything 
anyone can do about it, either, so this is merely an emotional 
remark.

Now on to the hardest part of the book.  For me it is one that has 
proven to be hard for many.  It's the Slytherins.

I've never been a 'fan' of the Slytherins.  I've never comprehended 
those who adored people like Draco.  I saw some growth in him, I 
pitied him, too, in HBP, but I've never *liked* him or felt 
tremendous respect for the presented worldview of Slytherins.

But I wanted to see *some* House unity.  I wanted to find *some* 
good Slytherins, even if they were not the Dracos and Goyles but 
were unnamed Slytherins.

So I share some of the disappointment that many feel over the lack 
of blatent, overt signs of the above.  

In the scene where Pansy Parkinson is such an ass and shouts 
out, "But he's there! Potter's there! Someone grab him!," right 
after McGonagall has agreed that of-age students could stay to 
fight, it would have been so easy for JKR to have had *someone* from 
Slytherin say, "Oh, shut UP, Pansy!" and have decided to join the 
fight.  Maybe just 4 or 5 someones.  And think what that would have 
done!  If only JKR would have done it.

Instead, we get McGonagall (sob, my *favorite* teacher!) instantly 
deciding to dismiss all the Slytherins on the spot, I'm assuming 
based opon Pansy's behavior, for she says, "Thank you, Miss 
Parkinson.  You will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch.  If the 
rest of your House could follow" (US, p. 610).  I don't know... 
maybe there was still a chance there for *some* Slytherin to pipe up 
and say, "Not me! I'm staying!"  But alas, it was not to be.  And 
that's my biggest disappointment in JKR's story.

So know that I'm not sitting here making excuses; this was the 
hardest part for me to accept and her greatest omission, imo.

At this point, there may be people who say, "Then how can you be 
happy with the book, content with the story??"  And it's hard to 
know how to answer that.  Except that in spite of what *more* she 
could have done, I also feel that she *did* include some things 
which showed us progress.  

Some examples:

(1) We see Narcissa, LYING to Lord Voldemort, telling him that Harry 
is dead.  Sure, she did it because she was crazy to find her child, 
but she did it!  And if she had not done so, what would the outcome 
have been??  Nagini had not yet been destroyed.  It was a necessary, 
vital piece of the puzzle that had to be put into place (p.726).

(2) We have Sluggy, Slytherin HoH, fighting *Voldemort himself,* 
right alongside McGonagall & Kingsley, demonstrating he's *not* on 
the side of the Death Eaters, showing he can fight alongside 
colleagues outside his house (p.735).

(3) We see Lucius, Narcissa & Draco in the Great Hall after it's all 
over.  Yes, alone; yes, not sure hot to fit in; but they're THERE.  
They did not flee with the other Death Eaters.  Doesn't that show 
something? (pp. 745-746)

(4) We have Phineas's glee over his house's role:  "And let it be 
noted that Slytherin House played its part! Let our contribution not 
be forgotten!" (p. 747)

(5) And why DON'T more of us put any weight on Harry's remarks to 
Albus at Platform 9 3/4??  He's telling his child it's OKAY; he's 
reminding Albus that one of his namesakes -- the one which Harry 
calls the bravest, mind you, moreso than his other namesake, DD! -- 
was a Slyth.  

***************************
"Albus Severus," Harry said quietly... "you were named for two 
headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was 
probably the bravest man I ever knew."
"But *just say*--"
"--then Slytherin House will have gained an excellent student, won't 
it?  It doesn't matter to us, Al.  But if it matters to you, you'll 
be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin." (p.758)
***************************

Yes, there was that bit there at the end, about how one's own 
preference gets counted by the Sorting Hat, but I believed Harry was 
sincere when he reminded Albus about Snape's bravery, when he said 
Slytherin would simply be gaining an excellent student, when he said 
his house selection *doesn't matter* to him & Ginny.

Doesn't all of this show progress?

Many objected that the Epilogue was too sappy. (I thought it was, 
too, though it sat better on a 2nd reading for me.)  

Yet 19 years had gone by and there HADN'T been a new Voldemort; we 
see Draco & Harry/Ron acknowledging one another, even if curtly; and 
we hear Harry explaining to Albus Severus that being sorted into 
Slytherin is truly okay.

If JKR had included in her Epilogue the fact that, whee!!, everyone 
got along perfectly now, that Slytherins were fully accepted by all, 
fully integrated into life at Hogwarts, would it have been 
believable?  Would it, too, have been called simply too sappy?

I feel like JKR *did* take steps in that direction, of showing some 
change for the good and towards acceptance, and I felt like the 
scene at Platform 9 3/4 was intended to provide hope for continued 
change.

Am I the only one?

Siriusly Snapey Susan