Hmmm. What's your favorite *now*?

[Mike]

No: HPFGUIDX 183102


> > Potioncat:
> > How difficult was it to continue reading the series after
> > Sirius died?  -<snip>-  I thought Sirius's was completely 
> > unexpected.
> 
> 
> Sherry:
> 
> It was actually difficult for me to continue with the series after 
> Sirius died.  But, for me, it had always been mostly about Harry,
> so because I wanted to know what happened to him, and to see him
> defeat Voldemort at last, I stuck with the series and enjoyed the
> last two books.

Mike:
I was like Sherry, it was Harry's story and in fact JKR's 
storytelling that kept me riveted. I was a late comer to Geoff's 
IWHTL club though mostly because I always expected Harry to live and 
never thought that JKR would kill him off. I knew Harry was going to 
defeat Voldemort, so it wasn't the destination but the trip that 
excited and incited me.


> Sherry:
> But some of the luster and absolute fun of the series died for
> me when Sirius died. Even that goes back to Harry, because I
> wanted Harry to have his godfather, someone who was his family,
> his own parental figure.  And, part of it was just because
> I liked Sirius, even with his flaws.

Mike:
Good point, Sherry. Lot's of the fun went out of the series when 
Sirius got stuck in 12 GP and when he dies. 

I forgot to mention one of my other favorite scenes in the series: 
the cave scene in GoF. Sirius was being a friend, a father figure, a 
loyal ally, and a rascal all at once. I loved how he dissected Crouch 
Sr., how he went where nobody else seemed willing to go when Ron 
challenged him with "Try us!". I was glad for his VWI explanations, 
his exposition on the Unforgivables and Crouch, and his concern for 
how "one treats his inferiors". And I absolutely loved the way he 
elicited knowing smiles from Ron and Harry with his little dig on 
Snape.


> > Potioncat <snipped out>:
> > Given that I'm still here, I suppose I would have continued 
> > reading if Snape had died earlier. But I was quite upset at his 
> > death, even expecting it. 

Mike:
I would have adored JKR if she had killed off Snape in OotP, instead 
of Sirius. ;-) Couldn't have happened, but one can dream, can't one?