are we really this old?

[Sherry Gomes]

No: HPFGUIDX 187837

Elves:
 How long have you been a member of HPFGU?

Sherry:
I joined soon after OOTP.  I was devastated by that book and desperate to
talk about it with others, particularly other adult fans.  I had friends who
had read the books too, but none were even a particle as obsessed as I!  


Elves
> How did you find us?

Sherry:
I think I did a yahoo groups search.  I had found one list, but it was
mostly made up of kids, teenagers, some older members, but it was more the
oh-my-gosh-can-you-believe-it sort of discussions.  No real discussion of
the book or theorizing.  The thing that sent me looking was one person
deliberately posting the words "Sirius dies!: in a subject line to the group
so spoiling it for everyone else.  That was within about a day of the book's
release.  I wanted something better.  I did a yahoo groups search, using
something like Harry Potter and adults in the search field and guess what I
found!  I've never left.

Elves:
> What was your best and/or most unexpected experience here?

Sherry:
I think it's both best and unexpected, the quality of the discussions, the
serious in-depth analysis of the canon, and eloquence of everyone as we
fiercely defended and argued our ideas and hopes for the series.

Elves:
> What's been your favourite topic of discussion?

sherry:
Wow, that's a hard one.  Perhaps, would Harry live in the end.  Do I like
that one because I was right?  No, it was just a great topic.  Also,
anything defending the marauders.  Of course there have been all the great
Snape discussions, but not being a fan of Snape, though many members posts
defending him were brilliant and fantastic reading, they were more stressful
to read.


Elves:
> Favourite post of your own to the group?

Sherry:
I don't even remember any of my posts so I'm not sure.  I can remember being
terrified when posting my very first one, worried I say something dumb or
get the posting rules all wrong!  Now, here I am, helping others learn how
to do it.



Elves:
> Favourite post of anyone else's to the group?

Sherry:
I don't know the post numbers, but a sampling would be pippin's ESE Lupin,
the posts theorizing that it was really Snape who died in HBP, There was a
very good Marauder post I can't remember or who wrote it.  Generally,
whether or not I agreed, I've always loved reading the well thought out
theories with canon to back them up.

Elves:
> If you were given the chance, what would you ask JKR?

Sherry:
I think a lot of Why's.  Why this or that?  One thing would be, why did she
demolish Sirius' personality before killing him.  Couldn't he have remained
the person he was in GOF and still died in OOTP, if she had to have him die?
That has always bothered me, because even the Sirius in GOF would not have
stayed put while Harry was in danger, so I didn't understand why she had to
try to discredit him and give him so many rotten moments in OOTP.  Lots of
why questions.  Then lots of what next questions.


Elves:
> Have any of your online friendships here gone on to real life 

sherry:
Yes, Alla and I have become at least online friends, and I hope to meet her
in person someday.

Wow, isn't this a fantastic birthday party?

Sherry