Brief thoughts and a question

[kippesp]

Finally finished the book.  So now I can begin the catch up phase 
for discussions.

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Overall I really liked the book up until the final 100 pages or so 
(the whole MoM stuff).  The move for Harry to take this rather large 
group to the MoM was, to me, incredibly irresponsible.  Like many 
people said, he should have remembered Snape--the dope.  At this 
point, I thought Ginny or Neville were going to bite the dust.  
(Harry would be totally lost if it were Hermione.)

I'm still baffled by the whole "secret weapon" talk.  So many people 
took turns protecting that little prophecy ball??  Whatever!

Okay, is Harry a half-blood or not?  Totally confused here.  
Bellatrix (don't have the book to check spelling) tells him to hold 
his half-blood tongue.  Is this because Lilly (or possibly his 
father) is from a Muggle family?  I'll need to find the definition 
of Mudblood, because I really thought Harry was considered a full-
blood wizard.

Must admit I was surprised about the death of Sirius.  Happened so 
quickly and with no "thunder."  But after reading PoA again I've 
come to like his character less and less.  And now that we really 
know how Secret Keepers work, I see no reason for the last minute 
change to Wormtail.  But we now know he loved risky behavior.  To 
me, I think Harry will grow stronger and make wiser decisions 
because he'll no longer have Sirius to fall back on.  Perhaps he'll 
listen to Hermione more.

Final point:  After the thestrils, I'm now convinced that Neville 
had a memory charm put on him.

Paul