More first impressions

[davewitley]

By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space
By our correspondent Phil Space

Hm.  Same first thought for R.A.B as the others. 

I felt this had more of a 'GOF' feel to it compared to OOP - a 
central mystery to solve, all sorts of red herrings: was Tonks under 
Imperius?  Was Pince?  What was Mundungus doing in Hogsmeade?  
Really enjoyed the Spinners End chapter and loved that the 'Lion 
man' was not the DADA, not the HBP.  Doesn't stop me disliking that 
Snape went back to Voldemort at the end of GOF: it was so obviously 
what we were *supposed* to think that I refused to believe it could 
be true.

Some reservations about the Horlickses - I still don't understand 
how they are supposed to have helped the portion of V's soul that 
was still in his body survive at Godric's Hollow.

Agreed that Snape still has wiggle-room - knowing that Draco was 
after him, did Dumbledore discuss possible outcomes with Snape and 
consider that this offered the best overall chance of doing 
Voldemort in?

Some things that I expected not to happen till Book 7: Snape as 
DADA, Dumbledore being offed (it offends my sense of symmetry that 
the characters of Book 1 Chapter 1 won't all be around for Book 7 
Chapter the last), Shipping outcomes apparently laid down (the fact 
that H/R and H/G have happened - more or less - in Book 6 already 
gives some hope to their opponents).

Evil!Lupin survives but has some challenges.  Vampire!Snape IMO does 
not - at least if it turns out it will seem a needless 
embellishment, IMO.  Oh, and speaking of Lupin, what is it with the 
wolf-names that parents give their children?  Fenrir Greyback indeed!

My ideas on Voldemort having mother-love protection probably out the 
window though there is a straw in that it's not really explained 
why, as a witch, Merope died.

LOLLIPOPS seems ever more likely, though that won't stop me thinking 
it irredeemably lame.

David, off to fetch his son