Various very spoilerish responses and a further question

[elfundeb]

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I am astonishingly uncreative.

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But you all knew that already.

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Erm, I've run out of things to say.

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Neil:
> Firstly, I would much rather HBP had started with "Spinner's End",
> and worked in Scrimgeour's entrance later on, than with the out-of-
> place "The Other Minister".  Perhaps it'll grow on me.

After this chapter, I thought it was odd that Scrimgeour didn't really
have a role in the book except to make the point that that the
Ministry is still more interested in appearances rather than results
-- which really was neither here nor there.  I did think, however,
that the chapter was an effective way of developing the atmosphere
pervading the muggle and magical world alike.

I thought "Spinner's End" took a lot of the surprise out of the death
scene.  As it was, as soon as Snape showed up, I knew he would fulfill
the vow, which somewhat deprived the scene of its emotional intensity.

> I liked the connections with CoS, particularly the parallel in the
> hold the HBP's potions book appeared to have over Harry as a
> comparison with Riddle's Diary.  I was surprised that Harry tried
> the Sectumsempra spell without knowing what the hell it did and that
> he escaped appropriate punishment, although I imagine Snape was not
> keen on the source being traced back to him.

It occurs to me that the fact that Harry'S original reaction to
Riddle's diary provides another clue pointing toward Harry as the
seventh Horcrux.  CoS ch. 13 states that "while Harry was sure he had
never seen the name T.M. Riddle before, it still seemed to mean
something to him, almost as though Riddle was a friend he'd had when
he was very small . . . ."  More than transferring just *powers*?

I've also been mulling over the question of how to destroy a Horcrux,
since Dumbledore pointedly doesn't tell us how he destroyed the ring
and how he was hurt in the process.  Harry pierced the diary with the
basilisk's fang.  Is any breakage sufficient?  That seems much too
easy.  However, the diary was associated with the Chamber of Secrets
and the basilisk.  Perhaps each Horcrux itself has protections so that
it can only be destroyed by something -- or someone -- (or by
destroying something or someone) associated with the relic in
question.

Jo:
> OK you'd need two people to get the locket (DD said so), yet the
> boat would know if two magical people were there. So one
> witch/wizard, one muggle?
> 
> Or one house elf? Nope my money is on Black and Kreacher.

I like this!  But how much do you think that Kreacher knew about the
locket, or about its hiding place?  Could Kreacher have known that it
belonged to Salazar's descendants -- in which case he could have had
the foresight to smuggle it out to Cissy.  It would be too simple if
the locket was still at 12 GP, and Harry's more likely to remember
Mundungus' theft than Kreacher's.

I'm also beginning to wonder if R.A.B./Regulus was Snape's predecessor
as spy for the Order.  Even Fudge was aware that Dumbledore had
multiple spies.  If it was Regulus, it doesn't appear that he was
murdered because of the theft of the locket, since the fake locket and
note were still there.  (If Voldemort discovered it and left the cave
setup as a false clue, then I doubt he would've left a note saying it
was false.)  So, assuming it was Regulus, exactly what did Voldemort
discover about him, and is it important?

Amy:
> It was predictable that he'd break up with Ginny and is a measure of
> the seriousness of his feelings, but oh, Harry, puhleeze.  Voldemort
> already has plenty of people to torture in order to get at you (think
> he doesn't know about Hermione?  Ron?  Hagrid?  Lupin?  Arthur and
> Molly?), not to mention that you're is noble enough that you'd go
> into a trap to rescue *anyone,* not just someone you love.  Gather ye
> rosebuds while ye may.  But if you must do the noble thing, come back
> safe and be with Ginny at the end of the next book.  She's one
> terrific young woman.

Nah.  It's over.  As Harry said, "[i]t's been like . . . like
something out of someone else's life."  Harry isn't entitled to a
normal life -- or the accompanying earthly pleasures -- now that he's
accepted his destiny as the One.  It's not just Ginny; he's not going
back to Hogwarts next year, either and he thinks the Weasley wedding
will be one last moment of joy.  While this doesn't necessarily mean
that Harry will die in the Quest for the Missing Horifixes, if he
manages somehow to survive, will he be a new person?

The explanation he gave to Ginny was lame, but I think Ginny knows
what he really means.  As you say, she's a terrific young woman.

And, I think Hogwarts definitely *will* open next year, as they've
left the decision to the Board of Governors, and the Ministry surely
won't want to take any action that suggests they're unable to keep the
school safe.

Jo:
> On the other hand if DD is semi correct and the fourth HRX is a
> living being, who's the most typical  Gryffindor, one of the
> Weasleys perhaps, or Neville? 

Well, that would provide another explanation for Neville's memory
problems, anyway.  <g>

Debbie
who's only on chapter 1 in the reread, and hopes that completing the
reread will make her thoughts a little more coherent