Still Here

 My time of actively writing about Harry Potter books and movies has come to a paused state. Not because I like the books or movies less, but because I don't really have anything more to add. I still enjoy listening to Stephen Fry reading the books and watch the movies once in a while. I always preferred the books to the movies. I do find it interesting that, even after the many times I've read the books, I still sometimes find little details that I had missed or perhaps just forgotten. The period of time - and the amount of time - I spent reading, discussing, rereading, watching movies and discussing was something I thoroughly enjoyed. I talked with my daughters, with friends, with strangers I met online who have become friends, and with complete strangers I met in stores. It was all fun; it was part of finding that we do have so much more in common than we ever realize. So, from my point of view, it's all been worth it. It has been a gift to all of us that far exceeds what any one author could do.

Pat

Just checking in. . .

 

It's November 2023. It's hard to imagine that I have been reading the Harry Potter books for over 20 years. . . and I am still rereading them. They are like an old friend, familiar, interesting, funny, still suspenseful. They are a place I go when the real world is frustrating or overwhelming or sometimes just too sad.

I have nothing else to add right now. I've been rereading the seven books this year. I usually fit one in after reading a novel about World War II. I like historical novels, but in the past I usually chose the ones set in the 19th century or in English history, It seems that it's past time for me to learn more about the history that my parents lived as teens and young adults, that time between World War I and the end of the 1940s when I was born. But it's sometimes a very scary and difficult history to read about so I turn to my old friends in Harry Potter, knowing there is comfort and safety in those stories.

Pat

FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD

I don't go to midnight movies anymore. My movie buddies of those days can't go with me and it doesn't feel safe to go alone like it did when all the Harry Potter movies were new. I actually found myself checking the time on Thursday night, however, and wondering if I could still get a ticket. But common sense prevailed; did I really want to go to the mall at midnight and come out alone at 3 am? No. I did decide that I could go on Friday afternoon after I finished volunteering at the Food Bank. If not for that, I would have gone earlier in the day. The theater wasn't completely full, but it was nice to see Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald with an audience - sharing some laughter, some gasps, some clapping. That's part of the experience I've missed from the midnight movies (and midnight book launches).

This second movie reveals so much of the back story of Dumbledore, Newt and his brother, Theseus, Leta Lestrange, Nagini, Tina, Queenie, and Jacob and how their lives are intertwined and connected to Grindelwald. Some of the story we already knew from the Harry Potter books, but without the detail. Other parts of the story were a surprise and in some cases, a shock. I definitely wasn't prepared for the ending, and now I can't believe we have to wait for the third movie to see where this story will take us.

This second movie answers a few questions but raises many more, just as the second installment should do. To say more, before the story is common knowledge, might ruin it for others, so I'll leave it there. The cast, old and new, is perfect. I especially like Jude Law as Dumbledore. He manages to capture just how I imagine a younger Dumbledore would be. I was glad to see the nifflers again, as well as many new creatures, some were quite extraordinary, but well understood by Newt, of course.

I'm looking forward to reading the screen play and then seeing the movie again, this time with Laura. And then we can have a great discussion. Thank you, J. K. Rowling, for another wonderful story, one that touches all our emotions and imagination.

Pat

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM

When this book first came out, I bought it and was entertained but didn't really pay much attention to it. Now we have one movie, an audio recording of the book (excellent), and the second movie coming up in November.

I loved this new look into the Wizarding World, pre-Harry. I also found it fascinating that it's set in the United States with a different view of the wizarding world, tied to the Salem witch hunts and all the hysteria that surrounded that time.

Since this was a movie without a book as a reference, it was easier to watch, take in the story and the characters without constantly comparing it to books I had read and re-read. Having more background and insight into Newt Scamander, coincidentally a Hufflepuff), makes Harry's text book even more interesting. And seeing some of the animals come to life that we had read about at Hogwarts was fun. But it is even better that we see characters/beasts that we hadn't seen and hadn't even known existed. The darker story of Credence and what happens when people like him suppress who they are has the obvious implications for the wizarding world, but also relates to those who are marginalized or suffer discrimination in any aspect of life. Leave it to J.K. Rowling to give us reasons to examine how we treat others, not just in a fictional setting but in real life.

With the movie coming out in November, we are to get a more complete picture of evil in the world, as well as the relationship between Newt Scamander and Albus Dumbledore. Can't wait. (And I love the casting for both movies.)

Pat

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD - spoilers ahead

If you haven't seen the play in London, the only place you can currently see it, or you have not read the book/script, then you should go find something else to read. Don't say I didn't warn you.

I went to the midnight release at my favorite local Barnes and Noble, the same store where I bought my first Harry Potter books and the one where I bought all the remaining ones from Goblet of Fire through Deathly Hallows. When I bought that last book, I went alone. Everyone else had to work, so I was there with a lot of excited strangers. The store (and the parking lot) were full.

For the latest Harry Potter book, it was sort of the same; I went by myself, hung out in the cafe and waited till midnight. And there were people there, just not as many - maybe 100 or a little less. I didn't check in to get a place in line until about 10 pm, and I was number 17. So . . . not the same level of excitement.

My excitement wasn't really very high either, nor were my expectations. I did read a spoiler kind of review just the day before the release. I guess I wanted to keep myself from feeling a big let down. It's not something I did with any of the other books. I wanted to find out for myself, without the slant from someone else, what was in the new book.

I was home by 12:20 am, took time to get comfortable, fix a cup of tea and settle down on the sofa for an hour or so of reading. (I can't do the stay-up-all-night reading sessions anymore -- LOL.)

First of all, this is a play, and it is a script. They are just harder to read than a book. A play is meant to be watched, heard, experienced with people on a stage and you in the audience. So, it's always just a bit odd to read a play. But I found that that wasn't my biggest issue.

The characters are familiar; the setting is familiar (it starts with a revisiting to the epilogue from Deathly Hallows). That's a good way to start anyway. Harry and Draco's sons meet on the train and become fast friends. So far, that's kind of nice and interesting, even though it's clear Harry and Draco still don't like each other.

There are some complications with Amos Diggory, who clearly is still mourning the loss of his son. And then there is his niece, who from the beginning seems a bit off, though it's hard to see what. So far, that kind of misdirection is something in keeping with Rowling's writing. What is out of character is some of the dialogue. It just doesn't always fit or have the right feel. It's almost like the writers, who were not Rowling, are trying too hard. Sort of like the kind of writing in much of the fan fiction that has been out there for years.

Ah, finally, I have come to my biggest complaint about this new Harry Potter book. It reads and feels much more like fan fiction than like something that Rowling would write. I'm quite surprised that she agreed to it, actually.

The two sons, Albus and Scorpio go off on an adventure to fix the past with the use of a Time Turner by going back to change the outcome of the Triwizard Tournament in Goblet of Fire. The Time Turners weren't all destroyed after all in the Battle of Hogwarts. The use of the Time Turner in Prisoner of Azkaban was limited, even though it was used by Hermione throughout the book. We just weren't along for the adventure until she used it with Harry. But this new play makes extensive use and misuse of the Time Turner. It's too much, too contrived.

It also turns out that Harry can get as frustrated with a grumpy teenager as the rest of us. I wasn't too bothered by his lack of perfect parenting, though Harry in the play doesn't fit with the parent/Harry that we see at the end of Deathly Hallows. Of course, Albus was younger then.

I'm not going through scene by scene, too confusing, too repetitious, and I've only read through it once over a long weekend. I was glad that the story resolved the way it did in the end. There were some nice moments with all the characters. I'm sure that as a play it's much better than it was as a script with me reading to myself. From some of the stage directions, I'm curious how they pulled off the special effects; if they managed it, it would indeed be very impressive and probably accounts for the very good reviews from the audience.

Rowling said that after we read the play we would understand why it had to be a play and not a book. No, I don't. I don't know why this couldn't have been written as a book, but it would need to have been written by her, not someone else.

She has also said that this is the final Harry Potter story. I really hope she sticks by that. It should have ended with Deathly Hallows. The Epilogue, whether people like it or not (and I did), tied up enough of the loose ends about the main characters. We really didn't need anymore.

I'm glad I read it. I'm glad I have the book so I can re-read it at some time in the future. I will probably never see the play even if it comes to a theater near me, and that's a distinct possibility since I live close to Seattle. But the story is just not compelling enough that I want to spend a lot more time with it. I have read and re-read all the original Harry Potter books so many times I have lost count. Every time I read through one, I find something new or rediscover something I'd forgotten. This latest book/script, that Rowling embraced but didn't write, just didn't reach into my heart and soul the way the first seven did. Seven was, after all, such a magical number.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I and II

When I opened this Christmas present from my husband, I was extremely happy and a little bit sad. I commented to him that it's the last time he will buy a Harry Potter movie for me. It's really the last time I'll buy much that's Harry Potter - I'm sure that Warner Brothers and the book publishers won't like the sound of that, but honestly, how many copies of the books, the audio books, or the movies does one person need?

I already have all the books in hardback and paperback versions, well read to be sure but in fairly decent condition. (There were a couple of books I replaced after I read them over and over and loaned them to my daughters who read them over and over and they finally fell apart.)

I have all the Stephen Fry audio books of Harry Potter and listen to them all the time. And now I have all the Utimate Editions of all eight movies. I love having all the deleted scenes and extra content, but I don't need the versions that come in a special box or anything else they will come up with in the future. Enough is enough.

To be honest, I was kind of expecting this particular gift. The one that took me by surprise is the book, edited by Travis Prinzi, Harry Potter for Nerds: Essays for Fans, Academics, and Lit Geeks. Cool.

My husband, Terry, who knows a lot about Harry even though he hasn't read any of the books and has only seen four or five of the movies, asked why I listen to the audio books all the time. I listen when I'm going to sleep. I started thinking about it and I think it goes back to my childhood. I've never fallen asleep easily, unlike Terry. I liked being read to as a child, I loved reading to our daughters when they were children but found that sometimes I was the one who got sleepy. There is something soothing and relaxing to me about someone reading to me. Listening to a book when I know the story so well lets me fall asleep quickly. It's different than listening to music. If the music is instrumental, I find myself keeping time to the music. If someone is singing, I want to sing along and pay so much attention to the words that I'm more wide awake than when I crawled under the covers.

A special gift indeed - one that I will cherish for years to come. And now it's time to find my place in Chamber of Secrets on my mp3 player where I fell asleep last night - just as soon as I finish my tea and have one more piece of Christmas fudge.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!


Pottermore . . . and more

I'm not sure why I didn't post this back in April, 2012, when I wrote it, but I didn't. A little late, but there you go. Sometimes it just works out that way.This should really be posted before the one below, but I can't seem to change the date so it ends up in the right place. Hmmm.

Errol did arrive last fall and I thoroughly enjoyed my time on Pottermore in Beta - except for the times that my potion melted my cauldron even though I had followed all the steps. Or the times that all my comments went into moderation because . . .  Well, I never did figure out why my comments were moderated. I wonder if my account has been flagged because I'm over the age of 12. I finally fixed that irritation by just not commenting any more. I love the look of the site and the extra content from J.K. Rowling. But then the site was down for quite a while in the late fall and I got busy with other things. Before that I had been spending at least some time (sometimes a LOT of time) on Pottermore every day.

Our family had a busy fall with things that were more important than the time I could spend on Pottermore - shocking, I know, but there it is. And then it was Christmas and the New Year. About the time Pottermore was again available we had a nasty snow storm and lost power for a day and a half. I went back through all the chapters of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's (Philosopher's) Stone to see the changes. They aded sound and it does make it a lot better, but I couldn't see that anything else had changed.

I'm very happy that I was sorted into Hufflepuff. At first I tried to add to the House points, but I started watching the jumps in points and it seemed clear that people were cheating. I expected that they would fix it by making everyone start earning point at the beginning once Pottermore opened to everyone. But they didn't, so the points are always going to be off. That has taken the fun out of it for me so I don't really care much about trying to earn points anymore. Maybe it's an age thing, but cheating to win is just not something I tolerate.

After that, Terry and I were getting ready for a trip to Hawaii in March. When we came back we just had other things to do so I've not gone back to spending time on Pottermore every day. When they released the eBooks for all the Harry Potter books, I bought the set the first day for my Nook. I'm delighted. I'm looking forward now to the time when we can explore Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on Pottermore. So I will spend time there again when each book is added. Now that the Beta period is over, they have improved it, but it still has glitches (like my exploding cauldron). I haven't tried the comments again and probably won't.

Rowling has updated her personal web site. Actually, it's completely changed. I kind of miss the old one with all the things to do to get the information. But the new one makes sense as she has announced that her first non-Harry book will be out in the fall. It's The Casual Vacancy. I'm looking forward to it. It sounds like it will be a book full of interesting characters and that's what I liked best about all the Harry Potter books.

I still read/listen to all my Harry Potter books. They are like an old friend and I enjoy the visits. But I've been reading other things in the last few years just as I always have. In a way, I have moved on, but there is something about the writing and the stories in all the Harry Potter books that keeps me from moving away from the books. I just don't have as much to say as I once did.

I'll be back when I read Rowling's new book, even though it's not a Harry Potter book or when there are new things to explore on Pottermore.

In the meantime, keep reading - I know I will.

Pat

My Neglected Blog

No, I haven't quit reading or listening to Harry Potter. Every time through the books I either find something I hadn't noticed or had forgotten or appreciate the details all over again. And that makes it worth rereading and thinking about. But aside from reading Harry Potter, I have been doing a lot of other things. I'm now a proud grandmother. Terry and I are traveling more and enjoying his retirement. I've started going to yoga with Laura which has made my arthirtis less painful. And I have actually been reading things that have nothing to do with Harry Potter. Gasp - how can that be?

So, I've moved into a new phase with Harry Potter. I'm spending less time talking to other people about the details of the book, even though I still enjoy that aspect. This last year I've enjoyed Pottermore, just because it's a way to stay connected to Harry Potter. The best thing is the new content that Rowling has included, especially the backstory about Professor McGonagall. She is one of my favorite characters but I hadn't thought about how much we didn't know about her life. By the end of the books, we knew quite a lot about Harry, Ron and Hermione, and Draco, for that matter. We found out about Lily and James, Sirius and his brother, the house elves, Dobby and Kreacher. We even learned more about Dumbledore who, until the last book, seemed to have no past at all, other than the mention of his brother who got into trouble with goats. So many of the teachers were like the teachers we all had in school. It's the only place they existed and we were surprised to find out they had a life outside of school. I was lucky enough to have four of my elementary school teachers live in my neighborhood, so I knew they didn't live at the school. I even took to visiting my third grade teacher and got to spend time in her home getting to know her and her cats.

Those things are all good and we are finally into the second book. But I can't get the hang of dueling so I haven't done it at all. Brewing potions is sort of OK. I'm just not good at that sort of stuff on the computer. And the controls on people trying to have a conversation or connect with anyone they don't already know is so tight that it's not worth the effort. Besides, when I first started on Pottermore, nearly every comment I made ended up in moderation - so I quit commenting.

But just like my start of reading the Harry Potter books, those of us on Pottermore have found ways to connect. Only instead of message boards, we've met on facebook. Now, facebook has it's own issues, but it's been a fun place to talk to some people I already knew and meet a lot of people I never could have met on Pottermore, even though we are all on it.

Those kind of friendships that started because of a book are a delight. And that makes the tight security on Pottermore, the dueling I can't do or the potions that sometimes give me problems or the pages about the story that are hard to do (flinging garden gnomes was more of a pain to me than the poor little critters who kept landing in the mud or smacking into the tree or the wall), all worth the effort.

I've always said that when Rowling wrote the books she probably had no idea of the effect she was having on kids and adults returning to reading, but especially the ways that we have all connected with each other.

That's the magic, and it's still working.

Pat

Errol finally arrived!

Poor Errol must be exhausted delivering all those owls for Pottermore. It took him over four hours this morning to bring mine, but he finally made it. I gave him some owl treats and sent him on his way. I haven't quite figured out if the system is that slow or if Pottermore is staggering entry even after they announce that owls have been sent out.

At any rate, I had a great time exploring everything. I have a cat, a wand and I'm in Hufflepuff, which is just where I want to be.

My cat is a fluffy white one with blue eyes. It reminds me of the cat that my favorite aunt had. My mother was terrorized by that cat - was her name Mitzi? Can't remember, really. But she was beautiful. I think I was fortunate not to know that particular cat, but Aunt Neva later had a ceramic full size version of her white cat and I loved it. So that's the one I chose. I'm sure that Mitzi's descendant is nicer than she was. And mine will be named for my aunt - Neva, or maybe I'll spell it Neava, or Kneava, or Kneavah. Well, I'll think about that one for a while. At the moment, there isn't a place to include our pet's name anyway.

My wand is Ash, Phoenix Feather core, and is ten and three-quarters inches long. I think it will suit me well.

As I expected, I'm pathetic at Potions. I never did manage to get the practice one done. I haven't had the courage to try any of the others. I'll save that for another day.

I didn't spend much time in the Hufflepuff common room, but I love all the detail in the message that talks about where it is, how to get in, what it looks like, what Hufflepuffs are like - and it's all much more positive than what was said about us by the Gryffindors in the books. The questions that put me there were interesting. And some just seemed odd. I don't know if all the questions figure in equally of if some are really throw-aways to cover for the ones that point to your house.

I've noticed in the comments throughout that some people really were expecting a game site - they keep saying there needs to be more chances for games. They have forgotten that Rowling said it was to be an on-line reading experience. And that's what appeals to me. Of course, I'm lousy at gaming, so there you go. So far the best is all the back story on Minerva McGonagall. It's so complete and so like Rowling to know just what makes that character so unique and wonderful. I hope over time she will add some more information about the other teachers and minor characters.

Why am I here? Because while I was poking around looking for some galleons I might have missed early on or some Chocolate Frog cards, Pottermore closed for the evening to do routine maintenance.

And with that, I'm going to call it a night - or a morning. But whatever, I need some sleep.

FeatherPixie80, aka Pat

Pottermore!

You have been selected for early entry into Pottermore!

And now we wait. . . and check e-mail whenever I walk passed the computer. o_O

FeatherPixie80 (my Pottermore name)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2: Always

 Always. That word is on my cell phone wallpaper with the Silver Doe. My older cell phone flips open and doesn’t have a keyboard for texting. So all the while I am tapping out a text, I look at the picture and the word that I found the most poignant in the whole book.

It’s not just a word that applies to Snape, though it is his. Always, Dobby was loyal to Harry, willing to do anything to save him, even when it meant giving his life. Always, Kreacher was faithful to his master Regulus, even at the torturous hands of Lord Voldemort. Always, Harry could count on Ron and Hermione. Disagreements over broomsticks and tournaments were but minor separations for the three of them. Ron left them both in a fit of anger and jealousy, and yet, he regretted leaving as soon as he had done it. And it was Dumbledore who knew that Ron would always want to return to them and gave him the deluminator as the means for him to come back, always. Always, help will be given to those at Hogwarts if they desire it, or as Dumbledore amends it in the movie, if they deserve it. Lily, James, Remus and Sirius are with Harry, always. And that word was added to the movie when Lily says, “Always”.

There were so many things that were spot on in this last movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Harry’s meetings with Griphook and Ollivander give us all the information we need before Harry, Ron and Hermione set off to find the remaining Horcruxes. Yes, with changes. Ollivander in the movie does know about the Deathly Hallows, where, in the book, he clearly does not. It’s one of the few reminders the movie goers get as to the story they might have forgotten from the last movie. Gringotts gave us a wild ride to the vaults that reminded me of our recent visit to "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" at Universal in Orlando. Only wilder. Visually, it was amazing – Gringotts with all the goblins, the Lestrange vault, the treasure locked there, the multiplying treasure, and the escape on the dragon. Minor changes there as it is Hermione who sees the dragon as a means of escape. I don’t think that is one of those changes that matters.

The Battle for Hogwarts had all the right elements, though not in the same way as the book. Some of the characters were there but didn’t have their moment to really shine. It would have detracted from the pacing of the movie, even I admit that. It’s enough that we saw them all fighting for the school, doing their duty as McGonagall ordered the armor that marched forth in a Bed Knobs and Broomsticks manner. Was it the same spell? In seeing the movie the second time, I do think that Voldemort and Harry did the same spells as in the book, but we don’t hear them say them aloud. The result is the same – Voldemort is disarmed and Harry catches the Elder wand.

Thankfully, Yates took the time for all the other things going on during the battle. The Grey Lady (though I missed the back story connection between Helena Ravenclaw and the Bloody Baron) and the Room of Requirement. Ron and Hermione in the Chamber of Secrets and a moment we’ve been waiting for since that first hand touch in Prisoner of Azkaban, the one that started in Chamber of Secrets when Hermione and Ron awkwardly avoided hugging after she was un-petrified. Snape. The Prince’s Tale. Harry’s walk into the forest and his talk with his parents and their best friends. Harry’s talk with Dumbledore at King’s Cross Station, which looks more like a cathedral in the first images when Harry opens his eyes, just as I imagined it when I read the book the first time.

David Yates is able to do more with unspoken scenes than most directors. His use of flash backs is better than any director I know of. They are quick, but enough to remind the viewer of past events or choices made. There is a moment with Fred and George that reminds us of their closeness and their transformation from jokesters to serious fighters, one which foreshadows what is to come, be it ever so subtle. What was missing in Fred's quick death, which I didn't see the first time I watched the movie, was the reconcilliation with Percy. That moment of his asking for and being granted forgiveness is important and should have been included. There is a look between eleven year olds, Lily and Severus, that tells us all we need to know about the change in their close friendship and Snape’s regret, even though we don’t have the conversation between the two that Lily can’t be Severus’s friend any longer because of his choice to be with the future Death Eaters. It was in the moment of their sorting that their friendship was changed forever and that point is made in that one look of regret on Severus's face.

I’ve been an Alan Rickman fan since he was first cast as Severus Snape. I’ve watched every one of his many movies that I could find – even if I didn’t like the movie, I loved his performances. So it’s no surprise to me that he gave Snape the richness of character that we all saw by the time we finished the seventh book. I wasn’t the only one in the theater crying over his death and Harry’s last excursion into the Pensieve, this time with Severus's help and permission. One of the best added lines in the movie is Snape telling Harry that he has his mother's eyes just after he said "Look at me."

Was this movie perfect? No. None of the movies are, in my opinion. But that, I’m afraid, is the problem with trying to translate a complex book to a movie. As with all of the Harry Potter books, so much of what is important to the story is seen internally through Harry’s eyes. That’s very difficult as we are reminded with the release of every movie.

I do have some complaints about this movie, for all that I liked about it. The Battle for Hogwarts gave us the visual of the scope of the war and what that would look like. But the final battle between Harry and Voldemort is done out of sight of everyone else. The rest of them are apparently still fighting in the Great Hall and unaware that the battle for their way of life is happening without their knowledge. Consequently, when Harry tells Voldemort a few of the things that he does in the book, no one else hears it. Harry doesn’t elaborate on how he knows that Snape was loyal to Dumbledore and intent on betraying Voldemort. We don’t have the satisfaction of Voldemort being given one last chance at remorse and failing to see that what Dumbledore said all along was what would save his soul.

In reading comments from a few people I’ve talked with for almost ten years, the split on whether the battle in the movie is well done or not hinges on whether they choose to acknowledge the Christian elements in the books, especially in the last book. Those who didn’t like that part of the last book are much happier that it was all left out of the movie and those of us who appreciated the fullness of Rowling’s story are disappointed that this was the part that was changed and omitted from the movie. We’ve been told that Ms. Rowling herself was one of the producers on this last film and that changes made were by her approval. She was so forthcoming about the point of the books, especially the last one, having Christian themes, I have to wonder why she is now backing away from it. What did it take to convince her to give her OK to the changes in the battle?

Yes, I like the dialogue in the book better. I missed hearing Harry once more remind Voldemort that his mother’s love protected him and that his mother’s love bound the two of them together when he mingled their blood at his rebirthing. Those who don’t understand the power of love place their trust in things that aren’t real, that aren’t lasting. It’s the part that ties the last book to the first book and completes the story beautifully. I wish that had been included in the movie.

At the end, we see that Harry explains the Elder wand to Ron and Hermione, rather than to all the people in the Great Hall. He doesn’t have that last conversation with Dumbledore’s portrait, nor does he use the Elder Wand to try to repair his own Holly and Phoenix Feather one. Someone pointed out that in the previous movie, one of the snatchers throws away Harry’s wand in the woods. But wouldn’t that have been the wand he had that Ron brought him after he returned and not his own? I’ll have to re-watch that part of Deathly Hallows, Part 1, I guess.

However, I think that Harry breaking the Elder Wand puts even more of an end to its power than putting it back in the tomb with Dumbledore. Breaking wands isn’t something that is done very often in the wizarding world – it’s only Hagrid’s wand that we are told is broken when he is expelled, Ron’s wand that is accidentally broken beyond repair when they crash the car into the Whomping Willow and Harry’s wand that is accidentally broken when he and Hermione escape from Godric’s Hollow. Breaking another's wand seems to be an act that just isn’t justified in fighting another wizard. Otherwise, when one wizard disarms another, why wouldn’t they just snap the wand in two? So to see the wand broken and discarded at the end leaves us with the reality that the Elder Wand won’t be used by another wizard ever again.

We saw Harry drop the Resurrection Stone in the forest and he makes no mention of wanting to go back to find it. Anyone who has ever dropped anything in the woods would know that it’s extremely difficult to find it again. And of course, he still has the Cloak of Invisibility, though we don’t see him use it as much as in the book. I've always thought that was a technical choice they made for the movies - too much time under the Invisibility Cloak doesn't work as wel in a movie as it does in a book.

Some of the other things that happen during the Battle are implied rather than said. Voldemort silences them all, but then Ginny is able to scream and Neville talks, so his spell isn’t working like it did – they just don’t comment on it like they do in the book. The hug is odd from Voldemort, but Draco’s reaction is really the point. He looks like he is being struck rather than hugged – like he finds the attention from Voldemort repulsive. Gone is all his bravado and Draco's only goal at that point is to get to his parents. They are a family that has suffered more than they ever imagined possible. In the book, they remain in the Great Hall, ignored by the others as they grieve, marginalized as they have done to those who aren’t pure bloods. In the movie, they walk away and I found their exit very effective. It makes the point stronger that the Malfoys, for all their faults, have in the end chosen their family over the ideology of Voldemort and the Death Eaters.

There is one more detail that I thought I saw the first time I watched the movie and definitely saw the second time. When Voldemort is in the boat house, he has his back turned to Lucius (I think it’s him and not Snape, but it doesn’t matter). Voldemort pulls up his sleeve and his arm looks scarred where the Dark Mark was. When he turns back around he hears a muffled sounding Lucius’s voice. That is the pointer to Voldemort’s diminished power over others. He knows it, but still tries to bluster his way through, thinking that by killing Snape he has once again mastered the Elder Wand.

The Epilogue was well done as far as it went. But because there was hardly any mention of Teddy Lupin he’s not there and that leaves out a completion of the alchemical story. The two children with alchemical names, Hugo and Rose, are listed in the credits but no one says their names aloud, so we miss that as well. But we do get to hear Harry tell his youngest son that he was named for two Headmasters of Hogwarts and that Severus was the bravest man he ever knew. It is the verbal affirmation that Harry knew and acknowledges all the sacrifices that Snape made for Lily's memory. And Harry does tell Albus Severus that, if it matters to him, he can choose which house he is in – even the Sorting Hat will take his choice into account.

Love and choice, two themes that come through loud and clear, in the books and in the movies. Always.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

In May we got out of cold and rainy Seattle and spent 11 days where it was really too hot and humid, but it was fantastic. Whenever I felt too hot I just had to remind myself that back home it still looked and felt like winter. Most of our trip was all about Disney. We spent four days at each of the Disney parks, one day at Downtown Disney and three glorious days on the new Disney Dream. Fantastic! However, there was no way I could go to Orlando and not spend a day at Universal's "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter".


It's a theme park that was designed with the help of the set designer for the Harry Potter movies and the author, J.K. Rowling herself. I've heard nothing but good things about it and have waited a year to go. It was worth the wait. It's awesome. I felt like I had walked into the books and the movies. The music from the movies plays everywhere in Hogsmeade (the village) and Hogwarts (the school), even in the restroom. All of a sudden I heard the mournful voice of Moaning Myrtle when I was in the restroom. It made me giggle.

We looked in all the shops, rode the rides (not the Dueling Dragon coaster). We both liked the Forbidden Journey ride so much that we did it twice. As Terry said, it's an intense ride as you "fly" through the castle, over the castle grounds, almost get attacked by the Whomping Willow, a dragon, and Dementors, after flying along with Harry in a Quidditch game. The last part lets us fly along with Harry over the lake and back to the castle. The entrance to the ride is through Hogwarts. All the things from the books and the movies are there. And it's great to see Dumbledore's office, the Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom with Harry, Ron and Hermione talking.

Pat at the Three Broomsticks drinking Butterbeer

For lunch we ate at The Three Broomsticks. We both decided on the Cornish Pasties (that's pasty, not pastry). I felt very British, knowing what it was and how to pronounce it. Terry had a Hogshead beer and said it was very good. I had a Butterbeer. It's hard to describe what it tastes like, but it's yummy and I wish I could have them more often. Frothy and foamy on the top, not too sweet, kind of fruity tasting, not carbonated. Oh, and the Cornish Pasties were very good as well.

We stood in a very long line to get in to Ollivander's Wand Shop. The owner of the shop selects one person to be chosen by a wand. Many of his lines are right out of the first book. The girl that was chosen seemed a bit overwhelmed, but she went along with it and when the wand "chose" her and he explained it's meaning, she just kind of glowed. We saw her later with her dad and Terry asked if she got her wand - of course, she did! After the wand show, we were all shuttled into the shop next door. I would love to have bought a lot of things, but honestly, I can get them on-line, meaning I didn't have to carry things around with me.

Later in the day, I bought a bottle of Pumpkin Juice. They drink it all the time in the books, and I always thought it sounded a bit . . . unappetizing. However, now it's my other new favorite drink. This one has apple juice, pumpkin puree and apricot puree, sugar and a few other flavorings. It's kind of the tast of a good spiced cider, like the one from Trader Joe's.

At one point, I asked Terry if he thought most of the other people in Hogsmeade and at Hogwarts were as nerdy as I am about Harry Potter or if they just like the rides. The more we walked around, I think I had found a lot of kindred spirits, all of them referencing the books/movies and taking photos of the shop windows that only appeal to those of us who have loved the books for a long time. So, if that is not you, most of what I really enjoyed about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter probably made little or no sense. But just imagine your own favorite book or movie and then being surrounded by that world. It was great!

Pat and Terry at Hogsmeade

The other part of the day, we wandered through the rest of the Islands of Adventure. That's a not so subtle way of saying there are a lot of roller coasters. I was willing to wait while Terry rode them, including the Dueling Dragons, but he seems to have lost his death wish - which is the way I look at coasters that dangle your feet, twist all around and upside down while going very fast. The rest of our time at Universal was short - I knew he'd like the Jurassic Park River Adventure. We're not sure why it worked, but after we put our things in a locker, knowing that we would likely get wet, we got in the Express line. She scanned Terry's ticket and in we went with hardly any wait at all. It was so much fun that we went right back around and did it again. At that point, we realized there was another line that people were standing in - with a 50 minute wait. We sat in the back both times and only got a little wet, just enough to cool off in the hottest part of the day. The people in the front row, however, were drenched. So glad we put our stuff in lockers - who wants to take a chance on ruining cameras? I think the only other "ride" we did was Poseidon - it was a special effects show.

We headed back to the bus and ate dinner here at the hotel. Homewood Suites offers a breakfast and a meal in the evening. We were both exhausted so the idea of going out for dinner just wasn't appealing. I tried to do some reading while Terry was downloading his photos after dinner and kept drifting off to sleep.

From then on our trip was all Disney. But it was fun to go to a theme park where we'd never been. Everything was new and different and we actually had to look at the park maps to figure out where we were and how to get where we wanted to go.

I don't know that we will ever go back to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It's really the only part of Universal that appeals to me and that makes it expensive since Hogsmeade and Hogwarts are a very small part of Islands of Adventure. But I am so glad that I did get to see it for myself. It was worth it at least once.

Pat

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Chapter 2: "Spinner's End"

Note: I started writing this a long time ago on one of my many re-reads through the 6th Harry Potter book. I found this chapter fascinating. It was one of the few that was not through Harry's eye and mind. And even better, it was all about Snape and his relationship with Voldemort, Dumbledore, Bellatrix and Narcissa. I didn't really finish it, only getting so far as the two sisters showing up to talk to Snape. But it's been sitting as a draft long enough. So here are my beginning thoughts about Snape and what it tells us about who he is based on where he lives. It's something that some of us suspected, that Snape was from a poor muggle part of town and isolated as an adult just as he was as a child.

Once Bella and Cissy talk with Snape, we see that the spinner is not the street but Snape himself who tells Cissy and Bella what they need to hear so he can continue to do whatever it is he is doing. At this point we don't really know. But Cissy needs to hear that Snape will protect Draco and Bella needs to hear that he is loyal to Voldemort.

A bit of a time lag, there. But not because I haven't been reading or thinking about Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. So I'll tackle two chapters in the next few day in an effort to do some catching up.

Chapter 2: "Spinner's End"

Ah, after the first chapter that had important information to fill in some gaps and bring the reader up to date, but still a little fluffy, in my opinion, we get our first whole chapter about Severus Snape. I'm not one of those who liked reading about Snape in the first two books. I've said before that I found him irritating and two-dimensional. It was in the third book and the fifth book that I started to see there was much more to his character. Nothing nice, but more.

So, in this second chapter we are still not at Hogwarts and we haven't seen Harry. To go so long in the story without Harry is quite a big signal that these events are important for the overall story.

Some of my margin notes have to do with the description of the place. I had finished reading Oliver Twist not too long before this so the similarity to Dickens jumped out at me. The other thing that I noticed was Rowling's choice of words to describe the old "disused mill" as a relic. When I think of relics I tend to think in terms of finding some artifact in an archaeological dig, or something that is a reference to the Catholic Church.

I liked the exchange between Bellatrix and Narcissa, two sisters who are as different in their personalities and purposes as they are in looks. It's not the last time we will see just how different they are, and this was a nice set-up, since we haven't seen them together.

Side by side they stood looking across the road at the rows and rows of dilapidated brick houses, their windows dull and blind in the darkness.

"He lives here?" asked Bella in a voice of contempt. "Here? In this Muggle dunghill? We must be the first of our kind ever to set foot --" [HBP, US version, p. 20]

Thinking of the windows that are dull and blind made me think of eyes being called the windows to the soul. And here we have "eyes" that give no clue to the residents of the houses, or if there are even people still living there. What a perfect place for Severus Snape to hide out for the summer, away from Hogwarts, other wizards, and unnoticed more than likely by any neighbors. It's never clear whether it's his idea to be there or Voldemort's, or whether Voldemort was coaxed into telling Snape to be there. Does Snape always go home for the summer? I wouldn't have thought so; it seems he would have been safer at Hogwarts under Dumbledore's continued protection.

Bella clearly will do anything to please Voldemort, while Narcissa - Cissy - puts her own safety aside in an effort to protect her son, Draco. That takes a kind of courage that parents understand but that is totally lost on Bellatrix, who says later that she would be proud to have her son do a task for Voldemort. She might be so derranged that she would give up her only child to a cause, but most parents would side with Cissy.

The description of Snape's street as a labyrinth is an apt metaphor for the situation that Cissy is entering: she has been told not to speak to anyone of Voldemort's plan. She has to "walk" carefully so that she doesn't lose her way. When they find Spinner's End, the "towering mill chimney seemed to hover like a giant admonitory finger". [HBP, US, p. 21] Even the buildings on the street are warning Cissy to be careful, to perhaps reconsider what she is about to do.

Harry Potter sighting!

It's amazing how a Harry Potter book can catch my eye. I've looked at the covers so often that I notice them even when they are in the background.

I was watching the news story about a police officer in Anchorage, Alaska, who is an illegal immigrant. The man they were interviewing about the story was sitting in front of a book shelf that had the Harry Potter books, in order, on the top shelf. It was the spine of Goblet of Fire that I saw first. And then I noticed that all the books were there with Deathly Hallows clearly on the end.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I

I started to write this last December, but with Christmas and personal issues in the first part of the year, I never finished it. Now the DVD is out, so here it is, a combination of my thoughts about the movie when I saw it in the theater and my thoughts about the content on the BluRay - and I haven't even had a chance to watch all of it yet.




I've been meaning to write something ever since I saw the movie on the first day, and then after I saw it a week later. But Thanksgiving, which was at our house this year so getting to take time out for the movie was all the extra time I had. I did manage to go again the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and then we were busy with decorating for Christmas. Now that the outside lights are up and the tree is decorated, I'm taking a break before I lose the magical feelings I had after watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I.

This was the first Harry Potter movie that I didn't see at midnight since the first two. Sarah and I went on Friday at noon. The advantage was that we didn't have to stand outside in the cold and rain for hours and the theater wasn't full. When I went a week later, the theater was almost full, so maybe we just picked the slow time. No matter - there were enough there to share in the laughter, the tears and the gasps.

I knew going in that there was an added scene with Hermione's parents, but I had no idea that I would start the movie with tears. The other added scene I'd heard about was the dancing in the tent. I'll get to that later.

There were so many things I liked about this movie, so many things they did right, from the Dursleys leaving (abreviated but with the same sense of urgency and lack of caring from Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia towards Harry) to Snape at Malfoy Manor and Dobby, that it's easier to talk about the very few nitpicks I have.

I was curious why they changed the colors of the wedding. I was looking forward to seeing gold and white. However, the dark purple and red and the black phoenixes on Fleur's wedding gown and the black and white of Ginny's bride's maid dress (with her red hair) gave it all the right feel. I always get a little lost with the alchemical images, unless they are obvious. So I think I'm probably missing some of the finer points here. However, Luna and Xenophilius were in yellow and gold, so maybe that is enough. The other thing I noticed when I watched it the second time was how much gold, red and orange there was in the Weasley house when the trio talked to Scrimgeour. I hadn't particularly noticed those colors in previous movies. When Harry, Ron and Hermione are sitting on the sofa, there is a picture on the wall that looks like a sun rising just above her head. The color was striking, and that it was a sun was striking. A sign of hope? I'm not sure, but I liked it. The sun and the colors seemed to be a contrast to the tone of the interview by Scrimgeour.

We didn't get to see the wedding, just the reception dinner. It was lovely. The arrival of the warning by Kingsley was well done. The chaos was vivid and scary and all the things it should be. The scenes that followed with the trio in London were well done. Some changes, but nothing jarring.

I thought the wandering camping trip was appropriate in length and tone. But I didn't mind it in the book like some did. We needed to see (in the book and the movie) that Harry knows what needs to be done but has no clue how to do it.

Ron's leaving and return were fairly in line with the book. I'm glad they took the time to let him explain some of his following the light when he wanted to come back. And before that, rather than having long scenes of Harry and Hermione not talking or exchanging only a few words, we had the dancing in the tent. I didn't think I would like it. There was an awkwardness to it, but that's what made it work. Two girls would have sat and talked about why Hermione was so sad and upset, or why Harry was so frustrated by not being able to find the other Horcruxes. But Harry isn't a girl, and he's never been chatty about his feelings. We've always known what he was thinking in the books, because that is the point of view - we know his thoughts and we also know he doesn't usually share them very well.

Instead, Harry noticed how unhappy Hermione was and took action by leading her into a dance in an effort to comfort her. And the best part is the look on Hermione's face when she puts her head on Harry's shoulder. It's not a look of attraction to Harry, but one that clearly says she was cheered for a few minutes but is still sad and missing Ron. And nothing will change how she feels about Ron. Perfect - and without any words. It's not a romantic dance, but a dance between close friends.

I missed Kreacher's Tale ending in his redemption and devotion to the trio. But I did like the reintroduction of Dobby, since he was missing from the last movies. It needed to be done that way, and for me, it worked. It was enough. The only thing that was missing there was the extent of terror that Kreacher went through in finding the locket Horcrux. In the book, that is one way we see just how cruel and inhuman Voldemort is.

Now that I have the movie, I have watched all the deleted scenes and I do wish they had included the one with Petunia and Dudley saying good-bye. They weren't that long and they were perfect. I don't think the chasing rabbits was necessary, even though it also shows the increasing tension between Harry and Ron.

I have always loved watching the movie with the audio commentary. But this movie is even better. I just haven't had the chance to watch all of it yet. As the movie plays, instead of talking (sometimes babbling to fill time) over the movie, they actually stop and insert commentary by Jason Isaacs, and other actors, the director and others, about the scene. They talk about how it relates to the earlier movies, with reminders of who the characters are, what the situation was, and so forth. They even have Tom Felton (Draco) reading excerpts from the books. I love it. It's the best kind of commentary and it makes me glad I spent the extra money for the BluRay (and glad that we have one).

So that's where I am at the moment. I hope to watch the rest in the next few days, but I quickly realized that it's going to take a while since all these things are added in.

And after seeing a sneak peek at the opening scene for Deathly Hallows, Part II, I can't wait to see the whole movie. They do seem to be doing the thing properly this time. What a great way to end this movie series, that has at times been spot on and at other times has missed. As much as I look forward to the next and last movie, i will miss having a new Harry Potter movie every other year. It's like saying good-bye to a dear friend, knowing that they aren't coming back.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition

My daughters and I have been sharing our love of Harry Potter since I started reading the books in 1999. We've discussed them endlessly, waited at book stores for the latest book since they started having midnight sales, gone to the movies (some at midnight), we've dressed up for some of the 1st movies; they admit to their friends that their mother is a bit of a dork when it comes to Harry Potter - well, so do I, for that matter.

When I learned that the Harry Potter Exhibition was coming to the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, I knew that I just had to figure out which day I was going, because, of course, I WOULD be going. I sent the girls a message on facebook and asked if anyone wanted to join me. They both said yes, no husbands were interested. So it was a girls' day.


We had perfect autumn weather. It was in the upper 60s, warm enough to go without a jacket. And it was sunny, with that deep blue sky you only see this time of year. The leaves are all shades of yellow, orange and red, with enough still on the trees to make lovely pictures of the Space Needle and enough on the ground to make it really look like fall.

I loved being able to see all the clothing, props and some of the sets up close. The fabric in Dumbledore's robes (the red one worn by Richard Harris) was rich and beautiful, just as it was in the movie. The details on the books, the Yule Ball feast tables and food, the candy from Honeydukes, Hagrid's hut, Ron and Harry's dorm room were fantastic. It was so hard not to touch - it's a good thing there are signs everywhere reminding people to keep their hands off and staff watching to make sure they do. But we did get to throw a quaffle through the rings and pull a mandrake out of a pot and hear it scream (none of us fainted, however).

It was amazing to see just how small Dan Radcliffe was in the first movie when we stood in front of his "casual clothing". It's easy to forget all these years later that they really were just little kids when the first movie was made. And then there was a point where Dan and Emma were about the same height but Rupert was obviously taller.

Seeing the costume for Hagrid makes you realize how big he is. But the most chilling, creepy and yet totally awesome effect is the display showing Voldemort's rebirthing robes. The lighting is eerie and there is a gentle breeze blowing. But if you stand in just the right spot, you hear his voice, a clip from Deathly Hallows, that sounds like it is inside your head. I can't wait to see that in the movie.

We enjoyed all of it, even wandering around the gift shop at the end. I wish we could have taken pictures while we were inside, but it wasn't allowed, even without a flash. So, I bought the guide book for the Exhibition istead. What can I say - I have quite a collection of Harry Potter things and thought I might as well add a few more - my dorky side was showing.

Once we finished, we had a bite to eat and then spent another hour or so in the butterfly house at the Science Center. It has always been one of our favorite places to go, especially when the girls were younger. We went there as a family, but our best memories are of the sleep-overs with Camp Fire when the girls were junior high age. Now that we have found our way back, we vowed to come back another time, even after the Harry Potter Exhibit is gone.



Pat, who is now sooooo ready for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I"

Getting ready for Deathly Hallows, Part I, the movie

I'm trying not to count down the days to "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I", but I really am. I've been rereading some of the books - well, relistening to them. I'm now listening to Stephen Fry reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Every time I listen to it, or read it, I find that I like it much better than the first time through. There was so much in it when I first read it that I did really like it. However, now that we know the end, it's even better. It really is the first half of the last part of the story.

We're in the middle of redoing our family room - new carpeting, new furniture. updated entertainment center. So thinking about the Harry Potter books and the upcoming movie is quite a nice distraction from picking out furniture and spending money.

I've looked at the movie clips and have managed to see the trailer twice in a theater in the last few weeks. It's even better on the big screen - can't wait to see the movie, actually. Today I bought two of the Harry Potter calendars for 2011. I was going to buy one but couldn't decide which one - so I bought both. One has pictures from the new movie, while the other has a mixture of old and new. I think it's likely I'll switch them back and forth - so I won't have to look at Bellatrix for a whole month - I've never been fond of the way she looks in the movies as it's not at all the way I picture her.

I love the people who work at my local Barnes and Noble. When I bought the calendars today, the woman checking me out went into full flow about how excited she is for the movie to come out and asked if I had seen the trailers (she knew the answer, I'm sure). Of course, I've been going there for years and spend every Friday sipping a mocha while I read for a few hours, so they all know me. We talked briefly about the movie and the exhibit (below) and how much we will miss all of it when the last movie is finally over. But for the moment, I don't have to think about that.

The most immediate Harry Potter thing for me is that my daughters and I are going to the Harry Potter Exhibit at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle this coming week. I was excited about it before it opened here, but now it sounds even better. It covers 10,000 sqare feet and has some never-seen-before things from the Deathly Hallows movie that have recently been added. I guess we are the last stop on that tour. The day I picked is after Halloween, to avoid that crowd, but several weeks before the movie. My hope is that it won't be so crowded since we are going on a week day. The three of us want time to just enjoy all of it. That day is probably going to be right in the middle of trying to schedule the carpet installation and the furniture delivery. Well, the carpet can wait a few days.

November is turning out to be a very busy month for us, with the downstairs improvements, all things Harry Potter and Thanksgiving at our house. It'll be great!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I

I've been looking at all the pictures and reading the updates on the first half of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It looks fantastic to me. I see that there are some changes. They always seem to change the colors that are in the book and, if one follows the alchemical theme, those colors are intentional on Rowling's part and important.

Instead of the wedding being golden, it is a lovely lavender - pretty but not the same. I was glad to see that Luna is dressed in yellow however. And then there is Hermione is a red dress rather than whatever it was in the book. I know it wasn't red. I suppose it makes it easier to follow the trio when they land in London.

But those things aside, the rest looks great.

I suppose also that it was decided that Harry and Hagrid escaping on Sirius's motorbike through the London streets would be more exciting than keeping them in the air. Another change I can live with.

Godric's Hollow looks amazing, though it's odd to think that Harry and Hermione could walk into the town looking like themselves.

I can't wait to see more of Snape. Since it looks like the locket Horcrux and pool in the forest and the Sword of Gryffindor are in this movie, that would mean we should see Snape's patronus and I really hope they get it right. The Silver Doe is by far my favorite chapter from the Deathly Hallows book and that image of Snape leading and watching over Harry is one of the most poignant.

In the meantime, I finished listening to Order of the Phoenix again. There are so many details in the books that I notice whenever I reread or relisten to one of them. Order is still one that I like the best - it gives Harry the chance he need to grow up. All the books before Order, Harry is fairly accepting of his place in the wizarding world even if he doesn't understand it. In Order, he finally expresses just how unfair it is to him or anyone else to be in his position as would-be savior of their world. That's quite a burden for anyone, especially a teenager and I always felt it was high time for Harry to deal with the frustration and unfairness of all of it. And yet, he willingly takes on the role and accepts the responsibility rather than hiding from it. I'm always struck by the contrast of the beginning and ending of the book. In the beginning, Harry hides from the Dursleys as he tries to hear information on the news; he is still pushed around by Vernon. But at the end, after their return to London and the talk Vernone receives from Lupin, Mad-eye and Arthur, it is Harry who is in charge, leading the Dursleys out of the station and back to Privet Drive. His problems aren't over, but he is ready to take charge of his life, and whatever lies ahead.

I'd like to listen to Half-Blood Prince, but it's now so close to the movie that I almost want to listen to Deathly Hallows again. Of course, there's always the point that I'll enjoy the movie more if I am not so tied to the book when I first see it.

Catching up with Harry, with Stephen Fry's help

I hadn't realized it has been so long since I've updated this blog. In with getting ready for Christmas, I spent time listening to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.


Goblet of Fire, while it is the middle book, is just not my favorite. There are some important things that we learn and clues that are the set-up for the rest of the books. But I'm just not that fond of all the action stuff. And that's a good portion of the book.

The parts that did interest me, especially in the way that Rowling presents it, have to do with all the information about Tom Riddle as Lord Voldemort. I remember when we waited at the midnight release to get Goblet of Fire - it's hard to believe it was really over nine years ago. Laura started reading it on the way home. But we couldn't remember who Tom Riddle was. We had to start back through all the books to refresh our memories to make that crucial connection.

The Yule Ball was a nice distraction from all the action. (And I love the dance lessons added into the movie - some of my favorite scenes.) Moaning Myrtle is priceless as well.

The part that I did like about the three tasks was that Harry showed that he cared more about others than about winning. He was competitive, but not when it came to the safety of others, even those he didn't know. And while being fair to Cedric didn't work the way he thought it would, Harry still made the right choice by recognizing that he couldn't have gotten to the goal without help. It was his sense of fairness that I admired.

This was the only book that gave me nightmares after I read it. I remember dreaming once aobut the scene with Voldemort's rebirth in the graveyard, and was sure that I'd been reading way too much Potter. But more than that, it was that scene that showed that Rowling was really telling a story that was more on young adult or adult level than the children's story that was being marketed.

It was a powerful book, and it still is whether I'm reading it or listening to Stephen Fry read it. The images are intense and lasting. It's this book that tells the reader to prepare for anything to happen. And that might mean the ending of the series won't be as happy as we all thought when we read the first couple of books.


It was nice to be able to go right from book 4 to book 5. Three years was a long time to wait when the books were new. I think that was part of the problem with the reception of Order of the Phoenix when it was released. Readers had waited so long and they had found plenty of forums to discuss any and all theories, not to mention that three years was plenty of time for all the would-be writers to try their hand at adding to the story or writing their own version.

By the time the book came out, readers had a pretty clear idea of where they thought the story was going. And Rowling didn't go there. One aspect of Order of the Phoenix that I particularly like is all the time we spent in Harry's mind. What did he think about Voldemort's return? Why hadn't anyone (Dumbledore) told him what was going on? Why could he see and feel the things that were in Voldemort's mind? Why wouldn't Dumbledore look at him?

Did I like a yelling Harry? No, not really. But I kept feeling that it was the right time for him to finally ask all those questions about his parents and his past. Not getting answers after so many years would make anyone angry - especially a fifteen year old. Stephen Fry's reading of this book brings out all the emotion that is in it - the anger, frustation, infatuation with Cho, tenuous trust with Harry's friends, his grief over Sirius.

And then there is Snape. There is always Snape. But it is this book that gives us more than a two-dimensional look at the man who will be so much a part of Harry at the end. It was rereading and discussing all the bits about Snape that gave so many their first clue that he wasn't the rotten git we were told he was. I wonder if we could have gone from this book to the next, without a break, if we would have figured any of it out. Maybe it was the time lag that allowed us to see through Rowling's clever portrayal of Snape, to see that there was some truth in what he told Harry about his father, and that Dumbledore did have a reason to trust him with his own life and Harry's life.

This book was the longest, and the criticism is always that it needed tighter editing. But what would I want left out? Perhaps the details of "Grawp's Tale", but nothing more. I love all the rest of it.

Now, time to start listening to Half-Blood Prince, if I can get my mp3 player to work. It's been a frustrating day, with one of them dying completely, and the other one just being weird. It shows that there are files taking up space but says everythign is empty. Last time I checked, it would show the files on the external card. I hope that still works, or I'm going to be very unhappy.

Pat

Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban (Audio by Fry)

(I love the art work for the Harry Potter books by Mary GrandPre, especially this one of Harry Potter and the Prison of Azkaban.)

After listening to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, I breezed right through Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I have always counted this as one of my favorites of the Harry Potter books, whether I'm reading it or listening to it. I particularly like the new characters and the unfolding of Harry's backstory. By the time I first read this book, which I was able to read immediately after the first two, Harry's story is familiar. Having Rowling go through it again seemed a bit unnecessary, to be honest. Yes, he has no parents because they were killed by Voldemort; he was raised by his unloving uncle and aunt and tormented by his cousin. And Voldemort, for some inexplicable reason, had tried to kill Harry when he killed his parents, Lily and James.

The thing that Rowling does each year, though, is to find a new and different way for Harry to leave the Dursleys and Privet Drive. We, by now, assume that he will return to Hogwarts where he is learning to be a wizard and has friends, something he didn't have before his eleventh birthday. As with many things, it's the little details that make the story interesting and fresh, when so many things will be the same. Rowling seemed to have a lot of fun with Harry's departure on this one. Blowing up one's aunt sounds serious, but there is an amount of humor in the way Harry's Aunt Marge is described as she floats up to the ceiling, looking like a Thanksgiving Day parade balloon. The reason he blows her up and the situation he finds himself in as a result of his uncontrolled anger is anything but funny. In fact, it's Harry's reaction to Aunt Marge saying cruel things about the parents he never knew that send him over the edge.

After realizing just how alone he is when he leaves the Dursleys, certain that he will be a fugitive from the wizarding world as well as the muggle one, Harry sees something mysterious lurking in the shadows just before he is rescued by the Knight Bus. After a wild ride, which lightens the mood just a bit, Harry finds himself safely deposited at the Leaky Cauldron and welcomed by Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic. And here was Harry thinking that he'd not only be expelled but was likely to be arrested.

After spending the next two weeks in Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron, Harry meets up with Ron and Hermione and they head back to Hogwarts. The train ride brings a new clue to Harry's past in the form of his reaction to the Dementors that board the train looking for the escaped convict, Sirius Black - the one that Harry has learned is out to kill him, like he killed Harry's parents. Rowling manages to write this in a way that conveys just how sinister and scary these creatures are, even before we get the explanation for what they are and what they do, taking away every happy thought and having the ability to suck out a person's soul. Just seeing how all of them are affected lets the reader know that the story has gone to a darker level than the first two books. I think it was at this point that I really started to wonder just how many young children could read this book without having nightmares. I know I couldn't have done.

All the usual characters are there - the other students and the professors. Hagrid, the game keeper and Harry's friend, has now been promoted to teaching Care of Magical Creatures. And there is a new professor, Remus Lupin. The only thing we know about Lupin at this point is that he was able to make the Dementor on the train leave, he recognizes the cheering and healing properties of chocolate (maybe that's why I immediately liked him, and probably reached for some chocolate of my own). Professor Lupin, tired-looking and not well-dressed, is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and Severus Snape doesn't seem to like him very much. No surprise there - Snape doesn't like many people, especially anyone who has the job that he really wants.

I think that I've posted about Prisoner of Azkaban before, so the only thing I really want to add is why I particularly like this book. Harry is introduced to Sirius Black in a way that tests his ability to think for himself. Everything he knows up to that point tells him that this is someone he should fear, someone who is feared by everyone else. At this same moment, Harry learns more about his parents than he ever knew before. It turns out that Sirius was their good friend. And Professor Lupin, whom Harry has trusted, was also a friend of Harry's parents, as was Peter Pettigrew. In this moment of seeming danger, Harry listens to Lupin's story and decides to trust his instincts that Lupin and Black are telling the truth. I'm not sure how many people would do that. Upon hearing the details of the night of his parents' deaths and his own survival, he chooses to spare the life of the betrayer, knowing that James wouldn't want Remus and Sirius to become murderers. This quality of trusting his own instincts is one that serves Harry well most of the time. That it worked out in this instance is probably the reason we are so willing to trust Harry to make the right choices in later books - it's only later that we learn that Harry's instincts are not always right.

Prisoner of Azkaban is the book where Harry learns who really betrayed his parents and led Voldemort to them the night they were killed. There is a little of how fragile his safety was in his first two and a half years at Hogwarts when Ron realizes that his pet rat, Scabbers, is really the traitor, Peter Pettigrew. But Harry doesn't seem to dwell on the danger he was in having Scabbers watching his every move when they were at school. Instead, he now has the anger to deal with, knowing that a friend betrayed his parents.

Just when Harry finds his parents' friend, Sirius Black, who is also his godfather, he almost loses him forever to the Dementors. The way out of that is the Time Turner that Hermione has been using all year to get to extra classes. I have to say that time travel always makes my head hurt. I just have to read it or listen to it, and nod and smile and move on. If I try to figure out how that would actually work, I feel like Hermione when Harry tells her "I knew I could do it [produce the Patronus] this time," said Harry, "because I'd already done it . . . . Does that make sense?" [POA, p. 412]

Hermione's response? "I don't know." Yep, that's my reaction as well. And like Hermione, I just decide to trust Harry on this one. There are more important problems, like rescuing Sirius and Buckbeak, than figuring out how this bit of fiction could work in real life.

By the end of this book, it's clear that Harry has a better understanding of the evil with which he is confronted each year. It's worse than he knew, but he now has two more adults in his life who care for him and who are loyal to him and to the memory of his parents. Harry has learned something else valuable, to not take things or people at face value. He's learned to look carefully at each situation before taking action. And he now has something else that's as useful as his Invisibility Cloak - the Maurader's Map, courtesy of Fred and George, and returned to him by Remus Lupin, one of the four map makers.

Here, I won't go into my usual rant that the critical information about the Maurader's Map and its creators (Lupin, Black, James Potter and Pettigrew) was completely marginalized in the movie and that Harry never asks Lupin how he knows that the bit of parchment IS a map. However, . . . 'nough said.

There is something that always bothered me about the book, however. It was corrected in the movie (my favorite scene in the POA movie, actually) when Lupin and Harry talk on the bridge. In the book, they have a conversation over tea in Lupin's office. It's not important where they are, but what was missing in the book, in my opinion. Lupin has the perfect opportunity to tell Harry that he knew James. I understand that it would have spoiled the twist that Rowling had coming when Lupin joins up with Sirius Black in the Shrieking Shack. But it just would have made more sense for him to say to Harry, in that moment when they were alone - "I knew your dad and mum at school." He needn't have said they were best friends or any more than that. But it seemed odd that he never mentioned it at all. I think any adult who sees the child of a deceased friend would say something.

The other thing that has always seemed off to me is that Harry doesn't ask about his parents. I know he wouldn't ask the Dursleys, but once he is at school and has the chance to talk to people who might have known James and Lily, why didn't he ever say to Dumbledore, Hagrid, or any of the professors "Did you know my mum and dad? Did you have them in class? What were they like? Were they good students? Who were their friends?" It is normal for children to want to know about their parents when they were younger, and it's out of character for Harry, as an adopted child (or a foster child or whatever the arrangement was), to not ask those questions. Especially, since thre was nothing hapy about his situation.

I speak as an adopted child on this issue. I had a happy childhood with loving parents and a good home. But I remember wondering who my birth parents were, what they were like, what happened to them. As I got older, I no longer felt the need to find answers to those questions, but it was because I was happy. I came to understand that my "real parents" were the mom and dad who raised me, the ones who were there for me when I was sick, who shared in my joys and sorrows. Not every adopted child gets to that point. But if I'd had a family like the Dursleys, I definitely would have wanted all the information I could find about my [birth] parents. We find out later, in Goblet of Fire, that Tom Riddle searched for his birth parents because he hoped that would answer questions about who he was. I think Rowling missed in handling how Harry would act after learning that he'd had loving parents. He would have been more curious than she allowed him to be. In everything else, Harry isn't content to accept what he's told, so why are we to expect that he would be so incurious about his parents until he finally meets Sirius and Remus?

As I said when I started this post, I went right through books two and three by listening to Stephen Fry. The books are best, I think, when read aloud. There is a richness that comes off the page when the story is told rather than just read. Reading a book aloud means that the reader an the listener have the time to reflect on the story, enjoy the funny bits, agonize over moments of sorrow or apprehension, in a way that just can't be properly done as one rushes through when reading silently.

Now that I've caught up, I'm off to listen to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

. . . if I just had a Time Turner, I could get some more sleep. Someday I'll learn to not start writing things so late at night. But, I probably couldn't figure out how to work it anyway.

Pat