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Re: Spoilers. Legolas Send a noteboard - 13/11/2010 12:22:22 AM
The description of Snape's pain as similar to that of the dog in the burning house is perhaps a little unsubtle, but it is quite a powerful clue. I am still a little baffled that anyone could think that Snape was bad. Even after the killing of Dumbledore, there are so many indications in the text. Not to mention that "Snape is evil" would be a wholly unsatisfactory ending. If it was going to turn out that way, it could not have been revealed in the second last book. In fact, I think it has been impossible since book 1.

Yeah, I totally agree. Snape being genuinely evil would have been extremely problematic, after the way Harry's erroneous suspicions have been proven wrong in book one. Dumbledore is fallible - the main argument for Snape being truly evil was his quote about being smarter than most men and thus making bigger mistakes, as I recall - but this would've made him a complete fool, and we can't have that. Besides, it would've been way too obvious, what with the scene with Narcissa and Bellatrix, and then later the one with Draco. If he really had been evil, we'd have had more conflicting evidence so that his turning out to be evil would have come as a shock.
The role of Regulus. I know bragging is not really the done thing, but I am still terribly proud of having worked out the identity of R.A.B immediately when I first read the book. Perhaps it wasn't as hard to work out as I thought at the time. It is not a buried clue, after all. It is just a matter of recognising the letters. Still….

It's interesting when you think about it. Regulus is sort of like Malfoy, but even his own brother thinks he's an unrepentant Death Eater. And Regulus makes me think of Karkarov, which makes me wonder why the Order didn't offer him protection in return for information. Or perhaps in return for nothing - Snape already provided the information, after all.

Impressive that Regulus figured out, all on his own, what as far as we know nobody else except Dumbledore - much later - figured out.
The lull, or the feeling of wrapping things up and clearing the board here … is that just me? Dumbledore's funeral feels a little like a recap. No, that isn't the right word. An overview of the main points. Something is ending here, and the next book is very different. There is a narrowing of the focus.

Yeah, this is definitely a bit of a wrapping up of the series so far - the years in Hogwarts - and a sneak peek ahead into what the next book will be. And some rather dark stuff there: "He could not let anybody else stand between him and Voldemort; he must abandon for ever the illusion he ought to have lost at the age of one: that the shelter of a parent's arms meant that nothing could hurt him". Particularly that "ought to have lost at the age of one". For the hero of a YA fantasy series, Harry is really quite dark in some ways.
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The Great Harry Potter Re-read: Book Six, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - 18/10/2010 06:12:40 PM 2730 Views
General comments on the book. - 18/10/2010 06:14:10 PM 1581 Views
I am enjoying this a lot more than I thought I would. - 22/10/2010 07:25:17 PM 1704 Views
Yes, I'm loving that I can read in English again. - 22/10/2010 10:10:32 PM 1815 Views
Me too - 01/11/2010 02:11:28 PM 1567 Views
Suggestions. - 18/10/2010 06:18:46 PM 1623 Views
Re: Suggestions. - 20/10/2010 03:20:18 PM 1775 Views
*cough* - 09/11/2010 09:24:21 AM 1500 Views
Oh yes. I'm being distracted by Towers of Midnight. *NM* - 09/11/2010 02:11:22 PM 931 Views
Shocking. *NM* - 09/11/2010 02:13:43 PM 874 Views
Are we having a break right now? - 12/11/2010 06:48:10 PM 1670 Views
Re: Are we having a break right now? - 12/11/2010 10:05:30 PM 1939 Views
Chapters 1-3: The Other Minister, Spinner's End, Will and Won't. - 18/10/2010 06:21:55 PM 1842 Views
Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys. - 18/10/2010 06:25:12 PM 1847 Views
Re: Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys. - 18/10/2010 06:55:06 PM 1848 Views
(minor book seven spoilers) - 19/10/2010 11:27:53 AM 1810 Views
Re: (minor book seven spoilers) - 19/10/2010 05:26:50 PM 1577 Views
*spoilers for book 7* an assortment of characters - 19/10/2010 01:01:35 AM 1802 Views
Re: *spoilers for book 7* an assortment of characters - 19/10/2010 11:39:44 AM 1608 Views
Re: *spoilers for book 7* an assortment of characters - 19/10/2010 11:48:45 AM 1899 Views
I rather enjoyed the new characters. - 22/10/2010 07:30:03 PM 1587 Views
Re: I rather enjoyed the new characters. - 22/10/2010 08:33:44 PM 1705 Views
Anything else? *NM* - 18/10/2010 06:28:16 PM 786 Views
Dumbledore-centered. - 19/10/2010 01:03:05 AM 1720 Views
Re: Dumbledore-centered. - 22/10/2010 07:31:56 PM 1685 Views
Re: Dumbledore-centered. - 22/10/2010 07:33:34 PM 1680 Views
Chapters 4-6: Horace Slughorn, An Excess of Phlegm, Draco's Detour. *NM* - 20/10/2010 03:44:39 PM 935 Views
Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,... - 20/10/2010 03:46:47 PM 1760 Views
Re: Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,... - 20/10/2010 05:27:26 PM 1763 Views
(Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur... - 20/10/2010 09:25:20 PM 1796 Views
Re: (Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur... - 20/10/2010 09:46:08 PM 1718 Views
Re: (Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur... - 20/10/2010 11:20:28 PM 1592 Views
Re: (Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur... - 21/10/2010 12:04:23 AM 1333 Views
Re: (Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur... - 20/10/2010 10:20:28 PM 1704 Views
Re: (Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur... - 20/10/2010 11:23:38 PM 1598 Views
Re: Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,... - 20/10/2010 10:15:58 PM 1736 Views
On Ron's reaction to Fleur... - 20/10/2010 11:30:48 PM 1670 Views
Re: On Ron's reaction to Fleur... - 20/10/2010 11:58:45 PM 1730 Views
Fleur - 23/10/2010 05:11:08 PM 1555 Views
Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins. - 20/10/2010 09:23:04 PM 1618 Views
Characters. - 25/10/2010 03:10:35 AM 1549 Views
Plotting and writing. - 20/10/2010 03:47:55 PM 1677 Views
*minor spoilers for book 7* - 20/10/2010 09:23:44 PM 1719 Views
Anything else? *NM* - 20/10/2010 03:48:07 PM 777 Views
Dumbledore's Stephen Fry moment... or maybe that's just me. - 22/10/2010 07:35:59 PM 1512 Views
It's not just you - 22/10/2010 08:34:25 PM 1500 Views
Chapters 7-9: Slug Club, Snape Victorious, The Half-Blood Prince *NM* - 22/10/2010 07:23:03 PM 929 Views
Characters *NM* - 22/10/2010 07:23:24 PM 873 Views
Harry, Romilda, Malfoy (in luuuve), Snape, Lavender Brown, McGonagall, Hermione and Slughorn. - 22/10/2010 07:26:19 PM 1758 Views
Thoughts about your thoughts. - 23/10/2010 05:28:10 PM 1510 Views
Re: Thoughts about your thoughts. - 24/10/2010 09:18:37 AM 1540 Views
More characters. - 25/10/2010 03:21:33 AM 1518 Views
Re: More characters. - 25/10/2010 10:27:33 AM 1517 Views
Love is in the air, evidently. - 22/10/2010 07:54:35 PM 1696 Views
Re: Love is in the air, evidently. - 22/10/2010 09:04:24 PM 1629 Views
Re: Love is in the air, evidently. - 22/10/2010 09:54:46 PM 1553 Views
Slytherin had been in need of new blood for a long time. (And assorted other comments.) - 22/10/2010 10:34:49 PM 1713 Views
Neville. - 23/10/2010 05:30:39 PM 1614 Views
Re: Neville. - 08/11/2010 02:35:57 PM 1698 Views
NEWT Potions - 24/10/2010 03:24:42 AM 1688 Views
Re: Characters - 24/10/2010 03:41:30 AM 1755 Views
Re: Characters - 25/10/2010 10:44:00 AM 1580 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM* - 22/10/2010 07:23:37 PM 875 Views
Dumbledore, patronuses and the DADA job. - 22/10/2010 07:27:23 PM 1641 Views
Malfoy and the DADA job. - 22/10/2010 10:51:03 PM 1548 Views
Re: Malfoy and the DADA job. - 25/10/2010 11:31:57 AM 1573 Views
Re: Dumbledore, patronuses and the DADA job. - 23/10/2010 05:32:27 PM 1562 Views
Anything else? *NM* - 22/10/2010 07:23:50 PM 895 Views
I believe in Wrackspurts, too. And some questions. - 22/10/2010 07:28:04 PM 1517 Views
Re: I believe in Wrackspurts, too. And some questions. - 23/10/2010 05:33:27 PM 1638 Views
Re: I believe in Wrackspurts, too. And some questions. - 25/10/2010 03:06:43 AM 1623 Views
Chapters 10-12: The House of Gaunt, Hermione's Helping Hand, Silver and Opals. *NM* - 25/10/2010 05:00:02 PM 930 Views
Characters: The Gaunts, the Trio, Hagrid, and many more. *NM* - 25/10/2010 05:02:07 PM 900 Views
Harry's continued insistence about Malfoy really irritates me (even though he's right). - 25/10/2010 06:15:23 PM 1789 Views
*lol* - 25/10/2010 06:39:19 PM 1648 Views
I don't hide from my faults. - 25/10/2010 08:01:39 PM 1487 Views
Re: I don't hide from my faults. - 28/10/2010 04:59:54 AM 1652 Views
Re: *lol* - 26/10/2010 09:50:09 AM 1641 Views
~geeky moment~ - 26/10/2010 03:14:52 PM 1535 Views
Re: ~geeky moment~ - 26/10/2010 09:49:12 PM 1499 Views
Trelawny, Ogden, Gaunt, Ron, Hermione, Ron and Harry - 25/10/2010 10:23:55 PM 1585 Views
Re: Trelawny, Ogden, Gaunt, Ron, Hermione, Ron and Harry - 26/10/2010 11:56:59 PM 1674 Views
Re: Trelawny, Ogden, Gaunt, Ron, Hermione, Ron and Harry - 27/10/2010 08:14:42 AM 1683 Views
Plotting and writing. - 25/10/2010 05:03:16 PM 1647 Views
Amazing amounts of accurate guesswork here, in hindsight. - 25/10/2010 05:37:28 PM 1685 Views
Re: Amazing amounts of accurate guesswork here, in hindsight. - 26/10/2010 09:46:47 AM 1584 Views
The smuggling and Trelawney's rambling. - 27/10/2010 12:05:48 AM 1630 Views
Re: The smuggling and Trelawney's rambling. - 27/10/2010 08:10:46 AM 1555 Views
Things - 25/10/2010 10:24:19 PM 1657 Views
Re: Things - 27/10/2010 12:01:17 AM 1679 Views
Anything else? *NM* - 25/10/2010 05:03:32 PM 720 Views
Dumbledore still sounds like Stephen Fry. And reflections on the nature of Potions class. - 25/10/2010 05:11:24 PM 1500 Views
It's like baking, I think. - 25/10/2010 05:32:42 PM 1634 Views
Good analogy - 25/10/2010 05:52:38 PM 1481 Views
Yes, exactly like baking - and advanced baking involves experimenting, substituting, improvising. - 25/10/2010 06:42:42 PM 1686 Views
But not at high school. - 25/10/2010 07:57:44 PM 1595 Views
Also - 04/11/2010 09:29:47 AM 1554 Views
Also, Parseltongue - is Harry that thick, or is it a magic thing? - 25/10/2010 05:18:41 PM 1616 Views
I think it's a magic thing. - 25/10/2010 05:34:09 PM 1603 Views
It can be learned actually. Dumbledore implies he knows it and Ron uses it in book 7 - 25/10/2010 05:55:28 PM 1568 Views
Huh. I completely missed that. Good thing we're doing a reread. - 25/10/2010 05:57:38 PM 1566 Views
Speaking of Dumbledore and Parseltongue. - 28/10/2010 05:03:10 AM 1842 Views
parseltongue - 25/10/2010 10:24:46 PM 1718 Views
Interesting how many of our remarks are along similar lines. *NM* - 25/10/2010 10:27:30 PM 761 Views
Indeed - 26/10/2010 09:20:43 AM 1611 Views
Chapters 13-15: The Secret Riddle, Felix Felicis, The Unbreakable Vow *NM* - 27/10/2010 04:16:28 PM 889 Views
Characters: The Trio, Ginny, Tom Riddle, Draco,... *NM* - 27/10/2010 04:17:12 PM 875 Views
Dumbledore, Voldemort, Ron & Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Luna - 27/10/2010 10:31:39 PM 1586 Views
My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around. - 29/10/2010 01:47:20 PM 1562 Views
Girls. - 29/10/2010 05:54:25 PM 1595 Views
Draco: Not as confident as he appears, surely. - 29/10/2010 02:02:01 PM 1751 Views
Re: Draco: Not as confident as he appears, surely. - 29/10/2010 09:01:56 PM 1726 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM* - 27/10/2010 04:17:26 PM 691 Views
plot and writing. - 27/10/2010 10:30:14 PM 1615 Views
Re: plot and writing. - 28/10/2010 05:07:03 AM 1767 Views
Draco can dissemble rather well, just like his parents. - 29/10/2010 02:08:35 PM 1635 Views
Re: Draco can dissemble rather well, just like his parents. - 29/10/2010 09:00:36 PM 1643 Views
Anything else? *NM* - 27/10/2010 04:17:42 PM 724 Views
Re: Anything else? - 27/10/2010 10:30:55 PM 1749 Views
Re: Anything else? - 28/10/2010 04:56:10 AM 1697 Views
Harry comments on that when in Snape's memories in book five. - 28/10/2010 10:42:08 AM 1555 Views
I wonder if that's actually true, though. - 28/10/2010 10:39:20 AM 1740 Views
Re: I wonder if that's actually true, though. - 28/10/2010 10:44:22 AM 1603 Views
It's more than that, though. - 28/10/2010 10:55:49 AM 1664 Views
Re: It's more than that, though. - 28/10/2010 11:48:19 AM 1486 Views
Chapters 16-18: A Very Frosty Christmas, A Sluggish Memory, Birthday Surprises *NM* - 29/10/2010 05:40:39 PM 862 Views
Characters: The Trio, Fleur, Scrimgeour, Percy, Remus, Slughorn,... *NM* - 29/10/2010 05:43:02 PM 950 Views
Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour - 29/10/2010 08:51:58 PM 1746 Views
Re: Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour - 29/10/2010 11:24:02 PM 1571 Views
Re: Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour - 29/10/2010 11:51:06 PM 1580 Views
Re: Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour - 31/10/2010 09:14:46 PM 1817 Views
Re: Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour - 31/10/2010 09:07:19 PM 1674 Views
Re: Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour - 02/11/2010 06:23:04 PM 1635 Views
Re: Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour - 02/11/2010 07:20:26 PM 1331 Views
Re: Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour - 04/11/2010 04:03:02 AM 1570 Views
And - 04/11/2010 10:46:37 AM 1587 Views
Plotting and writing. - 29/10/2010 05:43:49 PM 1512 Views
Re: Plotting and writing. - 29/10/2010 08:52:34 PM 1668 Views
Anything else? *NM* - 29/10/2010 05:44:04 PM 759 Views
My comments on Potions class were heeded! Excellent. - 29/10/2010 11:28:43 PM 1582 Views
Re: My comments on Potions class were heeded! Excellent. - 29/10/2010 11:52:12 PM 1668 Views
Chapters 19-21: Elf Tails, Lord Voldemort's Requests, The Unknowable Room *NM* - 01/11/2010 02:00:22 PM 655 Views
Characters: The Trio, the elves, Draco, Dumbledore,... *NM* - 01/11/2010 02:00:56 PM 981 Views
the twins, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Voldemort, Draco and Tonks - 01/11/2010 02:08:32 PM 1477 Views
Re: the twins, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Voldemort, Draco and Tonks - 01/11/2010 05:10:11 PM 1724 Views
Re: the twins, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Voldemort, Draco and Tonks - 01/11/2010 05:16:30 PM 1806 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM* - 01/11/2010 02:01:13 PM 761 Views
Dumbledore, little girls and the house-elf issue again. - 01/11/2010 02:09:35 PM 1799 Views
Anything else? *NM* - 01/11/2010 02:01:27 PM 779 Views
Chapters 22-24: After the Burial, Horcruxes, Sectumsempra - 03/11/2010 09:50:17 PM 1883 Views
Characters. *NM* - 03/11/2010 09:50:33 PM 902 Views
Malfoy, Ron & Hermione, Slughorn, Voldemort, Snape and Ginny. - 04/11/2010 12:12:57 AM 1641 Views
Draco, Slughorn, Snape, the romance. - 04/11/2010 02:02:04 PM 1665 Views
Re: Draco, Slughorn, Snape, the romance. - 04/11/2010 02:16:17 PM 1682 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM* - 03/11/2010 09:50:50 PM 794 Views
Harry wrong again, house elves, horcruxes, free will, well hidden clues and some irony *DH spoiler* - 03/11/2010 10:35:20 PM 1606 Views
Re: Stuff. - 04/11/2010 04:28:04 AM 1661 Views
Re: Stuff. *spoilers for book 7* - 04/11/2010 09:10:19 AM 1668 Views
This "we'll see in book seven" thing is getting old, but still that's what I have to say here... - 04/11/2010 01:23:01 PM 1505 Views
Yes, I think you are right - 04/11/2010 01:24:41 PM 1669 Views
Well, I'm back. Some comments inside. *DH Spoilers* - 08/11/2010 02:28:11 PM 1645 Views
Anything else? *NM* - 03/11/2010 09:51:04 PM 777 Views
Chapters 25-27: The Seer Overheard, The Cave, The Lightning-Struck Tower - 05/11/2010 05:37:42 PM 1497 Views
Plotting and writing. - 05/11/2010 05:39:27 PM 1337 Views
*spoilers for book 7* - 05/11/2010 07:55:07 PM 1547 Views
Anything else? *NM* - 05/11/2010 05:39:43 PM 803 Views
I like how good magic is not flashy. Also, a Tolkien thing - 05/11/2010 07:55:27 PM 1588 Views
I didn't take the comparison as far, but the gate thing did remind me of Moria, yes. (DH spoilers) - 05/11/2010 10:03:16 PM 1815 Views
yes - 05/11/2010 10:06:43 PM 1573 Views
Chapters 28-30: Flight of the Prince, The Phoenix Lament, The White Tomb. *NM* - 09/11/2010 02:13:12 PM 903 Views
Characters. *NM* - 09/11/2010 02:13:25 PM 740 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM* - 09/11/2010 02:13:40 PM 869 Views
Spoilers. - 09/11/2010 02:26:38 PM 1519 Views
Re: Spoilers. - 09/11/2010 04:49:06 PM 1572 Views
I'm assuming not even the Ministry knows 100% what she did. - 13/11/2010 12:26:14 AM 1670 Views
Very true. - 15/11/2010 01:48:36 PM 1659 Views
Not much, no, but there's one fairly crucial mention. - 15/11/2010 04:37:23 PM 1628 Views
Re: Spoilers. - 13/11/2010 12:22:22 AM 1777 Views
Re: Spoilers. - 13/11/2010 09:38:09 AM 1915 Views
Anything else? *NM* - 09/11/2010 02:13:53 PM 750 Views
We did the Harry Potter marathon thing on Sunday - 09/11/2010 02:28:08 PM 1643 Views
I vaguely remember something of the sort, yes. - 09/11/2010 02:57:56 PM 1838 Views
Re: I vaguely remember something of the sort, yes. - 09/11/2010 02:58:56 PM 1540 Views
This is definitely the most painfully altered of the movies. - 09/11/2010 04:34:33 PM 1663 Views
Re: This is definitely the most painfully altered of the movies. - 09/11/2010 04:36:29 PM 1642 Views
Very true. - 09/11/2010 04:40:24 PM 1883 Views
Re: Very true. - 09/11/2010 04:43:45 PM 2114 Views
Agreed. - 09/11/2010 04:53:46 PM 1651 Views
Re: Agreed. - 09/11/2010 04:58:59 PM 1754 Views

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