Posts: 11943
From: Pleasanton, CA, USA
Registered: May 2005

posted July 26, 2007 05:27 PM         

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I saw a Republicans For Voldemort bumper sticker yesterday. lol

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Posts: 2512
From: Japan
Registered: Aug 2003

posted July 27, 2007 07:01 AM         

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I'd like to see an "Independents for Snape" sticker myself.

Anybody have any thoughts on Aberforth? I was wondering throughout the series, esp. after book 5, when and if he'd show up in a more active way and what his part would be. Honestly, I didn't expect what he did and said at all.

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Posts: 647
From: London, England
Registered: Sep 2006

posted July 27, 2007 07:02 AM         

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Posts: 3944
From: Calm Blue Ocean, Calm Blue Ocean
Registered: Jun 2003

posted July 27, 2007 06:07 PM         

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Did anyone else think that this book was written more like a screen play than a novel?

I was comparing it to the other books, and I really believe it was by far the most poorly written and uninteresting. I mean, clearly its interesting because we want to know the conclusion, but I think it was just slapped together and pretty much gave people mostly what they wanted. She killed off a few side characters but none of the trio, that would have too horrifying. All in all, mostly disappointed, the end I'm sure will be very cool in film, but at this point I feel like I could just see the movie, the book reads like a movie.

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Posts: 926
From: Neverland...
Registered: May 2002

posted July 27, 2007 06:30 PM         

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BlueRoamer - agree 100%
AG + Eleanore - funny

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Posts: 926
From: Neverland...
Registered: May 2002

posted July 27, 2007 09:07 PM         

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U know Eleanore - I expected Dumbledore to be flawed and I was ok with that, but I think it was too flawed, it verged on evil/cruel whatever, and that marred my memory of him (ok I know it's just a character) but is there something wrong with having someone be noble and true and principled - this was my Albus Dumbledore I feel he has been sullied by this last book

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Posts: 3944
From: Calm Blue Ocean, Calm Blue Ocean
Registered: Jun 2003

posted July 28, 2007 04:10 AM         

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i agree cat71, what was the point of that? To make us less sad that he died? I almost feel like the author was just filling space wiht the whole dumbledore backstory, it wasn't taht interesting and I don't think it fit his character that well.

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Posts: 2512
From: Japan
Registered: Aug 2003

posted July 28, 2007 09:20 AM         

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It did seem a bit cruel. You're right. I certainly wasn't expecting something so ... unlike the idea we had of him. But then I started looking back over the story line as a whole. I think JK gave us a huge clue as to how Dumbledore was flawed this way in the first book. Remember when he is sitting with McGonagall, waiting for Hagrid to show up with infant Harry? They were discussing using the name Voldemort instead of "You-Know-Who".

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quote:

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"... I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."

"I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."

"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."

"Only because you're too - well - noble to use them."

"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."

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(bold is mine)

I remembered how much this exchange bothered me initially. At the end of the first book, it seemed a strange thing for someone like Dumbledore to have said, especially one of the first meaningful things we'd ever heard him say. He rather changed the subject instead of addressing McGonagall's "noble" comment, too.

But I let it go. Certainly he had to be ambitious to be one of the most distinguished wizards of his time and headmaster of Hogwarts. That must've been it, you know?

But then in book 5, when Dumbledore and Harry were having the big, revealing discussion after Sirius had passed, Dumbledore said the following to Harry.

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quote:

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"I cared about you too much," said Dumbledore simply. "I cared more for your happiness than your knowing the truth, more for your peace of mind than my plan, more for your life than the lives that might be lost if the plan failed. In other words, I acted exactly as Voldemort expects we fools who love to act.

"Is there a defense? I defy anyone who has watched you as I have - and I have watched you more closely than you can have imagined- not to want to save you more pain than you had already suffered. What did I care if numbers of nameless and faceless people and creatures were slaughtered in the vague future, if in the here and now you were alive, and well, and happy? I never dreamed that I would have such a person on my hands."

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(bold is mine)

That whole chapter actually left me wondering if we really knew all about Dumbledore. I suspected he had a bit of a cold streak, was more ambitious than I had dared to suspect, and whether or not he was so concerned with Harry's happiness because he saw himself, somehow, in Harry. Extraordinary little Harry ... and Dumbledore? Did they also have equally painful pasts that weighed on them while in school? Was that really why Harry's happiness was so important?

Still, I never expected Dumbledore to go in for the "greater good" garbage. He was young then and I can understand why he was so tempted. He was, after all, brilliant and wanted to help the world/people somehow. As he got older, I believe his priorities changed. But there is undeniably a steely side to Dumbledore that made it possible for him to essentially use people to achieve his goals, even if his goals were wonderful after all and even if he did love the people he used. That doesn't seem to have changed much. Is that true cruelty or is it wisdom? Is it exploiting people or is it understanding human nature well enough to guide others for good? I sure don't have the answers. She really did leave that up to us to decide whereas, with Snape, we were given what she alluded to as his "redemption".

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Posts: 1409
From:
Registered: May 2004

posted July 30, 2007 03:55 PM         

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What happens to Harry Potter and the others...
click here

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Posts: 2512
From: Japan
Registered: Aug 2003

posted July 31, 2007 07:01 AM         

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You were spot on about Ron and Hermione, cat71. It's so nice to know what they went on to do, I have to forward this to all my friends who're done with the series. Thanks so much, Yin.

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Posts: 926
From: Neverland...
Registered: May 2002

posted July 31, 2007 02:19 PM         

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YAY me!!!

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Posts: 2886
From:
Registered: Apr 2005

posted August 17, 2007 11:39 AM         

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just saw this today .. :-)
for the harry potter fans .. coins from the isle of man ..

~ http://24carat.co.uk/manxharrypottercoins.html ~

" In 2001 the Isle of Man issued the first of a series of Harry Potter coins. These are real coins which are legal tender in the Isle of Man. Although we think they are rather too gimmicky for our liking, they appear to be very popular, and we have managed to secure a supply of them, all of which we now keep in stock"

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Posts: 6485
From: New Brighton, MN, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

posted August 19, 2007 12:07 AM         

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I'm just not ready to discuss the book yet -- it's still sinking in and percolating in my mind, as I wonder how I will manage Harry-withdrawals.....

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Posts: 2512
From: Japan
Registered: Aug 2003

posted August 19, 2007 07:02 AM         

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Thanks for that link, HappyDragon! I'm so tempted but I don't think I will. At least, I'll try not to cross the line from fan to fanatic just yet.

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Ooh, I'd love to get a peek at the Azalaknowledge of Harry Potter.

And don't mention withdrawals! I'm postponing rereading it just yet so that it "lasts" longer.

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Posts: 926
From: Neverland...
Registered: May 2002

posted August 19, 2007 12:40 PM         

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Zala - I can see your point - after a month I'm learning to live with the ending. I re-read it the other day and thought to myself 'hmm, it's okay I suppose', maybe in another month I'll love it - it's probably those withdrawal symptons that are causing my negativity

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Posts: 4598
From: The Asylum
Registered: Mar 2006

posted August 22, 2007 12:15 AM         

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I just wanna bump this thread up to say that the epilogue was shiite.

*loved the book though*

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Posts: 4598
From: The Asylum
Registered: Mar 2006

posted August 22, 2007 12:17 AM         

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dp

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