Question for those who have finished (SPOILER ALERT)

[MarinaTwinMom]

Originally Posted by BC-Christine

I do NOT get the impression Harry is ready to fight Voldemort. He couldn't even take on SNAPE for goodness sake!!!

First of all, let me say that I loved Book 6.

That said, I was VERY disappointed that that J.K. Rowling didn't make more of Snape's teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. She'd built up to that in all the previous books. He really, really wanted the job, and knew the subject inside and out. But when Snape finally gets the job in Book 6, she barely mentions it again. I would have thought she'd have him teach the students some really nasty spells, creative ways to defend themselves against dark wizards, spells he'd created, etc. You know, to help Harry and his friends learn ways of defeating Voldemort?

As you said, it was clear at the end of the book that Harry is nowhere near ready to take on Voldemort. He couldn't even take on Snape.

A side note ... was anyone else surprised that Dumbledore didn't do a nonverbal spell against Draco or the Death Eaters, therefore saving himself? After all the emphasis on nonverbal spells throughout the book, I figured he (or even Harry) would do one then. But they didn't.

[Brina]

I agree that Harry is not ready to take on Voldy. I think book 7 is going to be a kind of quest. Harry is going on a voyage of discovery and learning -both about himself, and the magic that he will need to take on voldy. Think of the empire strikes back. Harry will learn from the people that he meets along his way, little bits here and there that will add up to the ability to take on voldemort.

I think JKR is doing a double-double-cross on us. She spent this whole book trying to make us think bad of Snape, and yet dropping these little clues that he is not all bad. I think dumbledore was pleading with snape to end his life, not save it. He knew that it would save snape (who would die due to the unbreakable vow if he did not help draco in his task) and save harry.

Snape spent most of his time this book doing things that would help harry in the long run: teaching about unspoken spells, not taking the potions book from Harry (I think he had to know that harry had it - he could have just picked it up via occlumency, and when harry performed that spell on draco, it certainly gave it away) he did not do anything to harm harry as they were running across hogwarts grounds to hogsmead - he could have magically bound harry and taken him to voldemort, but he didn't, he just kept blocking his spells. finally, he even instructed harry that he had to learn to shield his thoughts in order to effectively fight against voldemort. Now granted, he could have done a better job of teaching harry occlumency, instead of getting his own feelings in the way, but he was instructing him at the end.

Snape has to be either the one too cowardly to return or the one who has left him forever

Snape addresses this himself when nacissa and bellatrix are in his house. he says that voldemort thought that he would never return, but when he did, albeit a few hours later, voldemort understood what he was up to and forgave him, even instucting him to continue to spy on dumbledore.

A side note ... was anyone else surprised that Dumbledore didn't do a nonverbal spell against Draco or the Death Eaters, therefore saving himself? After all the emphasis on nonverbal spells throughout the book, I figured he (or even Harry) would do one then. But they didn't.

his last chance to do a non-verbal spell before losing his wand was to freeze harry.

Also, Dumbledore obviously could tell when he was being lied to in any way.

But voldemort is very skilled at legilimins as well. Snape is obviously very talented at occlumency, as he is fooling one of the two greatest at this art, either dumbledore or voldemort.

[BC-NanceLee]

Just finished. I too thought it went very fast; much faster than previous books and I am not sure why, unless besides Slughorn and the new Minister, there really were not new characters, and therefore new relationships, to introduce and flesh out.

I think Snape agreed to the unbreakable vow without knowing what it was. I think Dumbledore knew what he was doing, both in trusting Snape and all the way up to the method and timing of his death.

I can't STAND that Max and I waited all this time for this book, read it in one after the other in three days and now have to wait YEARS for the next installment! Did you notice how she had Harry think at the end that when he faced Voldemort it could be next week, next month or in 10 YEARS, something like that? Hope that wasn't her warning her readers to be patient, now that her personal life has changed and she is maybe writing at a slower pace!

[JJsmom]

Originally Posted by BC-NanceLee

Did you notice how she had Harry think at the end that when he faced Voldemort it could be next week, next month or in 10 YEARS, something like that? Hope that wasn't her warning her readers to be patient, now that her personal life has changed and she is maybe writing at a slower pace!

Now that would be just weird to come to the next book and Harry is suddenly a lot older and wiser...like Luke in Return of the Jedi... I hope that doesn't happen...part of the fun of these books is watching him grow...we'd miss too much the other way.

Amy

[cmls529]

What a cool board this is. My DH has been making fun of me all weekend (lovingly) It is great to know there are other Harry Potter lovers out there. I too cried hysterically after Dumbledore died. I was horrified that it was Snape. I thought he was on the good side. He could still be. They had the chance to kill Harry while running towards the forbidden forest but told the Death Eaters not to. He also killed Dumbledore quickly not like the curses that drive you insane with pain. I don't know. I knew Dumbledore was going to die just not like that..........Colleen

[BC-Christina]

Wow! I sorta figured D would die so that a final showdown with Harry and Voldemort could take place in book 7. As long as D is alive he would protect Harry...his last act of freezing him was to protect him.

Snape...after the chapter on the unbreakable vow I was certain he was going to be the one to kill D. Now is he good or evil, I have to side with good. He is showing signs (especially towards Draco and even towards Harry) of love, evil does not love. At the end he could have easily just left Harry standing there, but he gives him information on defeating the Dark Lord. The unbreakable vow is still there so I do believe Snape will die saving Draco and that Draco will help Harry in his quest to find the horcruxes and defeat V.

I also think more than one horcrux is in Hogwarts. What about the Gryffindorf hourglass with the rubies? It is mention several times in the last 50 pages.

[MarinaTwinMom]

Originally Posted by BC-Christina

The unbreakable vow is still there so I do believe Snape will die saving Draco and that Draco will help Harry in his quest to find the horcruxes and defeat V.

I also think more than one horcrux is in Hogwarts. What about the Gryffindorf hourglass with the rubies? It is mention several times in the last 50 pages.

I'll bet you're right about Snape saving Draco (probably by sacrificing himself), and Draco somehow helping Harry defeat V. That makes a lot of sense. There has to be some significance in Dumbledore wanting Snape to protect Draco (which, I think, is why Dumbledore begged Snape to kill him so that Draco wouldn't become a killer).

I'll also bet you're right about the hourglass.

[rchatter]

I just finished reading the book. I procrastinated reading the end because the scence before they went to retrieved the horcrux screamed "Dumbledore is going to die soon!!" I couldn't face it. My dh is wondering why I am so glum. "Its only a book"

I went to the leaky cauldron link. I agree...good read. Snape had no choice to help Malfroy since he took the vow. It wouldn't be a good read if Snape died. Readers would be applauding.

Does anyone else notice how after 6 years of school, Harry's magic is still basic. They kept mentioning his mother was good at potions. What is Harry good at? He had only one more year. Do the students get there true training in the real world?

[E'sMommy]

Ok...question...portraits of past headmasters... They had conversations with Dumbledore and now Dumbledore's portrait is there. Does that mean he can still communicate with people who are in the office?