The Museum

Alright, Five Bucksateers, here is your nonofficial friendly corner of the web with no spoilers - seriously, if you post a spoiler without labeling it, I'll learn voodoo just to curse your ass - to discuss the book while you're reading it.

The rules:

1. If you don't care about the books, just enjoy the gang dressed up for no real reason, and don't post anything.
2. Do not post a spoiler. Anyone posting "MCGONAGALL RULEZ ALL! LOL!!!1!" will be cursed to hell and I have RAW find your IP address and steal your identity, I swear to Francis of Assisi.
3. The protocol is this: If you're discussing a particular plot point, first; write "SPOILER: CHAPTER [XX]" in all caps, just like that. Second; push enter twice, so there's an extra space in there. Third; I want to strike harmony between being able to host a discussion and hosting a spoiler site, so write whatever you want, but, please, exercise a bit of judgment.
4. You're all intelligent - if you think you shouldn't post it, you shouldn't post it.
5. Cursing CK for knowing all of this ahead of time is perfectly acceptable. I'll get you started - DAMN YOU, CK, YOU BOOKISH ROCKSTAR!
6. Just kidding, CK, we love you.
7. That's really it. Enjoy the book - I'm out of commission for a few hours tomorrow, but I basically intend to stay up 'til the job is done Saturday.
8. Oh, we're going to Diagon Alley tonight - Mercer Street behind Scholastic's HQ - for a few hours before figuring out what else we want to do. If you see a really hott girl with a moran with sideburns in a "This Guitar is a Horcrux" T, feel free to say hi.

Discuss!

RAW -- Friday, July 20 2007, 08:41 am

HP Discussion open for business.

You're a brilliant, brilliant man.

I love you all too! Hell, the book will be out in 13-odd hours -- I love the *world* right now.

My fearless predictions (no spoilers, natch):

1. Harry will live. Obviously. Ron, Hermione and Ginny are also going to live. Anyone else is fair game - I'm scared for Neville particularly. And one of the Weasleys has to go - sob! I'm guessing Fred or George.

2. Snape is good, but not nice (as Uncle Stephen Sondheim tells us, "nice is different than good".)

3. Deathly Hallows are some other way to describe horcruxes.

4. Ron and Hermione are going to hook up in... let's say... chapter 21.

Predictions are fun.

1. I have a bad feeling about Hogwart's. A few weeks ago, I thought it was going to be destroyed. I'm not as sure now for some reason, but I think there is going to be a battle there.

2. I am not sure about Ron. Hermione will live - Ron may take a bullet for either Hermione or Harry, though.

3. Snape dies a redemptive death. Similarly, Draco does something good at some point. Draco lives.

4. Dolores Umbridge continues to suck so bad that I want to punch a tree.

More Predictions

1. A friend's used car salesman (no kidding) decided that Harry was a horcrux. Not sure I buy it.

2. Harry dies, but figures out how to walk back through Death's Doorway that appeared in HP V. Really unlikely, but I still like the idea after my re-read of V. Luna might help out with this.

3. Showdown happens in Godric Hollows--where Harry's parents were killed.

4. I second that either Fred or George is a gonner... only makes sense.

You know what's kind of funny? All the resurrection spells that've been mention in the series are Dark. Why don't the good guys have any resurrection spells? (Maybe they do, but.)

The Harry is a Horcrux one has been kicked around in circles that kick around such topics (specifically, his scar, I believe). I don't know that I buy it, either... It would involve *Lily* being the one that effectively stopped Voldemort, and with his last strength, he made Harry the Horcrux. On the other hand, it does kind of fit the prophecy. Which I was about to try and look up, but there's no way I'm Googling Harry Potter right now.

Because the good guys accept that "to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure," and therefore do not choose to resurrect themselves.

The prophecy runs something like "But he shall have power the Dark Lord knows not, for one shall die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives."

(I'm not looking either of those up, but you get the gist.)

Yeah, but I bet it would've been handy to be able to resurrect people back in the day when the Death Eaters were wrecking shop - both as additional forces in the good fight, and as witnesses in trials.

The vaguely surf-rock stylings of Draco and the Malfoys are really entertaining me.

Am I missing it, or do they not explain what the Snitch is in these real-life Quidditch matches?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070718/us_nm/arts_potter_quidditch_dc

The AV Club is running a liveblog, too - it'll be HEAVY ON SPOILERS, just so everyone knows that going in.

http://www.avclub.com/content/feature/harry_potter_and_the

"And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives." (V, p. 841)

I find the grammar of this interesting, but I don't think I'm really willing to start splitting hairs. The word that really sticks--which few remember when they quote the prophecy--is "either"... But again, not sure how much it matters.

And just so no one thinks I'm nuts, I'm at home right now so I can look it up... I have not taken to carrying all of the books around with me. :)

We just got home with the book, and I'm midway through the third chapter. We had really good luck - poor 15 is probably just getting the book now. The interesting thing is that 2.0 and I turned to each other on the subway and each said that we felt like we're reading something that we shouldn't be. Seriously, I feel like I'm in someone else's room!

And the Sox won and Goat Fuckers lost, so today is officially awesome. Oh, and happy birthday, Drolett.

Godspeed to all - I'll check in before I turn in for the night.

MILDEST HINT OF A SPOILER - CHAPTER EIGHT -

Just finished chapter eight, need to go to bed now so I can get up and clean Central Park tomorrow like a sucka. I've lost the feeling that I'm trespassing, which is nice, and am enjoying the hell out of things, grim as they are.

God dammit, there'd better be a burning orphanage for me to save in Central Park, or I'm going to mighty miffed.

So far, the reviews are good. Whew. But I want more! I guess everyone who finished the book last night is sleeping it off . . . and everyone else is still reading . . .

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER FOR CHAPTER "Kreacher's Tale"

I did find one liveblog where a girl wrote, "OMG, Regulus Black is R.A.B. -- the handwriting's the same!" And I did a little happy dance, because we deliberately set the sign on Regulus's door in the same font as the R.A.B. note in the last book -- I remember having a conversation with the designer about it. It's so satisfying editorially when something like that pays off!

The line last night was so crazy.... even though I'd pre-ordered. I'm in the midst of Chapter 6.

MILD SPOILER CHAPTER 6

The conversation about the soul not being harmed, even when the body is killed, is really interesting. So what happens to the soul when the Killing Curse is used?

Not readin' what the rest of ye wrote yet, but so far I'm on like 490 or so and have choked up twice. This is fucking intense.

Oh, I stopped counting how many times I've choked up... and I'm only on page 390. I don't have time to type many spoilers or the like. Beautiful design, though, CK. The cover has fewer hints than previous editions--I looked it over closely before even beginning. And, yeah, good story, too. :)

MILD SPOILER CHAPTER 6, BACK AT AD

In Half-Blood, there was a discussion that committing a murder rends the soul, if I'm not mistaken. I'm guessing that the soul repairs itself to some extent, unless it's harnessed into a Horcrux. But I'm just a guy at a place - CK may know more. Wait, I totally mis-read that question. Uh, the soul leaves the body and goes beyond the veil in the Department of Mysteries? Now I'm totally making stuff up. 2.0 says it just leaves the body, and we don't know what happens to it, like in real life.

MILD SPOILER, FIRST HALF OF THE BOOK:

Is it just me, or does Polyjuice Potion last a lot longer than an hour in this one? Is it because the potion in book two was made by second-year Hermione?

I just finished .. well, I won't tell you all what chapter, but I'm very close to the end, and my mind is so blown that I'm going to go get a burrito now.

CK, you become even more amazing the more info I know you've been sitting on these past few months. Yikes.

And finished. Yowza.

So whadja think? Whadja think? Huh? Huh? Huh?

(Sadly, this is the behavior I've been displaying all day -- going to every fan forum and liveblogging I can find -- desperate to talk about this book after seven months, I guess! The Onion AV Club's been great -- thanks for pointing it out!)

I e-mailed you, check your gmail! (Apologies if that's not your main e-mail - I've got like five to choose from for you, for some reason)

Also, can't find video of your Nightline turn - just the text story.

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=3399452&page=1

James put it up on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk7hCYHd5Hw

They used some of the beer garden footage! (I don't remember whether we can see you and 2.0, though.)

SPOILERS! BOOK COMPLETED!

SPOILERS! BOOK COMPLETED!

SPOILERS! BOOK COMPLETED!

Just wanted to give plenty of warning there, since I'm going to give general impressions. I'm still not going to go into deep details, but here we go.

OK, so I thought that was a brilliant way for the series to end. The chase scene at the beginning and the sequence in the Ministry were two of the most tense sequences I've ever read. The Ministry one, especially. I don't know what about that, but it really had me on the edge of my... subway seat, I guess was where I was at that point.

Just off the head, times I started to tear up (never let it be said I am not a huge softy): I believe the Dudley part, actually; the wedding; Dobby; Kreacher's redemption; when Ron came back; the DA reunited; Neville's moment at the final battle; the end. Dobby's funeral, especially, wrecked me.

Big ups to Sweaty with the pendant Horcrux. I had thought the one at Hogwart's was actually going to be the trophy that Riddle's name was on from book two, but I guess that's because I took the no-Ravenclaw-artifact at face value.

I can't believe I never put together Godric's Hollow. And I think I can write a mystery? I'm lucky there's no IQ test to have a Pig Roast.

Pages 300-400 make me wonder how the crap they'll ever adapt this for screen. This one will have to be long. (Also around this time, I thought we could rename the book Harry Potter and Ron the Whiny Git.)

I'm tired and wired, so I haven't figured out what it was exactly that was included in the film of Harry 3 that was so shocking to JK because it would be important later.

HUGE FUCKING SPOILER RIGHT HERE, IN CASE YOU FOR SOME REASON ARE READING THIS AND HAVEN'T FINISHED THE BOOK

I had to reread the final conversation about the Elder Wand three times to figure out how exactly Draco was the wand's master.

The Prince's Tale may not be the Grand Inquisitor chapter of the Brothers Karamazov, but it's probably the second best chapter I've ever read. Just great.

Um, what else. I dunno. I'm kind of utterly loopy at this point. Mrs. Weasley really kicked some ass there at the end, and I'm glad that the McGonagall theory link I found a month or two back was wrong.

Yeah, so that's what I've got for now. I'm going to take my contacts out now.

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Just so no one accidentally read my last post without meaning to.

Just started watching it - the tag James put up is effing brilliant.

Alright, just watched it - 2.0 and I are blissfully absent from the highlights. But I hope whatever jackhole on Mugglenet that I've offered to gut saw that interview, because, darling, you looked mahvelous!

Also, I love that they panned past your "Vampire Slayers Against Bush" sign instead of cutting it completely.

Just finished as well and am soooo tired.

SPOILERS... SPOILERS...

NO REALLY, STOP READING

I'm not even going to bother listing all of the times I teared up (and that's saying a lot for me, people were impressed I cracked up at my own wedding). Dobby's funeral was one of the biggest... though so was Neville's scene at the end.

On that... did he get the sword by asking to get it out of the room of requirement? I think that's the answer, and he would have known how important it was because he tried to steal it the first time. Right?

I need to go back and look at the Elder Wand thing again; and maybe dive back into the end of VI to figure it all out.

So good. The writing was amazing; very dark though. Not that I didn't expect it, but wow. But it wasn't overwhelmingly so; I just knew it would turn out okay, but I didn't know how.

And so Harry was a horcrux, and he figured out how to come back from the dead, even though he really wasn't dead. Several of your predictions were also right on, Bullfrog. And #15 called a Weasley twin.

Oh, (good call, Bullfrog) what is with the polyjuice potion in this one? Can we assumed they learned a think or two from the fake Mad-Eye and kept drinking?

Last thing, I'm impressed that Rowling figured out a way to keep both Ron and Hermione alive. The whole friend has to die thing is pretty expected in these sorts of books, but I certainly don't feel cheated that they both lived.

Okay, now I'm going to go eat dinner and get a neck massage. Might even post more later.

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I think Neville grabbed the sword out of the Sorting Hat, like Harry did in book 2, because he is a true Gryffindor. I'm not sure, particularly, why they tried to steal it the first time, though. Random chance?

Yeah, the breakneck pace of the evil assaults in the first half of this book, and then the wearying middle section (which I believe was intentionally wearying), really stressed the hopelessness of the situation, I thought.

I really liked Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy's utter lack of redemption, also. Prats to the end.

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I'm finished too - actually rereading the big battle scene now to catch the finer points.

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Ok, I really think it was a pretty good read. (Sorry, just being bratty. Loved it, for the most part.) Random thoughts:

- Can I get a hell yeah on SNAPE!!!!! You know, for the last two years I wanted so badly for him to be good that I think "The Prince's Tale" was easily the most moving chapter of the whole book for me. But on the other hand, "The Forest Again" was a pretty damn moving chapter, too.

- No I'm not done with Snape yet. The image of him dying, and the memories coming out of his eyes and ears and nose and mouth - just, wow.

-Harry: "Is this the moment?" to Ron and Hermione during their first kiss. Genius! And my other favorite one-liner of the book was Fred's: "Pathetic! With the whole wide world of ear-related humor before you, you go for holey?"

- Speaking of Fred: nooooo! (I totally called it however). I was less clever about the other deaths (I'd NEVER have thought she'd kill off freaking Dobby).

- Also on the romance front, Ginny was SO planning to do a lot more than snog Harry goodbye, (go go girlfriend)

- Ron leaving was the most upsetting part of the first half of the book. I was FREAKING OUT - didn't want to continue reading, even. Then I remembered the deluxe edition cover with all three of them on the dragon and I obviously hadn't gotten to that scene yet, so I figured Ron'd make up for it before too long and continued reading. Was I ever surprised to see him destroy that horcrux, though!

- I really didn't want Harry to be a horcrux, nor did I want him to use any unforgivable curses, but as it turns out I was OK with all that in context.

- With all this, a few nitpicks - I don't think it was quite my favorite (I do love that Book 6) but maybe that's just an initial reaction. And the epilogue was a little treacly for me, although I feel really obnoxious and ungrateful saying that.

- HEY! She never told us what James and Lily did for a living! She never told us what HARRY does for a living, even, or Ron and Hermione! If she was going to give us an epilogue, I'd at least have liked a few more details.

- On the other hand, Harry's an AWESOME dad. Which made me really, really happy.

SPOILER

I think this was my favorite, but I do wonder a bit about the epilogue now that I've mulled it over more. The AV Club mentioned it, but I would've thought of it eventually - no shot of George's life, post-Fred?

SPOILER - EPILOGUE & etc.

If she had told us all that we wanted about the characters, the epilogue would have turned into an entire other book. That said, I want more.

I also agree with the woman who wrote the review for the NY Times when she said (paraphrase): no modernist ending here. I appreciate that so much. If you think back to other really good series like this (LotR, Chronicles of Narnia are the two best examples) they all have those endings. The Scouring of the Shire is my favorite chapter in Return of the King. It seems to complete the series to have that type of ending.

And, as requested... HELL YEAH on Snape! His story was amazing and nothing at all like I expected-- props on that. I also totally teared up with Albus Severus. Wow.

Another fav moment... Kreacher leading the house elves! I was on his side with the French Onion soup, but that was just cool.

I don't think anyone should read this page until they're done with the entire book, by the way. It is all a spoiler.

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Actually, if you look at the scenes where they use Polyjuice, none of the action takes much more than an hour, I don't think. The scene in the Ministry might push it a bit, what with all the going to other floors and all, but they start changing back before they're quite out of there; Godric's Hollow likewise might push it, but it doesn't matter much; and in Gringotts the Thief's Downfall washes away their disguises anyway. (We thought about this during the editing.)

My favorite detail in the Snape death scene: the fact that "the green eyes found the black" just as he dies -- Lily's eyes, remember, at last.

One of the commenters on the Onion AV thread said he was pretty sure Ginny was planning to give Harry a little something else "to remember her by," and then he felt like a total skeeze. I had *never thought of that*, so I nearly spit out my drink.

One of my favorite lines (in a bad Bela Lugosi accent): "Vot is the point of being an international Quidditch player if all the good-looking girls are taken?"

Also, "she's nuttier than squirrel poo" (one of Bathilda's neighbors, assessing her mental state). God, it is so good to talk about this at last.

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There probably aren't big spoilers in here, and if anyone is still reading these comments that hasn't finished the book, well, they probably haven't read anything yet anyway.

-I also thought Neville got the sword from the sorting hat. I wonder what Griphook thought about that.

-I didn't really think of the scouring of the shire while I was reading it, but that's a good point. A lot of the last few chapters reminded me of LotR when everyone is leaving for the grey havens, especially the chapter before Harry goes to the forest to face Voldemort.

-Is this a children's series? Granted, I read a lot of stephen king when i was a kid, but still it seems kind of intense.

-I can't believe Mrs. Weasley said "Bitch." Such saucy language.

-I'm so depressed it's over.

-Except for the epilogue. I could have lived without that. That's my one complaint.

-Now what am I supposed to do today? So emotionally drained. I need some ice cream.

SPOILER

My favorite was Ron's "effin'" about midway through.

Ah, I liked the epilogue. Especially Ron's, "It's because I'm incredibly famous."

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SPOILER - BATTLE OF HOGWARTS

2.0 is pissed that not very many Ravenclaws stayed to fight. (She has always been placed in Ravenclaw on the internet quizzes. Oh, and we actually have a friend who's always placed in Syltherin by those things, which kind of shocked me.)

I put up some thoughts on the book, particularly the Hallows and the epilogue, and an expanded listing of my favorite things, at my blog: chavelaque.blogspot.com.

Spoiler

Spoiler

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(is there anyone who has taken more time than I did to finish...probably not, but if you're out there...that warning if for you)

I LOVED IT

Favorite points

My number one favorite scene (and I am happy to see CK shares it among hers) was the moment when Snape hands over his memories and asks to look into Harry's eyes before he dies. Brilliant! Favorite book moment ever.

The Pensieve scene exceeded my expectations.

Dumbledore's admittance of failure was quite moving, and appropriate to the arc of the books.

Neville's work at Hogwarts. I love the man he grew into and his sense of pride when his Gran FINALLY recognized his strengths. I cried there. One of the very few moments actually.

I was happy for the epilogue--maybe this is something boys are irritated with--but for me it reinforced the idea that Harry was content with family and normalcy, and that these things are far richer than adventure and fame and fortune. I did find the sentence about Albus having "Lily's" eyes when the last "Lily" mentioned was his younger sister. It was a bit distracting.

Some crit

I too had to re-read that bit about Draco as master of the Elder Wand, and still misinterpreted the meaning unil J and I looked it up in 6.

The beginning was a bit of a slog for me...I mean it was all great, but I was totally prepared to say that 6 was my favorite until the last third of the book. I think this was actually intentional pacing on the part of JK though. I literally felt tired...as perhaps I would if I was asked by a dead wizard to aimlessly wander about England looking for unknown objects while half the world wants me dead. I think a second read will reveal this pacing to be less tedious.

J wants me to talk to him now, so I'll leave with that...

That was me up there btw...forgot to sign...

SPOILERS (though no specific plot points, really)... Just in case.

I second the comment that Mrs. Weasley calling Beatrix a bitch was, perhaps, one of my favorite moments.

And I'm still drained and haven't had any ice cream yet, though a good call that is.

Lastly, second Grafe's comment that this gets really intense for a children's book. (And I read Ed McBain.) I suppose the length is good because if you start reading aloud when the kid is, say, 7 or so, it will take a few years to get to book 7.

Lastly, major props to CK for holding all of this in for so long!

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LotR Spoiler too

So i was thinking about this yesterday when i was moping around b/c i was so sad that the story's finally been told and now it's over (and I think that's why I keep associating it with LotR because I got that same feeling when I finished those), but when LotR came out did people get pissed at the people who wore the "Frodo Lives" buttons? Or were there just too few fans around for any two of them to randomly bump into each other?

Something else I liked but forgot to mention was the Hermione's gift from Dumbledore and its allusion to the valuable lessons to be learned in children's books. Though I suspect this reference will be viewed by some as self gratifying, the Potter books are quite morally grounded and provide for readers (especially the child reader) values that they may not receive from the adults around them. I think it prepares children to learn to judge right and wrong for themselves.

I think that is why Dumbledore's failure is so key. Harry blindly trusted him, and for that he paid a certain price. He needed to learn to trust his own judgement to succeed

CK, I'd asked you half of this question on Friday (do you have a favorite book?) Now I'd like to know the rest of the answer: WHICH ONE????

Funny question, there, Grafe. I've got the ol' Sepia-Toned Glasses on right now, but I have to imagine people didn't do that back then. Partially because of the amount of die-hand LotR fans back then, and also because Harry Potter, for all its rockingness, really depended on the internet community to build this up to a fever pitch. Otherwise, it could've happened, but would've taken years/decades, like Star Trek. Spoilers for Return of the King could've only circulated to, what, 5% of the LotR fans back then?

do i really still have to say "spoiler"? is anyone still reading? oh, well:

spoiler

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i have lots lots lots to say, but a question first, and this may be some stupid oversight on my part, but i just finished the book now and i haven't had much time to mull: so, the gaunt ring / stone had the peverell coat of arms on it, and that was incontrovertible proof that it was an artifact of slytherin's and the gaunts were the last remaining heirs. also, the last peverell brother had the cloak and passed it down through his family until it reached harry, via james. so does that mean that harry is a descendant of or somehow related to slytherin through the peverells?

according to wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_%28character%29

I think it makes them like 81st cousins or something.

actually, also according to wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Once_removed

i think they would be x cousins y removed, where x is the minimum number of generations from their common ancestor (Peverell) and y is the number of generations between slytherin and potter.

Wow, i learned something today.

In answer to drolett's question, I'm not sure.

While the ring was Slytherin's and had the Gaunt crest on it, that does not mean that the Peverell stone passed to the Slytherin/Gaunt family through heirs. Could have been stolen, found, etc. It is entirely possible that someone else may have figured out what the stone was somewhere else along the line and marked it with the sign of the Deathly Hallows (which I took to be something separate from the Peverell crest). I think the whole point of the Hallows is that so few people believed them to exist they were essentially hidden in the open; known only to those few who recognized the symbol and believed.

Not sure that makes sense, but that's my two sense.

In answer to drolett's question, I'm not sure.

While the ring was Slytherin's and had the Gaunt crest on it, that does not mean that the Peverell stone passed to the Slytherin/Gaunt family through heirs. Could have been stolen, found, etc. It is entirely possible that someone else may have figured out what the stone was somewhere else along the line and marked it with the sign of the Deathly Hallows (which I took to be something separate from the Peverell crest). I think the whole point of the Hallows is that so few people believed them to exist they were essentially hidden in the open; known only to those few who recognized the symbol and believed.

Not sure that makes sense, but that's my two sense.

In answer to drolett's question, I'm not sure.

While the ring was Slytherin's and had the Gaunt crest on it, that does not mean that the Peverell stone passed to the Slytherin/Gaunt family through heirs. Could have been stolen, found, etc. It is entirely possible that someone else may have figured out what the stone was somewhere else along the line and marked it with the sign of the Deathly Hallows (which I took to be something separate from the Peverell crest). I think the whole point of the Hallows is that so few people believed them to exist they were essentially hidden in the open; known only to those few who recognized the symbol and believed.

Not sure that makes sense, but that's my two sense.

So sorry about that... my computer freaked out and decided to post lots of time. Feel so bad.

S'alright, man.

Were the Peverells necessarily related to the Slytherins? I didn't think that was the case. But I'll try and figure it out, since I've already re-started the book.

know what? i am pretty pleased that fleur's family is lovely and gracious. that seems quite insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but i started reading over again this afternoon and i like to see that there is goodness everywhere. and i'm kind of weepy and a bit unsteady knowing that i will never read a new potter and i've had a few PBRs.

Just finished... too tired to read comments. WOW!

Wow, I havent posted in a while. In an effort of ultimate nerd-ness we left the backer absolutely shitfaced on friday night at 1:30am to cab to borders and buy harry potter. No copies there, cabbie takes us to Barnes and Noble, no copies, then to wal-mart, purchases made.

We then returned to the backer for tequila shots until closing. I almost left my new copy on the bar. Stumble home, pass out, finished it the next day instead of studying for the monday (today) investments, operations and managerial communications finals.

It was a triumph of nerdness and and debauchery.

Here I am...very very late...but it's because I was at the beach - stressful time getting the book delivered to my condo, but I succeeded.

I've gotta say, reading this book stressed me out. I kept having to take a break because I felt like I was about to burst. Found it pretty amazing she could write something that felt like watching "24" (at least for me...I can't watch 24 because it stresses me out too much).

I'm just so glad that the main guys live. I would have just been too too sad if they had died. and I love that Harry didnt have to kill Voldy with A.K., he just turned his own evil-ness around on him. brilliant.

oh, and the point that made me cry (the only one, actually)...when they are in the great hall at Hogwarts and McG says anyone over 17 can stay and fight and all of the students stand up to the stupid Slytherins. Everyone together. loved it. loved it.

Wood! Glad to have you back for the big party. And, yeah, MNP, I would say it was totally stressful.

I agree with who ever said the polyjuice potion seemed to last longer than an hour. I think it was just assumed that everyone who was taking it kept drinking it when no one was looking.

Also, Voldemort and Harry being the last two living relatives of the family who sought to best death- Voldemort and Harry both having cheated death when neither died in Godric's Hollow- makes sense.

Draco became the master of the Elder Wand when he disarmed Dumbledore. Snape later showed up and killed Dumbledore but by that time, Draco had already defeated (without killing) Dumbledore and the wand past to him.

Finally, (for me anyway) Voldemort probably tried to kill Harry by aiming the wand at the scar- the location of the horcrux. All he ended up doing was killing the piece of his soul that he didn't know he put there. That was probably what caused Voldemort to collapse- killing a part of his soul he didn't even know was gone.

Just finished (wife had it first and read it in 22 hours, I tried to make it last a little). Not a bad job of tying together a zillion loose threads. Felt like she had trouble writing outside of her comfort zone, the framework of the school year, as her pacing and timing seemed off, but I love the fact that those who were dead stayed dead and didn't have any permanent rebirths. Could have done without the last chapter, though. That seemed unnecessary.

Zero

CK - What was the font that was used for RAB's notes? It is beautiful -- a good choice.