"I've got to be quick," Harry panted. "Dumbledore thinks I'm getting my Invisibility Cloak."
Whereupon he proceeds to give Hermione and Ron the Map, the bottle of Felix Felicis, and instructions to watch what Malfoy and Snape are up to, and then Harry hurries off on the Horcrux Hunt with Dumbledore.
But wait a minute -- here's a quote from much earlier in the book, spoken by Dumbledore in the Weasley's spidery broomshed:
"I wish you to keep your Invisibility Cloak with you at all times from this moment onward. Even within Hogwarts itself. Just in case, do you understand me?"
And just in case you're unsure, note that when Harry dashes up to the dormitory, he grabs only the Map and the rolled up socks containing the potion bottle. He already has the Cloak on him, as confirmed by the fact that he says "Dumbledore thinks" in the statement I quoted above.
Show of hands: Who thinks Dumbledore knew Harry had the Cloak on him, specifically didn't ask him but instead sent him to get it because he knew Harry had something important to do? Could that have been part of the "additional protection" Dumbledore anticipated being "in place" while he himself was gone from Hogwarts?
:::::sigh::::: I keep coming back to this one question: How much does Dumbledore know, how does he know it, how much does he foresee and intend Harry to do and how much is just happy (or unhappy) coincidence? And will we ever know the answer to these questions?
And can I stand to wait 73 more days to find out?
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
May 11
That's the date that we first saw artwork for the Deluxe Scholastic Hardcover edition of HBP. This had a picture of the Gaunt house from the outside, and Harry and Dumbledore following the ministry official through the woods towards it. We were all wondering how it related to the artwork on the regular cover and to the story itself, remember?
So, any day now we should be seeing artwork for the Deluxe edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
So, any day now we should be seeing artwork for the Deluxe edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
"And it takes six months . . . You've got to let it stew . . . ."
"Typical," said Ron.
They're referring, of course, to Felix Felicis, concluding it would be too much of a bother to try and make more of it for themselves because it's complicated to make and also not meant for those who are impatient or poor at planning ahead.
We also know that Polyjuice Potion takes over a month to make, and so does Veritaserum.
Weren't all three of these potions on display in the very first Newt Potion class in HBP? And hadn't Slughorn just arrived at Hogwarts much more recently than even one month?
So, did Slughorn make these ahead and store them somehow? Did Snape make them and Slughorn just use them? How would that work? "Professor Slughorn, I've prepared these potions for my NEWT level class but now that you'll be teaching it, why don't you use them?" From observing them, I'd say the two professors have different enough teaching styles that Slughorn wouldn't use Snape's lesson plans but would teach the class his own way.
Harry is convinced that Malfoy stole the Polyjuice potion for use in having some ready-made but inobtrusive guards for his secret activities. How much potion would that require? Surely more than could be stolen in one shot in a classroom filled with students.
So did Slughorn make the potions ahead of time and pack them away in his suitcase to bring to Hogwarts? Or is this just a case of Jo's maths weakness striking again? And did Draco steal the Polyjuice potion? Did he steal any of the others as well? We see no evidence that he used Felix.
Hmm . . .
They're referring, of course, to Felix Felicis, concluding it would be too much of a bother to try and make more of it for themselves because it's complicated to make and also not meant for those who are impatient or poor at planning ahead.
We also know that Polyjuice Potion takes over a month to make, and so does Veritaserum.
Weren't all three of these potions on display in the very first Newt Potion class in HBP? And hadn't Slughorn just arrived at Hogwarts much more recently than even one month?
So, did Slughorn make these ahead and store them somehow? Did Snape make them and Slughorn just use them? How would that work? "Professor Slughorn, I've prepared these potions for my NEWT level class but now that you'll be teaching it, why don't you use them?" From observing them, I'd say the two professors have different enough teaching styles that Slughorn wouldn't use Snape's lesson plans but would teach the class his own way.
Harry is convinced that Malfoy stole the Polyjuice potion for use in having some ready-made but inobtrusive guards for his secret activities. How much potion would that require? Surely more than could be stolen in one shot in a classroom filled with students.
So did Slughorn make the potions ahead of time and pack them away in his suitcase to bring to Hogwarts? Or is this just a case of Jo's maths weakness striking again? And did Draco steal the Polyjuice potion? Did he steal any of the others as well? We see no evidence that he used Felix.
Hmm . . .
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Inanimate Objects Thinking for Themselves?
"Ginny!" said Mr. Weasley, flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain? . . ."
Chamber of Secrets, p. 329, Scholastic paperback edition.
So, we shouldn't trust inanimate objects that can think for themselves. Have we seen any other objects that can think for themselves? Here's a list (in order of their first appearance in the series):
--The Sorting Hat
--Mr. Weasley's car
--The Goblet of Fire
Are any of these objects Horcruxes? I'd say it's unlikely the Ford Anglia (is Anglia a form of the same word from which we get Angel?) is a Horcrux, being that it's a Muggle car, and was probably made after Riddle's time as a young man. But the Sorting Hat and the Goblet of Fire seem likely choices to me.
I'm sure people have talked about the Sorting Hat. I seem to remember someone pointing out that Harry pulled the sword from the hat. The sword wasn't in the hat when Fawkes brought the hat to Harry. It came out later. It seems to have been left with something more akin to a slice of Gryffindor's soul than Riddle's. I don't mean a Horcrux, but maybe there's some other way of leaving behind some essence of your values, your personality, in an inanimate object, for another purpose than immortality, and Gryffidor did this with the Sorting Hat. I'm not going to pursue this now except to say I don't think the Sorting Hat is one of Riddle's Horcruxes.
But the Goblet of Fire. I wonder where that's kept. Maybe in a vault with other treasure, a vault with a round door or doorway, filled with gold coins and fine objects covered with rubies. Does that sound familiar?
Chamber of Secrets, p. 329, Scholastic paperback edition.
So, we shouldn't trust inanimate objects that can think for themselves. Have we seen any other objects that can think for themselves? Here's a list (in order of their first appearance in the series):
--The Sorting Hat
--Mr. Weasley's car
--The Goblet of Fire
Are any of these objects Horcruxes? I'd say it's unlikely the Ford Anglia (is Anglia a form of the same word from which we get Angel?) is a Horcrux, being that it's a Muggle car, and was probably made after Riddle's time as a young man. But the Sorting Hat and the Goblet of Fire seem likely choices to me.
I'm sure people have talked about the Sorting Hat. I seem to remember someone pointing out that Harry pulled the sword from the hat. The sword wasn't in the hat when Fawkes brought the hat to Harry. It came out later. It seems to have been left with something more akin to a slice of Gryffindor's soul than Riddle's. I don't mean a Horcrux, but maybe there's some other way of leaving behind some essence of your values, your personality, in an inanimate object, for another purpose than immortality, and Gryffidor did this with the Sorting Hat. I'm not going to pursue this now except to say I don't think the Sorting Hat is one of Riddle's Horcruxes.
But the Goblet of Fire. I wonder where that's kept. Maybe in a vault with other treasure, a vault with a round door or doorway, filled with gold coins and fine objects covered with rubies. Does that sound familiar?
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Book 7 Predictions
I took a quiz on The Leaky Cauldron that allows you to predict details of what will happen in Book 7.
I have to qualify that by saying I wish I could have given comments on some of them, and others I was just unsure so I guessed.
For example, "Will Harry learn more about love in the Dept. of Mysteries?" I put no, but I do think we will probably visit the "love" room in the dept. of mysteries and that Harry will learn more about love, though I don't know that he'll learn it at the Ministry. I think Harry's lessons will be learned from life, not from a school book or a research dept. at the Ministry.
"Will we visit the Chamber of Secrets again?" I put yes, but I'm not sure we'll go there, I just think it will have something to do with something in the book. I think the damage Ron's wand explosion caused resulted in the cave-in of the secret passageway behind the 4th floor mirror that Fred and George tell Harry is now completely blocked, though they used it earlier in Harry's second year. Since there are 7 secret passageways, I think that will be significant in some way and the chamber is likely to play a part in it somehow, esp. since Slytherin created it and Voldemort is Slytherin's Heir.
I have to qualify that by saying I wish I could have given comments on some of them, and others I was just unsure so I guessed.
For example, "Will Harry learn more about love in the Dept. of Mysteries?" I put no, but I do think we will probably visit the "love" room in the dept. of mysteries and that Harry will learn more about love, though I don't know that he'll learn it at the Ministry. I think Harry's lessons will be learned from life, not from a school book or a research dept. at the Ministry.
"Will we visit the Chamber of Secrets again?" I put yes, but I'm not sure we'll go there, I just think it will have something to do with something in the book. I think the damage Ron's wand explosion caused resulted in the cave-in of the secret passageway behind the 4th floor mirror that Fred and George tell Harry is now completely blocked, though they used it earlier in Harry's second year. Since there are 7 secret passageways, I think that will be significant in some way and the chamber is likely to play a part in it somehow, esp. since Slytherin created it and Voldemort is Slytherin's Heir.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
More thoughts on the covers
I have two words for those who think the creature behind Harry on the UK Children's edition cover is a house-elf:
bat-like ears
No, the creature on the cover doesn't have ears that could really be described as bat-like. We don't have a house-elf drawing from this cover artist, like we do for the American versions. Last time, I actually spent time looking for pictures (in the chapter art as well as the covers) of Ron, Hermione and Ginny to see whether they were the people looking up at the Dark Mark, and for a picture of a pensieve, to find out if that's what the basin on the cover was. I still think it's a Goblin, but only time will tell.
Icy-Hogwarts -- everyone wonders what's going on with the castle on the back of the UK children's cover. I think it's most likely to be Hogwarts. Maybe a Hogwarts that's mostly deserted, no students are there. Or it's under a spell of some kind. The full moon may be significant, given Lupin's condition.
The US cover -- a bunch of position type comments. They are behind the curtains, whatever that means. Both of them are definitely behind where the curtains are. Second, the floor. They are in the midst of the rubble that is there. I don't think we can tell if they're falling through it or just standing in it, but there are pieces in front of them and pieces behind them. They are both surrounded by parts of debris, whether it be broken floor or not. It appears to be both rock and wood, so I think it's most likely to NOT be a floor that's actively breaking up, but one that was broken before they got there.
One more thing -- the locket. Slytherin's locket. It's on the cover of the UK adult edition. And Harry's wearing it on the US cover. End of story. If it's important enough to be on the cover, and then Harry's wearing something very, very similar, it's most likely the same thing. I could be wrong, of course, but that's what I think.
bat-like ears
No, the creature on the cover doesn't have ears that could really be described as bat-like. We don't have a house-elf drawing from this cover artist, like we do for the American versions. Last time, I actually spent time looking for pictures (in the chapter art as well as the covers) of Ron, Hermione and Ginny to see whether they were the people looking up at the Dark Mark, and for a picture of a pensieve, to find out if that's what the basin on the cover was. I still think it's a Goblin, but only time will tell.
Icy-Hogwarts -- everyone wonders what's going on with the castle on the back of the UK children's cover. I think it's most likely to be Hogwarts. Maybe a Hogwarts that's mostly deserted, no students are there. Or it's under a spell of some kind. The full moon may be significant, given Lupin's condition.
The US cover -- a bunch of position type comments. They are behind the curtains, whatever that means. Both of them are definitely behind where the curtains are. Second, the floor. They are in the midst of the rubble that is there. I don't think we can tell if they're falling through it or just standing in it, but there are pieces in front of them and pieces behind them. They are both surrounded by parts of debris, whether it be broken floor or not. It appears to be both rock and wood, so I think it's most likely to NOT be a floor that's actively breaking up, but one that was broken before they got there.
One more thing -- the locket. Slytherin's locket. It's on the cover of the UK adult edition. And Harry's wearing it on the US cover. End of story. If it's important enough to be on the cover, and then Harry's wearing something very, very similar, it's most likely the same thing. I could be wrong, of course, but that's what I think.
Re-reading Chamber of Secrets
Harry is lying in the hospital wing, re-growing the bones in his arm, and he overhears Dumbledore and McGonagall talking after bringing in the petrified body of Colin Creevey.
"What does it mean, Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked urgently.
"It means," said Dumbldore, "that the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again."
"But, Albus . . . surely . . . who?"
"The question is not who," said Dumbledore, his eyes on Colin. "The question is, how. . . ."
Dumbledore was there the first time. Dumbledore didn't believe Hagrid did it then. How much did Dumbledore know about Tom Riddle's role in it, both at the time it first happened, and how much has he figured out since then?
From the above dialog, we can conclude Dumbledore knew Tom Riddle was behind it the first time and somehow knows or assumes that Voldemort is behind it again.
What I would really like to read, after I've finished reading the Deathly Hallows, is a re-telling of the events of all of the books from Dumbledore's perspective. I suppose we'll never know how Dumbledore came to know all that he has figured out about Tom Riddle, but I sure am curious.
Dumbledore says he wouldn't presume to say he knows all of Hogwarts' secrets (he says this at dinner during the Yule Ball, I believe, when he talks about finding the room full of chamber pots early in the morning). Yet we know he's been at Hogwarts over 50 years, was there when the Chamber was first opened -- why didn't he figure it all out sooner? Hermione figured it out. Is Hermione smarter than Dumbledore?
"What does it mean, Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked urgently.
"It means," said Dumbldore, "that the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again."
"But, Albus . . . surely . . . who?"
"The question is not who," said Dumbledore, his eyes on Colin. "The question is, how. . . ."
Dumbledore was there the first time. Dumbledore didn't believe Hagrid did it then. How much did Dumbledore know about Tom Riddle's role in it, both at the time it first happened, and how much has he figured out since then?
From the above dialog, we can conclude Dumbledore knew Tom Riddle was behind it the first time and somehow knows or assumes that Voldemort is behind it again.
What I would really like to read, after I've finished reading the Deathly Hallows, is a re-telling of the events of all of the books from Dumbledore's perspective. I suppose we'll never know how Dumbledore came to know all that he has figured out about Tom Riddle, but I sure am curious.
Dumbledore says he wouldn't presume to say he knows all of Hogwarts' secrets (he says this at dinner during the Yule Ball, I believe, when he talks about finding the room full of chamber pots early in the morning). Yet we know he's been at Hogwarts over 50 years, was there when the Chamber was first opened -- why didn't he figure it all out sooner? Hermione figured it out. Is Hermione smarter than Dumbledore?
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Gilderoy Lockhart's ideal birthday present
I'm re-reading CoS. I'm just up to the Peskipiksi Pesternomi chapter, and I noticed that his ideal birthday present is harmony between all magical and non-magical peoples. Though he added the alternative of a case of Ogden's Old Firewhisky, I found it strangely inconsistent with his secret ambition to rid the world of evil and market his own line of hair-care products. I mean, rid the world of evil sounds like something a DADA professor would say. But why is his birthday wish "harmony between all magical and non-magical peoples"? Does this sound familiar to anyone. Like the song of a certain old and dirty hat?
Is this what will happen when Harry finally kills Voldemort? Will there finally be harmony and unity and no more name calling?
I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Is this what will happen when Harry finally kills Voldemort? Will there finally be harmony and unity and no more name calling?
I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Great HP blogs I've just discovered
I'd read books by John Granger before (having been delighted to discover that not all Christians hate Harry Potter), but I just recently discovered he has a couple of new books, one that he wrote (Unlocking Harry Potter: Five Keys for the Serious Reader) and one that he edited (Who Killed Albus Dumbledore?) -- I've just bought them both, they look very good but I haven't had a chance to read them yet.
Then I discovered that Mr. Granger has a blog which has some very interesting posts indeed.
I also found another blog/podcast created by another Christian Harry Potter fan -- the Sword of Gryffindor. He does a very good job with the podcast and I highly recommend it. His blog has links to other Christians who are Harry Potter fans. I was very glad to find I'm not the only one.
Then I discovered that Mr. Granger has a blog which has some very interesting posts indeed.
I also found another blog/podcast created by another Christian Harry Potter fan -- the Sword of Gryffindor. He does a very good job with the podcast and I highly recommend it. His blog has links to other Christians who are Harry Potter fans. I was very glad to find I'm not the only one.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
more questions and ramblings about the US cover art
I've had a few more minutes to think about (and look at) the cover art, specifically the US cover. Here are some random thoughts:
- It's probably not a dementor, it's probably Voldemort. I checked the US chapter art with the dementor, the face wasn't shown at all. And the face on the DH cover, with red eyes and a snakelike appearance (what you can see of it) fits the description of Voldemort. So, is this the final battle between him and Harry?
- They're wearing identical, and rather tattered, robes. Brown ones. Not black. What's up with that?
- They don't have wands.
- There are curtains hanging on the sides. That gave me the impression it's an arena, almost like the one where the veil is located except this one appears to be outside. That looks like a sky, albeit a strange colored one. So I thought the black blobs in the background were heads. They reminded me of the heads looking up at the Dark Mark on the cover of HBP. Then I looked again and I thought the blobs were headstones. Like in a graveyard. Then I looked again and thought they really look more like heads. Well, so look like heads, some look like headstones. But it's likely that they're all the same thing (or are they?). Who knows.
What's Uncle Vernon up to?
Last night, before I knew I'd have cover art to distract me, I started thinking about the beginning of DH and what might happen while Harry was still at Privet Drive (I just started re-reading CoS and am just up to the part where Harry is rescued by the Weasley boys).
And I started thinking about how Uncle Vernon, if he was paying attention and not too distracted by the glass of mead hitting him on the head, knows that Harry has inherited a house. He knows the address of the house and he knows Harry has an account at Gringotts. It's occurred to me that Dumbledore wanted the Dursleys to know this, but I haven't yet figured out why.
So, what would Uncle Vernon do with the knowledge that his nephew isn't penniless as he had previously thought? When DH opens, Vernon will have had almost a whole year to dwell on this. I can just see it now:
Maybe he Googles "12 Grimmauld Place" to see where it is located.
Maybe he makes some phone calls, trying to track down a copy of Sirius' will, the deed of the house, the location of Gringotts. I figure he'll have most luck in finding Grimmauld place at least. I can picture him skulking around, getting very frustrated when he discovers there isn't a number 12 (because of the anti-Muggle charms and all, he won't be able to see it). He might interview the neighbors, and discover that they have noticed vaguely strange goings-on, though they won't be specific enough to help him. Vernon could drive himself crazy trying to find out more about Harry's inheritance, and convince a lot of others he's crazy in the process. That ought to be funny.
I also got to thinking that Vernon is likely to sit Harry down and try to make him pay him back for the expenses he's incurred in raising Harry. Though Harry will only be able to offer to pay in Wizard's gold, which won't do Vernon much good.
Then I remembered that on PotterCast they talked about how maybe Privet Drive will become unsafe for anyone related to Harry and the Dursleys will have to move to Grimmauld Place to stay. The thought of Petunia in her rubber gloves, trying to make the place spick and span, shining and spotless, just makes me want to laugh and never stop!
And I started thinking about how Uncle Vernon, if he was paying attention and not too distracted by the glass of mead hitting him on the head, knows that Harry has inherited a house. He knows the address of the house and he knows Harry has an account at Gringotts. It's occurred to me that Dumbledore wanted the Dursleys to know this, but I haven't yet figured out why.
So, what would Uncle Vernon do with the knowledge that his nephew isn't penniless as he had previously thought? When DH opens, Vernon will have had almost a whole year to dwell on this. I can just see it now:
Maybe he Googles "12 Grimmauld Place" to see where it is located.
Maybe he makes some phone calls, trying to track down a copy of Sirius' will, the deed of the house, the location of Gringotts. I figure he'll have most luck in finding Grimmauld place at least. I can picture him skulking around, getting very frustrated when he discovers there isn't a number 12 (because of the anti-Muggle charms and all, he won't be able to see it). He might interview the neighbors, and discover that they have noticed vaguely strange goings-on, though they won't be specific enough to help him. Vernon could drive himself crazy trying to find out more about Harry's inheritance, and convince a lot of others he's crazy in the process. That ought to be funny.
I also got to thinking that Vernon is likely to sit Harry down and try to make him pay him back for the expenses he's incurred in raising Harry. Though Harry will only be able to offer to pay in Wizard's gold, which won't do Vernon much good.
Then I remembered that on PotterCast they talked about how maybe Privet Drive will become unsafe for anyone related to Harry and the Dursleys will have to move to Grimmauld Place to stay. The thought of Petunia in her rubber gloves, trying to make the place spick and span, shining and spotless, just makes me want to laugh and never stop!
first thoughts on cover art
I thought I'd come here before I've read or heard anyone's comments on the cover art and just ramble on for a bit.
First, the letters are red! I thought the background would be darker, but the letters that say Harry Potter at the top of the US edition cover are indeed red, which I thought would be true ever since they weren't red for the Half-Blood Prince.
Second, the UK cover -- does that look like Gringotts to you? Here are three reasons I think so:
Questions:
Well, at least we have something to think about while we wait for the pages between the covers to be printed.
First, the letters are red! I thought the background would be darker, but the letters that say Harry Potter at the top of the US edition cover are indeed red, which I thought would be true ever since they weren't red for the Half-Blood Prince.
Second, the UK cover -- does that look like Gringotts to you? Here are three reasons I think so:
- There's what looks like a Goblin-made tunnel or archway in the background
- There is treasure and gold coins all over
- Is that a Goblin I see peeking around from behind Harry?
Questions:
- Is that a dementor on the back of the US edition?
- Why do they appear to be waving (both Harry and the Dementor or whatever it is)?
- Where are they (on the US edition cover), why are people watching, what's going on with the floor (seems to be breaking up)?
- What's up with the snake medallion on the UK adult cover?
Well, at least we have something to think about while we wait for the pages between the covers to be printed.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
7 biggest questions about the 7th Harry Potter book
Okay, it's starting to get exciting. We still haven't seen cover art, but hopefully we will soon. Scholastic is talking about a marketing campaign involving 7 biggest questions.
I guess we don't get to choose the questions. Coincidentally, I spent about a half hour this morning making a list of questions I have. Mine cover front and back and part of a third side of notebook paper. Much many more than seven. But I'll try to weed it down (focusing specifically on questions I think and hope will be answered in book 7 -- I have other questions I'll put on the back burner for now):
1. How did the Wizarding world find out that the Potters were killed, that Harry was not killed and that Voldemort was apparently gone, in such a quick timeframe? Who determined Voldemort was indeed gone, and how did they know? Why didn't they need more time to find out if he was just hiding in a back alley somewhere nursing his pride at failing to kill a small baby? (I know that's more than one question but they're all related so they count as one -- the ones after the first one are there to more fully explain the first one.)
2. Who else was there the night the Potters were killed?
3. What more does Petunia know that she's not telling?
4. What happened (and where was Harry) during the 24 hours between when the Potters were attacked and when Hagrid showed up on Privet Drive? Is this just another maths error on Jo's part, was it just that she wanted Harry to be left on the doorstep at night, or is there another reason it took that long to bring Harry to his Aunt and Uncle's house?
5. How and by what means has Dumbledore been watching Harry more closely than he can possibly imagine? Were others involved in this surveillance or was it just Dumbledore?
6. Are we ever going to hear the story about how Dumbledore's arm was injured? He promised more than once to tell it and then didn't get a chance, but since Jo knew all along he was going to die, I can't believe she didn't intend to tell us at some point.
7. Was Dumbledore an animagus and if so, what form did he take?
I guess we don't get to choose the questions. Coincidentally, I spent about a half hour this morning making a list of questions I have. Mine cover front and back and part of a third side of notebook paper. Much many more than seven. But I'll try to weed it down (focusing specifically on questions I think and hope will be answered in book 7 -- I have other questions I'll put on the back burner for now):
1. How did the Wizarding world find out that the Potters were killed, that Harry was not killed and that Voldemort was apparently gone, in such a quick timeframe? Who determined Voldemort was indeed gone, and how did they know? Why didn't they need more time to find out if he was just hiding in a back alley somewhere nursing his pride at failing to kill a small baby? (I know that's more than one question but they're all related so they count as one -- the ones after the first one are there to more fully explain the first one.)
2. Who else was there the night the Potters were killed?
3. What more does Petunia know that she's not telling?
4. What happened (and where was Harry) during the 24 hours between when the Potters were attacked and when Hagrid showed up on Privet Drive? Is this just another maths error on Jo's part, was it just that she wanted Harry to be left on the doorstep at night, or is there another reason it took that long to bring Harry to his Aunt and Uncle's house?
5. How and by what means has Dumbledore been watching Harry more closely than he can possibly imagine? Were others involved in this surveillance or was it just Dumbledore?
6. Are we ever going to hear the story about how Dumbledore's arm was injured? He promised more than once to tell it and then didn't get a chance, but since Jo knew all along he was going to die, I can't believe she didn't intend to tell us at some point.
7. Was Dumbledore an animagus and if so, what form did he take?
Thursday, March 08, 2007
DH cover art any time now . . .
I looked it up. July 16, 2005 was the publication date for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. On March 8 of that same year, they released the artwork of the Scholastic version on the Today Show. Sometime that same day or the next, with slightly less fanfare, the cover of the Bloomsbury edition was released.
So, it should be soon.
Since we saw the cover of HBP, I've been predicting that the Scholastic cover of book 7 would have the name Harry Potter in metallic red lettering. I still think that's true. I've also thought that there might be a picture of a graveyard on the cover, though I'm leaning away from that now.
The cover generally has some kind of artwork that depicts the climactic scene of the novel without giving away enough to spoil it for the readers. I actually don't think Harry will meet Voldemort in a graveyard. I'd be more inclined to bet it will be beneath Gringotts, in those tunnels and passageways and the underground lake with the stalagtites and stalagmites.
Hopefully we'll know soon.
So, it should be soon.
Since we saw the cover of HBP, I've been predicting that the Scholastic cover of book 7 would have the name Harry Potter in metallic red lettering. I still think that's true. I've also thought that there might be a picture of a graveyard on the cover, though I'm leaning away from that now.
The cover generally has some kind of artwork that depicts the climactic scene of the novel without giving away enough to spoil it for the readers. I actually don't think Harry will meet Voldemort in a graveyard. I'd be more inclined to bet it will be beneath Gringotts, in those tunnels and passageways and the underground lake with the stalagtites and stalagmites.
Hopefully we'll know soon.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Both here and there
“I was afraid of death,” said Nick. “I chose to remain behind. I sometimes wonder whether I oughtn't to have . . . Well, that is neither here nor there . . . . In fact, I am neither here nor there . . . .”
But Jo confirmed last summer that Dumbledore is in fact dead. He's not coming back as a ghost like Nick. So he's really dead. Or is he?
Apparently "it's more complex" than that (scroll down almost to the end of the article where Jo visits the set of OoP and lets something slip to Dan). Of course, it may not be true. Dan somehow thought the DH was going to be published on 7/07 and that wasn't right, so who knows about this. But here's my train of thought:
Gandalf wasn't really dead. I never totally understood how he stopped being Gandalf the Grey and became Gandalf the White and what exactly that meant, but I also never thought Dumbledore would do something similar. But I also didn't think we'd heard the end of him. He kept making a point to promise Harry he'd tell him what happened to his hand. And he didn't. When he died, that was almost my first thought -- "but we never heard the story about his hand!" So, I think we will, in DH. Will it be in a memory? Memories survive after the death of those who remembered them, we know that because some of the memories Dumbledore showed Harry in HBP were from people who had since passed on. And there's also the portrait. Probably more than one portrait. I wonder where his other portrait might be and if that could be useful to Harry in his quest in DH. I wouldn't be surprised. Or there could be a completely different way we'll see Dumbledore. I mean, it's Dumbledore, after all, he's probably still got a few surprises up his sleeve. And hopefully Jo has, too.
Which brings me to Harry. Will Harry die? I think he will and he won't, in the opposite way from the way Dumbledore did. Dumbledore is dead, but not dead. We'll still see him in DH but he's really dead. Harry will die in DH, but not really die. We'll think he's dead, he'll think he's dead, we may even go on thinking that for a few pages. But he won't really be dead, he'll go on to live a long life and get married and have children and be successful at whatever career Jo chooses for him. But he'll have to come to the point that he's ready to die in order to vanquish Voldemort, and it will probably appear that he does so, at least for a short time. As to how this will come about, I couldn't begin to guess.
Harry dies in all of the books. Or at least goes to a very dark place.
After Quirrell touched him in Book 1, he was in a coma for several days. Dumbledore was quite worried. Also it's worth mentioning that the event that sent him into unconsciousness occurred deep underground. That's another recurring theme.
CoS again finds Harry deep underground and facing death from the Basilisk's poison. Saved by Fawkes, he is able to save Ginny as well as the rest of the students and the school, which could have closed but for him.
PoA -- well, he goes underground to get to the Shrieking Shack. And he almost has his soul sucked out of him by the Dementors.
GoF -- he visits a graveyard and almost is killed by Voldemort. Then, just for good measure, he's almost killed by Voldemort's most loyal servant after he gets back to Hogwarts.
OoP -- he's underground again, the Ministry is underground, with the Dept. of Mysteries at its deepest level if I read it correctly. And then he's sure he's dead from the pain of being possessed by Voldemort. Go back and read it if you don't believe me.
HBP -- underground lake. Immobilization curse. Dead Dumbledore. Harry doesn't care anymore, he takes risks in order to avenge Dumbledore's death. Snape saves him from the Death Eater who intends to kill him. Oh, and I almost forgot, Harry was pretty sure he was a goner when the Inferi grabbed him. Dumbledore saved him or he would have been dead.
So what will happen in DH? Harry will interact with Dumbledore again in some way. Then he'll go underground -- I'm thinking Gringotts is a good possibility, but it could just as likely be a place we haven't heard of before. Or it may be some new underground part of Hogwarts he hasn't yet explored. After all, there are seven secret passageways known to the Marauders. The one behind the 4th floor mirror is now blocked, and Harry knows where two others go, that still leaves 4 more, and also the possibility that there are others the Marauders never found. I'm still betting there's one you can enter from the Restricted Section of the library, but I could be wrong.
Harry's friends will help, but at some point he'll be left alone -- either separated from the rest because the battle occurs in two places simultaneously as in HBP, or because the rest are killed or incapacitated, or because Harry runs off on his own like in OoP. It's likely that at the moment of separation Harry won't be sure of the fate of the others. He'll face Voldemort alone, I think we've always known that. I hope he doesn't have to resort to using an Unforgivable Curse to do him in, I really do. I've been disturbed that Harry's even attempted them in previous books, and I think Snape's right, no Unforgivable Curses for Harry. I think there are other ways to bring down the Dark Lord.
I am toying with whether or not Tom Riddle will really die. I think he'll definitely cease to be Lord Voldemort, the Dark Lord. But will he die or will he turn away from the dark side like Anakin Skywalker did in the end? I know, Anakin still ended up dying. I can't see Voldemort being noble enough to die killing the evil emperor, but since Voldemort is the biggest evil in the Harry Potter universe, he won't get the chance anyway. That might be Snape's job. Maybe Snape will have a hand in killing the Dark Lord. Though he won't be able to do it without Harry.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Deaths in "Deathly Hallows"
I just have to make a comment about the press coverage that Jo has said there will be 2 deaths in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
It's not true.
What she said was that one person got a reprieve, she'd intended for them to die but changed her mind while writing it, and that two people she had not originally planned to die would in fact die. But that doesn't mean there aren't others who were always intended to die and still die as planned. And she might have decided more will die since the interview when she made these statements, which took place months ago, before she finished writing the book.
It must be kept in mind, too, that there was more than one death in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Several very minor named characters died and a whole slew of unnamed people also died, including a Death Eater who was killed at Hogwarts by a spell cast by another Death Eater that bounced off the wall and hit an unintended target.
So I guess it's clear the Deathly Hallows should live up to its name.
It's not true.
What she said was that one person got a reprieve, she'd intended for them to die but changed her mind while writing it, and that two people she had not originally planned to die would in fact die. But that doesn't mean there aren't others who were always intended to die and still die as planned. And she might have decided more will die since the interview when she made these statements, which took place months ago, before she finished writing the book.
It must be kept in mind, too, that there was more than one death in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Several very minor named characters died and a whole slew of unnamed people also died, including a Death Eater who was killed at Hogwarts by a spell cast by another Death Eater that bounced off the wall and hit an unintended target.
So I guess it's clear the Deathly Hallows should live up to its name.
The mysterious potion
One of the mysteries raised in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince revolves around the mysterious phosphorescent potion in the stone basin at the middle of the underground lake. It's unclear how many layers of magic are surrounding the basin and its contents, but here's what we know:
Then comes the exchange on top of the tower between Dumbledore and Draco Malfoy. We get some more clues from what Dumbledore says. He's figured out that Rosmerta alerted Draco that Dumbledore had left the school.
"That's right," said Malfoy. "But she said you were just going for a drink, you'd be back. . . ."
"Well, I certainly did have a drink . . . and I came back . . . after a fashion," mumbled Dumbledore. "So you decided to spring a trap for me?"
"We decided to put the Dark Mark over the tower and get you to hurry up here, to see who'd been killed," said Malfoy. "And it worked!"
"Well . . . yes and no . . ." said Dumbledore. "
(emphasis mine)
So, Dumbledore came back "after a fashion". And does the yes and no mean that he didn't truly come back in all senses of the word, or that the trap hadn't worked? Either way, we're left with the feeling that there's more going on than we can understand on the face of it.
My first thought was that we should study potions, especially any potions mentioned in the Half-Blood Prince book. Our beloved author has surely left us a clue somewhere. I'm going to keep a notebook and write them all down when I read the book again, maybe I'll even do it for the whole series. This particular potion must be some complicated Dark Magic.
So what did it do? Did it kill him, and Harry managed to somehow bring him temporarily back to life? So that when Severus did the killing curse, he was only slightly hastening something that would already happen anyway? Interesting thought, but it doesn't sound quite right to me.
However, it seems clear that the potion caused some major change to come over Dumbledore. I really wonder what he meant by the remark that he only came back "after a fashion" -- how was he different, what did the potion do to him?
I guess we have less than 200 days to wait for the answer . . . .
- Dumbledore and Harry are unable to touch it, as if an invisible barrier prevents them.
- Dumbledore says he is unable to magically vanish, part, scoop up, siphon away, transfigure or charm it in any way, but he is able to easily fill a goblet with the potion and drink it.
- Dumbledore's theory is that it will incapacitate him in some way so as to keep him from getting the Horcrux, but not immediately kill him.
- Upon drinking it, it's not fully clear what Dumbledore experiences, but it's obviously not pleasant. He appears to be in pain and also to be talking to someone who Harry can't see, someone who is making him feel guilty about something. He says he wants to die. He actually does pass out.
- Harry brings him round with the Rennervate spell, though he is still weak. The pressure of a dangerous situation at least twice seems to help bring him back to something close to normal.
- He says to Harry, "that potion . . . was no health drink," and insists only Snape can help him.
Then comes the exchange on top of the tower between Dumbledore and Draco Malfoy. We get some more clues from what Dumbledore says. He's figured out that Rosmerta alerted Draco that Dumbledore had left the school.
"That's right," said Malfoy. "But she said you were just going for a drink, you'd be back. . . ."
"Well, I certainly did have a drink . . . and I came back . . . after a fashion," mumbled Dumbledore. "So you decided to spring a trap for me?"
"We decided to put the Dark Mark over the tower and get you to hurry up here, to see who'd been killed," said Malfoy. "And it worked!"
"Well . . . yes and no . . ." said Dumbledore. "
(emphasis mine)
So, Dumbledore came back "after a fashion". And does the yes and no mean that he didn't truly come back in all senses of the word, or that the trap hadn't worked? Either way, we're left with the feeling that there's more going on than we can understand on the face of it.
My first thought was that we should study potions, especially any potions mentioned in the Half-Blood Prince book. Our beloved author has surely left us a clue somewhere. I'm going to keep a notebook and write them all down when I read the book again, maybe I'll even do it for the whole series. This particular potion must be some complicated Dark Magic.
So what did it do? Did it kill him, and Harry managed to somehow bring him temporarily back to life? So that when Severus did the killing curse, he was only slightly hastening something that would already happen anyway? Interesting thought, but it doesn't sound quite right to me.
However, it seems clear that the potion caused some major change to come over Dumbledore. I really wonder what he meant by the remark that he only came back "after a fashion" -- how was he different, what did the potion do to him?
I guess we have less than 200 days to wait for the answer . . . .
Thursday, February 01, 2007
The Day We've Been Waiting For!!!!
If you look back in my posts you'll notice that two of my predictions have come true. We've gotten the release date before Valentine's Day, and it's before Sept. 2007. I have marked my calendar for July 21 and I can't wait!
I did some research:
Just some dates to keep in mind as we try to figure out when we'll learn more about this last and most-anticipated Harry Potter novel. It's hard to tell what this means. The date was released over a month earlier than that of the DH, so that probably means we won't see a cover quite as early. But they may have kept the completion of the book under wraps a bit longer this time, who knows. I'd say we'll definitely have a cover by Easter. After the cover, other pictures started surfacing -- a deluxe edition that had more artwork, promotional artwork, etc. as well as the Bloomsbury cover of course, which I think was released the same week as the Scholastic cover.
I remember saving a photo of a stack of books being readied for shipping at Amazon -- I did that for both OoP and HBP. Seeing photos of the actual book, pages and all, as opposed to just the cover floating in air, somehow thrilled me more than I'd anticipated.
The Harry Potter sites are showing countdowns to the OoP movie, saying that there are 161 days left till that, which is essentially a week before the book comes out. That's not too long to wait, really.
I've been reading through the series again, and I'm just up to the part in HBP when they enter the cave with the lake. As soon as I'm done I'm going to pick up Book 1 and start over, hopefully to be done in time for the release of DH.
I did some research:
- The release date for HBP was announced on Dec. 21, 2004.
- On Jan 24, 2005, Scholastic announced that the hardcover edition of HBP would contain 672 pages.
- On March 8, the cover art for the Scholastic edition was released -- shown first on the Today show (who this morning was not heard to make one peep about the news of the release date for DH).
- On June 5th Scholastic released an article saying that the books were all printed.
- Later on in June we began to see pictures of the books in various places.
- The book was actually released to the public on July 16, 2005.
Just some dates to keep in mind as we try to figure out when we'll learn more about this last and most-anticipated Harry Potter novel. It's hard to tell what this means. The date was released over a month earlier than that of the DH, so that probably means we won't see a cover quite as early. But they may have kept the completion of the book under wraps a bit longer this time, who knows. I'd say we'll definitely have a cover by Easter. After the cover, other pictures started surfacing -- a deluxe edition that had more artwork, promotional artwork, etc. as well as the Bloomsbury cover of course, which I think was released the same week as the Scholastic cover.
I remember saving a photo of a stack of books being readied for shipping at Amazon -- I did that for both OoP and HBP. Seeing photos of the actual book, pages and all, as opposed to just the cover floating in air, somehow thrilled me more than I'd anticipated.
The Harry Potter sites are showing countdowns to the OoP movie, saying that there are 161 days left till that, which is essentially a week before the book comes out. That's not too long to wait, really.
I've been reading through the series again, and I'm just up to the part in HBP when they enter the cave with the lake. As soon as I'm done I'm going to pick up Book 1 and start over, hopefully to be done in time for the release of DH.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
10 things that will definitely happen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
My other post is what I want to happen. Here are things I'm pretty sure will happen:
10. Harry will take his Apparition test and pass.
9. Harry, Ron and Hermione will attend Bill's wedding.
8. Malfoy will die, or at least come to a bad end.
7. Ron and Hermione will kiss.
6. Harry will go to Godric's Hollow.
5. Harry will go to a Wizarding Cemetery.
4. Harry will find all of the remaining Horcruxes, though he'll have help doing it.
3. We will learn more about what Dumbledore has been doing all along.
2. We will learn more about Harry's parents.
1. Voldemort will die.
10. Harry will take his Apparition test and pass.
9. Harry, Ron and Hermione will attend Bill's wedding.
8. Malfoy will die, or at least come to a bad end.
7. Ron and Hermione will kiss.
6. Harry will go to Godric's Hollow.
5. Harry will go to a Wizarding Cemetery.
4. Harry will find all of the remaining Horcruxes, though he'll have help doing it.
3. We will learn more about what Dumbledore has been doing all along.
2. We will learn more about Harry's parents.
1. Voldemort will die.
10 things I want to happen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Here's a list of 10 things I'm hoping will be part of the next Harry Potter book. It's the last book, it's now or never. I'm starting to despair that all my questions will be answered (especially since quite a few of them are about Dumbledore) but here's my top 10 of things I hope will be in there:
10. We learn what Harry's parents did for a living after leaving Hogwarts, and what brought them together since Lily was so obviously not interested in James in their 5th year.
9. Neville finally comes into his own, and his memory gets better.
8. Malfoy gets what he deserves.
7. We learn more about Snape's background and childhood.
6. Ron and Hermione kiss.
5. We learn what took place at Godric's Hollow and where Harry was between then and being dropped off at the Dursley's.
4. Harry gets to read the letter Dumbledore left on the doorstep with Harry (and, of course, we get to read over his shoulder).
3. We find out a bit about how Dumbledore knows some of the things he knows -- how he knew so quickly after the attack on the Potters that Voldemort was indeed "gone", how he knew to move the Stone out of Gringott's, what started him thinking Voldemort had made a Horcrux and then what made him believe there was more than one.
2. We find out where Snape's true loyalties lie.
1. Harry beats Voldemort without having to resort to using one of the illegal curses, and without any of the following having to die: Harry, Hermione, Ron, Fred, George, Molly, Arthur, Hagrid, Neville, Luna or Ginny.
I'd love to see comments on my list so feel free to post some.
10. We learn what Harry's parents did for a living after leaving Hogwarts, and what brought them together since Lily was so obviously not interested in James in their 5th year.
9. Neville finally comes into his own, and his memory gets better.
8. Malfoy gets what he deserves.
7. We learn more about Snape's background and childhood.
6. Ron and Hermione kiss.
5. We learn what took place at Godric's Hollow and where Harry was between then and being dropped off at the Dursley's.
4. Harry gets to read the letter Dumbledore left on the doorstep with Harry (and, of course, we get to read over his shoulder).
3. We find out a bit about how Dumbledore knows some of the things he knows -- how he knew so quickly after the attack on the Potters that Voldemort was indeed "gone", how he knew to move the Stone out of Gringott's, what started him thinking Voldemort had made a Horcrux and then what made him believe there was more than one.
2. We find out where Snape's true loyalties lie.
1. Harry beats Voldemort without having to resort to using one of the illegal curses, and without any of the following having to die: Harry, Hermione, Ron, Fred, George, Molly, Arthur, Hagrid, Neville, Luna or Ginny.
I'd love to see comments on my list so feel free to post some.
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