Young Writers Society

I really don't get those who think the epilogue was no good--I loved it! It had all the giggly-fun sort of feeling of a fanfic (not that all fics are fun, but you know what I mean--like you're seeing something special) as well as bearing her unmistakable talent!

cadmium wrote:*cries*
I feel like I've lost a best friend.

I feel exactly the same!!

[spoiler]I too know now who got the reprieve (check Mugglenet, as Mesh said), but now I want to know who were the unlucky ones...[/spoiler]

[spoiler]Some people do rather marry those they were together with in high school. I did. I started dating my husband when I was 13 years old. I'm 25 now and married to him. So you might want to rethink that Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione are improbable.

I think Hedwig's death was tactical. Keeping track of an owl for the entire length of a final book would have been tedious. I didn't cry because it was such a sudden death. When I thought about it later, I understood why she killed Hedwig off. It just had to be done to save the flow of the story.

I really enjoyed when Dudley stuck up for Harry. "Isn't he coming?" It shows that he really does have something reminiscent of a heart and brain and realized what Harry did for him in previous books. The fact that Petunia and Vernon were so shocked was great.

The death of Severus was expected. I only didn't expect him to die in that way. I expected him to do one last great service to Lily (which was the only reason he was protecting Harry, not so much a grudge against James) and die for Harry Potter in a dramatic way. But I guess since Severus was a quiet character, he died in a way that offered no glory. It fit him.

I never once questioned Severus' allegiance. Albus never once doubted him and neither did I. Why should I when Albus was right about everything else? But the scenes in both King's Cross and Severus' mind were gorgeous. I loved reading the motivations behind some of their actions. The fact that Severus held the curse in Albus' hand to keep it from killing him immediately was a great way to show his allegiance. And the fact that Albus was going to die in a year anyway led to the fact that Albus died in a glorified manner. It fit the Dumbledore robes, don't you think?

Some of the deaths were obligatory. Lupin had no need to die. But since he'd been depressed and regretful for a long, long time .. I knew he was toast once he became happy. The minute he was smiling and all that, I knew he was dead. And when Nymphadora showed up to fight with him .. yeah, she's dead, too.

I think Percy should have died instead of Fred. A last redeeming action to help save his family from the evil Death Eaters. It would have suited the pompous and arrogant Percy to die in that way instead of Fred dying. I think I cried at Fred's death the most.

Now all of the friends from James' days are dead. Sirius, Peter, Lupin, James, and Severus. Other than the ancient McGonagall, Harry has almost no way to find out what else his father might've done. But it doesn't seem so important anymore. But there's no more Moddy, Padfoot, Prongs and Wormtail.

I loved the epilogue. It could've been longer, explaining who was Headmaster at Hogwarts, maybe if Harry's eldest was on the Quidditch team. But they weren't necessary. I just want to know the gritty details of jobs and things like that. And I really couldn't care less about who Draco married. I can't stand him and never could.

Narcissa. What can I say about her! She redeemed herself. She could have turned Harry in to Voldemort as alive and thus really had him killed. But the little whispered conversation asking about Draco showed that she loved her son more than her loyalty to Voldemort. It gave her depth. Though Lucius and Draco can rot in hell.

Lily and Snape. The penseive moment was one of my favorites. It showed a great depth to Severus and it showed the very selfish reason he protected Harry. It wasn't really so much a grudge against James. It wasn't the fact that he wanted to do something good. He wanted to do it for Lily. The only reason he turned to the good side was because Voldemort got rid of Lily when Severus has begged him to leave her alone. If Voldemort had left Lily alive, she might have grown to love Severus. Or she might have hated him and Severus would have fallen into a deep depression and ... it could go on and on. Severus never did anything for glory. He never did anything because it was the right thing to do. It was all for Lily. That in and of itself raises Severus to a level of awe that surpasses Albus. The things we do for love.

I'm prattled on enough. The book was wonderful and by far my favorite.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]

I think Percy should have died instead of Fred. A last redeeming action to help save his family from the evil Death Eaters. It would have suited the pompous and arrogant Percy to die in that way instead of Fred dying. I think I cried at Fred's death the most.

[/spoiler]

[spoiler]I so agree! For one thing, I liked Fred and hated Percy from the start for his arrogance. I never thought about Percy dying for the sake of redemption, but that's a great reason too, along with the fact that probably everyone hates him![/spoiler]

[spoiler]

I loved the epilogue. It could've been longer, explaining who was Headmaster at Hogwarts, maybe if Harry's eldest was on the Quidditch team. But they weren't necessary. I just want to know the gritty details of jobs and things like that. And I really couldn't care less about who Draco married. I can't stand him and never could.

[/spoiler]

[spoiler]The epilogue was awesome! I wish it were slightly more informative, though, like you said...but it leaves more room for interpretation. But, unlike you, I wish I knew who Draco married...he's awesome, don't try denying it! But personally, I wish there was less information on family and more on, like you said, jobs.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]

Lily and Snape. The penseive moment was one of my favorites.

[/spoiler]

[spoiler]I totally wish Lily had chosen Snape! I mean, there's no evidence except that James was an arrogant annoyance, a prankster, and Snape was all sweet and loved Lily forever, and he's so misunderstood!!! AGH!!! But the idea of Snape being Harry's father ruins the story...but poor Snape! I loved him!!![/spoiler]

Now, for you people out there who are part of this forum and haven't finished the book, you'll love it, I guarantee you!!! It seemed slow to me for a while, but I swear it gets better!!! Keep reading!!!

~Deoris

[spoiler]

I totally wish Lily had chosen Snape! I mean, there's no evidence except that James was an arrogant annoyance, a prankster, and Snape was all sweet and loved Lily forever, and he's so misunderstood!!! AGH!!! But the idea of Snape being Harry's father ruins the story...but poor Snape! I loved him!!!

[/spoiler]


[spoiler]You're right. They never showed one reason why Lily had chosen James except maybe because he was a Gryffindor. Same House and all. Maybe he was the lesser of two evils? I think I would like for her to write about James, Lily, Peter, Sirius, Lupin and Snape's world next instead of moving ahead. Pull a Star Wars and do prequels.[/spoiler]

In response to:

[spoiler]

I totally wish Lily had chosen Snape! I mean, there's no evidence except that James was an arrogant annoyance, a prankster, and Snape was all sweet and loved Lily forever, and he's so misunderstood!!! AGH!!! But the idea of Snape being Harry's father ruins the story...but poor Snape! I loved him!!!

[/spoiler]

I think:

[spoiler]I see how James' potrayal makes it difficult to see how Lily would pass up such a devoted friend as Sev, but we do see, in the memories, that he already had some pretty serious dark leanings (note his choice of friends) which he didn't seem inclined to give up just for Lily's sake. Even I, a most ardent Snape fangirl if there ever was one, have to say that the beautiful Severus is probably best admired from a safe distance.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]

I see how James' potrayal makes it difficult to see how Lily would pass up such a devoted friend as Sev, but we do see, in the memories, that he already had some pretty serious dark leanings (note his choice of friends) which he didn't seem inclined to give up just for Lily's sake. Even I, a most ardent Snape fangirl if there ever was one, have to say that the beautiful Severus is probably best admired from a safe distance.

[/spoiler]

[spoiler]But at the same time that doesn't say why she picks James. He has no redeeming qualities. He's a general jerk and stuck on himself. Why not pick Lupin? He was a nice guy. I don't understand how she picked James. I understand why she didn't pick Severus: he was hanging around with Death Eater wannabes. It's the whole James thing I'm wondering about.[/spoiler]

I guess we'll have to wait until she writes that encyclopedia of all her characters. That should probably clear these questions up.


MM

[spoiler]Lupin would never be with Lily! He's too good for her! It's like Kel said, Rowling shows no good qualities in James, he's portrayed as arrogant and a bully...Lily should have given Snape another chance goddamn it, she just left him with heartbreak and misery and he loved her and it was so obvious!!! She is so clueless!!![/spoiler]

Finished it!

Got it day before yesterday at 9:30pm and finished it at 4:00am this morning. We're moving into a new house, so I can only really read when everyone's going to bed and we don't have to move stuff any more. the two days it took me to read it included eating, sleeping, transporting an African Grey ready to bite off fingers, loading up the moving truck, unloading the moving truck, and buying every day items like shower curtains.

Even though it took me two days (nights) to read it, I still felt like it ended too soon. I mean, Mom taught me to read when I was four, but didn't teach me to like reading until she shoved Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone down my eight/nine year old throat.

some scenes:

[spoiler]

"I can -- see the place -- if we just had -- Crookshanks again--"
"Crookshanks? wheezed Hermione, bent double, clutching her chest. "Are you a wizard, or what?"

[/spoiler]

^^^See chamber of secrets when Hermione tries to kill off the Devil's Snare.^^^

[spoiler]

"Get back!" shouted Ron, and he, Harry, and Hermione flattened themselves against a door as a herd of galloping desks thundered past, shepherded by a sprinting Proffessor McGonagall. She appeared not to notice them: Her hair had come down and there was a gash on her cheek. As she turned the corner, they heard her scream, "CHARGE!"

[/spoiler]

[spoiler]

...Harry's attention was diverted as a Killing Curse shot so close to Ginny that she had missed death by an inch -- Harry changed course, running at Bellatrix rather than ********, but before he had gone a few steps he was knocked sideways.
"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!"
Mrs. Weasley threw off her cloak as she ran, freeing her arms.
...
"OUT OF MY WAY!" shouted Mrs. Weasley to three girls, and with a swipe of her wand, she began to duel.

GO MRS. WEASLEY!!!!! YEAH!!!!! WOOHOO!!!! [/spoiler]

Yep. Best book by far. Need to re-read the series now and keep an eye on Snape. Man, I love that guy. Most interesting character from book 1, and his memories make me want to go back. I'll keep an especially close eye on him in book 6...

Really liked this book because of all the holocaust stuff in it. I just got done studying the holocaust, too. Man, it rocked.

*sigh* Well, at least it's not completely over.There's still the movies. I still haven't seen #5. Plan to soon, though.

See ya at the theaters!

~*Dreamer*~

I thought J.K.Rowling finished the series fantastically! Every bit of it was just amazing and i thought it was great. I got it on midnight on friday and had it finished by monday. (though i only read it for around twelve hours, i had work )

Everything is fantastic and the last chapter finishes it of nicely. I didn't enjoy book #6 but this brought HP back and i thought it was great. I cried in some places and thought it was really emotional!

[spoiler]Snape called Lily a Mudblood! That is why Lily didn't pick Snape.
She realised that he was too evil and one minded to understand her heritage even if he was half-blood.
I liked the way he died and it showed he did finally did see the error of his ways. I knew that Snape was good though and that he had always been loyal to Dumbledore (well, most of the time).
I can't believe that Dobby died! I cried. I thought it was good how Harry dug his grave and Ron finally said something good about house Elves. well Dooby R.I.P![/spoiler]

Saphira

[spoiler]

I totally wish Lily had chosen Snape! I mean, there's no evidence except that James was an arrogant annoyance, a prankster, and Snape was all sweet and loved Lily forever, and he's so misunderstood!!! AGH!!! But the idea of Snape being Harry's father ruins the story...but poor Snape! I loved him!!!

[/spoiler]

[spoiler]Perhaps it was a Harry/Hermione predicament - Lily could have thought of Snape as more of a brother, and loved him in that way. We know, of course that Snape didn't feel quite the same.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]Well, in OotP, after he sees Snape's worst memory, Harry asks Remus and Sirius about it, wondering how his father could've been such a jerk and why in the world Lily picked him, and they responded that he grew up in their seventh year when he started to date her.
Sure, James might've been an arrogant show-off, but Lily, who is clearly a perceptive character, knew that he was good at heart. It's possible that her good influence changed him. But she definitely knew that Snape was going the wrong way because of the people he'd made friends with. "You can judge a man by the company he keeps" and whatnot. She probably knew he was good at heart, too, but the people he surrounded himself with made her doubt his integrity.
And besides, couples are able to deal with certain faults; just look at Ron and Hermione. They'd bickered and fought and teased and disagreed for six years and ended up together anyway. It didn't matter that Hermione thought Ron was tactless or annoying or jealous, and it didn't matter that Ron thought Hermione was a show-off teacher's pet. They still ended up together, so why not Lily and James?[/spoiler]

Firestarter wrote:Jules, that's just ridiculous.

Anyway, I just finished it in 6 hours. Tried to pace myself so I could savour it. There's some horrible sad moments, I came close to crying (HP makes me emotional, yes) at several moments.

I have to say it's brilliant.

I agree completely, Jack and Jiggity. Much as my masculine tendencies tell me otherwise, I must admit I nearly cried a few times. Although, trying not to give out any spoilers for those unfortunate few to not have read it yet (i just finished this evening, what with exams and all) I will have to say this. The VERY end (not the battle scene but after, before the epilogue) left something to be desired. You know, she usually has a nice, long wrap up easily, smoothly and seamlessly tying up all the loose ends from that book, and now, when there are more loose ends than ever to tie up, she just abruptly ends it with that epilogue. I'm not saying have 5 chapters wrapping up every possible question, but like, for some of the main events I would have liked a little more substance on, i.e. more convo with Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione and then maybe a funeral scene or something where the rest of the Order gets at least relatively tied up.

It just seemed a bit abrupt for me. But overall, I concur. Twas a brilliant book. I may have to re-read the entire series, now. haha. And, since the ending is really starting to bother me, I may have to try my hand at fanfiction, although I've never done one before.

I may just not be very observant, but I cannot remember/think which character was the one who, as Rowling said, performed magic when they don't usually/can't do so. Can anyone enlighten me?