Posted on 07/17/2005 5:16:14 PM PDT by grellis
THIS THREAD IS INTENDED FOR READERS THAT HAVE COMPLETED THE BOOK! If you have not yet read the book, consider yourself warned: There will be spoilers on this thread.
For my fellow FReepers who have no intention of reading the book but would like to discuss the more controversial issues related to the work, I am asking you as politely as I can: DO NOT HIJACK THIS THREAD. We are all members of this forum and as such, it is not up to me to disallow anyone from participating in the discussion. That is why I am asking you--please do not hijack this thread. If you would like to discuss the more controversial aspects of the book, maybe you could start your own thread and ping us over there. If we are interested, we'll come.
The note implies that R.A.B. is dead. "I know I'll be dead long before you read this."
I'm sticking with Regulus!
Check out this site. It has derivations of a lot of the names Rowling uses. One caveat however is that the definitions may come from the site's users. The listing for Mrs. Norris says:
According to Kate C., Mrs. Norris was named after a nosy preacher's wife in Jane Austen's Mansfield Park.
While this definition happens to be true (although it does not go far enough in describing how horrible a person Austen's Mrs. Norris was), the fact that it comes from a reader we don't know doesn't guarantee its accuracy.
The site does say that my thinking that Malfoy means "bad faith" is what Rowling herself had in mind when she named this particular family. *pats self on back*
Wish we could have had that before we came up with our delusional idea...that's what happenes when you have to work in 90% humidity.
We feel dumb :(
There are no dumb theories on this thread! We've been throwing all kinds of stuff out, just to see what sticks.
Maybe I should fix that: Ms. Rowling was going to call her sixth book "HP and the Pillar of Storgé, but when one of her publicist's former employees leaked the title, she had to come up with a new name." Think that qualifies as a dumb theory?
I do think Ms. Rowling has probably managed to create a cliffhanger on the level of 'Who shot Mr. Burns'; most of the lingering questions aren't as overt, but there remain far more nagging issues now than at the ends of the previous books. Since Ms. Rowling has said that the seven books will each cover one year of Harry Potter's education at Hogwarts, that would imply that the school will be open next year and Harry Potter will go back. The future of Severus Snape, however, remains an open question. My personal theory is that Albus left a memory for Harry with Ms. McGonagall, to be given to him only when there is no danger that Voldemort might discover Snape's true intentions. I would expect that if Ms. McGonagall were to give Harry a memory from Dumbledore in which he and Snape discussed what had to happen, that could allow Harry to trust Snape at a critical time. I don't think any of Snape's memories would suffice (since Harry would think they were faked) but Harry would probably trust Dumbledore's, if they were supplied by someone else trustworthy (like Ms. McGonagall).
KEWL!
Good theory. I think the pensieve play a part in the next book, and Harry wouldn't trust anyone but McGonagall (or Lupin?) to show him a memory.
Great theory!! I hadn't thought about that and wondered how Harry would know that Snape was ok (assuming he is).
Or Mundungus Fletcher... he was stealing items out of Grimmauld Place...
True. I'm also wondering if Dumbledore's trust in Snape may have something to do with a previously-made Unbreakable Vow...
Of course, it became apparent to me very quickly that he [Harry] had no extraordinary talent at all. He has fought his way out of a number of tight corners by a simple combination of sheer luck and more talented friends. He is mediocre to the last degree, though as obnoxious and self-satisfied as was his father before him. (emphasis mine)
That's an odd thing for someone to say if he's NOT loyal to Dumbledore. We have been told by several people that Harry has the makings of a very powerful wizard, even though his grades in school may be less than desired. He is, for example, very skilled at DADA. We know he has conjured up a Patronus, which we are told on several occasions is a very difficult thing to do, and not something that dumb luck would help him with.
It's in the Order of the Phoenix's best interests for the Death Eaters to think that Harry is incompetent and the beneficiary of good friends and dumb luck, because then they might take him less seriously than they ought.
I'm taking my sweet time on this re-read of HBP, and then (hopefully before GOF comes out this fall) I'll tackle the entire series again. This is FUN!
Not even remotely likely. Except for the eyes, Harry is a dead ringer for James Potter.
In short, let's lull the DE's into a false sense of security
Then.......WHAM!
Harry will hit 'em hard!
Not only that, but looking beyond the sneers and taunts, Snape was still trying to teach Harry on his way out -- reminding him that he needs to learn to close his mind and use non-verbal spells.
Fletcher is currently residing in Azkaban. If he hadn't sold it already (assuming he took it), it's either stashed away somewhere, or the Ministry has it. In either case, I see Harry making a trip to Azkaban to interrogate Fletcher.
She's a tad young for it, but it would be a perfect job for one Ms. Hermione Granger.
For sure:
Likely other locations:
Other suggestions? (Do we get to see Hermione's house?)
Hmm, I hadn't thought about it, but Harry almost has to visit Azkaban in book 7, simply because it's been talked about so much, yet he's never been there (though Sirius, Dumbledore, Hagrid, etc., all have).
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