I thought D might be the one who died. I was kind of expecting it. I had no idea who the HBP might be. She kept pointing toward Voldemort but she had said it wasn't him. I didn't guess Snape at ALL until he told Harry!
Now. Is D really dead? She was pretty blatant with the fire and phoenix stuff at the burial and his familiar has been a phoenix, maybe with good reason, for a long time. But she could also have just put that stuff in there to fuel speculation until the last book comes out and make us want it more to see. Is Snape really bad? I haven't thought so all along, I've trusted that D was right about him. I know he truly hates Harry but I didn't think he was a minion of V anymore. Did he and D set this up so that Snape would be totally accepted by V and the Death Eaters? Notice he wouldn't let Harry cast any of the death spells. Was he still trying to be D's man? And who is R.A.B.? And D made sure that Harry was going to be allowed back at the Dursleys way back at the beginning, maybe because he knew he wouldn't be around to take care of it?
This one was so much more enjoyable for me than the last one. It had a lot more of the spirit of the first books.
All posting at the same time! Glad I'm not the only one who is wondering about the whole setup!
I have a hunch it has something to do with Regulas(sp)Black , Sirius's younger brother.
As for DD, I wasn't sure he was dead until his portrait was on the wall in his office. That convinced me, for some reason. I have to admit, when Fawkes began singing, my eyes suddenly developed a plumbing problem. I'll miss that bird.
I agree with everything you said.
I was thinking all those things. Remember when Harry was told in OOP that he could never do the Avada Kadavra curse because he didn't really have enough hate in him? I'm wondering if Snape's just saying the words but not having the real intent didn't kill D, and D faked his own death for the reason you mentioned. I also wondered about the funeral; lots of flash bang.
Lots of lovey dovey in this one, too. I think JKR was thinking of the girls when she wrote this one. ;o)