Hbp - What Did You Think?, Spoilers within Options

[Imogen]

I finished at 4 am and was absolutely thrilled with the whole thing. The books seem to have picked up their magic again after such a shock with book 5.

The H/Gness was perfect, and what's the betting that's going to be resumed in Book 7 at the end - or at least we know the potential is there. And such Harryish reasons for breaking things off. Loved the impromptu kiss in the common room as well, and him wrestling with how Ron was going to react. Totally fantastic to finally see that all happening in the flesh.

As for Snape - my jaw just about dropped! The book obviously belonged to someone slightly dodgy because Hermione kept warning about it all the way through, and it seemed possible it might be Snape (who's obviously adept at potions), but I couldn't work out how he could be the HBP, until I was finally told at the end. We all knew Dumbledore was going to go, but not like that. I never thought Snape would kill him - I honestly thought it would happen with Voldemort.

It certainly looks like Snape has reverted to the dark side, exposing the order. But part of me has to wonder if this is a double bluff on JKR's part. We still don't know why Dumbledore trusted him so much. There's some unfinished business here.

The soul dividing thing makes a lot of sense and provides a nice focus for that last book. The hubby (who has now nabbed my copy) is wondering whether a piece of V's soul might be inside Harry himself. Which would be an interesting twist. I'm looking forward to that last book and seeing how everything wraps up.

Loads of other thoughts are buzzing R/Hness - arguments and that lovely scene at the funeral -, Remus and Tonks, Bill and Fleur (Go Fleur after Bill was bitten, but I loved the Phlegm nickname!) Malfoy and what's going to happen to him now. He couldn't kill Dumbledore, so how is he going to cope as a Death Eater (assuming Voldemort accepts him to take his father's place now), how is Harry finally going to learn to block Snape out of his thoughts.

In a word WOW! Great book. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Imogen

[zyguh]

Well, after reading it for the fourth time, and parts of it who knows how many times (lol......I swear I just pick it up to reread one passage and the next thing I know its four hours later and Ive read it from that point to the end).....I actually think that the reason Dumbledore trusted Snape was that he made Snape take an Unbreakable Vow when Snape came to him for help. I dont think JK would have made such a point of having Ron describe almost taking an unbreakable vow as a kid for any other reason. She put that in, and it just really stuck out (since it was Ron describing the magic instead of Hermoine for a change)....there had to be a larger reason that had to do with Unbreakable Vows. I think that the vow was that Snape would always follow Dumbledores orders. Thats why the argument Hagrid overheard, because Dumbledore told Snape he should kill him instead of Malfoy if it ever reached that point. And Snape had no choice because he made an Unbreakable Vow to follow Dumbledore's orders.

I dont know if Dumbledore will be back "alive" again (I still hope that because of his phoenix and the whole phoenix being reborn thing that he will) BUT......not only will there be a portrait Dumbledore....but has anyone thought of the chocalate frog cards? :-)

He is free to visit any of his portraits right? So that should include the cards....and in OoTP Bill made a point of saying that Dumbledore didnt care he was stripped of his Order of Merlin and kicked of the Wizengomett as long as they dont take him off the frog cards. I bet anything that Dumbledore will be travelling all over the wizard world in the next book via all those cards, and that Harry will be able to carry one with him to always have him there for advice.

The other four horcruxes are the snake, the cup with the badger, the locket of slytherins, and one thing that would have been hidden in Hogwarts before Harry was even born. I dont think it can be Harry's scar(although it may have been, and thats why he needed Harry's blood to be reborn....but if thats the case then that part of his soul cant still be in Harry, so it cant be the scar).

I think its the sorting hat. I think the hat might be the Ravenclaw artifact. It would be one thing that he would have to be a teacher to get access too. As head boy he might have been able to get access to it, and have made it the horcrux, but the only way to get access now would have been to be a teacher. That would also explain why he didnt just go get the horcrux the night he met with Dumbledore....if it had been any place else in the school he could have just gone and got it. But the sorting hat is always kept in the headmasters office, so whatever he was after at the school had to be in that office or he would have just taken it that night. Anyway....guess we will know in SOOOOOBBBBBBB, 2 years............

That locket that Ginny saw in the case at Grimmauld place was probably Slytehrins locket , and I bet Mundugus already sold it. Who knows where the cup is (anyone want to bet on it being transfigured into the Quidditch World Cup :-) )

And as far as endings go.......you know that all wishes to be an Auror aside, Harry has to end up teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts someday, right? I mean, thats just the one thing thats been fated to happen since book one.

Any bets on how it all gets tied up? Harry teaches Dark Arts, Hermoine is Minister of Magic, and Ron is keeper, and Ginny Seeker for the Chudley Cannons who win the Quidditch World Cup. Thats my vote, anyone else?