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

[sockless]

That is so not cool. I was just getting my book when you were done!

I finished an hour ago and I am in two minds.
I am SO thrilled about the H/G-ness! omg! I was antisipating Ron and Hermione but Harry and Ginny were a complete bonus! However, Harry and that nobility complex. . . .grrrrrr.

I totaly shocked about Snape. I am SO upset about everything involving him and this book! Bad Bad man, is he! (but I still Lurve him I do!)

We all knew about Dumbledore was going to. . . .But not like that. . .not after. . . "I am not worried, Harry". . ."I am with you."


so. . . . where is book 7? . . .

[Willow]

OMG i loved it, but i just. I cant seem to process everything thats happened.
I didnt for one minute think that Snape would turn out to actually still be a death eater, nor did i think that Malfoy would turn out to be one.

I loved the h/gness and i knew that it was bound to happen in this book, and i thought that maybe the characters would seem weird being all emotional because of Harrys Attitude in the previous books, but it fitted perfectly.

The soul splitting thing and the horcruxes seems to make alot of sense, and its a theory that i didnt even begin to think of. J.K.R really has done a brilliant job of bringing back the excitment...

Does anyone think R.A.B could be Regulas Black??

I cant think of anything to say...im just so speechless.
Plot=amazing.

[zyguh]

NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!......AhghhhhhrrrrrrrrrrraaaaNooo....sob......., You cant have the perfect, absolutely perfect, H/G finally get together scene and then do THAT!!!! Ah noOooo. :-)

What, like 3 pages of them "being together"? NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.............lol. I cant believe Im THIS frustrated and annoyed about that one scene at the end. Cuz of course thats how it would happen, but really.....there were only like 3 PAGES of them being happy together.......NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!.( ROFL), noo..., whimper....

...sigh....

If R.A.B was Regulas then I bet the Horcrux was at Grimmauld place and we saw it in Book 5. Probably one of the items Kreacher was trying to steal when they were cleaning. Or that Mundungus did steal and has sold since.

This was such a great book. I loved every word of it......book 7 comes out when? :-)

[sockless]

Yay!!! I'm not the only one thinking it's Regulas!!

QUOTE

What, like 3 pages of them "being together"? NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.............lol. I cant believe Im THIS frustrated and annoyed about that one scene at the end. Cuz of course thats how it would happen, but really.....there were only like 3 PAGES of them being happy together.......NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!.( ROFL), noo..., whimper....

Lol!!! I know how you feel!

[Billywig2]

What do I do now?

Well, I guessed that Snape was the hbp when sluggy made that comment to him at the party, something about being as good as Snape at potions. Oh, but I totally did not see *that* coming... my *favorite* character!! It's no fair! Dad thought that something was seriously wrong when that happened, I was sitting in front of the fire, then suddenly burst into tears

I also thought about R.A.B. being Sirius' little bro, but my brother's nicked off with my books so I can't check some facts. Is his middle name on the tappestry of the Black family tree? and Is that locket in the cabinet that they cleaned out, maybe?

*Loved* the H/G, but why does Harry have to be so demmed noble? ><

All in all, both hate and love the book, but mostly love

EDIT: Best line EVER!

QUOTE

I must say, your agapanthuses are flourishing.

This post has been edited by Billywig2: Jul 17 2005, 05:41 AM

[Drie]

Just checked OOTP, and it only lists Regulas Black, no middle name, but Sirius' favorit uncle who left him money was...Alphard? Maybe it was Regulas Alphard Black? And it was confirmed in both OOTP and HBP that Regulas was killed by Death Eaters. Sirius says that he tried to back out, and there was mention at the beginning of HBP that Regulas didn't survive as long as Boris when hunted by Death Eaters.

I am so emotionally spent right now. This had so many elements (yay for all the correct FF ships!) that made this book my favorite. Just brilliant.

I had so many verbal reactions to this book. I giggled over potions when Harry was describing what the love potion smelled like, and then in later chapters that familiar scent was mentioned again, but realted to Ginny. That's what got me thinking about how that love potion worked -- its most powerful scent must be related to the person you love, because that's exactally when Hermione blushed and stopped describing what she smelled.

Gasped with Snape. Evil, evil man. I do believe that he was working as a double agent, that Dumbledore was hoodwinked in some way. JKR stated not long ago that Snape is EVIL. I sure believe it now. Gasped again when I heard Bill was a body, but then relieved to hear he wasn't dead. *snigger* Phlegm. I teared up over Dumbledore's death and funeral. This was truly amazing.

Favorite quotes:

QUOTE

"Do you remember me telling you we are practicing nonverbal spells, Potter?" "Yes," said Harry stiffly. "Yes, sir." "There's no need to call me 'sir,' Professor." *** "...I'm keeping you in overnight.  You shouldn't overexert yourself for a few hours." I don't want to stay here overnight," sand Harry angrily, sitting up and throwing back his covers.  "I want to find McLaggen and kill him." "I'm afraid that would come under the heading of 'overexertion,' " said Madam Pomfrey,..."

To echo dear Sockless and zyugh, when do we get book 7???

[Willow]

Does anyone maybe think...that Dumbledore and Snape had a chat about it all. That Dumbledore knows about the unbreakable vow, and therefore told Snape to kill him before Draco had the chance...meaning the unbreakable vow isnt broken and Snape can continue to go under cover??

I'm wishfull thinking....

[Imogen]

Regulus would seem to fit with the content of the note. Someone close to Voldemort who knew he was going to die, but was making a last ditch attempt to weaken the Dark Lord. Fits with someone who didn't realise what being a Death Eater was all about and then was revolted by it. For some strange reason I thought we've come across him as Regulus A. Black before, but I don't have time to chase down where I've seen that. Won't be fanfic because I've not read any. Books? JKR's site?

In which case you're right. Grimmauld Place, or the stuff Mundungus has stolen.

Do you think Hogwarts is going to close next year? Might be handier for Harry and co if it does, because then at least they'll have supportive people around to help in their quest for the horcruxes next year.

And H/G is only on hold. That's going to be right back in the end. Look at all the positives, like the 'perfect understanding', 'source of comfort' and the fact she was the only one who could lead him away from Dumbledore. He's responding instinctively to her and she understands him through and through. It's just a matter of time. *sighs happily*

Finished my reread and I'm still as delighted with the book as I was. Unfortunately I've got to work today so no time left to mull over it.

Where did JKR say Snape was evil? I've still got this uneasy feeling it might be some sort of double bluff that will come good in the end. I wonder if portrait Dumbledore will spill the beans on why he trusted Snape so much?

[Imogen]

Oooh - just had a nasty thought.

The spell binding Harry, so he couldn't act while Dumbledore was being killed, vanished once Dumbledore was dead. It had no power any more once the spell's caster is no more.

So Dumbledore was the secret keeper of the OotP, and it was he who could tell where the HQ was. Now he's dead, does that mean that any of the order can tell the location? In which case are the Order in danger. They'd cleared out at the beginning of book 6, but once Harry was found to be the rightful owner, would they have moved back in?

Is this going to leave them more vulnerable to Snape's treachery?

[rdehwyll]

The following is strictly my opinion, shaped by my own experiences as a writer.

Everything in HBP is a setup -- Snape DID Kill Dumbledore, but I suspect that drinking the potion caused Dumbledore to BECOME one of Voldemort's Horcrux; That is why he called out "Kill Me!" when he drank the potion hiding the false Horcrux -- he realized what he had become. Why did he want Severus Snape when they returned to Hogwarts? Because Snape would be able to use Legilimency to discover what he had become and follow through on that declaration...which he did. Snape is NOT a traitor, though he now seems to be -- the 'double-agent' gambit expressed earlier in the book.

I believe he will die in the next book, but by his death enable Harry to defeat Voldmort.

Again, only my opinion -- and I should qualify this by stating that I have NOT read anyone else's opinion in this thread yet -- I wanted to post before any discussion entered my thought patterns...

[Imogen]

Not sure I agree with you Robert, although it's a really interesting theory. Isn't it the case that a horcrux can only be created through a murder in the first place? Voldie didn't murder anything (as far as we know) at that time to enable anything to be made into a horcrux.

Snape's playing Snape's game. I wonder if he's actually doing it for Voldie, or if he has designs of grandeur himself? I agree though - he'll die next book.

Going back to the idea of there being one inside Harry, I've dismissed that idea completely now. If that was true, there's no way Voldie would want to kill Harry. It's making himself too vulnerable. Although it's a fun idea to think about

*kicks off plot bunny*

[Drie]

QUOTE (Elenarda @ Jul 17 2005, 02:47 AM)

Where did JKR say Snape was evil? I've still got this uneasy feeling it might be some sort of double bluff that will come good in the end. I wonder if portrait Dumbledore will spill the beans on why he trusted Snape so much?

JKR said it in an interview I read somewhere...but I can't remember where. She was talking about all the people who make Draco or Snape into good characters, etc. Now that I think of it, she had mentioned as well that all the fan girls of Draco should separate the character of Draco from the movie actor (meaning that yes, the actor is cute) because the character of Draco is not a good guy. But we (and Harry) saw a glimmer of good in Draco at the end of HBP as Harry noted that Draco's wand was wavering (or something like that) and probably would not have killed Dumbledore.

I do believe (for now) Snape is working as a double agent and is still a black hearted Death Eater, but should evidence present itself in another way, I'll change my opinion. I just think that Dumbledore was looking at the good in Snape and thought Snape really had repented. Hmmm. Really, it could go either way.

About the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, Harry said they could continue to meet there, but Dumbledore never confirms nor denys that they do continue, and Harry doesn't go back to #12 at all in book 6. Perhaps HQ moved?

Imogen, I agree with you about H/G. They will be together in the end. And I too am looking forwad to what the portrait of Dumbledore will have to say.

[hershey]

Arrrgghhh! Not reading any postings yet. Can't spoil it for me. Didn't even get my book until Saturday afternoon.... Ron Language! said Hermione baseball tournament. And to top it off it is 95 + degrees here, miserable for playing or watching ball. Jerry can back me on this one. So I have yet to pass page 100 as we had two more game this Sunday. I will be back reading this afternoon for sure.

Suffice it to say I am incredible jealous of all of you who have finished the book! Will post what my thoughts are once I've been allowed time to read.

~H~

[Imogen]

Hershey - sleep is irrelevant. You need to READ this NOW!

Seriously!

this book