Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows - POTENTIAL SPOILERS

[Desdichado]

Except that now, he's explicitly stated he can't ever let himself be defeated again, so that the Elder Wand's power dies with him. Auror looks like a pretty bad career choice now. I suspect he's doing something very calm and quiet.

Yes, I agree. But until that point, it was the leading contender as his career choice, so folks are still discussing it.

In the next edition of A History of Magic, who is going to come close to Harry Potter in the way the historians and public view them? Snape? Harry's sidekicks? A lot of the stuff that the readers were privy to -- and that Harry will no doubt tell historians -- aren't things that will resonate with the public the way Neville leading the resistance in Harry's absence and his part in destroying Voldemort did.

He was one (of three) leaders of the resistance at Hogwarts, which will---at best---be a minor footnote in the history of the Resistance as a whole. Destroying Nagini is a much greater accomplishment, IMO, but both Ron and Hermione (and Dumbledore) got a piece of that action as well.

 

[billd91]

One plot gripe which I haven't seen mentioned is why was Voldemort a moron? He knew who all the Order of the Phoenix people were, and where they lived. Why weren't they dead or at least in Azkahban? Voldemort wasn't exactly known for merciful tendencies. People were dropping like flies and mudbloods were all getting sent to Azkahban, and yet the core opposition is allowed to run free. That just didn't work for me.

buzzard

Sure, Voldemort and the Death Eaters could butch off everyone involved in the OOP, but what's his primary goal? Getting Harry. Eventually, Harry or someone traveling with him will slip up or try to make contact. At that point, it's better to keep them under observation in the hopes of making the bigger catch.
Besides, if known detractors are out there, it makes the situation look less dire than it already is. That will help keep the fence-sitters and the timid in line.

 

[hafrogman]

Snape was appointed Headmaster some time after Voldemort took effective control of the Ministry of Magic. That's even specifically spelled out in one of the earlier chapters, IIRC.

Yes, but the intermediate time was the summer holidays. Nobody was at the school, no students, no faculty.

Dumbledore died at the end of one school year, Snape gets appointed at the begining of the next.

 

[Desdichado]

Yeah, I know. It all depends on your interpretation of "quite a bit of time."

 

[billd91]

Yes, I agree. But until that point, it was the leading contender as his career choice, so folks are still discussing it.

I disagree that it was truly Harry's leading career choice as the 6th book goes on. I don't think anything replaces it but Harry solidifies his opposition to methods at the ministry. I think too much bad blood grows between Harry and the ministry and I'm not at all surprised he doesn't seem to become an auror.

Personally, I thought it was kind of nice to not know what it is Harry is doing 19 years later (other than being a family man and not working at Hogwarts). We get to imagine all sorts of other alternatives.

I wouldn't have minded an update on other major secondary characters like George and Luna. But I don't feel I really need one.

 

[Vocenoctum]

He was one (of three) leaders of the resistance at Hogwarts, which will---at best---be a minor footnote in the history of the Resistance as a whole. Destroying Nagini is a much greater accomplishment, IMO, but both Ron and Hermione (and Dumbledore) got a piece of that action as well.

Truthfully, destroying Nagini is probably a footnote anyway. I think a history of the Second War Against Voldie would have many heroes of many battles, but only Harry would be well known.

 

[Vocenoctum]

I really think the epilogue was just the right length.

Once you get past the big climax of a book (Voldemort's defeat), the story needs to end fast. Dragging things on and on afterwards is usually pretty painful. The epilogue tells us that Harry, Ron, and Hermione have been rewarded with peaceful lives and families and they're happy.

I'll mention it again, but if you view the ending through the veil of a movie scene, it makes more sense I think. The kids looking like Harry or Ron or such running up, talking, The Trio appearing, a nod from Draco. These things will all work much better on screen vs in the book. It's all supposed to resonate with the first train and such, but in the book it's sort of bland I think.

The book, IMO, would have been better served with a character recounting the intervening time to someone else. I'd also have prefered that the book ended at the current day rather than the future, so anything done after could still fit in.

 

[Vocenoctum]

The symbol actually appears on the top of the spine of the children's edition.

It's also the opening art for Chapter 21, where it's described. (though not head on, it's still obvious)

 

[Ambrus]

Well, because they could walk in the front door once Dumbledore was gone and Snape put in charge. The cabinet was no longer of any use; Death Eaters didn't need to sneak into Hogwarts until the very end of the story - and it would be a dangerous thing to try - it would be the equivalent of coming down a narrow hall into a (possibly defended) location. For a small strike force like in Book 6, its great, but for a large attacking force, its probably not ideal.

But why didn't Snape and the Death-Eaters secure the cabinet after taking over? They made a point of blocking up and securing all other secret passages into the school simply to block Order of the Phoenix members and Harry. It wouldn't have taken much effort to move the cabinet out of the Room of Requirement and place it in some more secure location, such as the Headmaster's office for instance.

BTW, can someone tell me what the big deal was with the Deathstick? What did it do that another wand couldn't? It's reputed to make the wielder unbeatable in a duel, and yet its wielders have all been defeated one by one via magic throughout its history. It certainly didn't seem to do a whole lot to protect Dumbledor against Malfoy's oh-so-clever disarming curse. I know Dumbledor had been weakened and all, but if it's sooo mighty why could a sixth year student defeat it's wielder with one shot? If all its previous wielders have been deafeated, why does the deathstick even have this great reputation? As Voldermort showed, it more often seems to be a liability to its wielder than a benefit.

 

[Loincloth of Armour]

The wizard the world will remember as fighting an active resistance to Voldemort's regime, despite attacks on him and his family, and despite still being a student, and who was only the second person to ever pull the Sword of Gryffindor out of the flaming Sorting Hat and who destroyed Nagini during the heat of battle ... was Neville.

And anyone who spends five minutes with him will realize that while a loyal friend, terribly brave and holding a wealth of herbology knowledge... he falls far short of being in the running for #2. He's the Hagrid of the modern age: good to have around, useful in his areas of expertise, and somewhat of a comic figure.

I like the fact he grew over the books and agree he was a true Gryiffdor, but he's a Perrigin Took-like character. Steps up when needed and does something very important, but not exactly the cream of the crop.