SPOILER WARNING: A thread about the Harry Potter books

[kingpaul]

Your comment above was completely unnecessary (and completely wrong). Please consider what you type more carefully in the future.

I was considering what I said. You said:

I think that any novel that can't be held in one hand to read is too long!

And it to was that statement that I was responding to. I stated "No offense" because some people do find discussing anatomy offensive (which, from your response, you do), while some don't. My statement was not intending to be offensive, and I wanted that out in the open that I was not giving offense.



Which then must mean that I have extremely large hands if I can hold the book one-handed while reading. *shrug* My apologies for causing you to take offense. None was offered.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

I have been reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in depth, and ...

I really do not like Percy.
He takes 5 points from his own House, because of a verbal quarrel with his brother?
Truly here is something to give mirth and merriment to House Slytherin! Who needs Snape, when there is Percy?

I know Percy goes bad later on. I can see why that would happen.
I don't particularly wish to see anyone die in the novels, but if 2 major characters have to go, I hope Percy is one of them (and not, say, Ron or Ginny.)

 

[kingpaul]

I really do not like Percy.
He takes 5 points from his own House, because of a verbal quarrel with his brother?

Yeah, Percy is definitely not on the top of my "favorite character list". He strikes me as somone who thirsts for power and recognition. This may, partially, stem from the fact that he comes from such a large family and was, therefore, not the focus of constant attention.

 

[Chimera]

Speculating as to who might bite it in 7;

As much as I wouldn't be happy about it, Dramatic Flow might dictate that someone well-liked bites it early in the book, so as to increase the tension and make you salivate for the end.

In which case, it might be someone like Mr. or Mrs. Weasley.

Which would really get me, as I love those two characters. Arthur Weasley has been a big favorite of mine since the movie scene where he turns to Harry and the boys and says "How'd it go?" in reference to them stealing the car to rescue Harry. That moment MADE that character for me.

But you could see how that might "help" the story.

I think Draco survives, due to cowardly running away when the pressure is on him.

Snape will probably die, giving his life to help Harry. Of course, that's assuming that he's filling the role I think he's filling.

Harry sacrificing himself in order to take down Voldemort (such as if he is actually the last Horcrux) and save his friends (who are all present and in danger) would be a very emotional end to the series.

(And Rowlings has already spoken/speculated on the idea of killing off Harry if only to prevent others from writing later Harry Potter novels.)

 

[Loincloth of Armour]

Yeah, Percy is definitely not on the top of my "favorite character list". He strikes me as somone who thirsts for power and recognition. This may, partially, stem from the fact that he comes from such a large family and was, therefore, not the focus of constant attention.

Percy is not on the top of many people's favourite lists (except for 'Who do you want to see die?' lists), but remember that neither is he bad.

He's younger than Bill and Charlie, two brothers that his parents obviously love. Both of them seem to have been adventrous (although not as much as George and Fred), and so maybe he set out to be different from his older brothers by being 'the good boy.'

Seeing how much trouble the twins were giving his parents probably helped cement the idea that he should not cause his parents any trouble. Thus locking him into rules, regulations, and structure.

You are probably right in that with such a large family, he looked for attention via power and recognition. If he gets power he will be seen, maybe by his family, maybe by others. In any case, he will be noticed.

He has taken things to extremes, but there is no hint that he'd join Voldemort's side. He's not evil, but he is ambitious, and he has made choices that are perhaps not the best. Since he was in Gryffendor he does have courage, to what extent we're not sure.

Yes, he is shallow, self-gratifying, petty and holds a grudge, but considering how evil some people are in the books, he's only somewhat worthy of derision.

And if you were the favourite target of Fred and George's pranks for years on end, you'd probably feel like abandoning your family at times.

He is proof that not everybody makes the right choices and that sometimes family and friends do dumb things. That's life.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Considering your article above, it seems to me you're right. Percy has the Middle Sibling problem, as it were.

 

[Donovan Morningfire]

When my sister was little, she would say "I don't mean to be rude but..."

"Ah, but accidental rudeness occurs quite often, I'm afraid to say."
- Albus Dumbledore (paraphrased from Half-Blood Prince)

As for Percy, remember also Dumbledore's line in Philospher/Sorcerer's Stone...
"It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but it takes a great deal more to stand up to your friends."

Percy is standing up for what he believes is right (rules and regulations) in the face of his family. And standing up for what you believe is right against your parents can take a lot of courage.

After all, courage isn't only about brave deeds and noble actions. It's also about sticking to your guns in the face of adversity; i.e. doing what is "right" instead of what is easy. Now, I think Percy is the world's biggest prat, but he's not in Voldemort's pocket.

As for the who bites it and who doesn't, I've been afraid for Hagrid for some time. As for Harry, after all the crap the boy's gone through, he deserves a "happily ever after" in that he takes down Voldemort and goes on to live a (fairly) normal life, surrounded by friends and adoptive family (heck, he's a member of the Weasley clan in all but name).

I don't think Harry is an "accidental" Horcrux, as they have to be destroyed before Voldemort can be taken down, and from the sounds of it creating a Horcrux is a deliberate act, and Voldemort was going to use Harry's death for his seventh Horcrux.

 

[billd91]

Percy is standing up for what he believes is right (rules and regulations) in the face of his family. And standing up for what you believe is right against your parents can take a lot of courage.
After all, courage isn't only about brave deeds and noble actions. It's also about sticking to your guns in the face of adversity; i.e. doing what is "right" instead of what is easy. Now, I think Percy is the world's biggest prat, but he's not in Voldemort's pocket.

That may be, but I'm willing to bet that Percy will finally show some greater moral courage in the final book, admit he was wrong, and patch it up with his parents.
Hmmm.... at attack of some sort at the wedding of Bill and Fleur that makes Percy reassess and brings him back to the family?

 

[Donovan Morningfire]

That may be, but I'm willing to bet that Percy will finally show some greater moral courage in the final book, admit he was wrong, and patch it up with his parents.
Hmmm.... at attack of some sort at the wedding of Bill and Fleur that makes Percy reassess and brings him back to the family?

Actually, I'm kind of hoping that Percy doesn't "patch things up" with his family. I think just having him do an about-face would be a disservice to his character. Throughout the first three books we've always seen him holding himself apart from the rest of his family at school, and he pretty much was "momma's little angel," which naturally made him a target for Frorge and Gerd.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

I watched the Harry Potter films (1, 2, 3 and 4) in order, then bought all the books at once and have since read them out of order: 1, 5, 6, and now 3.
That is, I just read Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azrabah. And I just gotta say it:

BRAVO! BRAVO!

A big thumbs up to this book.


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Edit: But what is Arithmancy?