The Great Debate
I know everyone and their grandmother has read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, and it seems really sad that I have only found time to review the final installment at this moment. I must definitely express my feelings on this book, but before that
I must wangst. I am sorry, but being in the middle of the Naruto manga currently, my heart has been broken into little bits. Just a few minutes ago too. The death of Sasori, though I had long known the FUCKING SPOILER! fact, still caused me pain. An absolute waste of talent I lament, and with that face! Such looks! I would kill to see him again. He must be the cutest Akatsuki member alive. Oh no, I forget he isn’t any more. *groan* But that isn’t all. Sasori was a short-lived and tragic character, but what pushed me over the edge was this.
From Naruto Vol. 31, Chapter 278
Naruto (over Gaara's lifeless body): "I couldn't save Sasuke, I couldn't save Gaara either..."
It hurt. So much. I have no idea why. It certainly isn’t a new statement. We all know Naruto failed to bring Sasuke back in that very first attempt, in which their concurrent battle sealed their relationship, as well as their yaoi fangirl base. It was also painfully obvious that Naruto suffered greatly due to his failure.
However, three years later, with the astounding mental and physical growths of ex-Team 7 and co., this little plea coming from Naruto, actually sounds like him at twelve years old. The same agony he went through, which was brought so easily to surface by the death of his friend, manifests itself into desperation for Sasuke. Admittedly, even after the countless years of training and battle, the hint of Sasuke had continued to hang around ex-Team 7 like a heavy blanket. But since Shippuuden revived, I think this is the first time Naruto has shown his true feelings at Sasuke’s betrayal.
Just seeing his face grimace and twist with the worst kind of hurt and pain, breaks my heart. Guilt, and heartbreak. It strikes me coldly then, that Naruto has indeed grown and matured, in more ways than one might think. Three years ago, such sadness would never have touched the features of Uzumaki Naruto.
Loneliness was his constant companion as a child; as a result, relationships were nonexistent. Consequently, the breaking of a bond changed him greatly. Though not much of the darker side of Naruto has been shown, it is there. Mostly hidden by his sunny smile, loud clothes and general vibrancy, but still heart wrenching to those who watch and know him well.
And the shadow over day,
Will embrace the world in grey.
Now, Sakura’s smile is always half hidden in shadow. In fear for the first two boys in her heart.
And Kakashi looks out for him more than ever. Attentiveness, and a strange intense study that he never used to grace the boy. Before, it was always Sasuke. Until he left.
*gloom descends*
Oh no. My wangsting has grown long. But it’s too late; I’m utterly depressed now. If I’m not careful, I’m going to write a long piece on the angst in Naruto and then commit seppuku on the spot with a blunt knife.
However, my earlier mission pricks at me, and does not allow me to do so. I will, and must, write about Harry Potter. Please excuse my sudden mood swings/swift changes in manner. I am fickle.
The ending to Harry Potter. It sure took a long time, didn’t it? Several years, it was. Somehow, “Ending” and “Harry Potter” just do not go together. I grew up with the book, with Harry and the characters, my obsession ended around the fourth book. I got used to the Harry then, faced with half-explained situations, lesser relationship problems and milder emotions. The Harry after, is just one big growth and difference. Therefore, I was not entirely too ecstatic of his later escapades, during which he proved himself a giant ball of angst and temper.
It was very unbecoming. The supposed romances in the series were ill formed, in my opinion, because previously there had been no hints of romantic interest, and the relationships themselves seemed to be largely based on physical attraction and admiration. Both sides never really understood each other before falling head over heels in love. Yuck, the shallowness nearly put me off during the reading. This was especially apparent in the sixth book, where Ron and Lavender’s whirlwind romance caused me so much disgust I almost tore out the offending pages.
However, I digress. Again, I begin with the criticism. Which was thoroughly valid, in my honest opinion. Any way, as most of you know, I took forever to complete the last book. Yes, this is me, the girl who used to wish so hard to get the famous letter to Hogwarts! (I’m being serious here. Don’t laugh.) The one who hoped really hard she could do some kind of magic, be pronounced a witch, and get shipped off to King’s Cross and the Hogwarts Express. After which she would be sorted into Gryffindor, and meet Harry Potter in person, kill/convert Malfoy, become best friends with Ginny and Hermione, top the school, brag to muggles…………. Yeah you get the picture.
So whatever. Something happened to me, I guess. I fell out of love with Harry Potter, which failed to capture my interest much longer, and turned my attention to other things. I must admit though, J.K. Rowling is an absolute genius at plots, suspense, and action. The real fighting bits were the priceless parts. As well as the twists and inopportune humor.
At certain parts, I found myself utterly gripped by the plot. Which is saying quite a lot. Because at the end of the day, Harry Potter is, and always will remain, a children’s book. Highly successful and legendary for its time, but still, never considered literature. Nor does it manage to portray normal human feelings and behavior accurately.
However, and this I mention strongly, J.K. Rowling accomplished something most authors could not. She managed to introduce numerous characters into her story, developing them to be realistic and extremely likable. Once the readers’ interests were peaked, the plot didn’t need much work. The characters’ spoke for themselves. Unfortunately, having lost interest in the characters, I was able to see that the Much Awaited Seventh Book had virtually no plot at all.
And it was essentially the ending, and the ENDING ONLY, that appeased me. The wonderful, unveiled TRUE loyalty of Severus Snape. For some reason, by the sixth book, my piano teacher and I were discussing Snape’s possible ‘good-guy tendency’. I was inclined to believe that Snape could be trusted, if only the sole reason was that Dumbledore did so, too. To most, it would have seemed that Dumbledore made a grave mistake; Snape could never ever be trusted, it was pure madness and sheer gullibility to do so. The most revered of all headmasters met his death at the hands of another, seemingly, just because he gave people second chances.
Dumbledore was always the most surprising guy. Out of all of J.K. Rowling’s characters, it could be seen that Dumbledore was the crux of most twists in Harry’s Great Escapades. Ron used to think he was a brilliant, but wacky old man, who foresaw so many things, the skill was like divination. Above all, he had the answers every time. Though let on only at the end, to be precise. He twisted each and every person to his plan, and especially Harry. Some speculate it was to test his capabilities, while Dumbledore's critics say it was due to his sadism and evilness.
Whatever the case, Dumbledore had never been wrong. Not once. If he staunchly retained that Snape could be trusted, most probably Snape could be trusted too. Even if the rest of the Order and his colleagues thought otherwise.
Severus Snape is a complex character, and we only get to analyze him in this last book, for which I would like to tear out my hair. Why, why, was Snape always written in such a one-sided way? Why did the author make him so intensely unlikable? Why did she not reveal the reason to his unpleasantness much earlier?
Because it would make readers like me all the more overwhelmed, she would reply. (Pure guesswork here) Snape’s apparent loathing for Harry, his unrequited love to Lily Potter, general animosity to the world, and reason for his greatest back-up, aka Albus Dumbledore, is at last revealed. In one measly chapter, I would add. Yet it was one of those, which affected me so greatly and touched me irrevocably.
Memories are powerful. Snape's memories contrived to make me detest James Potter, even though I know I should not do so, because without him, Harry wouldn’t be here. Yeah, I constantly remind myself of that fact. If you ask me, this one-sided romance is the most realistic and interesting one the book has ever seen. With the exception of the obvious marriage pairings, of course.
It is absolutely touching to read the lengths to which Snape went for Lily, which eventually led to his unwavering loyalty to Albus Dumbledore. I would like to say that I was pleasantly surprised when I realized how close Snape and Dumbledore actually were to each other, but finally came to the strange conclusion that I had known this all along, and was IMPOSSIBLY GLAD that it had finally been brought to light. I mean, throughout the entire series, it had been out rightly mentioned that Snape did things, which caused Dumbledore, and only Dumbledore, to trust him implicitly. For that matter, the same cannot be said for McGonagall.
The mind wanders, and balks, at what exactly those things could have been.
At this point, those who get what I am implying might die from embarrassment, or curse my yaoi fangirl tendencies to high hell, or try in vain to rid their mind of the traumatizing mental image I have created. I apologize, but seriously, my mind works only one way.
I digress again. So, the words that describe Snape and Dumbledore’s relationship are probably ‘unknown’, ‘intense’ and ‘true’. In the short space of a few pages, we are allowed brief glimpses into the time in which they spent in each other’s company, which even so, manage to reveal so many secrets that the world was dead to. Important information, that is. And personal too, when it came to the subject of Harry Potter. The pair could even be described as being the closest thing they had to each other.
Dumbledore alone knew who the true Snape was, and in return, Snape was exeedingly sure of his loyalties, confided in Dumbledore, and opened up in his presence. Who the hell knew Snape could rant? Who the hell knew that Snape felt anything other than bitterness and anger? Who the hell knew how much he cared for Harry, despite the boy looking so much like his father? Dumbledore.
And Dumbledore, when certain of his impending death, trusted only one person with the knowledge, and the inevitable deed, to kill him. Who happened to be Snape.
Did Harry, as the whole world claimed was Dumbledore’s favourite, get to know any of this? NOOOOO. Why was Harry so resentful towards Dumbledore half the book? Dumbledore might have loved him dearly, but he never trusted him totally, not in the way he trusted Snape. Harry realized this, and therefore being a hormonal teen, threw tempers all the time.
Unhealthy obsession, that. Dumbledore was always way too famous/popular for his own good. The Great Debate surrounding his biography after his death can prove that, but that’s another story. And that is why Harry stopped all ill thoughts directed to Dumbledore once he found out the entire truth, through another medium. All Harry ever wanted was to get to know Albus Dumbledore a little better than he had while the man was still alive. And he did, only much later.
So thank you, Harry, for naming your second son Albus Severus. It just says so much.
“…you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew.”
It’s the first time Harry has ever seen past his blind adoration for Albus Dumbledore, and looked up to someone else equally worthy.
Hence, for now, know my love for Severus Snape.