Deathly Hallows afterthoughts
I lack sleep, am a heap of emotional wreck, and here are my thoughts.
The most important thing is that I loved the book, enjoyed it so much that I read it in one go even though I tried so hard to slow down and make the book last as long as possible. My eyes are red from weeping, not just from the various moments in the book but by the end of the Harry Potter era. It was part of my life and I hate to be so dramatic and sappy but I can’t help but feel an overwhelming bittersweet sadness. That aside, I think JKR exceeded herself in this one - this was the only book in the entire series that made me feel physically afraid at times, my heart was literally pounding.
Snape, Snape, and more Snape
Oh, Severus! My love for you knows no bound. I never doubted for a second that you would be on Voldemort’s side. Okay, I was disappointed by the utter insufficiency of Snape’s appearance in the book and by his death, which I wanted to be more dramatic in a Snape-saves-Harry-and-dies-bravely-in-the-process- kind of way, but I was heartily glad that he did not die from the killing curse as most of Voldemort’s victims
Snape/Lily fans must be beside themselves. That Snape loved Lily wasn’t a surprise to me, but that JKR dedicated a whole chapter to it did surprise me and in a very good way. Even though during ‘Prince’s Tale’ I had to keep away the perplexing feeling that I was reading fanfiction, the fact that Snape loved Lily all these long years, him crying over Lily’s letter to Sirius, and his doe shaped patronus had me crying. Very hard.
‘Look - at - me’
Aaah, this line all but killed me. Even though he probably wanted to see Lily’s eyes before he died, or perhaps look at Harry without resentment for the first time in his life, I feel a bit of Snape/Harry kindle in me.
Of all the deaths, Snape’s hit me the hardest, even though I knew he was going to die. He had a lonely childhood marred by jealousy and conflict, a not so much better adulthood full of regret and more conflict, and through all the animosity and misunderstanding from those around him, he still managed to carry out his task, loosing his life in the process. All in all he did not have a happy life which makes his redemption and death all the more tragic.
When I read that Harry named his one of his kids ‘Albus Severus’ I really, really broke down. That Harry can find it in his heart to name his kid after Snape, and call him one of the bravest men he knew was really touching not to mention a good compensation for calling his a coward in the last book.
Draco
God dammit there could have been more about Draco in the book. I was so hoping for him to do something to redeem himself (or just do something!), especially after Harry saved his life. I did like the fact that Narcissa and Lucius were more human in this one and ultimately acted like normal parents rather than obsessed followers. It emphasises what Dumbledore said about love triumphing above all else.
The inevitable - Sirius Black, Sirius/Remus, Remus
Okay. Fine. Sirius is still dead, but at least he did come back (sort of) and the afterlife JKR presented really wasn’t all that bad. I mean he's back to his marauder-day self, is with James and Lily, and reunited with young Remus where they can have lots of hot afterlife smex!
I don’t think the book sunk the Remus/Sirius ship at all. Of course I’m a hardcore R/S fan and am therefore biased, but I didn’t have to go out of my way with interpreting subtexts to see possibilities for R/S. I love the fact that Remus was so cold and indifferent towards Tonks, that he said the marriage was a mistake, and I even liked the fact that he felt desperate enough to abandon his baby and step into ‘Sirius’ shoes’ because to me it emphasis how much he misses Sirius. The fact that he didn’t go off with Harry in the end (and I’m very glad he didn’t!) also seems to me to be for his son’s benefit rather than Tonks’. So yeah, I’m still very much all for R/S. Oh, and I LOVE his aggressive outburst.
Edit: Okay, all the Remus-wank is seriously getting to me. Give the poor bloke a break. midnitemaraud_r wrote an excellent defence here
Other thoughts
Yay for canon version of how the marauders met!!!
The whole Dudley scene! I hoped something like that was going to happen!
Neville seriously rocked. I wish he was the one to kill Bellatrix to avenge his parents but I’m also fond of ‘Not my daughter, you bitch!’ so I can’t complain. I love how strong he was, how his leadership skill shone through, and how he pulled the sword out of the hat to kill Nagini.
Luna’s painting in her room set me off crying again. Seriously this book had me in an emotional wreck.
Despite thinking that Hagrid will surely die in books 5, 6, and 7, he didn’t die and I’m glad.
I think I’m probably in the minority for liking the epilogue. Yes it (again) read a bit like fanfic and seems to say that everyone paired up and had lot’s of children seemingly around same time, but I think it gave a good overall conclusion and peace of mind.
Also, deathsticks? For some reason the word just reminds me of glowsticks and I have images of Harry and Voldemort waving glowsticks in the air like in a rave.
I am slightly afraid of the post-Harry adventures-of-his-kids fan stories to come.
The most important thing is that I loved the book, enjoyed it so much that I read it in one go even though I tried so hard to slow down and make the book last as long as possible. My eyes are red from weeping, not just from the various moments in the book but by the end of the Harry Potter era. It was part of my life and I hate to be so dramatic and sappy but I can’t help but feel an overwhelming bittersweet sadness. That aside, I think JKR exceeded herself in this one - this was the only book in the entire series that made me feel physically afraid at times, my heart was literally pounding.
Snape, Snape, and more Snape
Oh, Severus! My love for you knows no bound. I never doubted for a second that you would be on Voldemort’s side. Okay, I was disappointed by the utter insufficiency of Snape’s appearance in the book and by his death, which I wanted to be more dramatic in a Snape-saves-Harry-and-dies-bravely-in-the-process- kind of way, but I was heartily glad that he did not die from the killing curse as most of Voldemort’s victims
Snape/Lily fans must be beside themselves. That Snape loved Lily wasn’t a surprise to me, but that JKR dedicated a whole chapter to it did surprise me and in a very good way. Even though during ‘Prince’s Tale’ I had to keep away the perplexing feeling that I was reading fanfiction, the fact that Snape loved Lily all these long years, him crying over Lily’s letter to Sirius, and his doe shaped patronus had me crying. Very hard.
‘Look - at - me’
Aaah, this line all but killed me. Even though he probably wanted to see Lily’s eyes before he died, or perhaps look at Harry without resentment for the first time in his life, I feel a bit of Snape/Harry kindle in me.
Of all the deaths, Snape’s hit me the hardest, even though I knew he was going to die. He had a lonely childhood marred by jealousy and conflict, a not so much better adulthood full of regret and more conflict, and through all the animosity and misunderstanding from those around him, he still managed to carry out his task, loosing his life in the process. All in all he did not have a happy life which makes his redemption and death all the more tragic.
When I read that Harry named his one of his kids ‘Albus Severus’ I really, really broke down. That Harry can find it in his heart to name his kid after Snape, and call him one of the bravest men he knew was really touching not to mention a good compensation for calling his a coward in the last book.
Draco
God dammit there could have been more about Draco in the book. I was so hoping for him to do something to redeem himself (or just do something!), especially after Harry saved his life. I did like the fact that Narcissa and Lucius were more human in this one and ultimately acted like normal parents rather than obsessed followers. It emphasises what Dumbledore said about love triumphing above all else.
The inevitable - Sirius Black, Sirius/Remus, Remus
Okay. Fine. Sirius is still dead, but at least he did come back (sort of) and the afterlife JKR presented really wasn’t all that bad. I mean he's back to his marauder-day self, is with James and Lily, and reunited with young Remus where they can have lots of hot afterlife smex!
I don’t think the book sunk the Remus/Sirius ship at all. Of course I’m a hardcore R/S fan and am therefore biased, but I didn’t have to go out of my way with interpreting subtexts to see possibilities for R/S. I love the fact that Remus was so cold and indifferent towards Tonks, that he said the marriage was a mistake, and I even liked the fact that he felt desperate enough to abandon his baby and step into ‘Sirius’ shoes’ because to me it emphasis how much he misses Sirius. The fact that he didn’t go off with Harry in the end (and I’m very glad he didn’t!) also seems to me to be for his son’s benefit rather than Tonks’. So yeah, I’m still very much all for R/S. Oh, and I LOVE his aggressive outburst.
Edit: Okay, all the Remus-wank is seriously getting to me. Give the poor bloke a break. midnitemaraud_r wrote an excellent defence here
Other thoughts
Yay for canon version of how the marauders met!!!
The whole Dudley scene! I hoped something like that was going to happen!
Neville seriously rocked. I wish he was the one to kill Bellatrix to avenge his parents but I’m also fond of ‘Not my daughter, you bitch!’ so I can’t complain. I love how strong he was, how his leadership skill shone through, and how he pulled the sword out of the hat to kill Nagini.
Luna’s painting in her room set me off crying again. Seriously this book had me in an emotional wreck.
Despite thinking that Hagrid will surely die in books 5, 6, and 7, he didn’t die and I’m glad.
I think I’m probably in the minority for liking the epilogue. Yes it (again) read a bit like fanfic and seems to say that everyone paired up and had lot’s of children seemingly around same time, but I think it gave a good overall conclusion and peace of mind.
Also, deathsticks? For some reason the word just reminds me of glowsticks and I have images of Harry and Voldemort waving glowsticks in the air like in a rave.
I am slightly afraid of the post-Harry adventures-of-his-kids fan stories to come.