Harry Potter (no spoilers) musings
There are no spoilers behind the cut for book 7, and by that I mean nothing based on advance/leaked information. However, for somone who haven't read all of the first six books, there may be spoiler information. Some of it may wind up being correct, but nothing I'm sharing that I've read elsewhere was published *after* the book was completed or published. It's all been public information from Rowling, or is speculation.
Topics covered: Possible horcrux, whether Snape is a good guy or a bad guy, deaths (I promise, no spoilers in that, just broad and nearly meaningless speculation), Harry's scar, and a theory on why Snape detests Harry.
I've said this before: I detest spoilers. I do NOT have a copy of the book on order, nor am I likely to get one in the next few days. Do NOT share information in this thread based on the seventh book, if you have and are reading it.
Possible Horcrux:
There is a Wiki entry on the Horcruxes. I've read and re-read the entire series of books several times; currently I'm most of the way through the fifth book. Of interest to me was that the knocker on the Headmaster's office is...a Griffin. Which might mean nothing, but it made me think of the possibility that it was in some way linked to Godric Griffindor.
Snape:
Ah Snape, that man we love to hate. Is he a good guy, pretending to be bad, a bad guy, pretending to be good, or playing both sides of the field, so he can stick around no matter who wins? Rowling has certainly made us wonder about him. I'm inclined to think he's leaning towards the good guys.
I think the most significant thing shaping my opinion of him is what he says and how he treats Harry *in private* during their first Occulumency lesson. Go re-read that, if you don't remember, and see what his attitude towards Harry was. I think Dumbledore's faith was well placed. Think too, of the last words Snape said to Harry in the sixth book. I think that was not so much a jab, as advice on what he would need to do to prepare to do battle with Voldemort; after all if the Dark Lord is a superb Occulumens, he'd have some advance warning, and Harry would need every bit of time on his side to win.
That Scar:
*Before* the last book was finished, Rowling stated that the last word would be "scar". That's subject to change. However, thinking about the scar, and the connection it forges between Harry and Voldemort made me wake up yesterday morning wondering...*if* Harry lives...and *if* he kills Voldemort, wouldn't it be interesting if, as *evidence* that it was indeed over...the scar disappeared?
But we don't know who lives and dies...or who wins or loses. Or if it's really over as a struggle between Good and Evil (is that struggle ever truly over?), except as a series, because Rowling has stated firmly that there will be No More Books.
All we are told is that there will be "more deaths" in the book. And it's made pretty clear we won't like some of them. That's not really narrowing it down; there are plenty of characters already, and Rowling is bound to introduce new ones. She could pick off any number of them.
So why *does* Snape hate Harry so?
I think the best explanation I've seen so far is the possibility that Snape had the hots for Lily...but didn't get her. They were both excellent at Potions. And think about how often we've been reminded that Harry looks like his dad, except for his eyes...Lily's eyes. So every time Snape looks at Harry, he sees the guy who *did* wind up with the woman he wanted, and the guy he hated in school. And he sees Lily's eyes. And the kid who perhaps, should have been his. All wrapped up in one neat little package.
Well, if that's the right theory, at least Snape's not bitter. ;-)
Edit Warning: the Wiki entry on the seventh book now apparently has spoiler information in it. I should have known better than to go look at it again after the leaks occured. :(
Topics covered: Possible horcrux, whether Snape is a good guy or a bad guy, deaths (I promise, no spoilers in that, just broad and nearly meaningless speculation), Harry's scar, and a theory on why Snape detests Harry.
I've said this before: I detest spoilers. I do NOT have a copy of the book on order, nor am I likely to get one in the next few days. Do NOT share information in this thread based on the seventh book, if you have and are reading it.
Possible Horcrux:
There is a Wiki entry on the Horcruxes. I've read and re-read the entire series of books several times; currently I'm most of the way through the fifth book. Of interest to me was that the knocker on the Headmaster's office is...a Griffin. Which might mean nothing, but it made me think of the possibility that it was in some way linked to Godric Griffindor.
Snape:
Ah Snape, that man we love to hate. Is he a good guy, pretending to be bad, a bad guy, pretending to be good, or playing both sides of the field, so he can stick around no matter who wins? Rowling has certainly made us wonder about him. I'm inclined to think he's leaning towards the good guys.
I think the most significant thing shaping my opinion of him is what he says and how he treats Harry *in private* during their first Occulumency lesson. Go re-read that, if you don't remember, and see what his attitude towards Harry was. I think Dumbledore's faith was well placed. Think too, of the last words Snape said to Harry in the sixth book. I think that was not so much a jab, as advice on what he would need to do to prepare to do battle with Voldemort; after all if the Dark Lord is a superb Occulumens, he'd have some advance warning, and Harry would need every bit of time on his side to win.
That Scar:
*Before* the last book was finished, Rowling stated that the last word would be "scar". That's subject to change. However, thinking about the scar, and the connection it forges between Harry and Voldemort made me wake up yesterday morning wondering...*if* Harry lives...and *if* he kills Voldemort, wouldn't it be interesting if, as *evidence* that it was indeed over...the scar disappeared?
But we don't know who lives and dies...or who wins or loses. Or if it's really over as a struggle between Good and Evil (is that struggle ever truly over?), except as a series, because Rowling has stated firmly that there will be No More Books.
All we are told is that there will be "more deaths" in the book. And it's made pretty clear we won't like some of them. That's not really narrowing it down; there are plenty of characters already, and Rowling is bound to introduce new ones. She could pick off any number of them.
So why *does* Snape hate Harry so?
I think the best explanation I've seen so far is the possibility that Snape had the hots for Lily...but didn't get her. They were both excellent at Potions. And think about how often we've been reminded that Harry looks like his dad, except for his eyes...Lily's eyes. So every time Snape looks at Harry, he sees the guy who *did* wind up with the woman he wanted, and the guy he hated in school. And he sees Lily's eyes. And the kid who perhaps, should have been his. All wrapped up in one neat little package.
Well, if that's the right theory, at least Snape's not bitter. ;-)
Edit Warning: the Wiki entry on the seventh book now apparently has spoiler information in it. I should have known better than to go look at it again after the leaks occured. :(