I'm currently re-reading HBP and a question has begun to form that has been nagging on the back of my mind for ages. In very simple words that question is: What does magic really mean for witches and wizards? How integral a part of their selves is it?

Basically, witches and wizards define themselves over magic. Magic is part of what they are. It's ( Read more... )

... or: Is Donna a miserable old crank ( Read more... )

HBP is one week away, and I realised something: I am not worried about anything that might happen in the book. (I have quite reconciled with the idea of Remus' death.) But what makes me uneasy is the anticipation of the reactions in fandom. There will be hissy fits, there will be character bashing, and there will be outcries of "OMG! JKR is, like, ( Read more... )

Finished reading "Going Postal" today.

Am now ridiculously in love with Havelock Vetinari.

But where was Wuffles?

I'm reading Lucy Maud Montgomery's "Emily's Quest":

Ilse stumbled on the happy idea of pick-out your favourite star.

"Mine is Sirius. Lorne?"

"Antares of the Scorpion--the red star of the south," said Halsey.

"Bellatrix of Orion," said Emily quickly.

...!

Some of you might have already known about it for a long time, but I discovered it only very recently: An Internet platform, where you can find well-loved, yet long-lost books you've read (or been read to) as a child. The Advanced Book Exchange provides an excellent service on its BookSleuth forum, where users can post more or less vague ( Read more... )