my thoughts on -yaoi- Deathly Hallows
[this post contains spoilers for the seventh Harry Potter book. And I apologize for adding more useless Harry Potter talk to your flist. Also, there's a completely daft poll.]
All right. Now that I have finally stopped crying. (I exaggerate. I only cried a very little.)
In no particular order, here are things I noticed/found interesting/liked.
Names:
Lots of my thoughts are connected to names.
-Xenophilius Lovegood. Come now. Other-loving lovegood. Greatest name ever.
-One of my absolute favorite moments was when Harry first called Lupin "Remus." Nothing else feels quite so much like growing up.
-Hermione's middle name is "Jean." Surely it was "Jane" per grey canon? (Or maybe I misremember.) Anyhow, characters named "Jeane" regardless of how they spell it, always make me twitch a little (Jean Grey, I am looking at you.) On the other hand, Hermione and CJ Cregg now have the same middle name, which means they should fall in love.
-Names from the non-existent epilogue: I admit I coo over "Albus Severus," because the only thing that's awesome about the epilogue is that Harry has truly, really forgiven Snape. More on that later, but meanwhile, aw. Otherwise, Scorpius?!? And the Scapers in the room drop dead from brainhurt, the end.
House Elves:
-While clearly a death had to happen when Dobby's did, I wasn't sold on Harry's level of grief, or that that was the catalyzing event for lots of important shifts in Harry's understanding.
-Also, Kreacher's change of heart. But it was fun to watch, regardless.
Protections:
-On Dobby's death, though, I loved (um, not in a sadistic way) watching Harry's protections fall away. Hedwig dying first was horrible brilliant; the order of the others wasn't quite chronological, but I certainly felt like everything Harry'd been given, everything he'd counted on, was broken or died. He lost the protection of 4 Privet Drive, then his owl, and Mad-Eye, then the safety of the Burrow, then his godfather's house, then Ron left (but he came back, before you get too worried!) His wand breaks, Dobby dies, half the advance guard dies in the final battle, and probably most centrally and painfully, his sense of Dumbledore changes (again), which is the Pensieve scene from book5 all over again -- the people he admires aren't as perfect as he thought. Oh, growing up. Oh, Harry.
Graves:
It's a motif!
We remember Riddle's father's grave, and we are reminded (wrt Moody) of how Crouch Jr. buried his father, and then - Harry buries Moody's eye, they visit Godric's Hollow, gather important information, and see the Dumbledore family plot as well as James and Lily's - Harry buries Dobby and carves his gravestone. Voldemort robs Dumbledore's tomb, and, finally, Harry loses the Resurrection Stone in the woods - where Crouch Sr. is buried - and it's buried for good. Graves aren't just memorial stones, they're where physical bodies are buried, where they rot and decay, where they're respected and remembered; they can be desecrated, as Voldemort does.
Three favorite scenes:
-What Hermione did to her parents made me gasp aloud (and then it becomes a flint a few pages later; never done a memory charm what?)
-Harry calling Lupin by name (above) - Lupin always calls people by their given (or proper - he calls Voldemort "Voldemort") names, which I absolutely adore.
-Harry deciding not to take action and go after the Elder Wand. ! ! ! At that point I might've betrayed McGonagall, Hermione, and Lupin and called Harry my favorite Gryffindor.
House stuff:
-I was so pleased, and I think I understand Gryffs a bit better now! Or, I like and admire the kind of courage they grow into quite a bit.
-And we FINALLY oh Ravenclaw FINALLY oh gosh! Ravenclaw! I love the way their door works just beyond measure, especially because it shows what the Ravenclaws really value, which is not knowledge (really), certainly not House membership, not loyalty or alliance, but wit and wisdom and cleverness. I love how smoothly McGonagall answers the question posed to her. And of course, Luna.
LUNA. The painting on her ceiling! The rebellion! The way she recognizes Harry by the look on his face! Just everything, oh Luna, you're the best second best in very good company.
Horcruxes:
I wrote down who destroyed which ones, and I'm very pleased that Harry only destroyed the first one, that Ron and Hermione got turns, and that Neville got his. I suppose I'm almost pleased that the diadem was destroyed essentially by accident, though someone from another House (LUNA) getting a go at one would have been awesome, too.
And Voldemort destroys the last one. Oh. OH.
Unforgivables:
They were inflicted left and right. Molly Weasley used Avada Kedavra; Harry never did (and so a certain kind of innocence is preserved, and at a cost). When McGonagall used Imperius was when I knew things were bad.
SNAPE:
I read 100% accurate spec the night I finished HBP. You guys are smart! I am dumb, for serious, as I have no idea how many times I insisted (fortunately never publicly) that there must be a better reason than Snape/Lily. Um. I stand corrected. And I'm okay with that, even though I didn't think I'd like it. I think mostly because. Well. The kidlet says the Snape-discussion continues, and I certainly believe her, though I wonder if people are a) unconvinced that the memories are true or b) just unconvinced that that makes Snape a decent person/warrior for right/redeemed. Anyhow, my feeling, and what I think I love, is that what Snape shows Harry is exactly the thing that will convince Harry of Snape's goodness, because Harry respects loyalty, and he respects ties to his parents, and he is finally able to realize the feelings of sympathy he has for Snape because they are in some ways very similar. I started sobbing right about as Snape died (maybe a few paragraphs into the memories) - and this is funny, because that entire chapter is the 100% correct spec (Snape/Lily, Snape-Dumbledore's con, Harry's the last Horcrux) that I've had for years. And it still made me weep. And Snape doesn't know. Snape doesn't know that he sent Harry, not to his death, but to freedom and his final victory. He dies having failed to protect Harry. And (GUYS) he dies looking into Harry's eyes, which just happen to look exactly like Lily's, who is the only person he ever loved. I mean, not that the Snape/Harry has written itself right into canon or anything.
OTP!
Finally, and most importantly (because this is me, after all):
-Snape/Lily (see above). Mirrored in Bloody Baron/Grey Lady. I'm not sure I like the idea of Slytherins thwarted in love who can prove their nobility only by self-sacrifice and eventually death. No, make that I really don't like it.
-Ron/Hermione! Yay!
-Harry/Hermione! (I mean, they were disguised as a Muggle couple and went around Godric's Hollow with their arms around each other!) Yay!
-Ron/Harry! (Something broke between them, but then it got fixed, and there was nudity.)
-Oh, speaking of which, in which everyone's polyjuice'd into Harry, then start stripping and... oh my GOD okay. Again, the orgy has written itself into canon.
-The Trio is canon, right? I mean... right?
-And I mentioned Harry/Snape above.
-And Harry/Dumbledore is really awesome, though possibly this is more of a gen thing. Maybe.
-Luna/Dean. I was kind of skeeved at first, because it was completely and utterly random, but then I realized they're both artists, and decided that it's okay if it's canon.
-Speaking of canon, what happened to Pince/Filch bdsm-in-the-library and it would be TOTALLY IN CHARACTER? Waah.
Oh, twinses! *heartbreak*
Finally, most importantly,
McGonagall was incredibly amazingly awesome, and both mentions of her before we saw her again were in reference to Hermione, and I wrote the last chapter of "Pinpricks" today! (Now I just need to write the intervening 6 years and I can actually post some of it!) AND SHE DIDN'T DIE. I am sad Remus died, but he gets to go be with Sirius now, and I'm sad Fred died, and Colin kinda broke me, but McGonagall and Hermione made it out alive, and as far as I'm concerned, that was a happy ending.
Oh, yes,
Sirius - I think, in reading Lily's letter, I came to realize how much Sirius really loved Harry. Maybe I'd just forgotten, but it didn't really seem to click until... Sirius gave him his first broomstick, and then when he bought him the Firebolt all those years later... when he was on the lam and desperately trying to murder one of his best friends, he bought his godson a broom, and it was, of course, exactly what Harry wanted, and... "Quicker and easier than falling asleep." Of course, I was completely a mess at that point, but that got me harder!
So, in conclusion, epilogue, what epilogue McGonagall! scar
Poll spoilery for Deathly Hallows...
In non-Harry Potter news, femslash_minis is opening up for another round.
All right. Now that I have finally stopped crying. (I exaggerate. I only cried a very little.)
In no particular order, here are things I noticed/found interesting/liked.
Names:
Lots of my thoughts are connected to names.
-Xenophilius Lovegood. Come now. Other-loving lovegood. Greatest name ever.
-One of my absolute favorite moments was when Harry first called Lupin "Remus." Nothing else feels quite so much like growing up.
-Hermione's middle name is "Jean." Surely it was "Jane" per grey canon? (Or maybe I misremember.) Anyhow, characters named "Jeane" regardless of how they spell it, always make me twitch a little (Jean Grey, I am looking at you.) On the other hand, Hermione and CJ Cregg now have the same middle name, which means they should fall in love.
-Names from the non-existent epilogue: I admit I coo over "Albus Severus," because the only thing that's awesome about the epilogue is that Harry has truly, really forgiven Snape. More on that later, but meanwhile, aw. Otherwise, Scorpius?!? And the Scapers in the room drop dead from brainhurt, the end.
House Elves:
-While clearly a death had to happen when Dobby's did, I wasn't sold on Harry's level of grief, or that that was the catalyzing event for lots of important shifts in Harry's understanding.
-Also, Kreacher's change of heart. But it was fun to watch, regardless.
Protections:
-On Dobby's death, though, I loved (um, not in a sadistic way) watching Harry's protections fall away. Hedwig dying first was horrible brilliant; the order of the others wasn't quite chronological, but I certainly felt like everything Harry'd been given, everything he'd counted on, was broken or died. He lost the protection of 4 Privet Drive, then his owl, and Mad-Eye, then the safety of the Burrow, then his godfather's house, then Ron left (but he came back, before you get too worried!) His wand breaks, Dobby dies, half the advance guard dies in the final battle, and probably most centrally and painfully, his sense of Dumbledore changes (again), which is the Pensieve scene from book5 all over again -- the people he admires aren't as perfect as he thought. Oh, growing up. Oh, Harry.
Graves:
It's a motif!
We remember Riddle's father's grave, and we are reminded (wrt Moody) of how Crouch Jr. buried his father, and then - Harry buries Moody's eye, they visit Godric's Hollow, gather important information, and see the Dumbledore family plot as well as James and Lily's - Harry buries Dobby and carves his gravestone. Voldemort robs Dumbledore's tomb, and, finally, Harry loses the Resurrection Stone in the woods - where Crouch Sr. is buried - and it's buried for good. Graves aren't just memorial stones, they're where physical bodies are buried, where they rot and decay, where they're respected and remembered; they can be desecrated, as Voldemort does.
Three favorite scenes:
-What Hermione did to her parents made me gasp aloud (and then it becomes a flint a few pages later; never done a memory charm what?)
-Harry calling Lupin by name (above) - Lupin always calls people by their given (or proper - he calls Voldemort "Voldemort") names, which I absolutely adore.
-Harry deciding not to take action and go after the Elder Wand. ! ! ! At that point I might've betrayed McGonagall, Hermione, and Lupin and called Harry my favorite Gryffindor.
House stuff:
-I was so pleased, and I think I understand Gryffs a bit better now! Or, I like and admire the kind of courage they grow into quite a bit.
-And we FINALLY oh Ravenclaw FINALLY oh gosh! Ravenclaw! I love the way their door works just beyond measure, especially because it shows what the Ravenclaws really value, which is not knowledge (really), certainly not House membership, not loyalty or alliance, but wit and wisdom and cleverness. I love how smoothly McGonagall answers the question posed to her. And of course, Luna.
LUNA. The painting on her ceiling! The rebellion! The way she recognizes Harry by the look on his face! Just everything, oh Luna, you're the best second best in very good company.
Horcruxes:
I wrote down who destroyed which ones, and I'm very pleased that Harry only destroyed the first one, that Ron and Hermione got turns, and that Neville got his. I suppose I'm almost pleased that the diadem was destroyed essentially by accident, though someone from another House (LUNA) getting a go at one would have been awesome, too.
And Voldemort destroys the last one. Oh. OH.
Unforgivables:
They were inflicted left and right. Molly Weasley used Avada Kedavra; Harry never did (and so a certain kind of innocence is preserved, and at a cost). When McGonagall used Imperius was when I knew things were bad.
SNAPE:
I read 100% accurate spec the night I finished HBP. You guys are smart! I am dumb, for serious, as I have no idea how many times I insisted (fortunately never publicly) that there must be a better reason than Snape/Lily. Um. I stand corrected. And I'm okay with that, even though I didn't think I'd like it. I think mostly because. Well. The kidlet says the Snape-discussion continues, and I certainly believe her, though I wonder if people are a) unconvinced that the memories are true or b) just unconvinced that that makes Snape a decent person/warrior for right/redeemed. Anyhow, my feeling, and what I think I love, is that what Snape shows Harry is exactly the thing that will convince Harry of Snape's goodness, because Harry respects loyalty, and he respects ties to his parents, and he is finally able to realize the feelings of sympathy he has for Snape because they are in some ways very similar. I started sobbing right about as Snape died (maybe a few paragraphs into the memories) - and this is funny, because that entire chapter is the 100% correct spec (Snape/Lily, Snape-Dumbledore's con, Harry's the last Horcrux) that I've had for years. And it still made me weep. And Snape doesn't know. Snape doesn't know that he sent Harry, not to his death, but to freedom and his final victory. He dies having failed to protect Harry. And (GUYS) he dies looking into Harry's eyes, which just happen to look exactly like Lily's, who is the only person he ever loved. I mean, not that the Snape/Harry has written itself right into canon or anything.
OTP!
Finally, and most importantly (because this is me, after all):
-Snape/Lily (see above). Mirrored in Bloody Baron/Grey Lady. I'm not sure I like the idea of Slytherins thwarted in love who can prove their nobility only by self-sacrifice and eventually death. No, make that I really don't like it.
-Ron/Hermione! Yay!
-Harry/Hermione! (I mean, they were disguised as a Muggle couple and went around Godric's Hollow with their arms around each other!) Yay!
-Ron/Harry! (Something broke between them, but then it got fixed, and there was nudity.)
-Oh, speaking of which, in which everyone's polyjuice'd into Harry, then start stripping and... oh my GOD okay. Again, the orgy has written itself into canon.
-The Trio is canon, right? I mean... right?
-And I mentioned Harry/Snape above.
-And Harry/Dumbledore is really awesome, though possibly this is more of a gen thing. Maybe.
-Luna/Dean. I was kind of skeeved at first, because it was completely and utterly random, but then I realized they're both artists, and decided that it's okay if it's canon.
-Speaking of canon, what happened to Pince/Filch bdsm-in-the-library and it would be TOTALLY IN CHARACTER? Waah.
Oh, twinses! *heartbreak*
Finally, most importantly,
McGonagall was incredibly amazingly awesome, and both mentions of her before we saw her again were in reference to Hermione, and I wrote the last chapter of "Pinpricks" today! (Now I just need to write the intervening 6 years and I can actually post some of it!) AND SHE DIDN'T DIE. I am sad Remus died, but he gets to go be with Sirius now, and I'm sad Fred died, and Colin kinda broke me, but McGonagall and Hermione made it out alive, and as far as I'm concerned, that was a happy ending.
Oh, yes,
Sirius - I think, in reading Lily's letter, I came to realize how much Sirius really loved Harry. Maybe I'd just forgotten, but it didn't really seem to click until... Sirius gave him his first broomstick, and then when he bought him the Firebolt all those years later... when he was on the lam and desperately trying to murder one of his best friends, he bought his godson a broom, and it was, of course, exactly what Harry wanted, and... "Quicker and easier than falling asleep." Of course, I was completely a mess at that point, but that got me harder!
So, in conclusion, epilogue, what epilogue McGonagall! scar
Poll spoilery for Deathly Hallows...
In non-Harry Potter news, femslash_minis is opening up for another round.