Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapter 6

Having consumed the Harry Potter stories almost exclusively in audio fashion until recently, I always assumed that Fleur Delacour’s last name was a reference to “the heart.” It would seem to be in keeping with her portrayal as commanding the hearts of many would-be suitors at Hogwarts. Now that I have seen it in writing,Continue reading “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapter 6”

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapter 5

I never thought about this before but we are told here that Moody placed enchantments at the Order HQ. Now that Moody is dead, should the enchantments persist? When Dumbledore died, the petrificus totalus (or similar) spell he had placed on Harry died with him. Perhaps there are some types of spells that persist afterContinue reading “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapter 5”

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapters 3&4

Here we deal with Harry’s flight from Privet Drive and narrow escape from the Death Eaters. There are several head scratchers here: Why not sneak Harry out with the invisibility cloak? Why not have Hedwig fly to Burrow? Why not cast protego on the back of Hagrid’s motorbike? That said, if you can suspend disbelief,Continue reading “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapters 3&4”

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Film Review

This is one of my least favorite Harry Potter films. I am generally less of a fan of the David Yates films, which seem more plot-paint-by-numbers and lose much of the magical whimsy that make the books and early films so fantastic. This movie is probably the greatest offender because it leans so hard intoContinue reading “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Film Review”

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Chapters 29 & 30

Another Harry Potter book finished – only one more and our 2yo will have “finished” them all! Reflecting back on the end game of Half Blood Prince got me thinking about the burden of responsibility for products sold. I wonder where the Death Eaters procured their Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. In my head canon IContinue reading “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Chapters 29 & 30”

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Chapters 27 & 28

Every time Hermione refers back to Hogwarts: A History, I can’t help but think that, if GRRM had written the Harry Potter series, he would have actually written and published Hogwarts: A History by now – and I, for one, would be eager to read it! The downside, of course, would be that Harry wouldn’tContinue reading “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Chapters 27 & 28”

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Chapters 25 & 26

Let’s look at the ways Voldemort stores/guards his six horcruxes (listed below chronologically in the order in which they were made): Tom Riddle’s diary – he gives it to Lucius Malfoy to safeguard Marvolo Gaunt’s ring – he leaves under a floorboard in the dilapidated Gaunt house Helga Hufflepuff’s cup – he gives it toContinue reading “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Chapters 25 & 26”

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Chapters 23-24

My Harry Potter book club leader, Becca, proposed an interpretation that Harry, the unintended seventh horcrux, was also the unintended Gryffindor horcrux! I haven’t heard that before and i doubt that JKR intended it that way per se so I think it’s doubly brilliant! This Ravenclaw’s mind is blown! This theory especially appeals to myContinue reading “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Chapters 23-24”

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Chapters 16 – 19

Chapter 16: Scrimgeour’s characterization never made much sense to me. I always figured that a battle-hardened ex-Auror wouldn’t be the type to care about fake appearances and goofy politics. Looking at modern militaries, though, maybe Scrimgeour’s characterization is right on. As I understand it, the farther up you go in the US military, the lessContinue reading “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Chapters 16 – 19”

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Chapters 13-14

Thes chapters really got me thinking about the difference between Harry and Voldemort vis a vis their childhoods. I had always had in my head that they were similar – both having grown up without their parents – but the key difference that determined their divergent paths was that Tom Riddle was abandoned whereas HarryContinue reading “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Chapters 13-14”