NEW THREAD STARTED, WITH SPOILERS. Harry Potter VII [Merged Threads]

[conorsmom2000]

Mind you nothing huge, but say a 10 page story on the "Life and Times of Dean Thomas", etc.

LOL - nice try, but I doubt that's what it would be like! Well, actually - who knows? It is possible that's what it could be like. To be honest, I really wouldn't care if it was a sentence (though, I'd prefer a paragraph) on each character - just so we know a little more than we know now!

[threeh]

You know what I would love is for her to re tell the whole story of Harry's 7 years thru someone elses eyes, like Dumbledore of Snape's point of view. I would love to see how things went down minus the "harry Filter" that we see thru his eyes. It would be a cool twist. Like maybe Dumbledore was totally onto Quirell and stuff. Just a thought since JKR has nothing but free time. hehe!!

[ncscgirl2005]

Done. Finished while eating lunch today.

You didn't think I was going to hide did you???????

Welcome back!

[ncscgirl2005]

I finished reading at about midnight Monday/Sunday night. I have to admit that she lost me a couple of times in the beginning. I felt so many different emotions while reading this book. I went from bored to sad to anxious to nervous to frightened to "Oh My Gosh I Can't Read Another Line (in a nervous, antsy kind of way). There were times when I didn't wanna go on because I knew the end was near. There was one chapter in the book that really freaked me out. I never get scared by reading something but that one particular spot freaked me out. I wonder if you guys know what I'm talking about. I'll give you a hint: It's when they went to GH.

I will probably re-read this book soon since I read it fast the first time around. I didn't want somebody to spoil it for me--had to find out on my own.

In the epilogue I saw a slight glimmer of chance for something else to evolve. Anybody else pick up on it?

[ncscgirl2005]

Allow me to reiterate a point I made earlier...thank you.

I can honestly say that, even though you weren't 100% accurate in your forecasting, your information and research and reasoning really helped me get through Book 7 with a better understanding of what was going on.

That goes for everybody here. Thanks for making this such a great thread!

By the way...my wife and I both think this was our favorite book by anybody (and believe it or not, that usurps Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut for me, and Handling Sin by Michael Malone for her). Perfect ending to a perfect story.

I totally agree. Way to go in creating this thread. It became one of my highlights of the day (I know I need to get a life right?!)

To PSHOKIE and Conorsom--thank you. I loved the theorys and the discussion you guys provoked. I totally agree that it helped me to get along through the book much easier.

PSHOKIE, I will spare the pie since you still did an awesome job IMHO. Gosh, I was so rooting for that McGonagall theory though!

I can't say this was my favorite book though. I don't think there were enough twists and turns and "Oh No She Didn't!"'s in the book for a LAST and FINAL book of all time!I guess she had to tie up too many loose ends as it was already and didn't want to leave anything else hanging in the air. Didn't want to stir up us crazed fans!

[ncscgirl2005]

LOL - nice try, but I doubt that's what it would be like! Well, actually - who knows? It is possible that's what it could be like. To be honest, I really wouldn't care if it was a sentence (though, I'd prefer a paragraph) on each character - just so we know a little more than we know now!

I agree. Or how about the young character that popped up towards the end with the initials A.S.P. Something stuck out to me there when he was introduced.

[ncscgirl2005]

Oh and let me say that while we were waiting ever so patiently in line (nearly 2 hrs-one hr in the unofficial line + one hr in the official line) that we tried Bert's Every Flavor Jellybeans for the first time. My first (and last) one was sausage. Oddly enough my daughter enjoyed the earwax, black pepper, and buttered popcorn flavors. I couldn't take the risk of getting sick and losing my place in line so I settled for a Blood Pop instead. Much tastier.

[pshokie]

I totally agree. Way to go in creating this thread. It became one of my highlights of the day (I know I need to get a life right?!)

To PSHOKIE and Conorsom--thank you. I loved the theorys and the discussion you guys provoked. I totally agree that it helped me to get along through the book much easier.

PSHOKIE, I will spare the pie since you still did an awesome job IMHO. Gosh, I was so rooting for that McGonagall theory though!

I can't say this was my favorite book though. I don't think there were enough twists and turns and "Oh No She Didn't!"'s in the book for a LAST and FINAL book of all time!I guess she had to tie up too many loose ends as it was already and didn't want to leave anything else hanging in the air. Didn't want to stir up us crazed fans!

Okay, to cover all bases:

• Yes, props to Schultzy for starting this whole thing
• Please do not say that you have to get a life. What would that say about the rest of us?
• As I said before to Schultzy, thank you and you're welcome. I really had fun with the theories.
• Mmmmmmm....pie. What flavor is humble anyway?
• Have to agree on the 'not my favorite book' though. For me, I think it suffered from what I will call "Star Wars Prequel Expectations". Basically, I was too excited, so it originally fell short. Why? Because I expected too much. It is all on me. But upon later readings (as in the viewings for SW), I expect this book to be much better, because my expectations have been tempered.
  I still cried though. Big wussy man that I am.

Oh and let me say that while we were waiting ever so patiently in line (nearly 2 hrs-one hr in the unofficial line + one hr in the official line) that we tried Bert's Every Flavor Jellybeans for the first time. My first (and last) one was sausage. Oddly enough my daughter enjoyed the earwax, black pepper, and buttered popcorn flavors. I couldn't take the risk of getting sick and losing my place in line so I settled for a Blood Pop instead. Much tastier.

Ughhhh. Bertie Botts: Rotten Eggs. Worst flavor ever. Once I bit down, I could not get the taste out of my mouth or get the smell out of my nose for hours. I'll take vomit flavor over rotten eggs any day.

And on that, little story about my evil side. At my old job, I use to get that giant tub of the jelly bellies from costco. Well, when I brought them in, I would always mix in 1 box of Bertie Botts. Throw the box away (no pictures for comaparison). Place them on my desk, with a warning, and let everyone dig in.

What? They had something like a 1 in 20 chance of getting a bad one. Not such bad odds. Of course I learned what the bad ones looked like.....

[Disneyatic]

I finished reading at about midnight Monday/Sunday night. I have to admit that she lost me a couple of times in the beginning. I felt so many different emotions while reading this book. I went from bored to sad to anxious to nervous to frightened to "Oh My Gosh I Can't Read Another Line (in a nervous, antsy kind of way). There were times when I didn't wanna go on because I knew the end was near. I will probably re-read this book soon since I read it fast the first time around. I didn't want somebody to spoil it for me--had to find out on my own.

I was afraid to say it....but I agree that this was not my favorite book. I really had to plow through the first half, I think it was partly due to my fear over who would die! The last half of the book really picked up and seemed to flow better.
Looking back, I think all the hype and reading all the theories and speculations gave me alot of baggage going into this book and I had to work through that while I was reading. Once I got over my pre-conceived notions and my tension, I was able to let myself enjoy it....call me crazy
I am re-reading it again and now that I can go at a relaxed pace I am enjoying the first half more.

[conorsmom2000]

I was afraid to say it....but I agree that this was not my favorite book. I really had to plow through the first half, I think it was partly due to my fear over who would die! The last half of the book really picked up and seemed to flow better.
Looking back, I think all the hype and reading all the theories and speculations gave me alot of baggage going into this book and I had to work through that while I was reading. Once I got over my pre-conceived notions and my tension, I was able to let myself enjoy it....call me crazy
I am re-reading it again and now that I can go at a relaxed pace I am enjoying the first half more.

I think a lot of people had the same feelings/reaction as you. I've read many fan reviews where they said the same pretty much the same thing - or many that felt it was too slow at times. Honestly, though, for me, it was hands down my favorite. And I appreciated the slower portions of the book so I could catch my breath from the rest of it! I think with the pressure of this being the last book, some had their expectations set really high. I also saw one post where someone said the story was predictable and there was nothing new - that made me laugh as this it was the 7th book, this was not where I expected to find really new things! But, I wanted a story that showed how far the characters had come and wrapped it all up - and that's what I got! I really loved this one (PoA being my 2nd favorite!)

As for Bertie Bott's - well, everyone knows that I am a huge HP fan - so they keep buying me these darn things! I must have 7 packages now and I won't touch them with a 10 ft pole!

pshokie - your story about the jelly beans made me laugh! (though, I think I'm glad I don't work with you!! )

[ncscgirl2005]

As for Bertie Bott's - well, everyone knows that I am a huge HP fan - so they keep buying me these darn things! I must have 7 packages now and I won't touch them with a 10 ft pole!

pshokie - your story about the jelly beans made me laugh! (though, I think I'm glad I don't work with you!! )

LOL! I am going to buy a box for my sister in law who is a brand new fan of HP and doesn't even know the jellybeans really exist.

PSHokie, I should do what you did and mix them up. That would be a riot! Glad I didn't try to rotten egg flavor.

[ncscgirl2005]

I still cried though. Big wussy man that I am. [/LIST]

Awww....do you need a hug.

For the record, I cried too. Especially when he took the walk.

[PirateLover]

epilogue aside, I can honestly say that this was my favorite. Wasn't slow for me at all. The only book that went slow for me was actually HPB.

And the only reason that some of the "revelations" were predictable was precisely because of how good JKR set up these novels to leave little clues. HOWEVER they would really only be discovered on re-reads. For someone like my mother, who reads the novels once and that's it, and has no clue about all of these theories (aside from what I might tell her), everything is a surprise to her.

And as conorsmom has said, there were plenty of things that still surprised me! Those things that we had discovered ahead of time didn't make me disappointed, but rather I smiled with satisfaction. Overall I say well-done Joanna Rowling, and thank you!

[conorsmom2000]

Those things that we had discovered ahead of time didn't make me disappointed, but rather I smiled with satisfaction. Overall I say well-done Joanna Rowling, and thank you!

Well said!

I can't wait until we can really talk about it! I hope we can each give a review of what we thought, going over some of our favorite parts (even not so favorite, if that's the case!)

Can you tell I have a couple of favorite parts I want to mention??

[TikiGoddess]

I know I'm joining the discussion late, but at least before the true discussion starts 10 days out!

I just finished it. My DH is probably very relieved as I have been buried in it for the last 5 days! Now he gets a chance to read it too.

I truly enjoyed it. The parts leading up to and during Harry's 'walk' were just perfect.

TikiG

[ncscgirl2005]

Well said!

I can't wait until we can really talk about it! I hope we can each give a review of what we thought, going over some of our favorite parts (even not so favorite, if that's the case!)

Can you tell I have a couple of favorite parts I want to mention??

Hey I'm with you. I can't wait until we can begin discussing it! Some many things I want to say but I'm afraid I will forget them by then. My brain is clouded with Harry Potter, Astronomy, and Algebra. But I prefer to think about Harry Potter though!

[dixielandings]

Just finished at 10:46 last night. I just kept crying! But I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who was undone by the Walk. It was so well-written, I felt like I was walking right alongside him. And the scene after that - KC - was is just me or was it perfect? That he would end up in the place that first took him to his new life, making a huge pivotal choice about whether or not to continue on in that life. Well done.

(sigh) I should start breathing normally sometime later today...

[conorsmom2000]

But I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who was undone by the Walk. It was so well-written, I felt like I was walking right alongside him. And the scene after that - KC - was is just me or was it perfect? That he would end up in the place that first took him to his new life, making a huge pivotal choice about whether or not to continue on in that life. Well done.

I so agree! The Walk - I don't even know what to say. I read it again last night and was crying even more! And KC I thought was so fitting!

Now, there is another article on MSNBC from the Today show interview, which does give more information about what happened to certain characters and why she didn't put it in the epilogue - some specific questions are answered!

Again - this contains Spoilers so I will use the Spoiler font - do not read this if you do not want to know or have not finished the book!!

Finished ‘Potter’? Rowling tells what happens next

Exclusive: Author gives details on events after the book’s final epilogue



TODAYShow.com contributor
Updated: 1 hour, 41 minutes ago
Spoiler alert: This story reveals some key plot points in the final Harry Potter book. So if you've haven't finished the book, J.K. Rowling asks that you not read this story.
If you found the epilogue of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” rather vague, then J.K Rowling achieved her goal.
The author was shooting for “nebulous,” something “poetic.” She wanted the readers to feel as if they were looking at Platform 9¾ through the mist, unable to make out exactly who was there and who was not.
“I do, of course, have that information for you, should you require it,” she told TODAY’s Meredith Vieira rather coyly in her first interview since fans got their hands on the final book.
Ummm … yes, please
Rowling said her original epilogue was “a lot more detailed,” including the name of every child born to the Weasley clan in the past 19 years. (Victoire, who was snogging Teddy — Lupin and Tonks’ son — is Bill and Fleur’s eldest.)
“But it didn’t work very well as a piece of writing,” Rowling said. “It felt very much that I had crowbarred in every bit of information I could … In a novel you have to resist the urge to tell everything.”
But now that the seventh and final novel is in the hands of her adoring public, Rowling no longer has to hold back any information about Harry Potter from her fans. And when 14 fans crowded around her in Edinburgh Castle in Scotland earlier this week as part of TODAY’s interview, Rowling was more than willing to share her thoughts about what Harry and his friends are up to now.
Harry, Ron and HermioneWe know that Harry marries Ginny and has three kids, essentially, as Rowling explains, creating the family and the peace and calm he never had as a child.
As for his occupation, Harry, along with Ron, is working at the Auror Department at the Ministry of Magic. After all these years, Harry is now the department head.
“Harry and Ron utterly revolutionized the Auror Department,” Rowling said. “They are now the experts. It doesn’t matter how old they are or what else they’ve done.”
Meanwhile, Hermione, Ron’s wife, is “pretty high up” in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, despite laughing at the idea of becoming a lawyer in “Deathly Hallows.”
“I would imagine that her brainpower and her knowledge of how the Dark Arts operate would really give her a sound grounding,” Rowling said.
Harry, Ron and Hermione don’t join the same Ministry of Magic they had been at odds with for years; they revolutionize it and the ministry evolves into a “really good place to be.”
“They made a new world,” Rowling said.
The wizarding naturalist
Luna Lovegood, the eccentric Ravenclaw who was fascinated with Crumple-Horned Snorkacks and Umgubular Slashkilters, continues to march to the beat of her own drum.
“I think that Luna is now traveling the world looking for various mad creatures,” Rowling said. “She’s a naturalist, whatever the wizarding equivalent of that is.”
Luna comes to see the truth about her father, eventually acknowledging there are some creatures that don’t exist.
“But I do think that she’s so open-minded and just an incredible person that she probably would be uncovering things that no one’s ever seen before,” Rowling said.
Luna and Neville Longbottom?It’s possible Luna has also found love with another member of the D.A.
When she was first asked about the possibility of Luna hooking up with Neville Longbottom several years ago, Rowling’s response was “Definitely not.” But as time passed and she watched her characters mature, Rowling started to “feel a bit of a pull” between the unlikely pair.
Ultimately, Rowling left the question of their relationship open at the end of the book because doing otherwise “felt too neat.”
Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom: “The damage is done.”
There is no chance, however, that Neville’s parents, who were tortured into madness by Bellatrix Lestrange, ever left St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies.
“I know people really wanted some hope for that, and I can quite see why because, in a way, what happens to Neville’s parents is even worse than what happened to Harry’s parents,” Rowling said. “The damage that is done, in some cases with very dark magic, is done permanently.”
Rowling said Neville finds happiness in his grandmother’s acceptance of him as a gifted wizard and as the new herbology professor at Hogwarts.
The fate of Hogwarts
Nineteen years after the Battle of Hogwarts, the school for witchcraft and wizardry is led by an entirely new headmaster (“McGonagall was really getting on a bit”) as well as a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. That position is now as safe as the other teaching posts at Hogwarts, since Voldemort’s death broke the jinx that kept a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor from remaining for more than a year.
While Rowling didn’t clarify whether Harry, Ron and Hermione ever return to school to finish their seventh year, she did say she could see Harry popping up every now and again to give the “odd talk” on Defense Against the Dark Arts.
More details to come?
Rowling said she may eventually reveal more details in a Harry Potter encyclopedia, but even then, it will never be enough to satisfy the most ardent of her fans.
“I’m dealing with a level of obsession in some of my fans that will not rest until they know the middle names of Harry’s great-great-grandparents,” she said. Not that she’s discouraging the Potter devotion!
“I love it,” she said. “I’m all for that.”

[dixielandings]

I also ordered mine from Amazon. Had to go out of town early Saturday until Monday AM. I tried to keep myself as engrossed in my iPod and crossword puzzles as possible to avoid being spoiled until I got home to my own precious volume, which was waiting in my mailbox.

BTW - did anyone see the big fat spoiler in this thread a few pages back? I'm surprised no one else has mentioned it or that it was not deleted! Careful out there!

[conorsmom2000]

BTW - did anyone see the big fat spoiler in this thread a few pages back? I'm surprised no one else has mentioned it or that it was not deleted! Careful out there!

What spoiler? A few pages back we were mostly discussing theories, some we got right, some wrong.... But, anything that we thought might be a true spoiler was put in the spoiler font and came with a warning. So, if there is something that is a true spoiler, can you let me know where it is - this way we can get it deleted if need be.

Thanks!