I thought Harry was the master of the elder wand because he was the direct descendant of the person who originally owned it. It didn't work for other wizards because they weren't its master, only the heir of an original owner could be its master. The idea that the master had to kill the previous owner to become its new master was just a myth.
Mentioning Luna reminded me of how much I loved reading the part about how her room was decorated. With the paintings of her new found friends and the word f-r-i-e-n-d around the room. Very cute! I found her character to be so charming.
I'm not really what one would call an overly sentimental kind of person, but I was weeping through those passages. I'm still getting teary-eyed just thinking about it.
I mean, how much friends must have meant to her.....*sob*
I'm not really what one would call an overly sentimental kind of person, but I was weeping through those passages. I'm still getting teary-eyed just thinking about it.
I mean, how much friends must have meant to her.....*sob*
I cried about that too.
I really didn't like the epilogue. It felt a little rushed to me, and didn't really give us any information besides things we would have guesed anyway (harry and ginny marry, ron and hermione marry...)
I was touched that Harry named one of his sons Albus Severus...In those final chapters after Snape's true nature was revealed, Harry didn't give much thought (or JK didn't write about it) to Snape..he went straight into thinking about Dumbledore and never really touched on Snape til the final battle. Snape's memories had me crying harder than anything..I could just feel his anguish and frustration..Heartbreaking!
Overall I think I really liked the book. I need to read it again to make sure though LOL.
I found both Neville and Luna very touching because these were not the "cool kids". These were kids that were fairly unpopular and were apt to be teased. Remember how they were the first DA members to show up at the Battle of Hogwarts because they checked their coins so frequently, hoping they would meet again.
Tanyaf, I'm not exactly sure about that. Harry was a direct descendant of the cloak's original owner, not the wand's original owner, although the cloak owner and wand owner were brothers, so maybe it didn't matter. I was and still am a little fuzzy over what control Harry had of the wand.
Kim, Snape was such a complicated character. Regardless of what he did for Harry in the end, he was quite nasty to him many times during his first six years at Hogwarts. And to Hermoine as well. I have wondered if the reason he acted like that was to keep the Slytherins from suspecting that he was actually Dumbledore's man, since the Gryffindors and Slytherins always seemed to have Potions together. That was never addressed in the book though, so that probably has nothing to do with it. Actually, I suppose we are told from Snape's memories that Harry reminded Snape of James so much that it influenced his opinion of him.
Sockmonkey, I was also wanting some type of acknowledgment from Harry about Snape in the ending. I wanted more than we got. Snape was an incredibly brave man in the end and while I appreciated Harry naming his son Albus Severus, I guess I was wanting some kind of proclamation after the battle at Hogwarts.
Sockmonkey, I was also wanting some type of acknowledgment from Harry about Snape in the ending. I wanted more than we got. Snape was an incredibly brave man in the end and while I appreciated Harry naming his son Albus Severus, I guess I was wanting some kind of proclamation after the battle at Hogwarts.
Yep..I was hoping maybe we would get to see Snape once more the way Harry saw his parents and Dumbledore..but nope...
After reading Snape's memories, and thinking back to Snape asking Harry to "Look at me" in his dying breath...Just so he could see Lily's eyes one last time... **sssoooooobbbbbbbb** I think Snape is probably the most interesting character in the book for me, because he is just so tragic. Unlike with Harry, all Snape's good deeds and loyalty through immense turmoil would never bring him happiness or peace..Harry gets to atleast experience happiness and companionship. Snape is so alone...
Why 19 years later? We never knew if Harry really stepped up and took his godfather duties to Teddy, although I'm sure he would've had quite a time getting the baby off Tonk's mum.
I dont like how she just left it to the imagination. Why did we get to see anything more about what they all grew up to be? We got to find out that Neville Longbottom is teaching at Hogwarts but we dont know what, I dont recall anything about "herbology professor" being said. Maybe he teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts? who knows?!
That's what really got me sad. I wanted to have more than just "and they lived happily every after" at the end. There really isnt closure for the readers. She did say that she would never quash the possibility that she might revisit the world of Harry Potter in the future, but I was expecting a bit more out of the ending of the series I grew up with.
I'm overall very pleased with the book itself, I've read it 3 times over so far, and my sister in the USA complained that I'd read the book before she was even able to get her hands on it! lol
I didnt really burst out crying when Hedwig, Dobby, Tonks, Remus, Snape, or Fred died, but I did get a glisten and a clenching in my throat when Fred, Tonks and Remus died.
After George was injured, I figured that he wouldnt be one to die, because he's already been involved in a tragedy of sorts. I wasnt expecting Hedwig or Dobby to die, and I noticed a lady sat outside the bookstore reading the book as I left, she was sobbing so hard at the beginning of the book, I knew something bad was coming. Hedwig was Harry's first real connection to the magical world. Kept him in touch when he was unable to leave the cupboard under the stairs or his bedroom. Ah, me.
I got my hands on one of those "copies" of the book that everyone was so worried about possibly having been leaked, and it turns out that the actual book (as far as I'm aware, and I've done extensive searching) was never released online prior to actually being available for sale in the bookstores.
That was a big relief on my part, because I hate when people spoil things. Well, the best attempt at trying to be passed off as the actual book, was a cleverly written fan fiction. Very clever, I must say, but a bit too unlike JKR's writing style.
The instant I saw the phrase "felt his anatomy respond" I dismissed this as being the actual thing. JKR meant to keep this a children's story, and that's what she did. I cannot wait to pass this series onto my children (if/when I have any)!! ^-^
Overall I liked the book, but I need to reread it again. I'm missing a few things, or they just didn't sink in yet. For example, I don't understand about the Elder wand either. I also couldn't believe how many people died. I'll admit it, I cried when Dobby died, and couldn't believe it when Hedwig died. I think my comment was very similar to Browneyedgirl's.
I also was touched by Snape's memories. I knew he couldn't be a bad guy. At first I was kind of disappointed that Harry didn't let everyone know about Snape at the end of the book, but with naming his child after him, I think that he's had to explain about Snape to everyone.
Most of it was done very well. Very action packed right from the start. And I also have to agree that I like the cheesy epilogue. It ended like I wanted it to. With everyone married, and cute little Potter/Weasley's running around, with important names. It's exactly as I imagined. I would have liked to know a few more details, like jobs? How's George doing without Fred? Who's the new headmaster? More about Teddy? More about Luna, Krum, Aberforth, etc.? Did all of the Death Eaters get rounded up, or is there still a group of them out there somewhere?
But maybe it's so we can use our own imaginations and fill in the blanks however we like.
Total tear jerker. I don't think I've cried sooooo many times while reading a book. When Harry was seeing Snape's memories I had to go to my room because my little girls kept asking me what was wrong because mommy(me) was balling.
About the wand mastery: At the top of the Astronomy Tower in HPB Draco was the one to disarm Dumbledore, so technically he won the wand then. Though he never had it in his possession, it was technically his. Then, at the Malfoy's Harry wrestled Draco's wand away from him, so now Harry was master of the Elder Wand via Draco's substitute wand. Not sure I buy that totally, but they did say wandlore was a bit complicated.
I agree harrypotterybarn, that's how I believe Harry came into possession of the elder wand. I remember somewhere in several of the books things being said along the lines of "it's not the wand, it's the wizard". I think this would SORT OF explain the idea that once a wizard disarmed the elder wand master, they became the elder wand master themselves, not because of the particular wand they were holding.
I just remembered something that I wondered about while I was reading the book. I assumed it would get answered later, but I don't think it did.
What was the "small naked child" bundle that Dumbledore and Harry saw at the place that resembled Kings Cross Station? Harry was repulsed by it and Dumbledore told Harry that he couldn't help it. I don't think it represented Voldemort because at that point Voldemort was still alive and in power. Any ideas?
Wow, I know I read the book fast and missed somethings that I've tried to go back for, but other stuff I seem to have picked up.
The book does describe Neville as the herbology professor (US pg 757 "I can't walin into Herbology and give him love...". I suspected Neville to be the one that became a teacher. Thought he did a great job of "growing up and taking charge" and would love to hear more about Gran now.
My understanding is: Gryffindor's sword always came to the loyal Gryffindor in time of need. All Neville had to do was think "Harry gave me the task to kill the snake, just how am I going to do that?" and it should have appeared. Griphook didn't understand the sword and will be sore that he "lost" it.
The Elder wand: Draco would have been it's master if he'd have picked it up when he disarmed Dumbledore in the HBP. But he didn't. Instead the wand was returned to the body and buried with it...leaving Dumbledore the master. When Voldemort took it, he did become the master of it...but, the wand chooses the wizard. So it's unlikely that he'd truly master it EVER if the wand didn't choose him. The wand was rightfully Harry's when he "won" it from Voldemort. Because he was a direct descendant of the Peverells, he had a connection that the wand would/should recognize. Harry, like Dumbledore, like Grindelwald, felt the power of the wand. (That incredible power repared the Holley Phonix wand because the Elder wand was won, not given to Harry.)
Draco's wand: Harry took it from Draco (by force) and therefore was the wand realigned with Harry.
The thing that I'm still missing, even after a partial re-read is from one of JKRs interviews. She said that someone (previously unable) would be able to do majic in this book. Many people were thinking Mrs. Figg or Mr. Filch. JKR said that Petunia would never be able to do it. I couldn't find anyone/anything that fit that description. What am I missing?
I'd also like to know what Harry's parents did for a living, had they acutally moved to the house they were killed in or was that Dumbledore's? What was Lilly's patronus? What do the three main charachters do for a living as adults? Did they go back to school and get a degree? Did Harry ever see the Dursley's again? Did they drive Ms Jones & Mr. Diggory insane?
As to the cliche ending, I liked it...I still miss Hedwig.
I read the book yesterday! Ollivander answers the question about wand ownership on pg. 494 - "the conquered wand will usually bend its will to its new master." That's why Harry had trouble using a borrowed wand after his wand was broken - he hadn't conquered the wand by taking it from its owner by force.
Dumbledore took the Elder wand from Grindelwald. When Voldemort took it from Dumbledore's grave, it wasn't as powerful as he expected it would be, and the reason was that he hadn't conquered it by taking it from its new owner. He thought that Snape had disarmed Dumbledore, because Snape killled Dumbledore, so he killed Snape to conquer the Elder wand. But in fact it was Draco who had disarmed Dumbledore, and Snape never defeated him, because they planned his death together, so Draco became the next "master" of the Elder wand.
Harry disarmed Draco, and it was his wand that he took into the last fight with Voldemort. Which is why he said, "So it all comes down to this, doesn't it? Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does... I am the true master of the Elder Wand." And in the end, the answer was the wand did know, because it came to Harry's hand and would not kill him.
Does anyone else think that Albus Severus should have been named Albus Sirius? i know Snape played a huge role in the final book but I still think that Harry would associate the name Severus with the bad memories at Hogwarts
