harrypotterybarn-I wasn't sure if you were aware, but I am a belly dancer and a costume maker by profession...and obviously a nerd as well.
DH and I are in the 501st (Star Wars worldwide costuming charity org) and I do lots of movie replica costumes. My next costumes for myself, are going to be a Slytherin school uniform, AND I am awaiting the movie, because I would like to see if I can replicate the makeup/hair/costume of young Lily, Harry's red haired/green eyed mother from the Snape's Worst Memory scene.
(Although her eyes might be blue in the film due to who they casted as Harry.)
Also-one of my "worlds collide" moments was a few years ago, when I belly danced for Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick from the Harry Potter films) at the Star Wars C3 convention. It was wonderful-my love for Star Wars, Harry Potter, belly dancing, and costuming all in one awesome moment.
I have lots and lots of theories and things that I have noticed through the books, along with HP discussions that I have had with other HP fans...pretty much dissecting the entire series of books for all of the clues hidden in there.
I'm a costumer as a hobby these days. I tried to make a profession out of it but ended up digging myself into a very deep financial hole. Maybe I'll try again someday!
As for this year's HP costume, I'm going for a kind of sexy Slytherin costume. What I have right now is basically a standard replica of the first uniform, and, while nice, needs a bit more spice. I have black hair and grey eyes so I do evil well.
If you ever head out this way for Dragoncon or the like drop me a PM. I keep planning to attend since it's only a 3 hour drive from here!
Ha ha, I used to think I was a big fan, then I read Aphil's thoughts and realized I'm really a HP lightweight, in spite of the fact that I ordered books #2 and #3 from the UK, since they were published there before they were published in the US.
I've pulled the Sorcerer's stone back out and and I'm starting it tonight.....
I've always wondered if there wasn't more to Aunt Petunia than is apparent. Something in the last book really solidified my feeling about that. I'll see if I can find it.
Also, do we know anything about James' family? I've always wondered why we are never told anything about them? Or am I forgetting something?
Thanks Aphil for your well-thought out theories, I'm going to ponder over them as I re-read over the next month.
I am a fan, but of the movies, never have read the books, but we do have them, DH just got them, so I guess I should not read anymore of this as the movies are behind............
Yes yes yes!! I am going to Dallas just to see the movie at iMAX..And I might PEE MY PANTS waiting for that next book! I always start re-reading my books about a month before I get the next one.
I'm a HUGE HP fan! I once belonged to a website called Virtual Hogwarts where you are sorted into a house (I'm a proud Hufflepuff!!) and then you have to go to potions, astronomy, etc classes and submit your homework. I did this as a way to meet other people that liked the books/movies, but they all just wanted to gossip about each other and the only real discussions about the books or movies was very minimal. I got up to third year and then quit. They asked me to take on the role of the lady that owns that romantic sweets shop...what's the name? I can't remember..it's been a while. It was fun, though. But very time consuming.
I have to admit, though, that my interest in the HP series is sort of tainted now, fully believing that Harry is goign to die in the last book. I wanted it to be more like Star Wars where the good prevails adn evil gets blown up in a death star. I can't even watch the re-run movies because I'm like, "the poor little kids! All that effort just so Voldemort can win?" And then I wonder if it's just JK's way of being sneaky because she is usually VERY hush-hush about anything that happens in her books until release day. So, why would she reveal that bombshell? Is she trying to just throw us all off? I believe her quote was two of the main people die...can't remember if she said main three or main people...which would mean of Harry, Hermione and Ron, only ONE will survive the last book? Why not just kill one of my very own children while you're at it? So, I look at the advertisements of the book in the book store with great trepidation, wondering if I even want to read it.
Anyhow...of course I'll read the darn thing because there are WAY too many questions that need answers...like who/what is the final horcrux? I know that Snape is going to end up good in the end and I fully believe that Dumbledore will pull the old pheonix thing and rise from the ashes...didn't that book end with a patronus-like pheonix rising from the fire? But Harry dying? I don't know if I can take that.
I, too, need to re-read the books because I need to brush up on the Order of the Phoenix before the movie and the rest before the new book. As much as I DON'T want to read it.
On a side note...did anyone see that picture of Daniel Radcliffe for the play he was doing? I didn't see the 'naked' version (would feel the need to wash my eyes out if I'd seen THAT - WAY too much information!), but I saw the 'almost naked' version. Holy Toledo! Its like someone sat on the fast forward button on his growing up days!! He looked like a super model!!
Before the release of Half-Blood Prince, and the release of Order Of The Phoenix, it was rumoured as well that in each a main character would die. Of course, we all know now that it was Sirius and Dumbledore. When the rumours are going around that two main characters are going to die, I don't believe that it means it can only be Harry/Ron/Hermione.
I would consider Snape, Voldemort, Hagrid, Lupin, the Weasley parents, McGonagall, and Draco and some of the others "main" characters as well. I think when they say main characters, they mean someone we are emotionally invested in (either love 'em or hate 'em...) but not someone like the Patil sisters, Crabbe and Goyle, or Cho Chang...someone who we know from the books and films-but don't see enough of to get really invested in their characters. Did that make sense?
I just don't see the teenage trio as the ONLY main characters. So...don't lose heart just yet.
I had never considered that either Harry, Hermione, or Ron would die until a friend of mine mentioned that she thought Harry would die in the last book. I still find it hard to believe that Harry especially would be killed off. So I'm going into the last book thinking he'll live.
On another note, I work at a library system headquarters and our purchasing and processing people have to sign affadavits saying that we won't open the boxes until the release date, so the books will be sitting in unopened boxes 3 - 4 days before the release date less than 20 feet from my office door. Talk about temptation, chocolate cake has nothing on an unread Harry Potter.....
It's not unusual for us to get movies and books before the release date, but the Harry Potter series are the only books for which we have had to sign an affadavit.
Tammy-they do the exact same thing with Star Wars film releases. Most films arrive at the theatre a few days before their release, etc. and its no big deal, especially with the release of the last Star Wars film-the films themselves were delivered in secret at about midnight-3 in the morning before the theatres opened for business. Some of the workers had to stay in the theatre in the middle of the night to recieve the film, rather than during regular business hours. So, even the workers couldn't watch it until the day of the release-just a couple hours before the general public got to see it. George Lucas wouldn't deliver the films any sooner than that for the same reason-the temptation, the possibility of it leaking out, etc.
We were working security for the 501st at a large theatre, and we were allowed to come in in the middle of the night for the film arrival/employee viewing-with people sleeping out on the sidewalk all night, etc. waiting to see the first showing. It was crazy.
A close friend of mine is a librarian as well, and she is also anticipating the arrival of the books, and is in your situation as well. Her library is having a huge book party on opening day.
P.S. Check back on page 2 of the thread-I have edited one of my posts there-where I put in some of the name/phrase meanings, etc. and added some more of them there. It really proves that Rowling wasn't writing a simple children's book.
Before the release of Half-Blood Prince, and the release of Order Of The Phoenix, it was rumoured as well that in each a main character would die. Of course, we all know now that it was Sirius and Dumbledore. When the rumours are going around that two main characters are going to die, I don't believe that it means it can only be Harry/Ron/Hermione.
I would consider Snape, Voldemort, Hagrid, Lupin, the Weasley parents, McGonagall, and Draco and some of the others "main" characters as well. I think when they say main characters, they mean someone we are emotionally invested in (either love 'em or hate 'em...) but not someone like the Patil sisters, Crabbe and Goyle, or Cho Chang...someone who we know from the books and films-but don't see enough of to get really invested in their characters. Did that make sense?
I just don't see the teenage trio as the ONLY main characters. So...don't lose heart just yet.
Well, the reason that I'm anxious about just the three is because JKR mentioned that the loss of the two that die would make it impossible for anyone else to write another harry potter book, which I think would leave Harry definitely in the cross hairs and I could see Ron or Hermione dying with him in one of their daring adventures and the other getting seriously hurt. I'm predicting Ron and Harry...but I'm hoping against hope that all three will survive and that JKR is just toying with us. What you said about the other predictions of Sirius Black and Dumbledore is true and, therefore, I'm sick wondering which two important people are going to die.
Remember in OotP when Mrs. Weasly had the...what's that thing called that takes on the form of your deepest fears (see why I have to brush up on my HP stuff?)...in the drawer of the Black's house? Her's turned into Ron being dead or something to that matter...I hope it wasn't a prediction or prophecy of some sort.
Well, the reason that I'm anxious about just the three is because JKR mentioned that the loss of the two that die would make it impossible for anyone else to write another harry potter book, which I think would leave Harry definitely in the cross hairs and I could see Ron or Hermione dying with him in one of their daring adventures and the other getting seriously hurt. I'm predicting Ron and Harry...but I'm hoping against hope that all three will survive and that JKR is just toying with us. What you said about the other predictions of Sirius Black and Dumbledore is true and, therefore, I'm sick wondering which two important people are going to die.
Remember in OotP when Mrs. Weasly had the...what's that thing called that takes on the form of your deepest fears (see why I have to brush up on my HP stuff?)...in the drawer of the Black's house? Her's turned into Ron being dead or something to that matter...I hope it wasn't a prediction or prophecy of some sort.
~When Mrs. Weasley found the boggart, it turned into a changing image of all of her loved ones dead-each of her children, her husband, Harry...the boggart shows itself as whatever your greatest fear is-it turned into a full moon for Lupin, for instance-so all the boggart was showing, was that her greatest fear was her family members and Harry dying.
~Two main characters dying: It has been rumoured that Rowling is killing off two main characters in the final book, and making it so that there cannot be any more books. I also believe that there are going to be other deaths, of lesser characters.
The obvious #1, at least for me, is going to be Voldemort. The entire series is based on Harry being the chosen one to defeat Voldemort. When Voldemort is gone, so is the purpose of the series going on-just like when the ring and Sauron are destroyed in the Lord Of The Rings. There isn't a point in continuing on when the main story has resolved.
The second death needs to be a death that involves the greater good-one main character saving another main character in the fight.
I recently went to see Equus in London (or, as it's better known, that play where Harry Potter gets all naked and stuff). I don't see how they're going to get Daniel Radcliffe to look young enough for the rest of these movies. I guess it's like all those TV shows where the characters are in high school even though the actors are like 30...
