Randomramblings

I've never been a fan of the Harry Potter films. What I love and appreciate about the books - the complexity of the plot and certain characters - just never seems to be conveyed in the films. And when I heard that the last film, Order of the Phoenix is actually the shortest of all filmed so far, whereas the book is the longest, I already thought I might not like it.

But I do have to admit, that for the most part of the film, they really summed up the story nicely - they kept to the books, left some stuff out, but what they kept was mostly true to the books and I was relieved they weren't compelled to change anything or just make it up, like they did with many things in the previous films.

I do understand that they try to make these films attractive and interesting to watch, but what they don't realize is that sometimes they really do exactly the opposite of what is in the books, which does really annoy me. For example: in the books much time is spent on how vitally important it is that Muggles don't see wizards doing wizarding stuff (like flying on a broomstick), yet what they do in the film - insert a full scene where the Advance Guard flies with Harry right over the Thames and very close to some boats - exposed, in full view of Muggles.

Quite a bit of time is spent on the DA and Umbridge (who, by the way, is just superb!), but they also manage to mention how powerful a witch Ginny is becoming and they hint more heavily at what's going between Hermione and Ron; even give a tiny bit of a hint as to Neville's past. They have the time to deal with Harry's first love interest, Cho and give some screen time to Grawp, Aberforth and Kreacher. They have Luna also, which is just fantastic - the young actress nails Luna's character. (Something of a lesson to the actors of the trio!)

I really disliked that they cut the end, which is the most important thing in the book, short (a feat they did with Goblet as well). In fact everything was happening very fast and I wonder whether a person who hasn't read the books would have a clue as to what was going on at all.

Again, Dumbledore was abysmally acted (he sure has energy and drive, but none of Dumbledore's politeness and diplomatic ways), and despite many praises from other reviewers I really disliked Bellatrix. She was too twisted for my taste. I have never seen her (in the books) as someone who is off her rocker. Yes, she has made a decision for a life-long devotion and service to Voldemort, but that doesn't make her crazy by default. I think Helena Bonham Carter missed with this role.

In general, I wouldn't have seen this one if boyfriend wasn't keen on going to the cinema. And as of now, I have no intention of seeing the last two films, either.

Labels: films, Harry Potter

So after many complications we're finally in London. When we arrived at the ariport the car suddenly broke down and the person who drove us to the airport had problems getting back home. But at least, I thought, we were at the airport early enough. But a real shock awaited us when we got to the hotel. The receptionist said we hadn't booked a room, which we had as we also had a booking confirmation. I thought I was about to faint. Luckily he had a double room free. How on Earth we managed to recieve a booking confirmation by the hotel's manager (who is currently conviniently on vacation in Portugal) I don't know.

Another shock awaited us when we tried to unlock the room designated to us - there were people inside. Turns out the receptionist only made a mistake and we now have a room and we won't even have to switch rooms at any point.

Only when we got back to the hotel in the evening and saw the "no vacancies" sign put up did we realize just how lucky we were. No reservation and we got a room anyway.

Today we went to pick up the tickets to the Podcasting event and we're sitting in the Front area. But when we arrived at the bookshop we were stunned to see people already queuing for the release of Deathly Hallows. There are about 40 of them there right now and judging by the newspaper articles they've been there for two days. And now dare call me a real Potter fan.

Labels: Harry Potter, london, random ramblings

New book, lots more of curious little details and as always, if you haven't read the books - be wary of SPOILERS.

1. The Loovegoods (Luna and her Dad) obviously live near Ron.
2. Mundungus Fletcher is again casually mentioned and I cannot resist feeling he's going to be important to book seven.
3. In the Sorting Hat's song Hufflepuf is mentioned as coming from a valley- could this have any connection to the location of Hufflepuf's Horcrux and/or the dragon from the Deluxe Cover Art?
   
4. Do the spells Mr. Ollivander performs with each wand have a meaning? (Fleur - flowers, Cedric - a stream of silver smoke rings, Krum - birds and Harry - a fountain of wine).
5. How come Sirius knew Bertha Jorkins? Was is that she walked on him kissing a girl behind the Herbology greenhouses?
6. A bezoar is again mentioned as an antidote for most poisons. Note that a bezoar saves Ron's life in HBP.
7. Krum seems really nice from what Hermione said of him - seems like Hermione is taking a leaf out of Dumbledore's book here - making friends rather than enemies.
   
8. There's just got to be a subplot involving giants. Hagrid's mother is prominently mentioned in GoF and his brother is introduced in OotP and Grawp starts talking by the end of HBP. This has got to be important.
9. I have a problem with the underage drinking and heavy drinking that goes on in the series in general. Butterbeer definitely has some alcohol in it and I am not too happy seeing Butterbeer drank as though it was pumpkin juice. Also, the amount of heavy drinkers in the series is quite high. I would undersand that Rowling tries to be frank about adults drinking heavily, but I have an issue with her making it seem that drinking an alcoholic beverage on a daily basis is acceptable in children.
10. The memories Harry visits in the Pensieve look very much like the memory Harry visited in Riddle's Diary, but they're not Horcruxes like the Diary.
11. In the memory from the Pensieve we find out that Voldemort has a spy from the Department of Mysteries. This implies that Voldemort knows much more about that place than Harry does. Also, will this knowledge give Voldemort advantage in the final battle between him and Harry?
    
12. We find out Snape was a Death Eater, but two books later we still don't know why Dumbledore is convinced Snape isn't a danger.
13. Also, the real Moody could be a mentor to Harry in DH, as he was one of the best Aurors in his time.
14. Was Ludo Bagman a naive fool or a real spy for Voldemort? Because of his Quidditch career people are less willing to believe him to posses any bad character traits. This again shows prejudice and favouritism.
15. Dumbledore says that Harry and Voldemort are connected by the curse that failed. If the curse failed, then Harry cannot be a Horcrux or could he?
16. Voldemort will establish an army of creatures whom all fear. What are these? Inferi?
17. Voldemort having taken Harry's blood now has Lily's protection, but will this also expire on Harry's 17th birthday?
18. Voldemort now seems to know how Harry was protected by Dumbledore. But will this knowledge give him an advantage over Harry?
19. Many people have claimed that the final battle won't involve wands, because Harry's and Voldemort's wands cannot duel. That is true, however Voldemort can put a hex or curse on Harry and their wands function normally as long as they don't duel.
    

Labels: books, Harry Potter

SPOILERS - proceed at your own risk!

Now, Prisoner is a very fine book indeed. Full of longing and reminiscing, a beautiful nostalgic feeling. It's a story about true friends and people that give the wrong impressions. I've also always been fond of the comparison between Lupin and a person infected wit HIV.
Not many questions bothered me while reading this book, but here they are anyway.

1. Why is Dubledore so disturbed by the presence of Dementors? Admittedly, no one likes these foul creatures, but D seems more disturbed by their presence than other teachers. Does he have bad memories that come alive when Dementors are near?
2. Trelawney is a funny character. She's portrayed as an old fraud, but if you keep an eye on her "predictions" a lot of them come true. All of her predictions regarding the Grim are true - Harry has been seeing a giant black dog all over the place. If you disregard the theatrical manner, could Trelawney's predictions about Harry's imminent death also be true?
3. What fascinates me about Dumbledore is that he considers every person - whether he is a werewolf or a paranoid ex-Auror his ally. Dumbledore realizes the potential: of you're nice to people and give them second chances, these people will be nice to you in return. In HP vocabulary this creates a certain bond between D and the other person and thus the person becomes an ally with the Order.
4. What's up with Snape, though? Is an old trick the Marauders played on him the real reason why he's still so full of hatred towards Sirius, James and Remus? Or is it like some suggest that he was romantically interested in Lily, but James got the girl?
5. For a man so intelligent, Snape doesn't want to use logic this time around. Why is he still so bitter towards Sirius? School grudge or something else?
6. Why does it seem to me that Snape tries very hard to get Harry expelled? Call me naive, but does he presume Harry will be safer in Privet drive, because of the protection Dumbledore placed on that house?
7. Considering the significant role Lupin played in giving Harry private lessons, is he the possible mentor for Harry in DH?
8. Dumledore tells Harry that "the time may well come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew's life". What will become of that?

Labels: books, Harry Potter

And it's time to continue with ramblings about the Potter series. Again, please be warned, that the text below contains plenty of spoilers (from all books in the series) and you would be well advised to stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

The plot of this book is very well designed - Rowling weaves in little details: the rules of Duelling, which become important in GoF, Polyjuice Potion gets a lot of prime time and all this becomes significant two books later.

I think Mundungus Fletcher will be of importance in DH, because I think he stole the real locket Horcrux from Grimmauld Place. And here, all the way back in CoS, he's already mentioned.

Just a random observation, but I had so much fun reading the passages with Gilderoy Lockhart. What a character!

This might not be of supreme importance, but what is the connection between Filch and Mrs. Norris, the cat? There have been claims that the cat is an animagus, so is this true?

Of note: Hermione's specialty seem to be blue waterproof fires. I couldn't help but think that would come mightily handy if by chance Inferi show up in DH.

A few warlocks are mentioned in the series. Warlock is a derogatory term for a male wizard, but is often used for a traitor (of the craft). Will Muggles finally realize they're not alone?

Rowling was recently reported as saying that her books are deeply moral. And CoS is a champion in that respect, because this is the book in which people are judged solely on what they were born and not on what they chose to become. Magic or no magic, the prejudice seems to permeate the worlds of some people. Also, Gilderoy Lockhart being the living proof, people would rather believe that an attractive person was good and more able than an unattractive one. Lockhart's whole life depended on that (and a few well placed Memory Charms I should add).

McGonagall acts as headmistress in CoS for a brief period, when Dumbledore is forced to leave his position. Based on this, I believe she will take up the post of headmistress in DH, too.

There's a peculiar little detail - the chamber is called the Chamber of Secrets (secrets in Plural!), so I'm wondering if there are more secrets to be revealed. Tom Riddle explains in CoS and HBP that he had discovered the Chamber by his fifth year. In his sixth year he started wearing Gaunt's Ring and shortly thereafter I think he made his first Horcrux. Would it be unreasonable to expect he hid it in Slytherin's specially hidden chamber? Remember that only very few people could open the Chamber (Parseltongue) and come out of it unscathed, because the Basilisk would probably kill them lest they're Slytherin's descendants or pure blood wizards.

The more I think of it, the more impossible it seems to me that Dumbledore didn't know about the Chamber or what was in it. Remember that he was at Hogwarts when Myrtle died and that she returned as a ghost to haunt her classmate Olive Hornby. I'm sure Dumbledore knew which girl died and that she came back as a ghost. The only possibility I see here is that Dumbledore doesn't speak Parseltongue so he wouldn't be able to access the Chamber.

This is also the book in which we find out Dumbledore used to be a Transfiguration teacher before he became Headmaster. We haven't seen him transform anything, but there is the possibility of him being an Animagus - a bumblebee, since dumbledore is an old name for a bumblebee. Also recall that Dumbledore could make himself invisible without an Invisibility Cloak and what better way to make himself "invisible" than to turn into a tiny animal. It would be just the thing Dumbledore would do - since most people don't pay attention to details, this would be a wonderful disguise for him. Also remember, that in GoF Rita Skeeter plays a similar trick and that there might be another reason why her story about being an illegal Animagus is in the book. Am I seeing too much?

Also, another interesting bit of information on Voldemort. Even at a young age, Voldemort's biggest fault was that he underestimated his enemies (like thinking the Sorting Hat and a Phoenix couldn't help Harry in any respect.) This (along with a fondness for ceremony) are in my opinion his biggest faults and the possible cause of his downfall.

It is mentioned with regard to Voldemort that he underwent many dangerous magical transformations. Again plural! Did he attempt anything else besides splitting his soul several times?

Labels: books, Harry Potter

Where did Dumbledore get his scar of London Underground? Is it possibly a remnant of his defeat of Grindelwald? Is the fact that both Harry and Dumbledore have scars significant?

Can Hagrid Apparate? I suppose not, because he borrowed Sirius' motorbike and remember that Hagrid said in a later book that there's no broom strong enough to hold him. AND Hagrid claims he flew to the island on which he first met Harry. Is it then a far-fetched conclusion that he probably flew on Sirius' motorbike?

When Harry gets to Hogwarts with the boats and across the lake, he lands in an underground harbour. Could this be significant in a possible future attack on Hogwarts?

Fun fact of the day: there are 142 staircases at Hogwarts.

In the first speech Dumbledore has upon Harry's arrival to Hogwarts, he says Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak. Harry remembers these words at the end of HBP. Are they significant and what do they mean in the context (bear in mind these are actual words)?

We find out right at the beginning Snape wanted the DADA job. Why would Voldemort have wanted him to get the job if he knew Snape was only going to last a year (the job is jinxed) and why would Snape finally accept the position of Potions teacher? And besides, the subject is Defence Against the Dark Arts - what if (pardon my naivete) Snape really only wanted to teach defence, not actual Dark Arts? (Most of the Dark Arts are forbidden by law anyway.)


Snape says in his first lesson that he can teach how to bottle fame, brew glory and stopper death. Was the latter the reason Voldemort wanted Snape among the Death Eaters?

JKR establishes very early that (according to Harry!) Snape hates Harry. All this might be because of a feud between James and Snape. But it also severs another purpose - Snape is able to keep his cover by pretending to hate Harry and continue his work as a double spy. Besides Snape treats everyone apart from Slytherins badly and there is no proof that he treats Harry worse than the others.


Hermione knows what the 12 uses of the dragon's blood are. Will this come in useful in DH - taking into account that the trio flies on a dragon?

Dumbledore is also famous for his defeat of Grindelwald. What was that all about?


As far as I can recall, it is not Dumbledore's habit to come to Quidditch matches, yet he comes to watch Gryffindor's second match. Could that be a sign D has his suspicions about Quirell or merely a sign that the takes the safety of his students seriously?

Could the fact that Voldemort drinks Unicorn's blood and that it is known that "you will have but a half life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips" have any bearing on how the final showdown between V and Harry is resolved?

Ronan, the centaur, says: "Always the innocent are the first victims." This is a huge foreshadowing as Cedric - basically an innocent bystander - dies in GoF.

The centaurs dish out more of their wisdom by saying Mars is bright tonight, The Forrest hides many secrets and (says Firenze) The Forest isn't safe at this time - especially for you [Harry]. Seeing in OotP that Firenze is friendly with Dumbledore, is it possible that the centaurs told D whom they saw lurking in the Forrest? And what are the other secrets (plural!) the Forrest contains?

In this and in several of the following books, Snape seems to make it his priority to get Harry expelled from Hogwarts. What if - and I may be totally off - Snape tries to get Harry go live with the Dursleys, where he is most safe?

Towards the end Harry says: "[...] I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there. It's only dying a bit later than I would have done, because I'm never going over to the Dark side." Is this a huge foreshadowing foretelling V's attack on Harry which takes place in Privet Drive? Possibly even Harry's death?


Some people have suggested that the order of the tasks and the teachers that have set them foretells the main events of each of the books. Let's review: Fluffy (Hargrid), Devil's Snare (Sprout), flying keys (Flitwick), giant chessboard (McGonagall), troll (Quirell), potions (Snape), Mirror of Erised (Dumbledore). Any ideas?

In the end Dumbledore says to Harry: "[...] not being truly alive, he [Voldemort] cannot be killed." Is this true or is this a false statement, because in CoS, Dumbledore meets the first of V's Horcruxes.

And again from Dumbledore: "to have been loved so deeply, even thought the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection for ever." Is this lasting protection Harry's ability to love or something else?

Labels: books, Harry Potter

I applied for the Midnight Signing that JK Rowling will be doing in London's Natural History Museum in the wee hours of 21st July, but I wasn't selected to attend. Even before that boyfriend and I reserved our copies of the final Harry book at a London bookshop.

And now I find out that my favourite HP podcast are going to have a big Release Night Live Podcast right at the bookshop where we'll be. Lucky coincidence? I think not. :)

I've already sent out a couple of e-mails trying to get tickets for the event, but so far all apart from one of my e-mails got returned straight away. But the last e-mail did seem to get through. Fingers crossed.

P.S The hotel we booked has Internet access and I might be able to post a few short posts from London.

Labels: Harry Potter, london

Harry, Hermione and Ron flying a dragon? (I just knew that dragons had to come in somewhere. whether it's another one of Hagrid's "tame" dragon darlings or Charlie's Romanian specimen, I don't know. Unfortunately.) If this and the other cover arts are anything to go by, the last book is going to be stunning. I can't wait! Only a month an a half left! It's about time I reread all the already published books.

UPDATE: I will now prove to be totally worth of being called an HP fan. Because I know what this dragon is. According to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, this is one of ten breeds of dragons called Antipodean Opaleye. The reason why I went to check that is as follows. A week ago, just before the above cover art for US Deluxe HPDH edition was published online, I read an interview with the illustrator, Mary GrandPre. She specifically stated that there was a reason why everything was as it was on the cover. That it's not her making stuff up, but that she faithfully recreates scenes from the book. So I knew that anything that appeared on this newly released cover was no accident.

And to top it - the dragon didn't have pupils (in the eye). Knowing it wasn't just forgetfulness on GrandPre's part, I went to check that. And granted, the Opaleye "has iridescent, pearly scales and glittering, multicoloured, pupil-less eyes, hence its name" as Fantastic Beasts put it.

There are other curious details about this breed of dragon. It dwells in valleys rather than mountains, it is not very aggressive and rarely kills, unless hungry. It also prefers sheep to humans. This piece of information is really important, as any other breed of dragon would hardly allow three wizards to mount it. And keeping in mind that JK Rowling said dragons can't be tamed, mounting and flying atop a dragon is a feat in itself.

The only weird thing is that it is supposed to be a native of Australia and New Zealand. And while I doubt the trio will be making a trip to the southern hemisphere, but Hagrid, always keen on big predators, could be making a new attempt at taming a dragon. (Remember Norbert?)

Labels: Harry Potter

A couple of days after we pre-ordered our copies of HP and the Deathly Hallows JK Rowling announced on her website she's planning on doing a midnight reading and then meet 1700 randomly selected fans and sign their books (which will be given to them free of charge).

You can only imagine my happiness upon reading - in my mind I was not only in London for the release of the final book, but also had the opportunity to meet JK Rowling and talk to her (needless to say have the book signed!). As she does very few book signings these days, such books are quite rare and people are prepared to pay ridiculously huge amounts of money (around $3000) for a signed copy.

The fact that you had to submit an application and then wait for a computer to randomly select 1700 fans (out of all the applicants) didn't seem to bother me. In my mind I was already a winner. I was already there, triumphant.

Then I read that you had to be a British resident and show your passport upon entering the room where signing will occur.

Now, again, what are black market prices for British passports?

Labels: Harry Potter, london

Hip, hip hooray!

Boyfriend and I are going to London AGAIN this summer. Boyfriend has been planning this for some time, but refused to tel me where he's taking me. (And I didn't even want to know, because I trust him completely.)

I cannot even begin to say how ecstatic I am. When I was there for the first time last September, I fell in love with the city. Architecture, people, tube, culture, history, museums, our hotel, everything.

I'm a city gal. I love big cities and cannot imagine how it would feel to be living in a village. This time around we're going to stay there for 5 days. We intend to see some smaller museums, more of the city and everything we didn't last time, when we ran out of time.

Also, we're going to be there at the time of the release of HP and the Deathly Hallows, so we've already pre-ordered two copies of the book (I'm getting the children's edition, while boyfriend is being snobbish reading the adult's edition) at a huge bookshop and have opted to get the book from the shop at midnight on the day of the release. So for the first and last time I'm going to be part of a midnight release queue party. (The only problem is that we're probably going bankrupt by paying for a night cab ride back to the hotel. I'm not too keen on trusting the buses.)

But I have questions as well. Do you have suggestions what we should see while up there? We've seen most of the major tourist attractions. Can you suggest something that's off the beaten track, but definitely worth seeing?

Labels: Harry Potter, life, london

Ever since the original art work for covers of the final HP book, Deathly Hallows, was released, I was bothered by the tiny image that originally appears on the spine of the book. It is also the image that appears in the centre of the Bloomsbury web page for HP. At first I thought it might not be important, but then I realized that Gaunt's ring was on the same spot (on the covert art work) for Half-blood Prince.

And Gaunt's ring proved to be immensely important. And why would they put it on the main page of the website if it was just a tiny detail?
So what is this? Is it some sort of door or passageway? Does the symbol have a meaning? Is any of the readers any wiser on the subject than I am?

P.S. I've already reserved my copy of Deathly Hallows. Have you?

Labels: Harry Potter

is due to be released on 21st July 2007.

Guess what just made my day. :)
Or even more - dare guess where I'll be on the said day. :)

Update: yesterday I was extremely fortunate and came upon the news of the release fairly early. I was completely beside myself (shouting yippie ana yay which made boyfriend doubt in my sanity, not to speak of maturity) and today I still have problems being a believer. It's just that when in late December we only found out the title of the book (Deathly Hallows) instead of the publication date added to the fact that the fifth film is going to be released on 13th July 2007, I was doubtful, that the book will be published in the same Summer. I thought maybe Rowling needs more time to write the book, which I really need to be super good and explain all the backstory plus effectively bring the saga to the end. And if Rowling needed more time to polish it, then it would be fine by me. I'd rather have the book in my hands a year later than be disappointed with the end result. (Here's hoping I won't be!)

But now - what a surprise! At least this year it won't be difficult to get me a birthday present I really, really like. But, as we now know what to expect - and when, brace yourself for a few "I predict" HP themed posts - my debt to Simon and Lilit goes a long, long way back.

Labels: Harry Potter

So, Lilit, Simon, how did you do? :)

Labels: Harry Potter

A while ago I showed you my W.O.M.B.A.T. (Wizards' Oridnary Magic and Basic Aptitude Test) Grade 1 test results and now I'm happy to inform you that Grade 2 is online. This is for a limited time only, so please proceed with your test paper now if you want to be considered for marking.

Information on how to get to the test here.

Labels: Harry Potter

Now, I know I promised several detailed posts about the week I spent in London, but due to problems with computer, I'm unable to upload photos. It would be very dull indeed to write about the museums and not include any photos. Please, be patient.

As quite a lot of time has passed since my last post - here goes a theory that I thought of while in London. And please, be warned that the text below contains many plot details from the Harry Potter series and you would be well advised to STOP reading NOW, if you haven't finished the series (or even started reading it) yet. Thank you.

While strolling about Welcome's History of Medicine (a museum) I found out that body-snatchers also used to be called (hold your breath) marauders. Actually, it was the first word on the screen - and only afterwards they were called resurrectionists. Instantly I thought of HP and how this relates to the books. (A final proof of my dedication -- obsession is such an ugly word -- to the series, I presume.)

In the old times dissection on cadavers was prohibited by law as people believed that removing organs and mutilating the body in other ways will prevent the soul from entering the Heaven. Many decades later dissection was again allowed, but the old prejudice was so fixed in the minds of the people that aspiring doctors had great difficulties in finding a sufficient number of cadavers. So certain people started digging out graves and stealing corpses to be later sold to students of medicine. In a span of time this practice was so wide-spead that many families decided to keep a watch over the graves even after the funeral had taken place! Iron coffins were also very fashionable.

Now, the link with the series. When Harry first activates the Marauders' Map, he sees names of four (supposedly long deceased) people appear on the parchment. They were Moony, Padfoot, Prongs and Wormtail. The first surprize and an (almost) actual resurrection takes place at the end of Prisoner of Azkaban (PoA), when we learn that Wormtail never actually died. The second resurrection takes place when -- at the end of Goblet of Fire (GoF) -- Prongs comes out of Voldemort's wand to warn Harry and help him escape. Moony is more difficult, but I think one could reasonably explain his monthly "furry little problem" as a form of resurrection, when at the end of full moon, he comes back to the realm of the living.

Padfoot, I hope, is yet to make his resurrection. No, he isn't alive, he's as dead as he can be, but I have a feeling that JKR didn't lead us into the Ministry of Magic and into the underground corridors just so Padfoot could die in a fancy manner or so we would know that people study death there. I think Ministry will make a reappearance, we'll go back and that veil was certainly too curious an object to serve a single purpose. There have been theories that the veil serves as a portal for communication between the worlds of the living and the dead. If indeed death is being studied there, one needs a portal of some sort to be able to go to the world beyond and come back to tell about the experience or at least a portal through which one can glimpse or listen to the voices from the other side (surely you remember that Luna and Harry, the only ones in the DA who've felt the weight of death could hear voices emanating from beyond the veil). Padfoot fell through the veil, so why wouldn't he be the person to help Harry or give him some important information from the world beyond? (Although, admittedly, what that piece of information could be is beyond me. Some have suggested that horcruxes and/or Voldemort will be destroyed by pushing them through the veil, which is a very plausible explanation.)

Then there is the case of the Two-Way Mirror, which was a present from Padfoot. JKR had this to say on the matter: "The mirror might not have helped as much as you think, but on the other hand, will help more than you think. You’ll have to read the final books to understand that!" Now know that this mirror will make a reappearance and our only (seems simple enough) task is to figue out what the connection is. I bet you anything (OK, not anything) that the mirror is a connection to a certain pure-blood wizarding house. I firmly believe that Harry will use it for communication with either Padfoot or his brother, who is (am almost certain) R.A.B.

So, in conclusion, I think that the name "marauders" suggests what happens with the characters in the books. And if my theory is correct, we'll see a reappearance of our favourite godfather.

Labels: Harry Potter

I slept badly during the night so I took a little nap in the morning and had the most incredible dream. I dreamt about reading a new, never before seen passage in Harry Potter (undoubtedly because me and JK Rowling share a mind connection similar to the one Harry and V. share) where some lady whose name I forgot revealed to another person that after Voldemort got hold of the locket and the cup, he focused on finding relics from famous wizards, one of them being a will (perhaps by Salazar Slytherin?), written on a piece of parchment and bent so it resembled a papery cross.

What the other iteam was, I cannot recall, because just as I was "reading" that paragraph boyfriend called me on my mobile and my dream was abruptly ended. So you see, it is his fault entirely that the HP fans should be denied the privillege of knowing about the other object in advance. :)

What struck me as odd was how very realistic this dream was - I could hardly believe I was dreaming after the phone had woken me up.

Labels: Harry Potter

I see there are more Harry fans out there than I initially thought. Now, I'm planning on writing more on the topic, I just don't know what you'd prefer to read about - something on Rowling's life and what I admire about her, my theories for book 7 or why I like the series?

Suggestions, threats and pleas in the comment box, please.

P.S. Could people stop writing good blogs so that my "Blogs I read" list can shrink to a more decent length?

Labels: Harry Potter

Many years before I read the first book I remember reading newspaper articles about eager fans queuing in front of bookshops in the evening already so that by midnight they might have a fresh copy of the newest volume of Harry in their hands. I imagined what a rush of excitement it must be - how eager they would be to get home as soon as possible and start reading. I imagined they would read in the car already and on their way up the stairs.

And I smiled wanly; thinking myself so superior for not following a trend.

Later that year I went to Amsterdam and while there I saw the first two Harry Potter books in a display window. They were English paperback editions and they were cheap books. For the majority of the travelling I read - but they were other books, which I brought from home. I never opened Harry. Even when I arrived home I put the book neatly on the shelf and left it at that. And so years passed and there were more news about eager fans lining in front of bookshops late at night and again I smiled at their loyalty, hardly ever remembering that I had two volumes of the world phenomenon on my bookshelf.

Some more years passed and the pages had started to turn yellow, when finally I decided to read the books and then pass them on a younger person. It never entered my mind that Harry was a book for children or that it might be inappropriate for my age - I knew it was a fairytale, but I thought I'd read it anyway. Now I'm smarter - I know Harry isn't just a book for children.

It took almost a week to get past the first 100 pages, because I was busy working at my summer job. But even at that slow pace I found the book witty, the story inventive and Rowling's imagination boundless. Her persuasive, realistic, open tone could make you believe that wizards really do exist. There's nothing artificial or forced about her story. She writes it as though she knows it is true.

I couldn't stop reading. I would read for hours on end, breezing through chapters and racking my brains for the information Harry needed. This was a wizarding detective strory - so much suspense, so much action, such nerve-wrecking scenes... Whoever thought this was a children's book?

Having finished the first book, I began reading the second volume in the same day. I finished the second book on Saturday and I couldn't wait for more. I was so desperate for more of Harry that late on Saturday boyfriend took me to CityPark to look for the third book. Sadly, they were sold out. Having to wait a whole day seemed impossible - how I was to endure a whole day without Harry was beyond me. First thing Monday morning I went to Konzorcij bookshop (I don't think I ever woke up so early during the holidays...) and bought the third and fourth volume. Right thereafter I went to a remote library to borrow the fifth book.

I read all three remaining books in a week. I got hooked.

A while after having finished the fifth book something about the plot bothered me. I went online and posted my question in an HP fan forum. They directed me to an editorial on Mugglenet and I dutifully read that. And all the 40 others. Then I began reading other columnists, I began reading fan-written editorials, thinking about theories for book 6.

I found out the day of the release of book 6 just a few hours after it was announced on Rowling's website. Three days later I went to a bookshop to ask when book 6 reservations will be available. The sales lady said they found out earlier that day and that they have no clue as of yet. I was perplexed - I exclaimed I found about the release ages ago and how they could not have known, oh my!, that were the biggest news that week. The sales lady gave me a weird look and instantly I knew that in her book I am an obsessed HP fan. And why would I even pretend not to be one? Long before that day I had made a daily habit of checking Mugglenet for news, reading an editorial here and there and re-reading the books, searching for new clues.

I booked my copy of volume 6 in March and the book was released in July. I downloaded a countdown counter from Mugglenet and counted the days until the release. On release day I came from holidays and three times on the way home I wanted to ask boyfriend to stop in Rijeka as I saw they were putting copies of Harry on the shelves in various shops. Somehow I managed to restrain myself until I got home. I opened the front door and without a hello I asked mother whether she went to the bookshop to get my copy. She replied in negative and I felt my eyes wet.

However, it was only a rude joke she played on me. She had the book and by evening, I already read a third of it. Because of Harry I kept reading all through the night and went to sleep at 7 am.

Yes, I'm in my twenties and am a Harry Potter fan. And now that boyfriend likes the series, too I can only wonder how we'll manage to read book 7 simultaneously when it comes out. Any suggestions appreciated. (We're buying a single book.)

Harry is a legend. With over 300 million books sold, the story being translated into more languages every day, I consider it a part of my world-wise education to know what Quidditch is and why Petter Pettigrew is a rat. Do you need any more persuading?

Labels: Harry Potter