I was surprised and sorry, but resigned, that he would die, after his last conversation with Voltemort. Somehow, it didn’t seem fair that he had to die. After all the time being a double-agent for Dumbledore and all he went through, it just seemed like he didn’t deserve to die.

But since he had to die, I just wish that he had been given a more worthy death. And one that wasn’t so Gross. I don’t know How I’m going to stand that scene in the coming movie based on the book because You Know they’re gonna put it in. I’ve always been afraid of snakes. I can’t think of a more horrible death for anyone in the Wizarding World. It makes me wonder why Voltemort chose that way to kill him. A quick stab in the heart would have been kinder. Not that Voltemort has ever been kind, without a purpose behind it - but after he acted like Snape was a true and faithful servent and then made him suffer that kind of death? Not good.

I was very disappointed that Remus and Tonks were dispatched without us even knowing about it until their bodies were happened upon. How could this happen? I felt that Remus Lupin played a very important role in Harry’s life (both as being his father and mother’s friend [one of the Marauders] and being, himself, like a father to Harry). When I read of Lupin’s death I felt disappointment and felt that it was very anti-climatic considering that Lupin and Sirius were friends (Marauders] so there was a real connection to Harry there. Lupin was Harry’s godfather’s friend and his father’s friend, yet we saw Mad Eye Moody killed who, although, I liked him very much - had no real connection to Harry like Remus did. In fact, since Harry’s only interaction with Moody to *any degree* was with the deatheater posing as Moody - Harry didn’t know the real Mad Eye Moody at all. The only way that I comfort myself about his death is that he was so distressed about having a child with Nymphadora who would be born into the world with the stigma of being half-werewolf that at least he was spared that. I never cared that much for Tonks but once she and Remus were expecting I warmed up to her so I was saddened at her death. By the way, I didn’t mind that Mad Eye Moody had a death scene I just felt that Lupin should have had one too. Oh, and I felt bad that Moody had to die because I liked him a lot. It’s funny how we’re all different as to what characters we feel bad about dying. Oh, yes, it was a surprise and it bothered me that Hedwig died but, I don’t know, when it came to the others I really had no feelings about it. It’s funny, though. At the time, when I read about Lupin’s and Tonks’s bodies I was disappointed but the full impact of it didn’t hit me until awhile after I had read the book. Go figure.

1. How Nevielle got the griffindor sword that he pulled out of the sworting hat? Last I could tell the goblin who was with them in vault stole the griffindor sword. What did I miss?

2. Do we know how Tonks and Lupin died? I just recall that Harry sees them in the great hall?

Thanks!

Mizz Andy: I remember something about Fred not getting back in time to have an effective counter curse performed. I vaguely remember Snape mentioning something to Dumbledore about it being a good thing he was there “in time” whilst roasting Harry over his use of the spell . . .

Another question, George was hit by Sectumsempra wasn’t he? Thats how he lost his ear. Molly Weasley says that they couldn’t grow a new ear because it was such dark magic.
Didn’t Harry use this same curse on Malfoy in HBP, how was he able to be repaired? Was it because Snape knew the counter curse? If he was on the good side could he not have got the counter curse to the Weasley’s, he knew he had cast it at George.

Just read your comments to my Christian perspective and I want to say “thank you” for your kind words…made me smile! Gee, and I thought I was going to tick someone off!

Still, I think she makes the point that wars suck and people get killed - both good and bad.

Mizz Andy - Yes, I agree JK was reaching there, but she needed some kind of device to get Ron back now didn’t she . . . I think because Harry was included in the incantation, he is able to see where they’re camped.

on a side note…the moment when nevelle killed nagini and the centaurs joined the fight and then the house elves and all the families and people from Hogsmead joined the fight was the breaking point for me, it was so touching and sad, and I couldn’t hold my tears back anymore after that point, loved it! =)

I tried to make this shorter, but I’m clinically unable to be short in anything other than stature. Sorry.

Harry’s sacrifice didn’t protect Voldemort as it did others. When Voldemort rejected remorse, he chose death. The wand DID work for him, just ineffectively, due to the protection on the others. The AK curse hit Harry’s Expelliarmus, and as the wand would not kill its master, the curse simply rebounded, and both hit Voldemort. Voldemort told Snape the wand worked, and that he himself was extraordinary, but the wand didn’t make him more extraordinary.

I looked up smite, mostly because I wanted to see what it really meant. My thoughts would be wrong if smite meant to kill, as Voldemort was smiting people left and right during the rampage into the Great Hall. However, http://www.dictionary.com does not say kill in any of the definitions. And you know, since it’s on the internet, it must be right.
I don’t know that Voldemort killed anybody in that scene. He definitely hit a bunch of people, and Kingsley, McGonagall and Slughorn were blasted away from him when Bellatrix died, but they didn’t die either. And note, the AK curse is unblockable, so Harry’s Protego spell would not have saved people if Voldemort was flinging AK curses all over the place.

I don’t think Harry was lying to Voldemort at all. There was no need to lie. Harry was simply giving Voldemort a chance to make the choice between life and death with as much information as possible. Voldemort was simply too arrogant to believe anybody could possibly know more than him about magic. Plus, Harry did do what Lily did. Voldemort said he would stop killing people if Harry came to him. So Harry went, intending to die. That he didn’t die is immaterial.

I think Megan has hit the point - Harry was instrumental in protecting his friends whilst under the cloak - However, I wonder how many of Dumbledore’s protections survived and Hogwarts was itself somewhat protected?

I remember a comment about Harry not defeating Draco to get his wand - my guess is that apparently, the wand itself didn’t see it that way.

Now I wish someone had asked Jo if Harry was correct or wrong or just lying when he told Tom that he couldn’t hurt anyone because of his sacrifice.

Megan - yes, you are right. Harry was protecting people from under the cloak. I do think however, that Moldy’s spells lost some of their juice as evidenced by Neville’s breakout of the body-binding curse and Harry’s non-reaction to the Crucio . . . Moldy did manage to take out a bunch of crew when Bellatrix got topped by Mrs Weasley so he wasn’t entirely neutered there - I do agree that it is not clearly written that he actually lost powers over anyone except Harry there . . .

In regards to Voldemorts spells not working, While Harry was under the invisbility cloak he was shielding people from Voldemorts spells and that is why some people weren’t being effected by his spells. It mentions at one point during that time that Voldemort was in fact hitting some people with his spells, but that Harry was saving who he could. When Harry is telling Voldemort that he can’t hurt anyone i think he is lying to Voldemort to make him more scared. In reality it was Harry shielding those people from under his cloak, making it look as if Voldemorts spells weren’t working. When Harry gave himself up without a fight he saved only himself from dying, not the people in Hogwarts.

Qualifier: I do see a trend for theatre companies using the play as a hook though - because of the naked actors - to bring in people, especially by young or flailing theatre companies, and when this happens, it is generally acted badly. The play requires advanced acting skills and very able directing so do try and see it done by a reputable company if you go . . . wouldn’t want to turn anyone off of the theatre for life . . . and a really badly acted/directed play can do that.

I did notice when he called him Remus - it underscored the change in their relationship I think. I don’t think Harry ever saw himself as Lupin’s equal or better, but in fact, he superseded him morally during their argument I think. I also think Harry took the title of “adult” in the wizarding world to heart . . .

Kimba,

I’m not positive which part of Tom’s spells not working that you are talking about, so I’m just going to address all of them.

Tom’s spells didn’t work on other people after Harry sacrificed himself for them because they were protected by the old magic inherent in the sacrifice.

The Elder Wand did work for him, just not extraordinarily. It did not give him the extra “non-defeatable” power because he wasn’t the wand’s master. Ollivander explained that wands will work for sufficiently skilled wizards, just not as well as when the wand chooses the wizard.

The AK curse killed Riddle because it rebounded off of Harry’s Expelliarmus curse, plus as Harry was the Elder Wand’s master, it would not kill Harry.

I have been too busy with real life to really read or post around here, but I wanted to say good luck at Prophecy. Are you going to be recording your workshop and putting it up as a podcast or can’t you do that? I’d very much like to hear more about how to make a podcast, it sounds like it would be fun. I hope you will tell us all about Prophecy when you get back.

I thought of something while listening: if Tom’s spells weren’t working any longer than why did his AK spell kill him?

Webby: I disagree that Tom and Harry are only related by marriage. Related by marriage means there is not blood link. If the second Peverell was Harry’s ancestor and another Peverell was Tom’s ancestor, then they are related by blood whether or not Tom’s Peverell ancestor was male or female. Just because she would have changed her name to Gaunt, doesn’t make her any less blood related. Furthermore, the introduction of the Gaunt name could have come later down the line and it could have been one of the three brothers who founded that line which led to Tom.

I too think the Nazi parallel is overt and I’m positive it was intentional. Even from Krum’s anger over the symbol I thought as much.

Shawn: I really like that idea about the snake representing Snape’s choice and his ultimate demise. very nice.