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Half Blood Prince


des

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Well just wondered if anybody wanted to speculate on your theories on the upcoming HP book. Guesses on the Half Blood prince's ID (author said it is not Harry, Voldemort aka VM, or for that matter Tom Riddle)? Any ideas on the new Defense against dark arts teacher; Harry's mood; etc.

 

IF you have not read 5 warning, there are SPOILERS!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My theories are... I have no idea but I think it could be Godric Griffindor (I know he's long dead, but there could be a painting or some way that Harry has an encounter) or perhaps it is the new Defense teacher, who we do not know yet but may have heard of. (Top 3 choices for me: Godric Griffindor, Dumbledores's brother, or new Defense Against DD teacher). Harry will tell *someone* about the prophesy. I think he will be in a better mood as he has got to learn self-control (as JKR puts it), well at least he will be less angry. He will esp be happy to leave the Dursleys early this year.

 

The twins will be running one heck of a business. More of Lupin, Moody, and Tonks. (As well as less pleasant characters such as Lucius Malfoy, who will get sprung from prison by Dementors). Lupin will take up some slack for Sirius, being the last "good" friend of dad. More annoying teen romance. And we will learn more of Dumbledore's eccentric brother-- could be HBP? Another death- but NOT any of the following: Dumbledore (at least not this book), a Weasley, Hermoine, Neville, Luna, McGonagal, Lupin, or Hagrid. We will learn more of what Pertunia knows about the wizarding world. Dumbledore will be more approachable this book-- perhaps his last time for having one of those long talks with Harry at the end. Also as for OWLS, Harry gets his OWLS in DA (doh!), Transfig., AND Potions. So more Snape classes. (Too bad Harry, I just think this has to go on.) We won't know whether Percy goes to the Dark side and becomes a Sith or not (woops wrong story). :-)

One more thing, there will be some more book burnings by Fundies. This book will be better than 5 (or is this wishful thinking) but not as good as 3.

 

 

My crystal ball just broke, and I don't think I'm related to Twelaney. :-)

 

 

--des

Edited by des
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Wow Des! Your post made me realize one BIG thing :

 

I NEED TO REREAD ALL THE BOOKS - AGAIN! :lol:

 

I've forgotten so dang much. Even though I've seen the movies a gazillion times each, I know they are different from the books in many ways and they don't go into character depth at all. The main thing that I remember from 5 is Sirius. :(

 

Good thing I own 1-5 (in hardcover no less). :D

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Kind of off topic, but I really don't think the Fundies are burning HP because of supposed "witchcraft", I personally think its more a matter of control, keeping people from being exposed to things that might encourage things such as INDEPENDANT THOUGHT. Sorry for the totally off-topic post, just felt the need to get that out there.

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Well kind of OT, but... I have read the various fundamentalist objections (btw, not all fundies *do* object to HP, and some who object to it do not exactly oppose reading it or watching the movies, but to do so with caution. For example, my sister has seen most of hte movies. She actually has said they are "good" but kind of demonic :-?) Even then I think it is only a fringe group that would advocate "book burnings".

 

Some of the objections I understand and partially agree with. For example I don't think that HP 4 and 5 are children's books. I do know an 10 year old rather gifted kid just crazy about HP and his mom gave him 5 and he started it and didnt' finish. And I think he just knew that it wasn't too appealing anymore to him anyway. Actually Harry, in book 5, resembled my nephew when he was about 15 or so. :-)

 

Anyway some of the other objections are the prevalent rule breaking in HP (so the idea of independent thought and control do come up for sure). I think it is a bit overstated as Harry does break basically "bedtime" rules. And serious rules that he breaks, are mostly to save others ("higher law" ideas). Also when he does break the rules nothing happens-- I sure remember lots of detentions and lost points. Other concerns I have read are that HP presents adults as bad. I think that's ridiculous but they tend to ignore The Weasleys, Dumbledore, McGonagal, Sprout, Flitwick, and focus on Snape, the Dursleys, and Mr Fudge.

 

The occult does come up. One objection I have read is that "muggles are presented as bad". Wow is this an oversimplification, the kind of thing that would rile up Dumbledore (to say nothing of Mr. Weasley :-)) no end. Obviously this "blood" issue is a key plot thread. I read one very long treatise where the author defends CS Lewis and Tolkein (no doubt as they are professed Christians) and goes thru a long sequence of how HP and Tolkein are different, but I think these differences would be lost on kids. (For example, one comment was that the Hobbits are not human, however, you quickly forget that don't you? I sure did.) Anyway the detractors maintain that HP attracts kids into the occult, "softens their defenses", etc. I think these are more understandable when you consider that the occult is concerned with what they see as "real forces", as opposed to what most progressives would see as imaginary. Also they don't differentiate between various kinds of magic, satanism, wicca or neopaganism, magic tricks, and imaginary magic (the kind that makes "Wingarium leviosa" levitate things). I always thought that if kids DID get into the occult due to HP, they will be awfully disappointed that they can't make things disappear, change things form, change into animals, etc. and are stuck with these little spells to promote happiness and good fortune. Also they are bothered by several statements in the books that they say are pure occult or "evil". For example, Dumbledore says about Nicholas Flamel that he will die, adn that death is the last great adventure. Strange that fundies would object to that, given I have heard my sister say she is looking forward to death. Another statement I have seen them object to is that truth is a "wonderful and terrible" thing. But but I think it *IS*, and you don't have to be a wizard (or into the occult to know that). Truth can be terrible, if say your parents are alcoholic (or you are), or someone is dying, or you find out a good friend has breast cancer, or....

 

Some fundies dislike the pretty much secular activities (no one goes to church, even though they apparently celebrate Christmas, etc). Another problem I have read is that some people see Harry's power as personal vs God's. There is no way I would argue with such statements as I don't expect fiction to all be about God's power, etc. But I think your statement about "control" plays in as they are quite concerned about beign in total control of what kids read. Not to discuss it with them, but to actually control it. I think some extreme fundies do not read other things (actually been in homes where there was nothing but fundamentalist and religious tracts).

 

 

--des

 

Kind of off topic, but I really don't think the Fundies are burning HP because of supposed "witchcraft", I personally think its more a matter of control, keeping people from being exposed to things that might encourage things such as INDEPENDANT THOUGHT. Sorry for the totally off-topic post, just felt the need to get that out there.

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She'd have a mini riot to contend with. Besides she says Hermoine is most like her! Unless it is an older Weasley (Charlie or the other one) I think that would really anger a lot of readers as well. It could be someone she has introduced in passing as well. She is clever at introducing characters kind of in passing and then making them keys. In fact, Dudley was beating up a neighbor kid last name "Evans". Well all her fans thought that this boy was a wizard to be, related to Lily. Funny thing is it was a coincidence. Just a common name. And we all thought he might be the HBP! :-)

 

--des

 

 

PS - I thing Rowling would lose too many readers if she killed off Hermione. It will probably be a teacher or one of the Weasleys.

 

I think that Goblet of Fire is my favorite, so far.  :)

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