Yerr a Wizard, Harry!
Jul. 31st, 2019 07:48 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
marzipan77The seventh month dies today, so, in honor of The Chosen One, The Boy Who Lived, I've swiped some HP questions for thought and contemplation. Huzzah for this series, for the child-wizard, for Hogwarts and Diagon Alley, for evil villains and really, really useless adults. For a series that brought kids back to reading - and a lot of adults, too!
duh, Spoilers ahead
Which Harry Potter death hit you the hardest?
Ugh. Cedric. Probably because it was the first and it was a student. Because it was so casually done. All of the deaths after this one hit hard, don't get me wrong. Sirius, Hedwig, Dobby, Fred. Tonks and Remus. But those deaths were during battles, those characters knew what they were getting into.
Who is more evil, Umbridge or Voldemort?
Is there a scale for evil? How do you weigh it? Why isn't Bellatrix a consideration? From sheer power and number of victims over the years, I'd go Voldemort. For evil that disguises itself as progressive thought behind pink kitties, who pretends to be good, well, duh, Umbridge. Bellatrix wins the crazy-pants award for loving the torture.
How is it that people did not realize that Harry was being abused?
Because people don't. That is the truth. Enough said.
What do Muggleborns tell their family and friends about Hogwarts?
Well, clearly they tell their immediate families where they are going since parental permission is required. Petunia knew all about Lily's school and even wanted to go herself. I'm sure they get away with 'boarding school in Scotland' for everyone else.
What are some good qualities of Draco Malfoy? Other than his looks lol?
Yeah, that's just from the movies, people. Draco was dialed back in the movies once Tom Felton became popular. He fought Harry tooth and nail until the very end of the Battle for Hogwarts. Good qualities? He was loyal to his family. He was smart. I've got nothing else. Feel free to eviscerate me, but he does not get any awards from me.
Did Ron learn Parselmouth from Harry when Harry was sleeping in the books like in the movies?
I don't think so. It was silly - if anyone could learn Parselmouth just by listening, scores of Hogwarts teachers and students should have been in and out of the Chamber for years.
Which of the 7 novels is your favorite, and which is your least favorite? Why?
The Order of the Phoenix will always be my favorite. There are BATTLES. The adults DO SOMETHING. LUNA. Umbridge is horrible and such a great villain, one that forces the children to unite and practice, and realize they are going to have to fight. The battle at the ministry is riveting. And Sirius' death? Yeah, right in the feels.
Least favorite book - Deathly Hallows. All that hiding in the forest. Ron was definitely me in that book - "how the hell are we going to figure this out? This makes no sense!! I'm freaking angry about it!" Now we didn't just have to find the Horcruxes, we had to find the Deathly Hallows, too. All of a sudden, when we hadn't even heard of them before. They were the McGuffins of Pleasing Everyone - remember? Remember the suspense? Would Harry die? Would he live? How would the prophecy be fulfilled?? Plunking in the Deathly Hallows made it possible for Rowling to have her cake and eat it, too. Please everyone. Harry dies and lives. That's just awful.
I still reread these books. I have not been a teen in mumblemumble years, but these characters and this setting and this world are wonderful. No, I haven't enjoyed any of the later works - I think JK is too powerful for people to tell her she needs an editor and pull back on her reins - but a lot of the fanfic is well done. I've even stepped my toe into that water myself.
So, Happy Birthday, Harry Potter! May you live in your readers' hearts forever!
duh, Spoilers ahead
Which Harry Potter death hit you the hardest?
Ugh. Cedric. Probably because it was the first and it was a student. Because it was so casually done. All of the deaths after this one hit hard, don't get me wrong. Sirius, Hedwig, Dobby, Fred. Tonks and Remus. But those deaths were during battles, those characters knew what they were getting into.
Who is more evil, Umbridge or Voldemort?
Is there a scale for evil? How do you weigh it? Why isn't Bellatrix a consideration? From sheer power and number of victims over the years, I'd go Voldemort. For evil that disguises itself as progressive thought behind pink kitties, who pretends to be good, well, duh, Umbridge. Bellatrix wins the crazy-pants award for loving the torture.
How is it that people did not realize that Harry was being abused?
Because people don't. That is the truth. Enough said.
What do Muggleborns tell their family and friends about Hogwarts?
Well, clearly they tell their immediate families where they are going since parental permission is required. Petunia knew all about Lily's school and even wanted to go herself. I'm sure they get away with 'boarding school in Scotland' for everyone else.
What are some good qualities of Draco Malfoy? Other than his looks lol?
Yeah, that's just from the movies, people. Draco was dialed back in the movies once Tom Felton became popular. He fought Harry tooth and nail until the very end of the Battle for Hogwarts. Good qualities? He was loyal to his family. He was smart. I've got nothing else. Feel free to eviscerate me, but he does not get any awards from me.
Did Ron learn Parselmouth from Harry when Harry was sleeping in the books like in the movies?
I don't think so. It was silly - if anyone could learn Parselmouth just by listening, scores of Hogwarts teachers and students should have been in and out of the Chamber for years.
Which of the 7 novels is your favorite, and which is your least favorite? Why?
The Order of the Phoenix will always be my favorite. There are BATTLES. The adults DO SOMETHING. LUNA. Umbridge is horrible and such a great villain, one that forces the children to unite and practice, and realize they are going to have to fight. The battle at the ministry is riveting. And Sirius' death? Yeah, right in the feels.
Least favorite book - Deathly Hallows. All that hiding in the forest. Ron was definitely me in that book - "how the hell are we going to figure this out? This makes no sense!! I'm freaking angry about it!" Now we didn't just have to find the Horcruxes, we had to find the Deathly Hallows, too. All of a sudden, when we hadn't even heard of them before. They were the McGuffins of Pleasing Everyone - remember? Remember the suspense? Would Harry die? Would he live? How would the prophecy be fulfilled?? Plunking in the Deathly Hallows made it possible for Rowling to have her cake and eat it, too. Please everyone. Harry dies and lives. That's just awful.
I still reread these books. I have not been a teen in mumblemumble years, but these characters and this setting and this world are wonderful. No, I haven't enjoyed any of the later works - I think JK is too powerful for people to tell her she needs an editor and pull back on her reins - but a lot of the fanfic is well done. I've even stepped my toe into that water myself.
So, Happy Birthday, Harry Potter! May you live in your readers' hearts forever!
