OK, I just can't wait anymore....

I'm going to post my thoughts on the final Harry Potter book.

So consider yourself warned -- if you do not want any clues, information, insight, or spoilers, DO NOT read this blog entry. Of course, if are intending to read the book but still haven't, you've probably heard all of the spoilers by now anyway.

But, just in case, I'll give you time to shut this window or navigate to some other internet location before I share my thoughts...

You have until the count of 10...........

1
2
3 you'd better get going!
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6 aren't you gone yet?
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8 I mean it!
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10 If you're not gone by now, don't say I didn't warn you about the spoilers!

First, I had planned to re-read book 6 before book 7 came out but I never got around to it. I wish I had. There were some crucial details that I just couldn't remember clearly from book 6 so after I finished book 7, I went back and re-read the last several chapters of book 6, then re-read the last several chapters of book 7. Everything clicked. And then, just for good measure, I spent a week and a half re-reading all 7 books. They're just that good!

One thing I noticed from re-reading all 7 books is how neatly so many things tied together in the end. I loved that it was Hagrid, riding Sirius' motorbike, that delivered Harry to Privet Drive in the first place...and that it was Hagrid, riding Sirius' motorbike, that took Harry away from Privet Drive for the last time. I love that Dumbledore's "put-outer" in book 1 (which reappears in at least one subsequent book before book 7) seems like such a small, trivial bit of magical technology, but ends up being very much more than that in helping Ron get back to Harry and Hermione. I loved that they used the basilisk fangs from book 2. I love that Griphook, the goblin that helps Harry at Gringotts in book 1, is the goblin who helps (is that a stretch?) Harry in book 7. I love that Dumbledore continues to play a very important role in Harry's quest.

I said in a previous post that I have a new favorite character. Three guesses who it is...OK, I'll just tell you. Molly Weasley. I absolutely love her at the end of book 7! I love that she has such strong maternal instincts and that she was not going to let anyone else hurt her family. While I do not condone the use of swear words, I have to admit that Molly's "battle cry" was contextual, strong, and I could see the motivation for it. Yea for Molly! A close second is Neville, the character who finally lives up to his potential. He turned out to be so strong! Go Neville!

I love that mothers are portrayed in such a strong light throughout the series. Lily and her love for Harry, Molly and her love for her family (and extended family, by which I mean Harry and Hermione), and even Narcissa and her love for Draco (that unloveable little twit!). I have to say that what Narcissa did, lying to Voldemort about whether Harry was alive or dead, was a brave thing. The Malfoys didn't redeem themselves, but that helped.

I love Fred and George and the comic relief they provide throughout the entire series. I was so sad at Fred's death. So very, very sad. But I had a feeling going in to the book that the Weasley family would not escape without tragedy. I really love Fred and George. They're fabulous comic characters.

The deaths came fast and some were very hard to accept. Hedwig's death hit me particularly hard. Come on -- Voldemort has already killed Harry's parents and brought about the deaths of Sirius and Dumbledore...and now he's going to kill Harry's pet? That's just cruel. So very cruel. And Dobby. Oh, sweet Dobby. Brave, sweet Dobby. And Lupin and Tonks. That broke my heart. But I'm glad that Harry, as we know through the epilogue, played an active part in Teddy's life. I am happy with the epilogue.

What really made me happy with the whole series, though, is that Harry did not kill Voldemort. Voldemort killed *himself* through the rebounding curse. I love that Harry didn't kill Voldemort, although he would be totally justified in doing so. I also am happy that Harry saved Draco...although I loved Ron's comment to Harry to the effect of, "If we die to save Draco, I'm going to kill you!" Even in a situation that is terribly dangerous, Harry acted with courage and valor and saved his enemy.

I felt bad for Snape, the way he died, although I was pretty sure he wouldn't survive the book. I thought it was very touching that the last thing he saw -- that he wanted to see -- before he died were Harry's eyes, which, as we know from all of the previous books, were Lily's eyes. The eyes of the woman he loved his whole life, reflected in the boy he despised but had risked his life and fought to protect (although begrudgingly!) for so many years.

My sisters and I were right about the horcruxes, although we weren't sure what the Ravenclaw item would be.

I loved the humor in this book -- loved when Amycus (?) spit on Professor McGonagall and Harry said, "You shouldn't have done that" and appears from under the Cloak! What a great line! Can't wait to see it in the movie -- kind of like, "go ahead, make my day." And when Ron and Hermione finally got together and she kissed him, and Harry reminds them that there is a war going on and could they save that for later? LOL! Lots of fun humor in this book, which was a welcome break from the tension.

There is so much to love in this series. I know the series has its critics, particularly religious critics. I'm not going to debate that. I will say that I found the entire good vs. evil, love vs. hate and fear, free will vs. force, self-sacrifice vs. self-serving, to be very much in step with my personal beliefs. Not that I believe in witchcraft and wizardry -- I don't -- but I believe very much that there are opposing forces in this world and I believe there is truly a battle going on for men's souls and it is up to us to choose which side we are on. Enough said.

I'm sorry to see the series end. J.K. Rowling has said that she may publish an encyclopedia with additional information, backstories on various characters, etc. I hope she does. But until then, I'll be happy with continuing to re-read the books, escaping my mostly mundane life with a little bit of magic.