JK Rowling is a genius.
I just finished Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I take my Harry Potter pretty seriousy so it would come to no surprise to anyone to know that I bawled after reading the last few chapters. Yeah that's right, I bawled.
If anyone reading this wishes to read further, please not that what I have written is pretty long winded and probably farfetched (and most likely doesn't make any sense) because I spent a good few hours thinking about the book (and rereading parts of the old books) after I finished.
SPOILER ALERT
I'm still in shock that Dumbledore died. The fact that he did kind of made me really somber for a few hours that I just couldn't stop thinking about it. He was such a central character and probably the only trusted mentor that Harry had to turn to and it's hard to imagine that he's not going to be there when Harry inevitably faces Voldemort. Come to think of it, the circumstances that led up to his death were really what got to me. Whatever that green goop wwas that he drank did to him, I just never ever pictured Dumbledore being so ... vulnerable. And the last few moments that he and Harry had together (Harry taking care of Dumbledore instead of the other way around), well, that just made his death even harder to accept.
Then again, Dumbledore, being the greatest wizard who ever lived, probably knew he was going to die, and was very well prepared for it to the point that he could have even planned it. After giving Harry all that information in the Penseive, it was as if he gave Harry all the tools he needed to pursue Voldemort, it was as if his job was done, knowing Harry would be of age in a few months, and in dying, Dumbledore gave him an even stronger determination to defeat him. I believe it was the kind of sacrifice Dumbledore would make.
This theory also goes hand in hand with my denial about Snape being a Death eater. I don't know .. 5 years of trying to prove he's innocent and trustworthy seems like such a waste if that were the case. I just refuse to believe he's evil. Three things come to my mind: What was it that Dumbledore and Snape were arguing about in the forest? And another, why was Dumbledore asking specifically for Snape as soon as they got back to the castle? And three, why did Dumbledore Petrify Harry before Snape killed him? Maybe he knew Snape was going to kill him and meant for Harry to see him die, not to be cruel, but to strenghten his resolve?
Anyway, it's not like Dumbledore is really dead, he is as good as alive in the portrait in his office. Except he probably can't do magic...
In any case, I loved this book; I love the whole series. Two+ years seems like SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCH a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time to wait for answers.
Posted by Nancy at July 31, 2005 09:33 AM
How bout when Prof Dumbledore told Draco that the Order could fake anyone's death and could help him. Snape being a accomplish spell and potions man could have come up with a spell that "faked" Dumbledore's death, thus giving them the element of surprise against "He who cannot be named." Just my theory, but I'm only the whiny red head that everyone ignores.
~Ron