Harry Potter and the Disappearing Month

There I was, posting away, when all of a sudden the month slipped away from me. I know I was caught up somewhat in the frenzy for the seventh and final Harry Potter book. I was finishing up the fifth book (Order of the Phoenix) late on Friday night. Then at 9:00 a.m. on the 21st my copy of Deathly Hallows arrived and there was no way on this green earth I was going to wait until I'd finished the sixth Harry Potter book before starting on this long-awaited tome. Thus, I answered the door (my copy was delivered via UPS) in my pyjamas and a bathrobe, then promptly went back to bed and started reading.

I loved it.

I laughed. I cried (well, not really). I loved it.

I had seen one spoiler site earlier that stated Percy Weasley died almost right away in this book. It didn't take much reading to discover this spoiler site had been a crock of dragon sh*t. Still, I was on pins and needles the whole time in wondering what would happen next. Ask my husband: I was either gasping, "No!" or hooting with laughter.

Memorable Moments (highlight this area to read -- I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't finished it yet):

Fred and George, having taken the polyjuice potion so that they would be Harry's double, exclaiming, "We're identical!"

The Weasley twins recalling their Uncle Bilius who would get drunk and start pulling flowers from his arse.

Kreacher hitting Mundungus Fletcher on the head with the saucepan and then suggesting perhaps one more for good measure. Harry (or was it Ron?) explains that they need "Dung" to be sober, but they'll call on Kreacher if needed again.

Hermione wrapping Ron in a fervid embrace and Harry having to say, "Um, excuse me, but there's a war going on . . . "

Dumbledore telling Harry, "Yes, it's all in your head, but that doesn't make it less real." (or something close to that)

Molly Weasley shouting at Bellatrix, "YOU B!TCH!"

Professor McGonagall leading a squadron on enchanted desks down a hall and yelling, "Charge!"

And, was I the only woman on the planet who had to put the book down for a while when Lupin announced he was a father? That man is so hot ..... !

And I loved the epilogue. I loved that Harry lived, that Harry and Ginny married and had children, that one of them was named Albus Severus (for two great headmasters). I loved that some kids were staring at Harry, but his own kids didn't know why. I loved that Lupin and Tonks' son Teddy was snogging Victoire (the oldest child of Bill and Fleur Weasley). I loved that Ron and Hermione had married and had children, that Ron was even learning to drive by Muggle rules! (OK, he had to use the Confundus charm, but we'll let it go.)


As I said, I loved it.

So, after reading the book (I finished it on Saturday night) I sat down with all of the predictions that friends had made on the HPANA thread (you have to create an account there to look at it). While my husband was reading the book, I was compiling the predictions (we were mostly wrong) and posting them. I was also talking with my friends on HPANA and emailing my Harry Potter friends and, oh, yes, I was showing up for work in there somewhere!

So, this month has basically gone quickly, what with moving Ed's mom's stuff into our place, seeing the 5th Harry Potter film, awaiting the 7th Harry Potter book, and trying to get some laundry done in the meantime.

Yes, other stuff has been going on (my friend Miriam broke her wrist, Ed had an interview but nothing came of it, the stationery shop will be moving, I've had computer problems at home), but my brain is too freakin' fried to cope with it all. Besides, it's not all that interesting.