Fred is a castle ghost,

Oh, of course. Oh good, this makes me happy. He'd make a perfect ghost!

I've always wanted to know more about Aberforth, so I'm glad she made him Mr. Clarification. I did sort of want a bit more Remus, but hell, the book's already 700-some pages. I'm still upset about Snape, though. The poor guy.

I have to say, I don't think there was any way Snape and Lily could have remained friends. I mean, if he hadn't lashed out at her, he'd inevitably have tried to ask her out and been shot down in flames. That friendship was destined for unhappiness from the very beginning. Poor damn Snape.

I was so happy when Professor M. (can't spell it) finds Harry in the Ravenclaw Tower. I missed her!

And her emotion at seeing Harry's body!

And herding the Attack Desks!

Oh! And Prof. Trelawney dropping crystal balls on Death Eaters!

I may have skipped past, but was there an explanation for the Centaurs' change of heart? And I got confused...Aragog's children fought on which side?

Aragog's children were fighting for Voldemort, although there was some indication they had been driven from their nest, so there may have been some coercion there. Of course, they were just mean anyway. After Harry "died," Hagrid yelled at the centaurs and called them cowards for not joining the fight.

was there an explanation for the Centaurs' change of heart?

I believe it was Hagrid shaming them into action as he carried away Harry's body. But that is my own interpretation. I don't think anything was explicitly stated.

And I got confused...Aragog's children fought on which side?

Voldemort's. The Death Eaters wrangled them into the fight.

I love Neville. He as been my fav. character for a long time now and I am so glad he got to have his Big Damn Hero moment. I agree with others who said they want some stories about Neville the Resistance Leader.

When Harry realized that he had to die, and was wondering if it would hurt, how many people immediately thought, "Prophecy Girl!"?

I can't help seeing all the Buffy parallels, man.

I can't help seeing all the Buffy parallels, man.

Me, either!! When the school all rallied to fight, it was Graduation Day all over.

My DH, who has now also finished, mentioned that he thought Viktor Krum would appear later in the book and he was sort of disappointed that he didn't.

When Harry is in "King's Cross" talking with Dumbledore, I took the mis-shapen baby thing to be the piece of Voldemort that got stuck on Harry. My DH took it to be (what's left of) Voldemort after some of the Horcruxes have been destroyed. I think I'm right because of the fact that everyone gets to make his or her own choice -- Harry chooses to go back, but he can't choose for Voldemort so that thing has to just be a piece of Voldemort. Maybe.

Sparky, I agree. I thought it was the physical manifestation of the bit of soul that made Harry the horcrux.

I can't help seeing all the Buffy parallels, man.

Totally, and what ChiKat said about Graduation Day, and I totally thought of the Series finale when Harry was encouraging Ron to have his moment and smash the locket. But it was when everyone was streaming into the room of requirement that I thought, "JK Rowling soooooooo watched Buffy."

I thought it was the physical manifestation of the bit of soul that made Harry the horcrux.

That's what I assumed too.

I agree with what everyone else is saying, basically--it dragged a bit in the middle, was great fun at the end, was fabulously grey in parts, yay Neville, etc, etc.

Also agree that Fred would make a fabulous ghost, either at Hogwart's or the joke shop...