One thing I noticed - does Harry ever kill anybody? Do any of the Order of the Phoenix? (Besides Snape killing Dumbledore.) I don't remember from the previous books, but it seems like in this one the good guys used a lot of spells that petrified or controlled the bad guys, or knocked them out or whatever - did I miss any actually killing?

Gah. I'm still not in a state where I can put together coherent thoughts on this.

But, like everyone else said, poor Snape. Life just couldn't cut him a break, ever. But, on the other hand, he made stuff pretty complicated for himself, too. I found all the interaction between Sirius and Snape in Order of the Phoenix fascinating because, really, it was two men who, for various reasons, had never gotten beyond their school years. They were still driven by the relationships and grudges from then. Sirius antagonized Snape because he always had, and for the same reasons he antagonized Kreacher. Snape hated Sirius for his and James's humiliating him all through school, and for Lily choosing James over him. And this totally defined their relationship as adults. Sirius had been in Azkaban, Snape had been basically brooding for years, and neither of them got a chance, or allowed themselves a chance, to break out of that pattern.

Would things have gone differently if Snape had allowed himself to see Harry as Harry, rather than as an echo of James and a reminder of Lily's loss? The kids would have trusted him much more; the Occlumency lessons may have gone better; Harry would have gone right to him, rather than trying to rescue Sirius himself, in OotP. But I also keep flashing back on that image from the movie of Prisoner of Azkaban, when Remus has just changed into the werewolf, of the three kids cringing back while Snape shields them. There were a bunch of times when Snape was the voice of, "Of course you can't do that; you're a child," when many other adults in Harry's life were much more indulgent in "Well, he's survived, so yay!" And that "you're a child" voice is probably one that Harry really needed, in the midst of all the "You saved all our lives! Again!"

Are you saying that Harry is Dawn?

And Voldi is Glory. Or maybe Buffy.

of the three kids cringing back while Snape shields them

I think that's the image that Rowling referred to as being prescient of what happens in the books.

I don't remember from the previous books, but it seems like in this one the good guys used a lot of spells that petrified or controlled the bad guys, or knocked them out or whatever - did I miss any actually killing?

In the first escape scene, I think he Stuns one guy, who then falls to his death.

In the first escape scene, I think he Stuns one guy, who then falls to his death.

Oh yeah - that rings a bell.

I'm rereading now and just got past that scene, so it was fresh in my mind. Also, Hagrid does a lot of stuff with the motorcycle that leads to Death Eaters falling off their brooms.

I'm still a little thrown by the "Oh, by the way? Voldemort can fly." When did that happen?

While yes, there is a lot of poor Snape, there is also something really still unlikeable some of his interactions with students. Sure he was impossibly brave on a metalevel, but did he do a good job of following his promise to Dumbledore to protect the students.

Even when he was a teacher, he was sort of an ass. I'm thinking specifically about his treatment of Hermione and Neville.

When did that happen?

Probably when she decided that Ultimate Evil would look a little silly flitting around on a broom.

Probably when she decided that Ultimate Evil would look a little silly flitting around on a broom.

I so want to COMM this. Won't for a bit, though. But want to.