or think about a philosophy of education

Do you have one, by the way? I'm still struggling with it, you know: "Learning Good."

And since I've only said this on lj, I wanted to say that I did think to myself, "It might as well have been Hermione Granger and the Deathly Hallows," because really, how many times over would they have been dead if it weren't for her? It really made Harry (not to even mention Ron) look like a total slacker -- she's carrying on her person everything she thinks they'll need for an instant escape; reading up on her magical history; and altering her parents' memories so that, among other things, they don't know they have a daughter (let's just take a moment and think about that). And that's all before the book even starts. My God, she's good. Three cheers for Hermione!

I fell asleep last night trying to do a comparison of of the two Battles of Hogwarts. In both you have the side that is fighting against the institutional power using the Room of Requirement to invade. There is individual combat in the form of duels. Each ends with the death of the titular head of the group who is in power at the school.

Also, was Malfoy attending Hogwarts (I think not based on the capture/torture of Hermione and escape with Dobby's help part)? If not, how did he get there and get in in a timely manner?

I think that Hermione says at some point that she's never done a memory charm before, but this is after she said she's modified her parents' memories. Did I misread something there?

I don't think so. I noted this when I was reading through.

I thought the epilogue was cute, but I would have preferred one set a little closer in time to the Battle of Hogwarts. There was a lot of mess to clean up after that all went down, and I would have liked some acknowledgement of that. Going straight to a Happily Ever After with hints of The Next Generation was jarring to me.

Also, I wasn't bothered by Tonks's death as much as I was by the fact that she apparently had a personalityectomy.

Do you have one, by the way?

Not as snappy as yours. Er. 'Try really really hard not to shout' maybe? Or 'Assume that they didn't understand until they've proven otherwise. And then assume that 10% of them still didn't get it.'

(I had a whole big paragraph of more serious answer, and then decided that I was being boring and harshing the Potter mellow. But I could expand on it, if you like.)

Word on the fabness of Hermione, incidentally - they would all have been dead a gazillion times over without her. Competent, level-headed, organised, resourceful - Hermione rocked my socks. I don't really think Ron's good enough for her, but if he's who she wants then that's okay. He seems to be aware that he's phenomenally lucky, and does do some growing up in the book. (Have to say, I did laugh at the fact that he'd read that 'Witches are from Venus, Wizards are from Mars' book, and was putting it into practice with compliments and all that. Although what was he thinking, giving Harry a book on how to pull birds, and then freaking out when he snogged Ginny? Silly boy!)

Literally, Hermione was the one character I absolutely positively did not want Rowling to kill. I would have been so unhappy if she had done so. I was very much relieved that she survived everything.

I cannot believe she isn't a professor at Hogwart's.

She's probably Minister of Magic by now. Ron's famous because he's married to her....

I would have liked a more narrative epilogue. Kind of like the ones they have at the end of movies?

Draco Malfoy: shot by own troops in Vietnam

wrt Molly's use of the word 'Bitch', I found that entirely in character. Keep in mind that the language we normally see from Molly is the language she uses in front of her kids, who all see her as 'Mum', and before whom she always plays that role.

Yes, yes, yes. Plus, a formidable woman by any account, pushed to the point of righteous fury? I can buy a well-earned swear word.

I think I felt most for Hedwig, dying rapped in his cage. That's no way for a flying creature to go. Still, it had me convinced she'd off any of them, at any time.

One Slate author's comment on the book:

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