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:

[link]

One thing that frustrated me was Dumbledore's edict that only Harry, Ron and Hermione could know and set about on the quest for the Horcruxes. I kept forgetting that and wondering how could would it be if Harry, in his travels, began aquiring an army of wizards and creatures on the run from Voldy, the Deatheaters and the Snatchers. I understand the whole "heroes have to be isolated for the final journey" -- sorta, but then there's the whole "Harry survives because of the people around him, and not just Ron and Hermione" as well as trusting people where Voldy does not.

I just saw post that compared Snape to Spike: Should be a big bad but redeemed by love for a woman.

One thing that frustrated me was Dumbledore's edict that only Harry, Ron and Hermione could know and set about on the quest for the Horcruxes.

I can kind of see this though. It was pretty clear to me that Dumbledore took into account other people's weaknesses (including his own) when trying to give HRH their task. Others were pretty tempted by their proximity to Voldy's soul pieces and/or what they thought they could do with the Deathly Hallows. It's very "lord of the rings" in this way. Dumbledore felt that Hermione could balance out Harry's confidence, so I think he really felt that the fewer the people who knew about this the better - particularly since so many could be corrupted.