Hmm. I really hate that there's canonical info that isn't included in the texts themselves. Apparently people already knew about Aberforth being the bartender of the Hog's Head before this book. Not fair!
Zoe ,'Heart Of Gold'
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***SPOILER ALERT***
Apparently people already knew about Aberforth being the bartender of the Hog's Head before this book. Not fair!
I thought we already knew that from the books?
IIRC, it isn't stated explicitly in the books that Aberforth is Dumbledore's brother. It's more hinted at here and there.
I thought we knew that from the books too. Not sure which one.
According to Wikipedia, there are hints--the smell of goats at the Hog's Head, and the fact that the bartender looks familiar to Harry, and Dumbledore's assertion that he has contacts with the bartenders in Hogsmeade (to Tom Riddle during his "job interview")--but it's never explicitly stated until book 7.
J.K. basically confirmed it in an interview, but, yeah, it wasn't in the books until now. Of course, I never noticed the bartender as a character, so I didn't even know there had been clues. I'm glad it didn't just come out of nowhere.
Hmm. I really hate that there's canonical info that isn't included in the texts themselves. Apparently people already knew about Aberforth being the bartender of the Hog's Head before this book. Not fair!
This is why I really hope she does get around to producing the Encyclopedia of Harry Potterverse that she mentioned as a possibility during an interview after HBP came out. She has boxes full of backstory that she didn't get to cram into the books (the names of all the kids who entered Hogwarts in Harry's year and what house they ended up in, backstory on some of them like Dean, etc.), and said that she wouldn't mind using it in a future project like that.
Like "Tales of Middle Earth." She could call them Hogwarts Year Books
MSNBC has a bunch of readers' comments on the DH. I liked this one (from a 10-year-old):
The realization that one of the greatest series is over will take a few weeks to handle. Just like how Voldemort wanted, there will be no more happiness.
This is so cute. I just have to tag.