I have to say, the 12 y.o. thing confused me too. I'm not as new as Ted, but I don't read as often as I'd like. I remember thinking, "wow, Nilly is 12... she has AWESOME insight and GREAT writing for a 12 year old!". Not being 12 explains that. Now I learn English is her 2nd language, and I'm just as impressed.

:: dusts off language books to try and bone up ::

Others have pointed out that Nilly is indeed a grown woman college student. But, I'd like to point out that she's a PhD candidate, not a typical college student. In other words, we loves Nilly's spicy brains, yes we do.

In other words, we loves Nilly's spicy brains, yes we do.

After this weekends post(s), I find myself riding that bandwagon.

Aw, Tod, you poor bugger. No harm, no foul, mate. Welcome aboard.

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You guys, I didn't mean to post and run, but, well, sorry, this is what had happened. So, now, a meara.

First of all, Tod? No worries, OK? I *did* write the "twelve years old", meaning that I react like a child, thinking that people here already know that if I am twelve, I've been in that age for quite a few years now, and it's completely logical to be confused. In fact, if it's OK by you, I think I would like to accept this misunderstanding the was I do with bus drivers and the like, who try to explain to me that there's a discount for people under the age of eighteen, or like the people who watch after students when they take their exams, and don't let me answer their questions (I'm the TA), because I look like one of them. I always enjoy these misunderstandings so very much (um, when I can find a way to not leave my students hanging answers-less, of course). So if, in your eyes, I had the level of enthusiasm of a child, I'm very pleased!

In fact, this is one of the things I most enjoy in the "Harry Potter" books - this sensation, that becomes more difficult and rare to find, of this inability *not* to turn the next page, this drowning inside a story, without the burning everyday need to resurface and check what's going on with the world. I don't know if the books have changed (because grown-ups books are supposed to create different, more mature, responses, right?), or me, or both. But I love it when I'm lost inside a world and need to be called out loud in order to leave it. Oh, or miss a bus. I'm pretty sure I missed at least one bus with HP7.

Oh, and regardless, welcome to b.org. Tod!

Dumbledore's painting behind Snapes chair. First perceived as turning your back to, but later seen as "I got your back".

That's a lovely touch.

Did you read it in Hebrew or English?

The English. The translators only get the HP books with the rest of the world (due to secrecy reasons and spoilers, I guess). The translations into Hebrew are usually being published mid-winter (they try to aim to Hanukkah, for the holiday and school vacation and presents). It's a very difficult book to translate, what with all the words JKR invents, all her puns and lovely games with the language. Because the translator has to work so fast, she has to find the quickest solutions around these things, which aren't necessarily the best.

I read all the books in English (and only in English). The Hebrew translation is done from the USA version, not the UK one (the cover, the little drawings at the top of each chapter). There are a few more differences, not just the "translation" between Englishes (this word totally looks wrong in plural). For example, IIRC, in "Half Blood Prince" there was a sentence that Dumbledore tells Malfoy right before he died, that didn't exist in the UK version. But it's usually very minor stuff.

Dumbledore=Hogwarts and I think of all the characters, only three, the triangle of Tom Riddle, Severus Snape, and Harry Potter needed both Hogwarts and Dumbledore's approval so tremendously.

Maysa, I loved what you wrote. It's amazing, the amount of parallels and reflections and half-reflections and echoes that she packed into the stories. To me, at least.

Buffistas, how much do you rock?

Needed to be said again. And absolutely not just due to the large amount of blushing I went through, while catching up here.

You've given me something to ponder.

Oh, that's lovely. I think that's the best possible thing I could hope from sharing my thoughts, too. Well, that, and what P-C said, of liking the books even more, I guess.

You guys rock. Just for the record. I'm so glad I have you to ramble to at such mess and length and tangents, and even get such kind words about it all! Thanks.

Awww, Nilly, you've left me a lot to ponder.

I forgot to mention how much I liked your description of Ron's arc and it's culmination. How different it is from Harry's or Hermione's but no less heroic.

There's a lovely TV biography of JKR (available to view on YouTube, btw) where she introduces her best friend from high school who was the basis for Ron. It made me wonder if Ron's less epic, more human scaled triumphs came from having a real person origin.

I feel so shallow for just having read it to find out who dies.

I feel so shallow for just having read it to find out who dies.

Tsk, tsk.

::checks off "Shallow" in connie's file::

I don't understand why people keep asking me if I've read it and then their next question is, "does Harry die?" To which I resond sadly, "yes. Yes he does."

OK this really only happened to me twice.