I finally started to read the French versions I have of HP 1-3 (someone gave me them years ago but I never bothered to read them through). The translation is fairly dry and most of the proper names are the same, although sometimes with minor spelling spelling changes (Draco Malfoy becomes Drago Malefoy). I've gotten to the first sorting and the only major name changes so far are Snape, who has become Severus Rogue, and Neville, who is now Neville Londubat.

Place names, spells, and many of Rowling invented words are different (Hogwarts is Poudlard, muggles are moldus), and sometimes it takes me a minute to figure out the original reference. My favorite translation so far is for the Sorting Hat, which has become the Choixpeau Magique (chapeau being hat, and choix meaning choice).

Lard=bacon?

Poud=?

OTOH, they could have went with "Verrues de porc" says AltaVista mis-translator.

Well, I'm assuming it's a contraction of pou de lard, which would (sort of) translate to pig lice. The way pou is used in everyday speech, it's a pretty good equivalent of wart. You don't really get the warthog/hogwarts reversal, but lardon is slang for kid so I'm assuming that's why the translator chose it, versus cochon (pig/hog) or sanglier (boar).

I was out of town on Friday and couldn't listen this weekend, but I'm finally able to listen again. WooHoo!

Things are looking bleak. At the end of book six I wondered how on earth Harry was going to find the last horcruxes. He has no idea where one is and doesn't even know what the last one is aside from it probably belonging to Ravenclaw at some point. The issue hasn't been ducked so far, they don't seem to have any idea what to do next. I didn't even think about the task of destroying the locket though, I wasn't expecting that to be so hard. Also, the locket is creepy.

I'm now officially puzzled by the Gregorivich thing. Voldemort wants some Gregorivich has, or rather had, instead of something Gregorivich knows? It must be a wand or some wandmaking thingamajig. Whatever it was, it appears to have been stolen by Dumbledore's childhood friend. There it is again, Dumbledore's past. I wonder if Dumbledore's friend corresponds to someone existing character or, more likely, someone who is descended from Dumbledore's friend? Maybe they'll have a new ally now the road. There's not enough information to figure that out now.

Right now I'm at the point where lack of food has made tempers short and Hermione has figured out that Harry has had a heavy burden being the ringbearer....I mean locketbearer.

It must be a wand or some wandmaking thingamajig.

Hee.

"I must get my hands on your wand, Gregorivich!"

...Yeah, even I'm too old for that.

Loads has happened during my back and forth commute since yesterday. They are traveling about with no clue what to do. I'm still happy there are no cheap solutions yet to the problem of finding the horcruxes. While on a riverbank they encountered several wandering plot points in the form of Ted, Dean and company. I've learned that the real sword of Gyriffindor is out there someplace and a little later on that it can destroy horcruxes. Also, I learned that Jenny tried to steal the sword. Just being able to break into Snape's office seems like quite a feat.

Next came the conversation with Finnius in which I learned about the sword (as mentioned above) and that Jenny was with Neville and Luna. I also learned that the three of them got off pretty light which is another point for Snape being on the side of good. Harry got the same thing just for being out of the dormitory at night. Talking with Finnius would be a huge mistake if Snape was a bad guy, lucky for them that the evidence is mounting that Snape isn't.

Then came something I totally wasn't expecting, but maybe should have been from all the hints of his discontentment. Ron left. Up and left after confirming all of Harry's anxieties about their situation. The locket probably had a lot to do with it, that thing keeps making me think of the ring. They have left the riverbank now and Hermione is a total mess. There's no way that Ron is gone for good. It would be a hell of a shock if he was though.

ugh all the anxiety I felt when Ron left just came flooding back. I'm in the middle of Goblet of Fire right now and Ron doesn't believe that Harry didn't put his name into the goblet and I hate it when they're mad at each other!

"I must get my hands on your wand, Gregorivich!"

...Yeah, even I'm too old for that.

I thought no Buffistas would ever be too old for that.

I thought no Buffistas would ever be too old for that.

Hey, I'm as surprised as you. I even tried imagining Ralph Fiennes saying it. Then Ralph Fiennes as his character from The English Patient. Nothing.