Ha! Beliefnet has a pastor writing a column to counsel people who might be upset by the ending of HBP after reading HBP. It's very darling. Spoilery too, but darling. [link]

Three-quarters of the way through HBP. Boy, Harry really is a mean git, isn't he. I'm with Hermione on her annoyance with his depending on the Prince's help in Potions.

It's a very political book, isn't it, with all the references to the new Minister being so anxious to look like he's doing something about Voldemort that's he's throwing anyone in Azkaban on flimsy excuses, just so long as he appears strong. But it's not like JKR can't say, "Look, I've been setting this up for years, it's not like Voldemort and his reign of terror is a new development." Kind of like Lucas being twitted for interpretations of Ep III when we've all known the Empire was bad news for nearly thirty years.

Must read quicker, Hubby's waiting for his turn.

I picked up an interesting book from the discount bin (75% off) - Supernatural Tales by Vernon Lee. She was a writer in the late 19th century (real name, Violet Paget) and wrote one of the first books on 18th Century Italian music and theater. As a child from age 14 to 24 she became obssessed with 18th C. Italy and its culture and roamed around deserted villas like Doria Pamfili in Rome and did the research herself from original sources.

Anyway, these are basically 19th century ghost stories set in Italy and rich and detailed and bit decadent.

I re-read the HBP's ending and got a lump in my throat when Ron and Hermione told Harry they were going with him wherever he goes. I love their friendship. But now, because of Rowling's pattern of increasing the death ante with each book, I just can't shake the feeling that Ron or Hermione is going to die in the next one. I really, really hope I'm wrong.

Anyway, these are basically 19th century ghost stories set in Italy and rich and detailed and bit decadent.

That sounds like it would be fun in conjuction with The Devil in Music [link] , about an English dandy who goes over to Italy in the early 1800s and is involved with opera singers and murder and whatnot.

Maysa, I have a feeling Ron and Hermione will live. She seems to really want them to stay together and have lots of babies. I don't know, however, whether she'll kill off Harry.

Maysa, I have a feeling

That it's a demon? A dancing demon--no, something isn't right here.

loves billytea

A slightly-spoilery review of HBP by Chris Rankin, who plays Percy Weasley in the movies, and who, by the picture included in the article, is damn good-looking when he's not playing an officious dweeb!

He is. . . he could do a double role: Percy AND Bill Weasley.