unless you’re Harry Potter. I’ve just started reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and I must say mmm, mmm, good … lotta death in this one, 4 deaths in less than 100 pages! Rowling is cutting off those storylines, to avoid temptation to write more books I guess.

I must admit though, that I did “cheat” and read spoilers the last few days, so I already know how the story goes and how the book ends … and I must say I was pretty close with my prediction, too. I got wrong the part about Neville willingly allowing Harry to turn him into a horcrux to save the world (hey, I can dream, can’t I?) but I got the major bits right, although I like my way better than Rowling’s. I was really hoping for Neville to have even more glory, but oh well. At least Harry dies! Haha. Not exactly the way I’d hoped, but you can’t have everything you want in life I guess.

The nice thing about these books though, is that they contain life lessons, hidden among all the adventure and death and hijinks, things like the importance of the connections we make with our friends and family, accepting the choices we make even if they might not be right, and transcending death by living on in the memories of those whose lives we touch. J. K. Rowling may not be the best writer from a technical standpoint, and she relies a lot on formulaic writing and rehash of old ideas, but she’s pretty imaginative and entertaining nonetheless, and I think a lot of people have been changed in some small way, hopefully for the better, by the story of the Boy Who Lived.

Went to see the most recent Potter film today, it was OK, lotsa scariness, not really for the kiddies, and in fact I only saw a very small number of kiddies in the mostly full theater, the rest were upper-teens and older, and quite a few old farts like me, with no kids in tow … odd … very odd. They must all have a crush on Hagrid like I do … erm … I mean, they must be literature majors studying the thematic use of archetypes and heroic plot … yeah, that must be it. The worst part though was the cost of getting in, when did ticket prices for a matinee go up to nine freakin’ bucks? I guess it’s been a long time since I saw a movie in a theater (in fact, I think the last time mighta been the last Potter movie in uhm … 2005?!!? Egads … but I do have to say the picture was truly sharp … I think they must be doing movies in digital now or something, cuz it was very clear even up close. Either that or my eyes have gotten so bad I can’t see the graininess.

Anyway, the movie was good but not great, the cast is fabulous though, I especially liked Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange (and Emma Thompson reprising her role as Professor Trelawney, who reminds me a lot of myself I must say! Haha!) Oh, and I thought the actress who played Luna Lovegood was cute and funny too. Methinks she and Harry will end up together in the end, shared experience with death, tormented souls, all that … you know, soulmates … she looks like she has Harry’s eyes too … I wonder if that’s coincidental casting or on purpose … hmmm …. Anyway, ’twas fun. I’ve been re-watching the earlier Potter films on DVD to prep myself for this one, and I’m gonna re-read book six this coming week to prepare for the final installment which comes out in nine days (or 10 if you don’t count midnight.) I’m all atwitter with anticipation!

Well, that’s my theory for the final installment. I won’t go into much detail, cuz it’s way too deep to discuss, and has been discussed in detail over and over already by other people. But here’s how I think book seven will end:

Harry kills Neville, makes a horcrux from his body, then fights Voldemort, who kills Harry, and Voldemort dies too because Harry was Voldemort’s final horcrux. But the Neville horcrux keeps Harry’s soul “alive” and Fawkes tears heal him from his “altered state.” So, everyone gets to be right … those who say Harry dies (he does) and those who say Harry lives (he does) and J. K. Rowling gets to giggle with glee that she’ll get no angry letters when the hero doesn’t meet the end they predicted. Of course she’ll still have to explain the whole Slytherin eyes Harry has.

Oh, and tomorrow the fifth Harry Potter movie comes out … so much excitement! A Potter movie, 10 days later a Potter book, and then a couple weeks after that, BlizzCon! Woot!

I got the results of my W.O.M.B.A.T. today!

The best part is it says I’m a good enough wizard to get a job at Flourish and Blott’s or even better, Weasleys’ Wizarding Wheezes! I better send my application owl right away!

Here are all three of my results for your viewing pleasure:

I can’t wait until the last Harry Potter book comes out either … just a little less than one more month … and I think there’s a movie coming out next month too. I really do hope Harry dies though, otherwise, what would be the point of Rowling naming him Harry Potter in the first place? Hehee. Or maybe he’ll just have to bury all his friends, although that would just be sad … he is the hero of the story though, and what more fitting end than to have him die a martyr to humanity erm wizardry than to sacrifice his life for his friends? And isn’t a hallow some kind of funereal kinda thing? Deathly Hallows … sounds like someone important is gonna die. I just hope it’s not Neville Longbottom, I’m still waiting for his moment of glory, he must be in all the books for a reason, he just must! (Do I smell a series of sequels? Neville Longbottom and the Living Legacy, Neville Longbottom and the Sinister Symphony … but I digress.)