Harry Potter: Its all over

CONTINUING SPOILER ALERT!!.
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. I absolutely agree with the reasoning for the last book to take place outside the protection of the school and in the "real world."My only problem (and it's a small problem, really...I just didn't want the series to end) is that JKR always said that she planned on seven books because that is amount of school terms Hogwarts has. So, if she was basing the number of books on that and Harry and Co. do not return to school in the final book (at least not in the same sense), then what was the point of limiting the books to 7? Why not have 7 school terms and have the final book take place in the year following 7th year?/whineThat said I love how the final battle takes place at Hogwarts. It adds such an emotional factor seeing the place we've come to know and love be the scene for such carnage and destruction (probably for Harry, too, since it is what he calls home). And Harry finally has a family.I think that many fans who have issues with closure only have them because very specific questions/wishes they have (fates of favorite characters, reappearance of things/people - like the veil or the locked room in the Department of Mysteries - and other various loose ends)or from things Rowling has intimated at in interviews (someone using magic late in life in a desperate circumstance) weren't directly answered. I have those issues as well, but I still see that the ending and epilogue provide perfect closure for the central story.It's been a wonderful journey.

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"You are metaphysicians. You can prove anything by metaphysics; and having done so, every metaphysician can prove every other metaphysician wrong--to his own satisfaction. You are anarchists in the realm of thought. And you are mad cosmos-makers. Each of you dwells in a cosmos of his own making, created out of his own fancies and desires. You do not know the real world in which you live, and your thinking has no place in the real world except in so far as it is phenomena of mental aberration." -The Iron Heel by Jack London

Well if you had read the books you would have found that Harry is often shunned/ridiculed by his peers, given detention after detention (not just from Snape, btw), ridiculed by the press and persecuted by the Ministry of Magic. It's not just smooth sailing all the way and you have to read the books to really see it because the movies just gloss over most of it.You would also have realized why certain Authority figures seemed to favor him. Because they trusted Dumbledore and he knew Harry's destiny was to defeat Voldemort or be defeated by him. Wouldn't you look after someone who had to bear such a burden and whose very existence gave you hope for peace?I can't really blame you for your assessment, though, because the first book is pretty light fare compared to the rest and is treated pretty well, but that is only to portray the innocence and wonder of childhood and set the stage for the darker times to come.

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"You are metaphysicians. You can prove anything by metaphysics; and having done so, every metaphysician can prove every other metaphysician wrong--to his own satisfaction. You are anarchists in the realm of thought. And you are mad cosmos-makers. Each of you dwells in a cosmos of his own making, created out of his own fancies and desires. You do not know the real world in which you live, and your thinking has no place in the real world except in so far as it is phenomena of mental aberration." -The Iron Heel by Jack London

I disagree. Snape was much more complex than that. IMHO, the memories concerning Lily were meant to show Harry why Snape was worthy of Dumbledore's trust and to show him what prompted Snape to work with the side of the Order.But, that's not all he was. I think he was nasty to Harry because he had to be in order to maintain his cover and Harry's resemblance to James only made it a little easier. I also think that he was frustrated at Harry's apparent mediocrity (and let's face it...Harry was pretty average at practical magic and Snape never really got to see him do anything at all impressive). He must have been thinking what I am doing all this for if this kid turns out to be nothing special after all? He desperately wanted Harry to learn the things necessary for his task ahead and he kept on pushing him (albeit in a seemingly malicious and back-handed way, but again that was necessary) up until the last time he saw him ("Shut your mouth and close your mind!!) in HBP.If Snape had only "converted" because Voldemort killed someone he loved, I don't think the trust would have been as powerful. I think that Snape realized what Voldemort truly was and that he didn't want to live in a world where Voldemort or his folowers held any sway (the memory where Lily condemns him for his increasingly alarming views hints at this). Only those who are incapable of love would want to live in that kind of world. Even the Malfoys ended up with misgivings when their beloved son was put in harm's way (well, Narcissa at least - we don't see much of Lucius after the debacle at the MoM).Dumbledore knew that and knew that Snape would do whatever was necessary to ensure that Volemort was defeated. Not out of revenge, but because he was able to love.It must have been such an incredible burden on Snape having to do the things he did. Especially killing Dumbledore (remember the "hate and revulsion" on his face when he did it?).Like I said...he was way more complex than that.

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"You are metaphysicians. You can prove anything by metaphysics; and having done so, every metaphysician can prove every other metaphysician wrong--to his own satisfaction. You are anarchists in the realm of thought. And you are mad cosmos-makers. Each of you dwells in a cosmos of his own making, created out of his own fancies and desires. You do not know the real world in which you live, and your thinking has no place in the real world except in so far as it is phenomena of mental aberration." -The Iron Heel by Jack London

You missed the rest of my post. I agree that Snape was conflicted and that is what made him interesting, but I don't agree that he hated Harry. I don't think that Snape would have been nearly as hostile to Harry if he wasn't trying to maintain his cover. Like I said, the resemblance to James did make it easier and Snape did tend to lash out more at Harry when he thought he was acting arrogantly. However, I think it more important that Snape was afraid that Harry would depend on his charm, good looks and name to get by ("Clearly, fame isn't everything"" eg). He obviously didn't recognize James' talent because he was so blinded by the fact that James used his talents against him and probably thought that James was unjustifiably popular and look where it got James. Dead. He wanted, no needed for Harry to be specially talented because he thought that only a very powerful wizard could defeat Voldemort.We have evidence of this in DH when (through his memories) Snape says to Dumbledore: [qs=The Prince's Tale][i]Yet you confide much more in a boy who is incapable of Occlumency, whose magic is mediocre, and who has a direct connection into the Dark Lord's mind![/qs]No, they point to Snape's frustration with Harry for not dedicating himself to the task at hand which was thought necessary for defeating Voldemort. The lessons were cut off because Harry was caught snooping around in Snape's memories and that indeed triggered an irrational response from Snape. The lessons were clearly not going anywhere, however, because Harry wasn't doing what he needed to do in order to gain the skill of Occlumency and that must have frustrated the hell out of Snape.I'm not saying that Snape is innocent in every regard. He loathed James and the Marauders (for good reason, IMO...they were pricks) and the reasons he felt that way were being personified by Harry, the boy he was bound to protect and who defied him at every turn.But, imagine trying to help someone without giving it away for all to see. How hard would that be?I agree that he disliked what he saw/chose to see in Harry (arrogance, mediocrity, defiance) but I don't think it was as simplistic an emotion as hate.

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"You are metaphysicians. You can prove anything by metaphysics; and having done so, every metaphysician can prove every other metaphysician wrong--to his own satisfaction. You are anarchists in the realm of thought. And you are mad cosmos-makers. Each of you dwells in a cosmos of his own making, created out of his own fancies and desires. You do not know the real world in which you live, and your thinking has no place in the real world except in so far as it is phenomena of mental aberration." -The Iron Heel by Jack London

Where? I reread the bits in the book prior to the locket horcrux search when Harry explodes at finding out that Snape was the one who told Voldemort about the prophecy and screams at Dumbledore for trusting Snape when "He hated my Dad like he hated Sirius!" Dumbledore defends Snape but does not say that Snape hates Harry and does not mention James aside from the bit about the prophecy.Maybe it is before that? Could you point it out for me?At any rate, I am not denying that Snape had problems with Harry's resemblance to James (both physical and behavioral). All I am saying is that his feelings were way more complicated than simple hatred and I don't think he hated Harry as a person at all.

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"You are metaphysicians. You can prove anything by metaphysics; and having done so, every metaphysician can prove every other metaphysician wrong--to his own satisfaction. You are anarchists in the realm of thought. And you are mad cosmos-makers. Each of you dwells in a cosmos of his own making, created out of his own fancies and desires. You do not know the real world in which you live, and your thinking has no place in the real world except in so far as it is phenomena of mental aberration." -The Iron Heel by Jack London

Hmmm...I hadn't thought of that. Don't know why because after DH it is blindingly obvious I guess I thought he could have handled it better, but now I see that he couldn't risk Harry getting inside of his head or snooping around his office at all. I wonder if he had anything in his office that would give him away? Maybe the bit of letter from Lily {ABE: oops just remembered that he took it after Sirius died} or something else pertaining to her?Edited by Jaderis, : No reason given.

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"You are metaphysicians. You can prove anything by metaphysics; and having done so, every metaphysician can prove every other metaphysician wrong--to his own satisfaction. You are anarchists in the realm of thought. And you are mad cosmos-makers. Each of you dwells in a cosmos of his own making, created out of his own fancies and desires. You do not know the real world in which you live, and your thinking has no place in the real world except in so far as it is phenomena of mental aberration." -The Iron Heel by Jack London