# Harry Potter #7: (SPOILERS APLENTY): Now that you've read it... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 18, 2007, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249 "2007-07-18T11:58:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/401 "2007-07-24T15:00:05Z")
> [@](#): > > Yes Harry and Voldy were related far enough back through the centuries. This is no real surprise. As Sirius said when they were looking at the Black family tree \*every pure blood family was eventually related to everybody else \* Just like Hollywood! ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/402 "2007-07-24T15:11:28Z")
[QUOTE=rocking chair] dumbledore knew about it but thought it was an odd bathroom. same with the twins, they saw it as a bathroom first. [/QUOTE] Broom closet, IIRC. The twins were looking for somewhere to hide. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/403 "2007-07-24T15:23:11Z")
[QUOTE=DSeid] So he could have drunk polyjuice potion too? The creation is magic, not the drinking. Nah. I think the internal consistency is that using a magical object counts as doing magic. [/QUOTE] Then how come the Weasleys didn’t get busted for taking the enchanted Anglia to break Harry out of his room? How come they can fly on their brooms over the summer holidays and practice Quidditch? How come Harry is allowed to have the magical moving photos of his parents, or use Hedwig (a magical creature) to send/receive messages? I think the opposite is true: Using magical objects is OK, but performing spells etc. is not. ---
**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/404 "2007-07-24T15:36:43Z")
[QUOTE=dannyness] So yes, PLENTY of parents have died protecting their child. But I’d be willing to bet that almost all of them at least tried to defend themselves in the process. [/QUOTE] Adding to this, even if another child did have that protection because the parent didn’t defend themselves, how would the child ever know? Harry would not have known if not for Dumbledore and the prophecy, it wouldn’t have mattered at all if he didn’t have to defeat Voldemort himself. Most kids wouldn’t have to save the world from their foe. If not for the prophecy, he could have gone his whole life without ever facing Voldemort at all, probably leaving it up to someone more skilled than he. Heck, he could have just grown up with the Dursleys forever if Dumbledore didn’t step in. There were a lot of specific circumstances that made Lily’s protection matter in the end. Usually I bet kids whose mothers die for them never have to specifically face the person who attacked them. Someone else kills them (the child or the attacker), or they go their whole lives without knowing who did it, or they are afraid of them, etc. It’s only because Voldemort insisted on killing Harry himself that Harry didn’t die in many other situations, and only because Voldemort was so powerful that he didn’t get killed himself. Obviously this protection charm was not widely known about, otherwise Voldemort never would have given Lily the chance to die for Harry. The prophecy did affect the outcome though, or rather hearing the prophecy did. If Voldemort never heard any of it, he wouldn’t have tried to kill Harry, and if Harry hadn’t heard it he might not have faced Voldemort himself. I like the Oedipal idea of fate vs. free will when it comes to knowing your future - Voldemort set his end in motion by trying to escape his future. If he would have said ‘meh’ about the prophecy none of it would have happened. On a completely different note, it’s a good thing Daniel Radcliffe is used to doing nude scenes now. Between the 7 undressing Harrys in the beginning (loved his huffiness at the others exposing his body!) and the nude death scene at the end, he’ll have to keep in shape! Of course to keep it kid friendly and PG-13 he probably won’t have to worry, but still. I wonder how he reacted when he read the book. Also, I loved Ron’s moment at the end when everyone at the train to Hogwarts is staring at Harry and he says “they’re looking at me, I’m a bit famous” or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/405 "2007-07-24T15:38:15Z")
> [@](#): > > Then how come the Weasleys didn’t get busted for taking the enchanted Anglia to break Harry out of his room? Mr. Weasley faced in inquiry at work, I beleive. ---
**Author:** ![alreadymichigan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@alreadymichigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alreadymichigan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/406 "2007-07-24T15:46:24Z")
[QUOTE=Velma] Between the 7 undressing Harrys in the beginning (loved his huffiness at the others exposing his body!) [/QUOTE] I liked that Hermione commented on his poor eyesight. I would have thought that certain other aspects of Harry’s body that were new to Hermione would have captured her attention more than his eyesight. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![dannyness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b77776/32.png) [@dannyness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dannyness)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/407 "2007-07-24T15:49:12Z")
> [@](#): > > Mr. Weasley faced in inquiry at work, I beleive. Yes, but it was he wasn’t supposed to even own the car. Ron, Harry, and the twins didn’t get in trouble with the Ministry for using it. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/408 "2007-07-24T15:50:34Z")
[QUOTE=alreadymichigan] I liked that Hermione commented on his poor eyesight. I would have thought that certain other aspects of Harry’s body that were new to Hermione would have captured her attention more than his eyesight. [/QUOTE] She was thinking “is it really _that_ small, or is my eyesight bad?” ---
**Author:** ![dannyness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b77776/32.png) [@dannyness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dannyness)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/409 "2007-07-24T15:57:55Z")
> [@](#): > > I would have thought that certain other aspects of Harry’s body that were new to Hermione would have captured her attention more than his eyesight. And with that you opened a whole new world of erotic HP fanfic involving Polyjuice potion. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/410 "2007-07-24T16:01:24Z")
[QUOTE=dannyness] Yes, but it was he wasn’t supposed to even own the car. Ron, Harry, and the twins didn’t get in trouble with the Ministry for using it. [/QUOTE] Owning the car was OK. Putting enchantments on the car to make it fly was supposedly OK (due to the loophole in the law, as written by Mr. Weasley). Allowing his teenage sons (or anyone else) to use the enchantments on a muggle artifact would not have been OK. I think he faced the inquiry because he had to explain that he did not allow his sons to use the flying car, and convince people that he wasn’t using it himself to fly all over the place. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/411 "2007-07-24T16:41:25Z")
I forgot to mention…I loved Luna’s bedroom, with the portraits on the wall framed in tiny gold script that read “Friends.” Such a sweet insight to a lonely girl who realizes she may be a bit odd. I can see that scene play out so well on the big screen, Harry looking around rather wryly, as he realizes how much he means to Luna, then a puzzled look as he streaks his finger through the dust on the picture of her mother, then dawning horror as he sees the cobwebs in the corner and realizes Luna is _not_ off fishing…that her father is stalling them… ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/412 "2007-07-24T16:47:05Z")
[QUOTE=dannyness] And with that you opened a whole new world of erotic HP fanfic involving Polyjuice potion. [/QUOTE] You mean something like, “As Bill stood in the doorway, the shock on his face was replaced by fury. 'All these years we’ve treated you like a member of the family! Dammit, Harry, that’s my wife!” “No, it’s not,” said Hermione, and pointed at the black-haired figure supine beneath her. “It was all Ron’s idea.” Alternate ending: substitute “blonde” for “black.” Sometimes I really think that Rowling is writing in little in-jokes for her fans. When I read the polyjuice scene, I was thinking of _Equus_, as well as what the fanfic community would be doing with this one. ---
**Author:** ![dannyness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b77776/32.png) [@dannyness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dannyness)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/413 "2007-07-24T16:51:53Z")
Anybody else imagine the Lovegood house as a converted lighthouse or grain silo? I hope they go that route in the film. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/414 "2007-07-24T16:59:36Z")
[QUOTE=aktep] So after Harry separated from Voldemort’s soul: is Harry still a parselmouth? [/QUOTE] My guess is no. I’ll admit that I was a slightly saddened to find out that Stan Shunpike really is a Death Eater. Plus, there’s a good chance he died in that fight. As for putting the diadem in the hidden room, I’m thinking that this wasn’t a bad idea, for three reasons: 1. apparently, relatively few people know about the Room of Requirements, and even fewer really understand it, and fewer still need to hide something. 2. There’s such an insane amount of crap in there that trying to find the diadem would be like trying to find a needle in a warehouse full of haystacks. It was pure luck that Harry had ever seen the diadem before. 3. The diadem was lost centuries ago. Even Dumbledore had no idea that it still existed, let alone that it had been turned into a horcrux. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/415 "2007-07-24T17:06:34Z")
Stan was under the Imperius curse. He’s not a Death Eater. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/416 "2007-07-24T17:25:57Z")
Yes, ditto to what ivylass said. He is described with a “strangely blank” countenance in that scene. Just to confirm: the “huge mistake” Dumbledore mentions that it is possible for him to make, because a clever person’s errors are bigger than a regular person’s blunders, was trying to reunite the Deathly Hallows, and in particular putting on Marvolo’s ring in an attempt to use the Resurrection Stone, instead of immediately destroying the horcrux hidden inside that ring. Right? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/417 "2007-07-24T17:55:53Z")
[QUOTE=Arnold Winkelried] Just to confirm: the “huge mistake” Dumbledore mentions that it is possible for him to make, because a clever person’s errors are bigger than a regular person’s blunders, was trying to reunite the Deathly Hallows, and in particular putting on Marvolo’s ring in an attempt to use the Resurrection Stone, instead of immediately destroying the horcrux hidden inside that ring. Right? [/QUOTE] That was my take on it. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/418 "2007-07-24T18:03:07Z")
[QUOTE=Diceman] 3) The diadem was lost centuries ago. Even Dumbledore had no idea that it still existed, let alone that it had been turned into a horcrux. [/QUOTE] I wonder how that could be. Potter and friends, giving it a few moments of thought (after months of bickering in the woods) nailed it. Dumbledore, whose guesses are almost never wrong, couldn’t puzzle this one through? Even though he knew that it would be an object associated with Ravenclaw? He never thought to ask the daughter of Ravenclaw what happened to it? > [@](#): > > Just to confirm: the “huge mistake” Dumbledore mentions that it is possible for him to make, because a clever person’s errors are bigger than a regular person’s blunders, was trying to reunite the Deathly Hallows, and in particular putting on Marvolo’s ring in an attempt to use the Resurrection Stone, instead of immediately destroying the horcrux hidden inside that ring. Right? Given that he was able to make such a huge mistake in order to try to undo past losses of family members, it seems like an even bigger mistake to make Harry aware of it at all, let alone put one of the Hallows in his pocket directly. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/419 "2007-07-24T18:07:31Z")
[QUOTE=Hentor the Barbarian] [Dumbledore] never thought to ask the daughter of Ravenclaw what happened to it? [/QUOTE] I am supposing that he did ask her, and she told him “I left it somewhere in Albania”. Harry Potter has a good idea that it’s hidden somewhere in Hogwarts because he has “seen” Voldemort checking on his other horcruxes, and Voldemort is now speeding towards Hogwarts. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249/420 "2007-07-24T18:09:45Z")
[QUOTE=Hentor the Barbarian] Given that he was able to make such a huge mistake in order to try to undo past losses of family members, it seems like an even bigger mistake to make Harry aware of it at all, let alone put one of the Hallows in his pocket directly. [/QUOTE] We are judged by the choices we make, and Harry makes the right choice! Hooray for Harry! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-7-spoilers-aplenty-now-that-youve-read-it/412249.md?page=22)