Chef Troy: EVERYBODY nitpicks me. I suppose I’ve gotten used to it, since I make it so easy.
Hmmm, I think next time I’m going to have to get in the midnight line at the bookstore and read it as soon as I get home just to keep up with the spoilers thread. 
My take on:
The cruciatus curse: Harry won’t get in trouble because he couldn’t do it right. Remember how the woman said that you had to enjoy the idea that you were about to hurt another person? In other words, you have to be a sick, sadistic mo-fo to successfully throw that curse (which certainly shows that you shouldn’t be allowed out in public!) Harry is no more guilty of using the curse than someone who threw an axe and missed while trying to defend themselves would be guilty of murder.
Thestrals(sp?) and Harry seeing his parents die: Even if Harry actually saw his parents die, he was far too young to comprehend what had happened. Thus that death had no more effect on him emotionally than if they had died several hundred miles away. It was the emotional effect of actually seeing someone die that allowed him to see the the thestrals. Nice touch, that.
The love interests: Of course, Hermione & Ron get together. I’m just glad Rowling isn’t doing the Hermione likes Harry and Ron likes Hermione plot. That is so done. Someone mentioned the kiss a page or two back. Why would Hermione even think of kissing Ron if she wasn’t interested. And what does she see in him? He makes her laugh!
Glad to see that Harry and Cho didn’t get together. I felt from the first that there wasn’t much there besides “She’s cute/he’s powerful”. I think Harry is going to pull a Picard and any one he does get involved with (love can be a strong force!) is going to be a problem when he realizes that he can’t afford to worry about her or she’ll die or she’ll turn out to be eeeevil.
Snape’s memories in the pensieve: Of course he knows what the memory that Harry saw is generally about. The only memories he would want to hide this thoroughly from Harry would be those where Harry’s father was tormenting Snapes. (Of course, Dewey Cheatem Undhow also said this on the first page)
Patronusess: Mostly been said, but I’ll point out that swans are beautiful and otherwise doesn’t have much personality; however they are vicious when they feel threatened. And I thought Cho was a bit vicious when her date went wrong!
Time machine?: Are you sure those were time machines? After all, Hermione’s time charm didn’t make her younger, it allowed her to go back in time. But the bad guy who ended up with his head in the wreckage had his head revert to childhood while his body stayed adult. That doesn’t sound like something I want to stick my hand into.
Weaknesses: Definitely needed an editor. Just in the first chapter there was a conversation that could have been cut in half and been far better. And there were a lot of scenes like that.
I only fault Dumbledore (and the rest of the order) for trying to keep stuff from Harry and the other teens.
Sirius’ mirror - stupid but believable that Harry forgot about it; glaring error that Sirius didn’t say anything. But why do people think Harry didn’t feel anger/guilt over not opening the mirror? He threw it across the room and it shattered. If he had just been frustrated in an attempt to contact Sirius, IMO, he wouldn’t have thrown the mirror because it would have been his last present. But it was also a glaring reminder that he had fucked up, so he threw it.
I loved all of Fred and George’s revenges against “Professor” Umbrige.
Speaking of Umbrige (well named, espescially Dolores) - Prof. McGonagall is the ultimate good teacher for a smart kid: she won’t take any crap, but she is truly interested in what is best for her students, she knows her stuff inside out (so to speak) and she is supremely fair. Umbrige is just the opposite: she’s there for the power trip, she enjoys causing pain (that quill was wicked) and she really doesn’t want the students to truly understand the information. If I were going to see any politics in the book, I would see her as the quintessential fundamentalist that represents the people who have been trying to prevent children from reading the Harry Potter books. Think about it: Defense against the Dark Arts = the teaching of morality/ethics/Christianity, which has been so overwhelmed in the fundy camps by these people who are avoiding real issues by teaching anti-evolution, anti-witchcraft and homophobia?
Finally, I can’t believe this hasn’t been said in 6 pages…
We have to wait till the next book to find out how Harry did on his O.W.L.s!!!
I’m not so sure he did forget - I seem to remember the book saying something like “Harry took the gift but knew that whatever it was, he would never use it - he wouldn’t be the one to draw Sirius out of hiding” (I’m paraphrasing, of course).
In other words, if it was a lapse of memory it was a deliberate one.
If he didn’t forget it, he’s a lot stupider than he looks
“Here, I just have to talk to Sirius but instead of using the unknown object that he gave me specifically to do that, I’ll use a method that requires me to get into the office of my arch-enemy”
It sounded in the book like he had resolved not to communicate with Sirius at all in case that drew Sirius out of hiding. Then he changed his mind, but had (I hope) forgotten about the present. Actually that would be understandable since he was so rattled by the pensieve memory.
Shame Hermione didn’t know about the present. She would have made sure Harry used it!
But isn’t it the intent that mattered? An intended murder is still an intended murder, no matter the intension. Personally, i think Rowling should make Harry responsible for his actions. (not jail, of course! :eek: but he should be made to realise his mistake. I find it quite ironic that he saved wormtail all for the right reasons, yet wanted Beatrix’s death)
He’s been ‘sheltered’ enough, and should be allowed to exercise responsibility and live with its consequences. Besides, it might send out the wrong signals to children reading the book that two wrongs make a right.
Wrt the mirror thing, i thought it over, and realised that Harry might have forgotten it, or was afraid of using it. Perhaps he thought (as did i at first) that it was a one-shot signalling flare kinda thing, with Sirius receiving it and consequently rushing over to his side. With Umbridge around, Harry would not want risking Sirius being exposed.
Actually, Sirius should have told Harry what the gift was. Why be so mysterious about it if you want Harry to use it? He should have explained to Harry how the mirror worked and how to use it.
About Harry cursing Bellatrix, here’s the thing that got me: If he were going to use an Unforgivable Curse, why didn’t he go the whole way and attempt to kill her with the Avada Kedavra? He was almost certainly justified, since she’d just been the instrument of death for his close friend and was now threatening his own life, not to mention her previous crimes. Mucking about with the Cruciatus Curse only wasted time, and would be difficult to explain to anyone asking questions. “Harry, you do realize that the Cruciatus Curse is very illegal and could land you in Azkaban for the rest of your life, right? What do you have to say in defense of your actions?” “Well, I was so full of rage and grief that I wanted to kill her! Except… I didn’t even try.” I mean, what’s up with that?
Shirley Ujest, a few pages back, you said that we only needed a Bill O’Reilly figure to complete the political metaphor. I think Rita Skeeter fills that role (although she is almost nonexistent in Phoenix)
I just finished reading the book a few hours ago and I think it was really good. I don’t really have anything new to add, but I’ll agree with:
The climax was pretty weak.
Fred and George kick ass.
Neville and Ginny got some much-needed depth in this book.
Hagrid was way underused this time around.
Where’s the explanation of the Cup-winning Quidditch match?
Oh, if Harry only would’ve opened the gift…
and
Who really misses Padfoot? I think Moony is more interesting.
I do. 
Here’s a thought! Moony comes back as DotDA teacher, Luna figures out how to cure or control the lycanthropy, they fall in love and Moony gives up the post to marry her, requiring yet another DotDA teacher…
Ok, I’m a romantic. Sue me.
I need to re-read it before I post anything of substance.
Just wanted to say I’m glad to see people calling those who’re bashing HP funde’s - and not lumping us all in together. Thank you.
Whew. This thread took almost as long to read as the book.
Well, but, who ever said that squibs can’t see magical beings? That would mean that Filch wouldn’t be able to see anything magic. And, anyway, Muggles can see magical things/beings, too, or they (I almost said we) wouldn’t have to do memory modification on them.
I think only those who have seen death can hear the voices. Like the thestrals.
I really liked Sirus: he was a decent guy, headstrong enough to be a colorful character, thoughtful enough to have depth, and one of the view adults that really sympathized with Harry’s situation: he was right where Dumbledore was wrong about letting Harry in on things, and he died for it.
Okay, that’s just… ick.
You DO realize that she’s like 14 and he’s gotta be in his late 30s at least?
Judging from the picture on the back cover, I’d put Mad-Eye in his fifties. Old enough to be her father.
I think they meants Lupus rather than Mad-eye.
The confusion is understandable tho, and it’s still ick.
Not Mad-Eye Moody, but Moony - Professor Lupin
I don’t see it. The age difference is too much and it’s too out of character for Rowling. Sure, there were student crushes on Lockheart, but that’s all they were.
I want Luna to do something great, but I’ve got no idea what it is.
Oh, please. I suppose you’ve never acted rashly before? Harry was mad, and he wanted Bellatrix to suffer. That’s as far as his thought processes went.
Well, I thought she was in the same year as Harry, but apparently not.
I wouldn’t think it icky, but you’re right, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea for a YA book.
Oh, i just realised something… Luna means ‘moon’ right? …and Lupin is a werewolf…heh does it mean anything?
Actually, I’m hoping for Tonks and Lupin as a couple, but I’m afraid he’s doomed.
I do think Hagrid and Madame Olympe will ride off into the sunset together.