He DID? well, bless my buttons–or as Samantha Stevens used to say, “my stars!”
I must have been weeping copiously by that point and his name blurred…sorry, all.
nice chatting with all of you.
I don’t think that Aberforth was mentioned by name. I doubt that Harry even knows who he is.
I took that barman to be the same barman who was on the afternoon of the start of the DA–and that wasn’t AD2. He had a name, IMS, but I can’t recall it. Hmmm…this is one of those points that I would like to ask Rowling. Are that barman and AD2 one and the same?
Remember, Dumbledore told Harry that he should confide in no-one EXCEPT Ron and Hermione. That’s why it makes sense.
Yes they are. I’ll look for a cite.
My daughter has read the book and says this:
Well, Harry tried to get Ron and Hermione to leave him and continue on with their lives without him. Ron and Hermione refused and Harry accepted their help, knowing that they went through some of the dangers that he had gone through his last 5 years at Hogwarts. That’s what i think, I last read the book for my second time in August.
Very cool trailer, thanks.
Somehow I missed that interview when I perused that site earlier, so thanks for that as well.
I must say that I got the Avada Kedavra reference right off the bat. 
(smug smiley)
Yes, we know that Aberforth is the barman at the Hogshead, but I doubt that Harry knows that.
But Ginny would volunteer as well (I can’t think why she passively accepts what Harry says to her) and if anything, she has faced Voldemort more directly than Hernione or Ron. IMO, Rowling has plans for Ginny and having her “submit” to Harry’s leaving her frees her up to work independently as a character in book 7.
In the realm of crazy speculation…
If Snape does indeed turn out to have been working for Dumbledore the entire time and helps Harry kill Voldy, it is my thought he will end up Head Master at Hogwarts.
Now, before you go crazy, lets think about how good a teacher and protector of Harry he has really been. He has tried to save Harry at every chance, and while not “nice” to Harry hes done more than anyone (cept AD) to keep Harry safe. He even gave Harry a OWL in potions (if I remember right) so he can be fair.
Even in the last book while fighting Harry he was trying to teach him with all the “keep your mouth closed, and mind shut” stuff. He even stopped the deatheaters from killing him.
It could happen!
The Hogwarts professors don’t grade the OWL exams; that’s up to personnel from the Ministry. Remember the old lady who taught Dumbledore, back in her day?
And even if Snape’s somehow been on the side of the angels all this time, even if he would actually make a decent Headmaster, nobody’s going to actually believe him.
I was so happy to see this opening post, because I had thought exactly the same thing. I think, however, given Ginny’s, er, spunkiness, that she will show up anyway, having reached the same conclusions as we have - i.e. the decision is utterly illogical. He may love Ginny, but he loves Ron and Hermione just as much. Ginny is in some ways the most competent of the four; they’re going to need her!
I believe that the significant character from OotP will be Regulus (sp?) Black, Sirius’ brother, even though he’s dead now. He was mentioned once in OotP, I think. But the pseudo-horcrux Harry and Dumbledore found was put there by someone, and the initials RAB strongly indicate Black. If he was able to get and destroy the real horcrux, he must have been both motivated and powerful, and I have to wonder if he left any other surprises behind.
I very much hope you’re right in saying the next book will be out in July 2007. I have long thought that if I were to discover I was dying and couldn’t hold out for the last book, I’d be pretty seriously pissed. But it’s likely (given that I don’t believe I have any terminal disease) that I can survive that long!
Note to self: avoid getting in the way of buses and trucks, at least until July!
I thought that Harry Potter was aware that the barman at the Hog’s Head was Aberforth Dumbledore. He has seen Aberforth in the photograph that Moody showed at Grimmauld Place (in Order of the Phoenix) and he has been in the Hog’s Head (the meeting preparing for the “Dumbedore’s Army” Defense Against the Dark Arts classes). He could have put two and two together, and if not, he will soon. I think that, with the importance that JK Rowling puts on family, Aberforth is the character that will be playing a great role in Book 7.
Back to the OP: I don’t see Harry’s choice as illogical at all. Throughout the book he has grown up with Ron and Hermione being his constant companions and his equals. They have shared in all his adventures so far. On the other hand, Ginny has always been the “younger sister” and (in book two) the person he protects. I think it is in character (though somewhat sexist I suppose) for Harry to want to keep her out of the biggest dangers.
Now that would be funny. Except that then Voldemort would kill her, and if there’s one person I don’t want to see die, it’s Luna.
Let’s change that to: “Back to the OP: I am not at all surprised by Harry’s decision.” Logic has nothing to do it, it’s a sentimental choice, and, we know that Harry Potter makes most of his decisions based on emotion, not logic.
But while I am not surprised by Harry’s decision, it still doesn’t make sense, although you bring up a good point. He is somewhat emotional, isn’t he. There have been a few books (#5 in particular, IIRC) where I kept thinking to myself-well, here is an angry young man. (not that he didn’t have good reason and he is a teen, but it got a bit old).
Somehow I don’t think Harry will triumph over Voldemort by emotions alone, and he certainly can’t outwit the Dark Lord, as far as we have been shown. It will come down, as it did in Book 1, to his purity of heart.
How depressing.