A Summer of #CHBPotter

We've reached the end of our CHBPotter journey, and though we're definitely feeling the sadness, it's been a fun and educational journey. Michelle and I are blogging one last time this summer to discuss our Wizarding World trip and to say farewell to the Boy Who Lived.

First, we'll tell you all about what it was like to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

V: Walking into Diagon Alley for the first time, I felt exactly like Harry in Sorcerer's Stone. There was so much to see, and I wished I had more eyes...my head was swiveling in every direction trying to take it all in. There wasn't a single time I walked down Diagon Alley that I didn't see something amazing that I hadn't noticed the last time I'd looked. Universal did an AMAZING job of creating this immersive experience. Except for the heat, you could really believe you're in Rowling's Diagon Alley. There were people everywhere pointing, laughing, and waving wands to cast their spells (Universal has created interactive wands to use in the parks). My favorite part of the experience (aside from, you know, the entire thing) was seeing Celestina Warbeck in concert. Hearing these magical (and very jazzy) tunes being sung in Diagon Alley by this background character that never gets any notice...that made my entire trip. My other favorite part was the Ollivander's experience. In case you're unfamiliar with the way things are done, Ollivander's Wand Shop allows in a certain number of people per "show," and from that group, the wandmaker picks one person to actually undergo the experience of being chosen by a wand. I've been picked before, but I definitely wanted to try it again so I could have video of the experience. No surprise, I got picked again. The woman playing the wandmaker was fantastic and incredibly believavbe. Not that my first experience was bad, but this one blew it away. I performed Accio to bring a ladder closer (resulting in crashing wand boxes), Lumos to light up the room (and I accidentally made it storm), and then I finally was chosen by my perfect wand. It's a very magical experience, and it draws you in. Michelle, I know you said in the podcast that your favorite moment happened in King's Cross. Was there anything else that stood out to you?

M: Yeah, the King's Cross employee instructing me not to run through a brick wall was pretty great, but really just seeing it all. Or if I'm really honest it was the snacks. From Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice to Chocolate Frogs and Cauldron Cakes...I've wanted to taste these things for sixteen years! I bought ALL the candy in Honeydukes. It was thrilling to be able to be a part of that world for a while. I also really loved the details. Universal went to great lengths with even the small details; this really helps to keep the crowds from overwhelming the experience. Sure sometimes when you look around all you see is a sea of people, but look there are Hermione's dress robes or check out that Crumple-Horned Snorkack - it pulls you right back in to the Wizarding World experience.

Another way of continuing the Harry Potter experience that I only first undertook this summer is Pottermore. I'm still working my way through Sorcerer's Stone, but Pottermore really is totally worth the time it takes to move through it. J.K. Rowling has written tons of addition content for the site that really expands upon the world of the seven HP books. This summer in particular has seen a glut of new information. There's a story about Dumbledore's Army meeting up at the Quidditch World Cup, a story about the life of Celestina Warbeck, and much much more. Anytime I have a spare few moments at my computer I run through a few "Moments" on Pottermore. Definitely recommended for those who've been on the fence about it.

V: Absolutely! Pottermore is great for those fans of the books who wish they could just know more about these characters and places and this whole world! I particularly loved the backstories on both Lupin and McGonagall, and I think those things add so much to their characters and the way you read them. Also, the Celestina Warbeck recorded version of "You Stole My Cauldron" is possibly my new favorite thing, next to frozen Butterbeer.

It's been a heck of a summer for us here at CHB. Reading and discussing the Harry Potter series again and topping it all off with a trip to the Wizarding World has, for me at least, really brought back all my memories of midnight release parties, dressing up, and fan theories and speculation. To me, one of the most magical things about Harry Potter is that it brings people together. No matter who you are, where you're from, your beliefs, likes, or anything at all, if you love Harry Potter, we have common ground and a firm foundation on which to build a friendship. This is the reason that I believe Harry Potter will never disappear and the fandom will never end: we have made too many connections to and through this series of books, and those links are much too strong to be broken by time or distance. The bonds that fans make may have their roots in Harry Potter, but they extend to much more than that, and I think that's absolutely fantastic. And it keeps going. Every new person who picks up the books has the chance to share in these links and these lessons. The magic of Harry Potter lies in the way that it helps us connect to others, be more empathetic, and ultimately, it helps to make us better people.

And on that resonating note, CHBPotter comes to a close. We hope you've enjoyed the books, our discussion and thoughts, and we hope you've learned something along the way, just as we have. We know that Harry Potter isn't for everyone, but to deny the power of Harry Potter is in part to deny the power that literature and stories hold in our lives. Stories are important and they matter. They help us see and realize things about our lives and world that we might not otherwise notice. They help us learn to be better people through empathy and the idea that everyone has their own unique story to tell. To all who have followed along, we thank you for your thoughts and support. And to those who are just now discovering the magic of Harry Potter, we hope you enjoy the journey. CHBPotter has been a magnificent experience for us, and we hope you've enjoyed the ride. To sign off, I'll quote Lee Jordan's ending to Potterwatch, which seems fitting: "Keep each other safe: Keep faith. Goodnight."

P.S. check out our final Potter podcast, Beat Back Those Bludgers Boys, and Chuck That Podcast Here! You can listen in you browser by clicking here or go straight to itunes.

All Was Well: Our Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

This is it. The final chapter. Michelle and I have finally finished our Harry Potter read-through with the seventh and final installment of the series, and what a journey it was. With heavy hearts, we discuss Harry Potter one last time this summer:

V: Oh man. This book was very difficult for me. This is the 13th time I've read it, but it still completely broke my heart to read it again. In fact, I cried so hard over the last page that my tears have smeared and bled the ink of my underlines and notes. Finishing this book left me with this deep and undefinable sadness and pain. This is my absolute favorite book of all time, and it's because 7 years and 13 reads later, it still holds so much meaning for me.One of the things that still affects me every time I read it (and it's something we've discussed before, too) is the absolute tear-down of Dumbledore we see in this book, particularly in Harry's eyes. Before Book 7, Dumbledore shines in Harry's eyes. It's not necessarily that he can do no wrong, but he's the one you can always trust, the one who will always be there to save the day and to make things right. Dumbledore always has a plan, and Dumbledore's plans will always work. Of course, the tear-down obviously began happening much earlier than Book 7. In Order of the Phoenix we are forced into the realization that Dumbledore does make mistakes, and his mistakes are very, very costly. But no matter what happened before, Harry still always trusted Dumbledore and held him in incredibly high esteem, so watching that image of perfection and trust shatter right before his eyes is quite heartbreaking. The scene after they read the chapter in The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore where Harry finally screams out all his horror and frustration with Dumbledore and the mess into which he's thrust Harry just hurts me to read. However, one thing that does come out of this is that we finally see the trio - and especially Harry - figuring things out completely on their own. The chapters at Shell Cottage, where Harry finally comes to terms with everything that's happened, starts to put all the pieces together, and learns how to trust again...this section and its follow-through to the end of the book is one of my favorite things to read in the entire series. What are your thoughts on Dumbledore's fall and Harry's development in response to this?

M: We've written time and again about just how impressive the character development is throughout this series. You've mentioned that the trio are still clearly written as kids (especially early in the series) despite being our heroes and heroine. We've talked about the development of Tom Riddle/Voldemort. The last character to be fully fleshed, to become fully human in all that that entails is Dumbledore. Had Rowling not chosen to dismantle Dumbledore's pedestal in the final book I don't believe that Deathly Hallows would have been nearly as emotional. By this time in Harry's development his reliance on Dumbledore has trumped his reliance on himself - having to question all of that really brought emotional heft and increased the stakes for both himself and the reader. It's about becoming an adult, making your own decisions, and realizing that there will not always be someone there to come to your aid - Harry comes into his own power and it's really impressive. This idea moves from Harry's decisive actions at Shell Cottage all the way in to his final decision in the forest (though these choices, made by Harry, were still in many ways manipulated by Dumbledore but they are finally on Harry's terms).On of the big things I wanted to talk about with this book is the idea of trust. Frankly, everyone trusts Dumbledore and Ron and Hermione trust Harry but no one else trusts anyone else and that often leads to problems. In book 5 Dumbledore sees how dangerous keeping the whole truth from Harry can be but after an "I won't keep any more secrets" conversation we get book 6 and it is an entire book of secrets! I feel like a big theme here is both the necessity of trust and the importance of not giving it too freely. 

V: I agree completely. Voldemort, Dumbledore, and Harry all employ different opinions about and kinds of trust, and they all meet with mixed results. Voldemort does not trust because everyone else is lesser, and to an extent, this is also Dumbledore's view. If he tells people things, his plan will fall apart. The difference is that 1) Dumbledore is doing things to help those people he won't trust rather than things for his own benefit like Voldemort and 2) Dumbledore expects people to put their faith and trust in him in ways that he is unwilling to do for others. Harry comes in the middle of all this and has to learn that trusting even Dumbledore isn't always wise and has to learn to trust himself and his own instincts. At the same time, he has to also learn that though trusting other people is always a risk and always involves putting yourself out there, it can be worth it, and there are definitely times when you need to trust other people to do the right thing. Reading through the destruction of Harry's faith in Dumbledore is very hard, especially because the books naturally encourage the reader to feel this same faith, only to take it away when the real trouble starts. Harry's pain and desperation and his realizations that they are just teenagers who are barely scraping by in their attempt to save the world...this breaks me, especially when you hold it up next to 11-year-old Harry's belief in possibility and wonder. It took 7 books to break Harry down to rock bottom, and I think once he gets there, he's surprised to find that he's more capable of dealing with these things than he originally thought.

M: Your points about Dumbledore make me think about his own words, "for the greater good." That's such a dangerous idea, which Dumbledore clearly realizes in his later years. One thing that I really love about this series is how cohesive it is. Everything builds to this epic conclusion, and I enjoy thinking about just how complex it all is. Much like life - many decisions have lasting repercussions and we will continue to return to them. This book doesn't break me down emotionally in the way that it does you, for me it's more of an opening. While reflecting on character and depth and complexity of narrative I'm also thinking about myself and how I've grown/aged/changed as a reader and a human. The Harry Potter series stands, for me, as a symbol of everything books can do. And that's pretty amazing.

And with that we end our final review in the Harry Potter series. We can't really let it end there...we'll be posting one final wrap up to celebrate our summer of CHBPotter, or trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and the all the ways the series continues even after you turn the final page. Keep checking back on our Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook for our final thoughts. Also, don't miss our first podcast, Jiggery Pokery or second and final Potter podcast will go up later this week.

Nitwit, Blubbler, Oddment, Tweak: Or Our Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Now that we've finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Victoria and I are rather emotionally exhausted. Are we ready for the Deathly Hallows? I guess we are bound to find out, but for now our thoughts on the Prince...

M: I went into this book somewhat cold. I told myself that I wasn't going to be affected by the tragedies Harry faces by the novel's end. I got closer and closer steadfast and stone faced. And then I cracked. By the time I finished I was wrung out. I just sat thinking about grief and loss and life. I took quite a bit of time for myself with this one just to process. I know you were deeply affected by Harry's' grief as well. Do you think we were struck differently this time, or we've just forgotten the pain we originally experienced nine years ago?

V: I think it's a combination of both, honestly. The fact that we're reading the books much more closely combined with the fact that it's been a while for both of us since we've read these books probably came together to add to the emotion. This whole reading experience has been quite emotional for me. I've grown even more attached to the characters this time around, and the deaths in these last two books have absolutely drained me. It happened to me like it happened to you: I was reading along without feeling but, but next thing I knew, I was sobbing. I'm a bit nervous to start Deathly Hallows, because I remember acutely how much this book affected me when I read it the first time.At the same time, I'm excited for Book 7. I've been noticing and feeling the buildup and foreshadowing to this book for pretty much the whole series. Book 7 is my absolute favorite book of all time, and I am intimately familiar with it because of how many times I've read it. So I'm anticipating an exciting and emotional end to this read-through.To get back to Half-Blood Prince, there are two very interesting things that struck me about this book. One is the backstory development of Voldemort, and the other is the progression of Harry and Dumbledore's relationship. Seeing Voldemort as a kid and a young man was particularly creepy to me this time around, and it only made him scarier to see this manipulative and handsome young man with such evil intentions. What did you think of the development of Voldemort's backstory??

M: It's interesting that you mention close reading because when we set out that was definitely what I intended to do. I didn't want to just revel in a highly entertaining book series; I wanted to read it critically, dissect it, and in that way find out why these books are the phenomenon that they are. But that didn't happen - at all (especially as we've moved further on into the series). I'm not doing a close reading of the text because I am too busy engaging with it. I know that must sound counterintuitive, if you are engaging with the work it should be simple to really think through it, but apart from the overarching themes and the things like massive foreshadowing I've just been turning pages too quickly to read in a critical way. I'm to focused on finding out what is happening to these characters that I love (even though I know what is happening because I've read their story before) to stop for a close reading. And in saying all this I realize why the series is such a phenomenon - it engages the reader on whatever level they need/desire. The books definitely stand up to critical readings (Rowling's wordplay and literary allusions alone provide fodder for all the scholarly journals of the world) but they are also what they were meant to be: seriously entertaining, engrossing books that resonated within the hearts and minds of a generation of readers.
So (now that I've gotten that out of the way), Tom Riddle. I am very interested in young Tom Riddle and I really like how Rowling shaped book six around Harry learning more about him (from "he's so like me" to "oh my god what created this monster"). It forces the reader to think about the nature of good and evil - Harry and Tom have relatively similar loveless upbringings, so what is it that gives Harry the limitless capacity to love and Tom the inability to do so? Harry was created out of love whereas Tom's existence is owed wholly to magic; thus for Harry magic is merely an entrance into a world of love, family, and friendship while for Tom magic is everything.
I really like that Tom is handsome and charismatic. It does add to the creep factor as you say but it also makes his character more believable. Tom Riddle is basically a textbook psychopath but with more magic.

V: I completely agree. I'm not reading these books near as closely as I'd planned, but I'm certainly reading them more slowly and closely than I ever have before.

Dumbledore gets a bit of character development in this book as well, though not not in the same way as Voldemort/Tom Riddle. Present Dumbledore is developed in this novel in a way that present Voldemort never can be. We see his personality toward Harry as a child/pupil (albeit his favorite pupil), but there are also some moments that he treats Harry much more like the man he's becoming. I can clearly see Dumbledore shaping and influencing here, and I don't think he's even trying to be subtle, nor do I think he's trying to be harmful or too distant from Harry. I also am certain that Harry knows all this, even if it's not consciously all the time. Seeing how their relationship progresses in this book and knowing how Harry feels about Dumbledore, the insane amount of trust Harry places in him and everything, it's going to make the crumbling of Dumbledore's pedestal all the more moving and emotional in Book 7.

SNEAK: Our Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

It took me an inordinate amount of time to get through book five. I can't decide if this is because of all the angst, the ultimate sadness that I knew was coming, or a little too much Potter back to back but I've conquered it and now Victoria and I have returned to share our thoughts.

M: Okay so, what I've always said about this book is that it contains Maximum Neville, but here's the thing what this book actually is is the turning point. Everyone comes into their own in this book (with the exception of Harry who spends most of the book confused and angry and Hermione who has known who she was since birth). At one point McGonagall says to Neville, "there's nothing wrong with your work except lack of confidence." Between the release of the individuals who tortured his parents and his experience in the DA, Neville comes in to his power and ability. He's not a great wizard by the end of the book but he's getting there. More importantly though, Neville has always been a great person and I feel like book five is when he realizes it and the trio come to value him as well. And Ginny. Oh Ginny. I never cared much for Ginny on my first reading of the series, but this time around I am in awe of her awesomeness. In this book at age fourteen she decides that she will not longer be shunted to to the sidelines; things are serious, she knows how serious they are, and she is going to help. Basically, it's Neville and Ginny forever now (though not together...I'm too busy shipping Neville and Luna to think about that). So, did you come away with any different perceptions this time around?

V: Oh yeah, definitely. Because of what you said about Neville, I paid much more attention to him and to Ginny as well. I completely agree with what you said. I honestly think that a lot of the groundwork for Neville's development in this book was laid by impostor Moody in Book 4, too. Ginny definitely becomes much more of a legitimate character in this book as well, and I adored it! I'm quite a Ginny fan. One character who really surprised me in rereading was Professor McGonagall. I knew she sassed Umbridge a lot in this one, but I don't think I quite understood the full implications of that sort of behavior towards a ministry spy. It had to have taken a great deal of Gryffindor-brand courage for McGonagall to risk her job and really her life as she knows it to stand up to Umbridge like that, especially seeing as how the Ministry treated Dumbledore throughout this book. I could tell that the unfairness and injustice of the whole situation just ate at McGonagall. I was also a bit impressed with Snape. When I read the Occlumency lessons previously, I always assumed Harry and Ron were a little bit right that Snape wasn't really trying to teach him properly. I figured his hatred of Harry stopped him from trying to effectively teach. But he did seem to put in quite a bit of effort. Sure, a lot of it was through anger on both of their parts, but reading the things Snape actually said to him in their lessons, there wasn't as much cruelty and meanness as there normally is between Snape and Harry. He actually gave Harry some good advice that Harry simply ignored. And of course, Snape's worst memory...I read that so differently now that I know the whole story. But I really do with I could punch James, Sirius, AND Snape in that scene.

The thing that struck me the most in this book was actually Harry's grief for Sirius and Dumbledore's sad and pained reaction. That whole scene ripped my heart in two. Harry grieving and trying so hard to deal with this unimaginable pain, and Dumbledore knowing that, through years of trying and trying to spare Harry every bit of pain he could, he ended up causing the worst pain of all. This scene definitely cements for me the fact that Dumbledore legitimately cared for Harry. I know that comes into question later on, but I fully believe that he cared about Harry, and that he knew it was unwise of him to do so. Thoughts on that?

M: In his office, after the battle with Voldemort and the death of Sirius, Dumbledore says to Harry, "I cared about you too much ... more for your life than the lives that might be lost if the plan failed." That's something a parent feels. Most parents would let the world burn were it to save their child. It's a rather horrible thought, really, but it makes sense. And of course Dumbledore felt an almost parental affection for Harry. He was always there. So yeah, I totally believe that Dumbledore cared deeply for Harry.

Now, I feel like I need to talk about Umbridge. Before we started the series I told you that I was a bit worried that JKR had a woman problem. There was Umbridge and her terrifying femininity, Hermione's constant nagging, and Bellatrix, the Mad Woman. I believed that this problem solidified itself within this book, oh how wrong I was! In this book we do see Umbridge is terrifying and feminine but it's never a note that the two go handedly together - it's just part of this one character. Same with Bellatrix, yes she's mad and she's a woman and there is not a man that is her equal in insanity or hysterics within the series, but Sirius comes pretty close to it at times in both books 4 and 5. I believe that to be more of a tribute to Azkaban than anything else. Then there's Hermione...all of that "nagging" she's done throughout the series, well, it becomes brilliantly clear in this book that if Harry had just listened to her advice more often he would have been much better off. There's also a surprising strength in Luna who can be eerily logical when the situation demands it, and as you say, McGonagall's action throughout the book are inspiring (even at risk to her life, she was almost stunned to death for defending Hagrid). Then there's Ginny, and instead of discussing her character again I'll leave you with this quote from Fred and George, "size is no guarantee of power ... Look at Ginny." Yeah, Ginny Forever.

V: I'm so glad you feel that way! I've heard many accusations about Umbridge's character being sexist, since she ends up being more hated than Voldemort in a lot of cases, but I've never really agreed with that idea. Many people think that the hatred everyone feels for Umbridge has a lot to do with her being a woman with power, but I completely disagree. The fandom's hatred of Umbridge has to do with her realness.  There are Umbridge's out there in the world, and many kids deal with them day to day and cannot do anything to fight back. To me, it was never because she was a woman. In fact, her being feminine only made her scarier, because we normally associate that kind of femininity with kindness and more motherly qualities, but she twists that idea entirely. Umbridge is at her most dangerous when she's being falsely sweet...I honestly think Umbridge is aware of that clash and uses it to her advantage. She's probably aware that people underestimate her. I think you're right that there are some excellent examples of female characters in this series: as you said, McGonagall. Hermione, Ginny, Luna, and we should never forget Molly Weasley. Even more minor characters like Angelina Johnson, who captains the school's underdog sports team to a Quidditch Cup win...JKR knows what's up when it comes to excellent and humanized female characters.

And that wraps up our thoughts on Book 5! We've emerged emotionally damaged from Order of the Phoenix, and now we head into the penultimate book of the series, Half-Blood Prince! Don't forget to check out our read-along tweets on Twitter and our Potter postings on Tumblr! Also, don't miss our first podcast, Jiggery Pokery! We'll be recording our second podcast after we finish the series, and we'll be following up on a lot of our mid-series discussion from the first podcast.

Thank you for the tea, Weatherby: Or Our Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

And another one down! Michelle and I have made it over the hump of the series, and the midpoint of the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, is now behind us! 

V: So this book was harder for me to get through, not because it was longer but because it was heavier. Did it feel heavy to you? Most talk about how "dark" the series continually gets, but I think heavy is a better word for it. There's more to deal with, more to worry about, and we've pretty much seen the last of happy-go-lucky Harry simply having fun at Hogwarts. With the Triwizard Tournament going on, we see an almost constantly worried Harry. The poor kid hardly has a moment to sit down and just be happy that he's back in the Wizarding World before he's thrown into a life-threatening tournament.  And I think part of what contributed to this feeling of nerves and almost fear throughout the book is that Harry is a bit older, he sees more, and there's more worrisome stuff going on even outside of Hogwarts in the rest of the Wizarding World, so he's started actually catching the worry on the faces of the adults, he hears the breaks in their voices, and he knows that everything isn't quite under control anymore. Of course, this means that we too see a lot more uncertainty in the adult cast, which can't mean anything good. Add in the idea that the problems and bad things aren't just happening at Hogwarts anymore but throughout the entire world, and you've got yourself an already darker and more nerve-wracking atmosphere.

In the midst of all this worry and change, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are growing up. Hermione takes up activism for house-elves, Ron and Harry have their first fight, and they all have their first crushes. Overall, life at Hogwarts gets that much more complicated and interesting. People have criticized the romance in the HP books before, saying that romance was the one thing JKR wasn't any good at writing. I know book 6 is more the central hub for this sort of argument, but what do you think about that at this early stage in Book 4? We see Ron's crush on Fleur, based almost solely on looks, and it's juxtaposed with Harry's shy crush on Cho (which seems to be based more on who she is...Quidditch player, good student, nice person...in addition to her being pretty) and Hermione's actual relationship with Krum. I think Hermione and Krum are the most interesting couple here. It only makes sense that Hermione was the first in any sort of relationship and that it was with an older guy; Hermione is the most generally mature of the group, and she's not the one who had to do the asking. Ron's anger and jealousy in the face of Hermione's relationship only serve to emphasize his own immaturity, honestly (this kind of happens to Harry too, as he starts hating Cedric for dating Cho). Harry might have been second onto the relationship train if not for Cedric Diggory. Even Ginny, though she still clearly has a crush on Harry, is more talkative and open, and we can actually see her becoming a fuller character. I don't see a problem with the development of crushes and romantic feelings. It all struck me as perfectly believable, especially in the context of characters who have a lot of other things to worry about. I think JKR has done a pretty good job of setting up budding relationships and their development through the next couple of books. Did you have any problem with the more teenager-y realness that seemed to enter this book? Do you think it could have been written better? Is there anything you found particularly off-putting about the whole thing?

M: I feel like I always describe later books as darker because the earlier books are so full of wide-eyed wonder, but heavy is a good signifier as well. Reading Goblet of Fire was great, but you do sometimes feel burdened by the weight of the story in a way that is not present in the earlier books. I feel like a lot of that has to do with the character's ages as well. Not only is the situation becoming more dire with Voldemort but, as you say, the kids are understanding more of it at the same time that their lives and relationships are getting more confusing. It's a lot to take on and I feel like that comes across very well. I'm surprised to hear that JKR is criticized for her portrayal of romantic relationships. I remember reading the books for the first time (being about the age of the characters) and not thinking anything about it - what they were going through (the petty jealousies and such) just made sense; upon reading the books a second time I'm more aware of what they are going through and just thinking to myself "oh, hormones." As a child and as an adult reader the smaller strife within the novel made sense to me and suited the overall personhood of the characters.

Victoria and I have shared quite a few of our thoughts on the Harry Potter series here on the blog, but I want to end our discussion of Book Four here to share with you guys our first podcast, Jiggery Pokery. We talked about everything from Professor Snape to Percy Jackson to the Weasleys' parenting skills, and everything in between!

Collywobbles: Or Our Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Another week down and another book in our Harry Potter readalong has ended. This one is particularly heart wrenching as we are introduced to Messrs. Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail, and Prongs. Here are a few of our thoughts on Book Three... 

 

M: This book is frequently labelled a turning point in the series; while the first two installments are by no means all sunshine and roses, Prisoner of Azkaban lacks even the semblance of lightheartedness found within the first two books. I feel like we get traces of it in places like Hogsmead, but the specter of the dementors pervades almost ever section of the novel.

I think this might be my least favorite book in the series. I love meeting Lupin and going to Hogsmead, but some of the storytelling is a bit clunky. And really, I will never stop thinking about this - why couldn't Lupin tell Harry he was a friend of his parents? Also, McGonagall reveals that she was a teacher of theirs - why has she never taken the time to talk to Harry about them? This is an orphan child that is hungry for stories of his family. He is apparently surrounded by people who knew them...share some stories! 

 

V: I think it's funny that this is your least favorite book. It's my third favorite, and this one (along with maybe book 4) seems to be most people's favorite. Sirius and Lupin are such beloved characters, and people adore this book often for that reason alone. It's interesting to see how different people approach the series. 

It's funny that you mention the parent thing. I've been thinking about that too, but I think Lupin has a pretty decent reason for never discussing James in detail. Since it's well-known that James and Sirius were best friends, and Sirius is on the loose and considered by all to be a mass murderer, it wouldn't really be the most prudent thing for Lupin to discuss that he was friends with James, and therefore Sirius. I'm sure people know they were friends, but as Lupin is already distrusted among Wizard-kind, I can understand him taking the precaution of distancing himself a little from those ties to such a notorious criminal. 

As for people like McGonagall, they probably just haven't thought about it. Harry never asks about his parents (most likely a trained reflex from 11 years with the "no-questions" Dursleys), and I don't think most people realize how little he knows about them. Dumbledore is the only one who seems to recognize Harry's hunger for information, and just about every time he is able to sit and have a conversation with Harry, he tells Harry more about his parents. 

What I found interesting in this book is how it offers the barest hints of information that will become vital later in the series. For instance (without spoiling anything), we get mention of Professor Trelawney having made a previous prediction, as well as the backstory of James and co at school. We also get quite a bit of backstory on Snape, or at least the threads of it, which becomes quite important later on. Even the idea of the dementors not being entirely underMinistry  control is mentioned very briefly. The foreshadowing in Chamber of Secrets was incredibly obvious to someone who knows the end of the series, but the hints in this book are way more subtle and easier to miss. 

A couple of my favorite things about this book: 1) Lupin's constant sass. He does it politely and with a smile, and it's hilarious. 2) The Quidditch Cup. I'm really glad it took Gryffindor three books to win the Cup, because it really built up the tension for that final match against Slytherin. Especially have played and watched Muggle Quidditch, I completely understand the tension involved in the scoring before catching the snitch and everything. 3) Lee Jordan's commentary. I simply love it.

I was most bothered by Harry and Ron's quite unkind treatment of Hermione in this book. I know they're only 13, but what did you think about that??

 

M: At one point after discovering Lupin went to school with his father Harry says "you must have know Sirius Black as well" and Lupin replies "I thought I did." Oh, that part breaks my heart. It does seem that it would have been both difficult and dangerous for Lupin to talk about his old friends. And with Sirius escaping and having Harry thrust into his life you can imagine that the emotions he had been coping with for the last twelve years would be overwhelming. I think this is true for Snape as well...I don't want to delve too far into Snape's backstory considering we don't learn much about it until later in the series, but the resentment and despair of his entire life is personified in Harry Potter then exacerbated by the escape of Black and the position of Lupin at Hogwarts. And he still brews Lupin's much needed potion! I've said before that I am not a Snape apologist, but I am a bit more sympathetic to him this time around.

We both mentioned on Twitter just how complex this series is. The entire history is so fully realized that I cannot help but wonder how much of this world Rowling has in her head that she hasn't shared with us.

As for the trio's many bumps in the road this year I'll say this, I have two siblings (one older and one younger) and I can say from experience that with three close friends alliances build and fall constantly but the three of you are always a unit. When it matters Ron, Hermione, and Harry all come together. It makes sense for them to have falling outs once in a while. Plus, the tension between Ron and Hermione is building. They are weirded out by their attraction to one another and it comes out in their preteen state as anger sometimes.

And finally, I take your joy in Lupin's sass and raise you McGonagall throwing major shade at Trelawney. The Christmas dinner scene is fantastic.

V: Oh I certainly understand the fighting and bickering between friends who almost resemble siblings in a way. I grew up with two brothers myself (also one older and one younger...imagine that), so it's understandable that they fight. It would be unbelievable if they didn't. But Harry and particularly Ron seemed to be just mean to Hermione in this book. The poor girl has so much going on, she's stressed to the max and clearly trying to do more than she can handle (which is kind of nice to read, as it reinforces Hermione's humanity), and she really was just trying to help. They kind of abandon her at her most vulnerable point in the series so far, and Ron especially is kind of cruel about it a couple of times. I just found myself feeling really bad for Hermione and being quite angry at Harry and Ron for their poor treatment of her. I know Hermione didn't exactly start off the series with friends, but the loneliness of being friendless is completely different from the loneliness of your friends ignoring you. I feel for her.

You make an excellent point. McGonagall got some fantastic bits of snark in this one. I also love her Quidditch rivalry with Snape. It's hilarious to me that these two very dignified teachers get really caught up in Quidditch.

 

M: I do think Ron and Harry's treatment of Hermione is meant to be a big deal. Hagrid even talks to them about it, and frankly I love that Hermione goes to Hagrid with her troubles. He really is the most maternal character. 

I'll end out thoughts on Azkaban here with something we haven't spoken about at all - the films. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is in my opinion the best film in the series even if it isn't one of my favorite books, and as Victoria has pointed out on Tumblr it is the film in which Harry looks the most like...well, Harry! That reminds me, are you keeping up with us on Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook?

Jiggery Pokery: Or Our Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Victoria and I are still posting away on Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook but now that we've finished Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets we wanted to discuss some of our thoughts here more in depth.

V: I enjoyed Chamber of Secrets much more than I anticipated. It's not my favorite HP book, and though I obviously love all of the books in the series, Sorcerer's Stone and Prisoner of Azkaban stand out so much more to me, leaving Chamber of Secrets behind in the dust. But I really liked it this time. I'm much fonder of this book than I thought, and I think this is because I actually slowed down and paid more attention to the book than I normally would have. Have you experienced this with either of the books we've read so far?? I know most people seem to like books 4 and 5 best (which is strange to me because those two are my least favorite), so what's your opinion on these two early books?? Things really start to get darker in Prisoner of Azkaban (as if they weren't dark enough already), so I'm curious to know what you think of the first two books, since they are generally considered to be more lighthearted and are aimed at a younger audience.  The beginning of the series is very special to me because Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all closest to my age in these books (I was 8). However, having finished Chamber of Secrets again and really enjoyed it this much, I might have to reevaluate my long-standing favorites list of Potter books.

M: I've loved both of these books the second time around. Chamber of Secrets was a bit different than Sorcerer's Stone because even though there is plenty of magic it is less magical; maybe that's just me... I was surprised by how dark this book is. As you say, these two early books are the most lighthearted and this one is full of some pretty heavy stuff. I don't recall connecting more heavily with any one book in the series over another. I connect heavily with scenes involving Neville Longbottom of which I think Book Five has the most - so Order of Phoenix all the way! 

My big thing coming out of Chamber of Secrets though is the foreshadowing!! I know that you have been noticing this stuff from the beginning but anyone familiar with later events in the series cannot deny that JK basically knew what was going to go down in the end at this early date. She begins to build on the relationship between Harry and Voldemort in a way that affects the last actions of the series. It's brilliant really.

Then, though I'm hesitant to bring this up, there's the Ron-Hermione thing. Rowling and Emma Watson recently questioned rather or not Ron and Hermione would have ended up together/had a happy life together. First let's take away the fact that they are children when we know them and we know nothing of their adult life experiences and just deal with this - they are twelve years old in this book and Ron is already so dead loyal to Hermione. Something happened between Books One and Two that changed their dynamic. I will say this, Ron is already clearly in love with Hermione and his reactions to her being abused and harmed in this book prove that. And it's heartwarming and adorable and I like to imagine them happy together in their later years even if Hermione is far more accomplished than Ron. Agreed?

V: I completely agree about the foreshadowing and the Ron/Hermione thing 100%. Ron clearly has deep feelings for her, even if at this point they are only friendship-feelings. He works very hard to defend her in this book, and I really loved it. But I also love that no matter how much he defends Hermione, he still treats her like just Hermione. He doesn't put her on a pedestal and refuse to see her flaws or anything. He still finds her annoying sometimes, he still thinks she's silly and weird and reads too much...it's what makes their friendship and later their romantic relationship so normal and believable. Because sure, Ron makes fun of Hermione plenty, but when push comes to shove, he'll support her completely. 

I think you make a very good point about the fact that we don't see these characters fully into their adult lives. I personally think Ron changes a LOT by the end of the series. It's impossible to watch these two 12 year olds and decide whether or not they could succeed romantically. 

I pointed out SO MUCH FORESHADOWING in my copy of the book. It’s all over the place. I don't know if you noticed, but they even mentioned Mundungus Fletcher early on in this book. Chamber of Secrets and Half-Blood Prince are very closely connected books, even JKR said so, and it's obvious and impossible to ignore once you know it's there. I paid special attention to Dumbledore in the closing scenes when Harry hands him Riddle's diary and explains what it did. Because Dumbledore knows a lot more in that scene than he lets on, and you can usually tell. He's quite interested in such an object. 

I also really loved Dobby in this one, though he's changed a little for me. I noticed that Dobby really does only care about keeping Harry safe. Dobby isn't interested in trying to stop the danger or save everyone else, he's interested in keeping Harry safe. This, combined with Dobby's beautiful explanation of what Harry means to the lowly like himself really moved me. Harry literally is Dobby's greatest hope. Harry is the one shining light in a world of darkness for Dobby and other such creatures. It helps explain Firenze's reaction to Harry in Book 1, and it's something that, reading the books mostly from Harry's perspective, we really don't get to see. Just like Harry, we have NO IDEA what the dark days were like. We get some of it by Book 7, but it's not quite the same. We don't really have the benefit of understanding just how much hope and joy Harry brought to the entire Wizarding world. Dobby gives us (and Harry) a little glimpse into that, and I loved it. 

For the record, I super love Lockhart as a character. He's so terrible and over the top that I can't help but love him. Every scene he's in is absolutely hilarious.

M: I totally love Lockhart too! I'm always curious about how that happens - here's this person that anyone would detest upon actually meeting them but the author has molded him into something so gloriously over the top that you can't help but enjoy the scenes that he is in. Gilderoy Lockhart is just beyond and I love it even if it is hard to reconcile the actual havoc he leaves in his wake (not at Hogwarts necessarily but throughout his entire life).
Oh, and Firenze. I am so intrigued by the centaurs and I'm excited to encounter them again later. They embody the sort of beautiful mystery of magic for me. Within Hogwarts we have the actual learning of magic and skills needed to perform it but out there in the Forbidden Forest and beyond we have this wealth of creatures that are in harmony with the magical world - that's very intriguing.
I hadn't really thought about what Harry means to lower lifeforms in the Wizarding world, but I thought a lot about the...should we call it racism? classism? I guess overall prejudice would be the most apt phrasing. Chamber of Secrets is saying a lot about prejudice and judging on merit rather than by blood (or what have you), and what is interesting about that is that Harry completely lacks these prejudices - he has difficulty being unkind to garden gnomes. Growing up Muggle (oh man, that should totally be the title of your memoir by the way) Harry considers all magical creatures equal and equally amazing. As does the reader, which has real world implications. In so many ways this series serves as a morality fable, and like all the best children's literature before it you are so entertained you don't even realize you are learning to be a better person.

V: Exactly! There's just so much! It's what makes these books so magical. There's a whole world out there we never even get to see. The fact that it feels so real that parts that don't even exist in the books can exist in my head is its own kind of magic. I also completely agree about the prejudice ideas you mentioned. That becomes incredibly important in this book and once again foreshadows the development of the rest of the series. Book 2 is the first time Harry has to come to terms with the fact that the Wizarding world is not all magic, wonder, and happiness. There are some really dark things going on, and they don't all stem from Voldemort. 

So that wraps up Chamber of Secrets! We've watched Harry face down He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named twice already, and now it's time to take a turn into the first book in the series that does not feature the series' main villain. We're delving into Prisoner of Azkaban, and I know I certainly can't wait to meet some of my favorite characters in the series once again! Get ready for "double, double, toil and trouble!"