Friday Five: Harry Potter

This week's magical theme suggested by Reverend Mother.

1. Which Harry Potter book is your favorite and why?
   Probably the first. This is not to disparage the remaining books in the series - and I have read all but the penultimate book (The Half-Blood Prince). The first book charmingly creates a world very much like our own, and thoroughly describes a more-or-less parallel magical universe. If this book had not done its job so well, the series would not be as popular.


2. Which character do you most resemble? Which character would you most like to get to know?
   On my bad days, I resemble Harry at his fussiest (see Order of the Phoenix), with none of his positive qualities. On my good days, I think I resemble Ron: a loyal friend who is slightly less adept than the hero.
      I'd like to visit with Ron or Hermoine. I admire Hermoine's sense of justice (see Chamber of Secrets).


3. How careful are you about spoilers?
   I'd rather not know what happens, but I'm not going to commit Avada Kedavra if someone makes a slip.
      Since I've taken my own sweet time about reading the series (I have yet to begin Half-Blood Prince) spoilers must be accepted as a fact of life. But, as the first option suggested, the journey is more important than particular points along the way. I've recently learned which charecter dies in Half-Blood Prince, for example, but I don't think it will spoil my enjoyment of the book.


4. Make one prediction/share one hope about book 7.
   The good guys will win, and the bad guys will lose. Ms. Rowling has said the series is primarily about death, and has announced that two major characters will die in the final book.
      It seems safe to assume that Lord Voldemort will be one of those two people. A number of people have persuasively argued that Harry Potter will be the other character to die.
      One of the dominant themes of folk tales and myth (no question that this is a type of modern folk tale) is that death is not the end. As a rule, even if the hero dies, his or her legacy continues in some manner.
      The series has not been overtly Christian, in the same way that C.S. Lewis' Narnia series is, yet it does evoke a morality that is, at least, consistent with orthodox Christian teaching. See, for example, see Reverend Mother's two sermons inspired by the series.
      So, while Harry may not resurrect (as Aslan does in LWW), he will conquer death in some fashion. 


5. Rowling has said she's not planning any prequels or sequels, but are there characters or storylines (past or future) that you would like to see pursued?
   Hagrid's history.