Surprised!

When I first read the books, I didn’t foresee the ending at all. I was totally thrown by every twist and turn in the series. For someone, like me, who reads but doesn’t overanalyze books, I think J.K. Rowling did an excellent job of keeping the suspense. The part about Harry being a horcrux was a shock to me. I knew there was a connection between Harry and Voldemort, but I didn’t realize it was as deep as that. Once I found out he was, it definitely made sense though and I could see all the connections from book one all the way to the end. I had to keep rereading the part about the Elder wand. I couldn’t understand how Voldemort couldn’t be the master of the wand and how his spell backfired on himself. I am happy that Harry essentially out witted Voldemort, instead of having to kill him.

I think Snape surprised me the most. I really didn’t like him at all throughout the series, but at the end, I could really appreciate all the sacrifices he made just to save the son of the love of his life. I feel like he was almost the true hero of the entire story. I don’t mean to dismiss what Harry does. Harry’s acceptance of death at the end is somewhat similar to Snape’s. Snape has to know he is going to die at the end, so he has accepted death. By the end of the series, I ended up liking Snape, though it is really hard for me to admit it!

Towards the end, however, I started to dislike Dumbledore. Seeing all the webs he weaved and all the people he put into danger made me not like him. I know that without him, Voldemort probably wouldn’t have been defeated, but I feel like there had to be a better way for him to coach Harry or he should have at least offered more information. This is all being said considering he was one of my favorite characters in the beginning. I felt like as long as he was there, nothing could happen, exactly the way Harry probably felt. I was sad when he died, but after reading book 7, I realized how much information he left out.

I guess I just see the entire series as a big war, which is what it describes itself as. It is a war where a dictator rises up and somebody else in the world has to step up and take them down. That is the best I can do to relate it to the “real world” because, for me, the world of Harry Potter is so special and magical that I don’t want to relate it to our world’s problems or issues. (I know that really doesn’t answer that question, but I just can’t bring myself to think about it too much because it will ruin the books for me!)

Blog Post #3

I had previously read the first four novels of the series. I stopped reading them because I was about twenty by then, and they did not catch my interest. I always hoped to finish the rest of the series just to say I had read them, but my time was spent writing papers and reading required materials for my classes. I took this class with the goal of finishing the series. Now that I've finished the series, I may just be a little obsessed (This is an understatement). I am so happy to have finally read the fifth, sixth and seventh books because they really do dramatically differ from the first half of the series. I really enjoyed the twist of the tone in The Order of the Phoenix. The tone of the books mature with Harry as he comes closer and closer to his final meeting with Voldemort.

I also really enjoyed how the characters developed in the span of seven books. In the first half, Dumbledore seemed eccentric but powerful and loving. Later my warm feelings for him changed, just as Harry's changed, when I found out about his past from characters such as Aberforth. Dumbledore really became a round character during the seventh book after his death--we learned about his flaws and his priorities.

Although I like Dumbledore's development, Snape actually became my favorite character because of his complexity. In the first part of my final, I wrote about sacrificial love and how Snape became intertwined with the major theme of the series. For me, the ambiguity of his loyalty is what kept me reading. He really was the "spinner" of the web.

Rowling is absolutely ingenious for the ending of the series. I was nervous that I wouldn't be impressed, but the complexity of the finale has kept me thinking about it for about a week now. The intricacy of the Elder Wand and its master confused me, but after reading the final chapters over and over, I was very much impressed.

I look forward to watching the movies now that I've completed the series. I might even enroll at Hogwarts in the fall.

Blog Post #3, The End of Something Great

This wasn’t my first time reading the series. Actually, it wasn’t even my second time. I’ve read this series multiple times; though this was the first time doing it for an academic setting. I’ve always loved Harry Potter. I would try to recall my reactions from when I first finished the series, but those reactions get jumbled with my more recent reactions. In some ways the ending is bittersweet because of it being the end of an amazing series. I have so much respect for Rowling as an author though. She constructed an amazing series. From book to book we have great plotlines, complex characters, and so much going on that reading them is always interesting. She continues to surprise us about the characters even in the last book. Though I knew she would be killing off a lot of characters in the final novel, there was no way she couldn’t, I was still very upset about some of the characters she chose to kill. It only makes sense, since she’s such a good author that I became very attached to a lot of characters. I was particularly heartbroken about Lupin, Tonks, Dobby, and Fred. She made me cry when Sirius died. She made me cry when Dumbledore died. Then she kills off even more characters I like and I just sob. It’s really quite sad. She does such an excellent job of fleshing out these characters and making them so real that I get attached even though I know they’re fictional. The whole seventh book just tugs at your heartstrings as well as puts you on edge with the stress of the plot, particularly when we know Voldemort has discovered Harry’s knowledge of the Horcruxes and is on his way to Hogwarts after checking each one.

I love that we see more of the side characters develop as well. The whole DA, the resistance at Hogwarts, Neville becoming more of a leader and then his heroic moment when he kills Nagini with the sword, Dobby saving the group from the Malfoy manor, Ginny stubbornly staying to join the fight, Mrs. Weasley fighting against Bellatrix, etc. There are so many great moments with characters other than Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Rowling created such a well-rounded world and cast of characters that we see these other people grow and develop in the series. I love that so many of them get awesome moments in the final book and the final fight. We see everything come together for an epic resolution.

I wasn’t extremely surprised by Dumbledore or by Snape. Even in my first reading I remember reading it and accepting it. I knew she would have something up her sleeve, since she had written in a number of surprises in the previous books. Part of me had always held out hope for Snape to be good. I just didn’t want to believe he was entirely evil and of course it turned out he wasn’t. He’s a brilliantly complex character. The one thing I remember that surprised me about Snape wasn’t him being good, it was his love and devotion for Lily. I knew they were friends and that they knew each other while at Hogwarts, but Rowling extended the connection between the two all the way back to when they were kids. That changes Snape and lets us see more of his motivation for his actions. It also does show a real human side of him. Just like with Riddle and Dumbledore, the background of a person is needed to understand just who they are and why they made the decisions they did. By showing us more of Snape’s past, we’re able to better understand him and what he went through. In the end he made his decisions because of love and loyalty.

Dumbledore always pulled the strings throughout the series, manipulating those around him. He would do it for the greater good of course, but he was the master puppeteer. I think that’s why I wasn’t surprised not only about the tasks he left for the trio, but also that he shows up in the end to talk to Harry when Harry is struck down by Voldemort. Even though Dumbledore was dead physically there was that small part of me that knew he couldn’t be gone completely. He was too important of a figure and too much a part of what was happening to not come back in some way. I wasn’t exactly sure how Rowling would bring him back, but I did have the sneaking suspicion he would show up again in some way.

I definitely think this is a series that teaches a lot and is so much more than just a child’s story or a fantasy series. Rowling confronts a lot of issues such as death, love, sacrifice, friendship, good and evil, growing up, prejudice, etc. Even though it is presented as a fun and interesting story she brings up these issues and comments on them. By reading this series the issues can be addressed without just bluntly bringing them up. Parents and children can read the series and then talk about the Holocaust or bullying or puberty or even just what is right and wrong. Kids can even just relate to the characters in the story as they mature and grow through their experiences. I was about the same age as the characters when I first read it and I remember feeling like I was growing and changing with them. The series opens the doors to some of these difficult topics because everything is woven into the story and plot. I think she does a brilliant job with making it more than just a story. It’s entertaining, yes, and fun to read, but it can also teach a lot of lessons.

A Change in ourselves through the Changing Story

When Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out, I, like everyone else I knew, stayed up all night to read the book and finish it before everyone else. With this information hungry read through, I was very shocked by many poignant things. Ron abandoning Harry and Hermione. Harry saving Draco’s life. Hermione and Ron’s dramatic kiss. Dumbledore’s history. Snape, Dobby, Lupin, Tonks, Fred, Collin, countless other deaths. Neville’s badassery. Narcissa saving Harry. Just to name a few.

But one of the most shocking things that I think everyone can agree on is finally learning the truth about Severus Snape. After spending six consecutive books learning to hate Snape beyond ourselves, it was incredibly shocking, and almost problematic, to learn the Snape was good all along. The chapter “The Prince’s Tale” reveals the Snape we never got to meet. We readers learn through Harry and Snape’s memories that Snape was on “our side” the entire time. He was acting as Voldemort’s right hand man under the orders of Dumbledore himself. The complexity of Snape’s character is thrown in our face with such force that we feel guilty for hating him, especially when you reread the series with this knowledge. This knowledge, however, becomes problematic because it is difficult to hate the bad guy when you know how complex he is.

Learning about Dumbledore is also problematic. All the time we spent hating Snape, we have been trusting Albus Dumbledore with everything we have. Finding out how much vital information he kept from Harry is truly unsettling and dramatically changes our view of Dumbledore.

I also think that Neville and Ron’s character development is worth mentioning. Although not as ground shaking, they both transform into quite, not as vital characters to integral, plot determining characters. Ron, playing the role of ‘sidekick,’ was always a quite supporter of Harry and his actions. When Harry gets into the Triwizard Tournament, tensions begin to rise, but nothing breaks until Deathly Hallows when Ron calls Harry out on not knowing what he’s doing. When Ron finally returns, he picks up a leadership role that puts him more in the spotlight. Similarly, Neville was another quite supporter who began to shine slightly in Order of the Phoenix. In Deathly Hallows, Neville kills Nagini, the last Horcurx, making Lord Voldemort mortal once more.

I also want to share a quick tidbit on the emotional pulls of the final chapter of Rowling’s epic. I was touched at every major death, but what really got me was the third to last chapter, “The Forest Again.” When Harry began walking to his death, encouraged by those who loved him- his parents, Sirius, Remus- I remember crying my eyes out. It was 3am, I was sitting up on my bed, crying so hard I had to physically put the book down. This chapter was so poignant for me because it is such an emotional and touching chapter. It is this sort of relatable, empathetic emotion that brings the series to multiple generations.

This groundbreaking series defines our generation. It has integrated itself into our lives through not only through books, but in our cinema. We were raised with the story of the every-day boy turned hero that inspired us all to believe in magic again.

Blog Post #3 Revisionist thinking on the series

Like other's this was my first time reading the series. My biggest complaint about the final book is that Harry didn't die. I know everyone wants him to live, but I like to think that he was willing to give his life for the better of the wizarding world.  Also, I didn't like that Harry was immune from dyeing in his battle with Voldermort.

My fillings towards Dumbledore didn't change very much throughout the series. However, my love hate relationship with Snape was a rollercoaster. I felt the whole time that Snape could be a bad guy, then when it was confirmed in the Order of the Phoenix, I was almost happy. Then it was turned around, when he was shown to be good after all. It makes for good suspense, but I would have like him to just be bad. I was happier hating him after the order of the Phoenix.

Reflecting back on Harry, I felt that Harry always seemed to get out of things. Sure you can be lucky a few times, but seven times? I liked the character of Harry, I just didn't like the way he always ended up triumphing over everything. Sure, he suffered, by the loss of hiss family (Sirius, Mom & Dad, and Dumbledore), but I wanted him to suffer a little more as an individual (ie: die). I guess I just like darker books and this series was dark, but it still ended a little clean for me.

As far as Ron and Hermione go. I liked their characters for the series. I wish they would have rebelled against Harry a little more than they did. Sure they had their disagreements, but they always ended up back together. In the real world, all of your friends don't make it through four years of high school with you, let alone seven years of wizard school.  I don't think one of them should have died, but it would have been nice if one fell out of the group for a a year or two and showed up in the end. I guess I'm a revisionist.

I'm not really sure where all of this fits in a social context. 

Blog Post #3

My first time reading the series was in the 5th grade and I only read the first three books.  This was my first time actually reading the whole series and discussing the theories of H.P in depth.  I have to say that my whole attitude toward the whole series has dramatically changed.  Definitely once you start reading the series and invest yourself in them, you start to form some sort of attachment to these characters as if they were real people. There were a lot of unexpected twists and shock that happened and I think I would need to read the series again and more thoroughly to  fully enjoy/understand the plot twists and changes. I found it hard to read the entire series in the shortest amount of time possible, I am a student in daap therefore my schedule is always packed with hours upon hours of different projects so I found it hard to read the entire book in the allotted time.

   My perceptions of the characters definitely changed throughout the series. Of course Harry is the most popular character but I always like to root for the least likely.  Ron became more of a front runner for me because his confidence and individuality started to shine through over Harry.  Harry became less and less likable for me because he is so angry and stubborn, although I cannot imagine all he has gone through at such a young age.  I think his trials and tribulations definitely justify his anger at times but I also don't appreciate how he would treat Ron and Hermione and all the people who were willingly to risk their life to help Harry.  At times it seems he took their help for granite and almost preferred to stand alone.

blog prompt 3: Final Thoughts

I was one of the few people that had never read the Harry Potter series before this course began. I’ll be honest, I did not expect to like the Harry Potter series in the slightest bit, but I needed a Literature course credit in order to graduate after this quarter. I figured it would have been more fun to read the Harry Potter series more than any other literature course’s assigned readings. After reading the first couple of books, I wasn’t sold on the fact that I would begin to like the series. However, after reading the Prisoner of Azkaban and the Goblet of Fire, I really started to get into reading the series. I found myself reading the books that weren’t even due until the next week of class because I wanted to find out what was next for Harry and the gang. With seven longer books with the same characters, you really start to feel like you know the characters and you want to see what is in store for them next.

It’s no wonder that the books and movies have become vastly popular in our society. I can remember taking my sister to Barnes and Noble to buy of the one new book when it first came out at midnight. I can remember thinking, I would never go buy a book at midnight and then spend all night reading it. However, this course has broadened my view and I can honestly say that I loved the series. I wish that I had not seen the movies before reading the books because I knew important facts (Dumbledor dying, Snape being the half-blood prince, and Sirius and Mad Eye Moody dying, etc.) about the series before I had even read the books. Because of this, I wasn’t surprised when some larger events occurred but it was definitely worth reading the books because it explains far more about the series and definitely add to the characters development throughout the series. After reading all seven books and watching seven out of the eight movies now, I feel like I know more about these characters than any other movie I have watched or book I have read. I’m honestly sad that this is the end of the entire series because I feel like if Rowling would have wanted to see could have continued to write novels about Harry and his friends after they had defeated Voldemort. The epilogue of the Deathly Hallows did sum up the lives of the main characters but I’m still hoping that Rowling surprises everyone and writes a few more books about the magical world of witchcraft and wizardry.

Blog Post #3: Final Thoughts

This quarter I accomplished something I always wanted to do but never had the time to do before. This is the first time that I have read the Harry Potter series and I am just perplexed by how well the Harry Potter series was constructed by J.K Rowling.

Since, I have been saying this in just about every response and paper I have written, I'll say it again. I saw the movies before I ever read any of the books and throughout the series I was expecting that the movies would cut out a lot of parts in the books, which they did, and when I got to parts in the book that were not like the movie, I was really mad about what scenes and characters the producers decided cut out of the movie. Winky is probably one of my favorite characters and I would have never known about her if I wouldn't have read the book. So lesson learned you should ALWAYS read the books before watching the movie.

Since the second part of Deathly Hallows hasn't came out yet the seventh book is one movie that I actually had the experience of not knowing anything that was about to happen. I can honestly say that I wasn't surprised that Harry defeated Voldemort in the end because I didn't think people would have loved the series as much as they did if J.K Rowling decided to kill off Harry instead. But, I was surprised by all the events leading up to the final show down with Harry and Voldemort. When I read the part about Dumblebore knowing that Harry would have to sacrifice himself before anyone else would be able to kill Voldemort I was shocked. It amazes me how Dumbledore and Snape could help Harry all along the way and then when it came to the end knowing that he would have to die to save everyone else, had to be one of the hardest things either man had to do. Dumbledore loved Harry and Snape was connected to Harry becuase of his love for Lily, I just can't imagine the amount of courage it takes to know all along that you have to prepare someone to sacrifice themselves to help the "greater good". In my opinion I respect Snape and Dumbledore for their role in the series. Both Dumbledore and Snape made mistakes in their lives, but that makes them only human so I don't think anyone can fault Snape for what he did as a Death Eater he felt remorse and repented for what he had done.

To me this series portrays a very biblical tale; good triumphing over evil in the end, repenting of your sins for forgiveness (Snape returning to the good side), the power of love and forgiveness, and most importantly self-sacrifice for others. I'm not sure that I can be convinced that this series is not based upon religious ideals.

Analysis of Ending

The ending was fantastic. The best chapter of the entire series by far is The Prince’s Tale. Now it may be fairly obvious that Snape is tied for my favorite character along with Kreacher, but this chapter was just brilliant. I loved how it showed all of the difficult tasks that Dumbledore set for Snape. I would argue that Snape had the worst job of the order along with Harry. Harry didn’t have as much of an option in his matter if Voldemort was to die he must die, but Snape on the other hand had the option to betray the one he loathed and chose to sacrifice his life for him.
Snape really got the raw deal. He had to kill his mentor and arguably his best friend in Dumbledore. Work alongside Lupin and Sirius who absolutely loathed him. Then after abiding by Dumbledore’s request was under constant scrutiny of being dubbed a traitor. He had to spy on the most evil wizard in the world that in its self could be proof enough to be the worst deal. Then to cap it off he had to sacrifice himself for James Potter’s kid. For all of these reasons Snape is my hero, and it negates any petty mistreating of Harry whom was not entirely innocent.
I was surprised by the how many people got killed. I prediction was that far more people would die. The guarantees I had were Dumbledore, Harry, and Sirius. I had Hagrid and Lupin down for almost certain to die, because of how much the trio loved Hagrid and because Lupin was the last connection to Harry’s parents nuclear friends. I also thought that Ron and Neville would die. I guess that I just overestimated the power of the death eaters. (or maybe underestimated the strength of the order)
However, one major issue I had with the ending was Harry’s ability to come back because of his blood being inside Voldemort. I’m happy that Harry got to live in the end and am aware that Harry must die in order to kill Voldemort, but this was too farfetched. The idea that one can be brought back because another’s blood is inside them is too far. Why don’t people who die that have donated blood come back to life when the recipient is still alive? She could have at least explained this detail a little bit better.
Overall, the series was brilliant. The last book was the best with the significant exception to the lack of clarity how Harry was able to come back to life. I really enjoyed the epilogue and the fact that Harry named one of his sons after Severus. It would have been better if he would have also named one of his son’s Kreacher.

Blog Post #3 Ending

There were certain parts that the end of the series had that I enjoyed, while there were many I thought were lackluster as well. I thought the series ended well with a dramatic ending that lasted a while and kept me entertained throughout. The epilogue was also a nice addition; it allowed closure for a lot of the characters that were extremely important for the story. That being said, there were several moments at the conclusion of the story that I really didn’t care for.

The last two books in particular really built up Snape’s character. I felt that it was fairly obvious that Snape was not truly on Voldemort’s side. The way Rowling wrote his character throughout the series never really lead me to believe that he was a generic, flat, evil character. Due to this, I felt there was going to be a major revelation with his character. This revelation happened after his death when Harry viewed his memories through the pensieve after Voldemort had killed him. His death in particular, I felt was very weak. He went in a room with Voldemort and was killed. There wasn’t any really dramatic scene or anything, Rowling just killed him off. This was, in my opinion, one of the scenes in the book that had a lot of importance, but was poorly executed.

Another issue I had with the ending was the magic and explanation behind the ownership of wands; more specifically, the ownership issue with the elder wand. Suddenly the entire series boils down to how important it was that Harry stole Malfoy’s wand. It was by chance that Harry fought with Malfoy to disarm him and become the owner of the elder wand, and I feel it was a weak explanation for him to own the wand and be able to defeat Voldemort. There were many times throughout the series that wands were disarmed from people and this ownership issue never came up. Finally, above all, just because Harry owned the elder wand, I don’t see how this let Voldemort be killed, especially when Harry just used a disarming spell. Wands were taken and used against their owners multiple times in the series. I didn’t really appreciate the wand ownership ordeal, but despite this, I still felt that the climactic ending sequence at the castle was really the high point of the series; and I’m fine with how it ended.

Blog post 3

This is just the latest of many re-reads of the Harry Potter series for me, yet my original thoughts and opinions remain roughly the same now as they did the first time I read the series. The series is no great work of literature, metaphor is not layered subtlety throughout the series, but the series was certainly, and most importantly a good story and enjoyable read, which is what all authors should aim for when writing a book. My biggest quibble with the whole series is that it is obvious to me that (even though Rowling denies it) it is obvious to me that while Rowling had a very limited idea of where the story was going, she had no idea about the sub-plots, side characters or the journey that the story would take. There are far too many continuity errors in the series for the story to have been well thought out before each book was written. The example that is most fresh in my mind is the whole wand lore idea that was created for book 7. Throughout the whole series Harry disarms many witches and wizards and yet the wands never changed allegiance and every one could use their wands fine. In earlier books character use other characters wands without noticing any difference in ability. For each book you can always predict what components are going to be important for the conclusion simply by looking at small details which are suddenly thrust into the books. The Harry Potter series lacks the cohesion of the true epics. It is always easy to tell when a author has the whole story thought out, or if they are simply writing book by book, in this case I think it is the latter.

As far as the characters go, all of the characters pretty much followed the paths I thought they would. Dumbledore was still dead, but continued to influence events (also he was made into a real person that makes mistakes, which I liked). Snape was on the side I thought he was (the circumstances of why were a pleasant surprise however). Harry’s forgiveness of Snape was heart touching. However I did not like the fact that Harry survived. I was really expecting Harry to die, and follow the ultimate sacrifice story line. I really felt like the circumstances at the end of the book were a little childish. The conversation with Dumbledore was intended to tie up loose ends and everything that wasn’t explained was explained by “we are delving into depths of magic we cannot understand”. Overall impression- fun read, good story, no great work of literature, not an epic on the scale of LOTR, Game of Thrones, the epics of Brandon Sanderson, or Brent Weeks. By far they are not the best books I have read. But I will continue to revisit the series in the years to come.

Blog 3

This is not my first time reading the series, but I found that I didn’t remember much of the sixth and seventh books. I knew the ending, but I didn’t remember many of the scenes and small details. I really enjoyed the end of the series, especially the second time I read them because I paid more attention to detail. Originally, I was very surprised with how Snape turned out. I was sure he was one of Voldemort’s followers and not to be trusted. I also found the connection between Snape and Lily extremely interesting. I hadn’t caught the foreshadowing when Harry was watching Lily stand up for Snape in the pensive. I thought the foreshadowing was a subtle detail that was well written. I wasn’t as surprised about how Dumbledore turned out. Although Harry had many doubts towards the end of the series, Dumbledore had seemed a character that had been built upon trust. He was never direct or blunt and that became clear when Harry began to realize he didn’t truly know where to go to find the horcruxes. My feelings towards Ron, Harry, and Hermoine changed slightly though I didn’t quite realize it until reflecting on the series. I always liked Ron’s character and he grew even more likeable towards the end. He became independent and confident, but it was interesting to watch him grow throughout the series. My feelings for Harry changed even more than they did for Ron. There were points in which I felt Harry was too angry and I was ready to finish the book. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was one of my least favorite books in the series. Harry was constantly angry and resentful, which is understandable in his situation, but I felt it was drawn out. There weren’t many times I felt like Harry tried to understand the other point of view and why they were withholding information from him. It seemed to me that often Harry wasn’t told information because of the connection between his mind and Voldemort’s mind, but Harry never thought of this. Once Hermione warned Harry that the image of Sirius’ death could be a trap, Harry still didn’t believe her even though I felt it seemed obvious that Hermione was right. However, Harry’s character seemed more rounded in the sixth and seventh book. By the end I still enjoyed his character, though he was not my favorite. Hermione changed dramatically from the first to the seventh book, but it was very gradual. I suddenly remembered that in the first book she never broke a rule. By the seventh, she wasn’t even in school. J. K. Rowling wrote Hermione’s character well so that this change was only noticeable upon reflecting all the way back to book one.

I think that without taking this class I would not have thought of Harry Potter in terms of a social or cultural context. I was younger when I first read the series and it was simply a fantasy world. However, I think if you read the series while thinking about these larger contexts there are many similarities. Rowling incorporates historical events into the series with her use of Voldemort’s reign of fear. Voldemort’s reign of fear could be compared to Hitler’s rule in Nazi Germany. There is acknowledgement of abuse and PTSD. Harry grew up with the Dursley’s who neglected him and ignored Dudley’s taunts of Harry. As Harry goes through school he experiences symptoms of PTSD. There is also a connection between the pureblood/muggle classes and the socioeconomic classes seen in today’s society. There are also completely different cultures between muggles and purebloods. Cultural differences exist between many communities in today's society as well.

Blog #3: Final Thoughts.

The end of this series was a bit of a let down for me. Having never read the books I thoroughly enjoyed the first four books, yet found the last three painfully boring- despite whatever interesting secrets were revealed. Order of the Pheonix and The Halfblood Prince were too long for their own good. I can remember reading them and wishing that every time I turned the page it was to the last. The editor could have slashed half the content from each book and combined the two. With all that Rowling skips over, do we really need to know every question and answer on the OWLS or have another lengthy conversation that goes nowhere?

I always liked Snape. I wasn’t one of the diehard fans but I always thought him a practical man who had his own purposes for his actions, just as Harry did. Maybe its because I liked his portrayal in the movies or because Harry wasn’t the type of kid I’d have been friends with. Once it became obvious that Dumbledore was running the show and pulling the strings it was not too far off that Snape was part of his plan, especially after what Harry caught a glimpse of on the astronomy tower. I don’t know how pleasurable of a person Snape really is to be around, but based on his CHOICES he his a good man. He played the role that no one else would take and did his best to limit the damage done by Voldemort from within.

Dumbledore, however…I mean, really? If this were real life I feel that someone like Dumbledore would have just taken care of it on his own as fast as he could for the greater good. Though, as someone said in class, it’d make a much less interesting series- and shorter. I really feel that the loss that occurred in this series is a direct result of Dumbledore sitting, waiting, and playing games rather than taking action- even if it was just acting on hunches. I really wish, though, that Rowling had used all those pages for Dumbledores horcrux hunts rather than boring stuff about the kids at Hogwarts. That would’ve been interesting!

My feelings still are the same for the main three. I never really found myself particularly drawn to them. Always to other characters, wanting to know more about these people that had longer, deeper histories and who had made their decisions (both good and bad); Like Snape, Dumbledore, Sirius, Lupin, Mr Malfoy. the Peveralls. I feel the series would have been 100x better if the story stayed in the same universe but concentrated on what happened in the time of Dumbledore’s youth through James and Lily’s deaths rather than a bunch of kids running around.

As far as social/cultural context, I feel that it’s too dumbed down (being for children) to be taken too serious. While there are SERIOUS social issues at hand, they’re not really explained or thoroughly addressed. If you’re trying to teach kids lessons about such things you need to be a bit more graphic or up front with your depictions. I think that most of the social/cultural themes we discussed would have gone completely over the heads of most young readers until an adult pointed them out or that child re-read the series as an adult. Again, I feel if this series was written for adults it would have been amazing and these issues would have been properly addressed.

A Brilliant End

After reading the entire series the first time, I both loved and hated the end of the book. I hated it because Rowling quite literally killed just about all of my favorite characters by the end: Lupin, Sirius, Dumbledore, Fred and Hedwig. I was also really disappointed with Snape’s “redemption”. However, that is what my final paper is on, so I could obviously write an entirely new blog post on that subject alone. In short, I still don’t think Snape had the right to treat Harry so terribly throughout his time at Hogwarts, even after all we see in the pensieve. Other than those minor details however, I absolutely loved the end of the series. The seventh book has forever gone down in History as my favorite book of all time.

In this book we really get to see the brilliance of Rowling’s plot. All of the ah-ha moments in Harry, Ron and Hermione’s journey are so pivotal and quite intricate. Who knew that all along the Hog’s Head barman was Aberforth, or that we’d have to remember from the very first book that Harry caught his first snitch in his mouth? The intricacy of Rowling’s plot is truly revealed in the seventh book and it is amazing that she was able to put together a series so beautifully.

Harry being the last horcrux: absolutely brilliant. His march to the forbidden forest under the invisibility cloak makes me absolutely ball my eyes out every time I read it. That is a pretty deep scene (talk about coming of age) to imagine your last thoughts as you are marching to your death.  What a true sign of Harry’s bravery and maturity. No one I know would be able to face death in such a way. And then to give him two of the Hallows so that he can face death rather than defeat it is once again amazing. Not to mention, the gifts that Dumbledore left Harry, Ron and Hermione all worked out so perfectly. I never would have guess Ron would have left the group and would have suspected even less that the deluminator would have led him back. I did suspect that Hermione would uncover something very important in her book because it was written in runes.  And  as I mentioned earlier, Harry, the snitch and the resurrection stone was unexpected (to me anyway) but so important to Harry’s character.

There is one shining moment in the seventh book that I think is one of the most important in the seires. All throughout the series Harry’s signature spell has been Expelliarmus. Each time he has faced Voldemort he has used Expelliarmus and it has worked to his advantage. When it came down to the final duel, I was so worried because I didn’t want Harry to become a killer, especially on Voldemort’s account. So when he yelled Expelliarmus instead of Avada Kedavra I cheered out loud. How is that for emphasizing good versus evil? Harry used a relatively friendly spell to force the most evil of spells back on his opponent, who really rebounded it on himself. (The path of the Elder wand’s possession through Draco Malfoy and to Harry was also quite remarkable).

Because I don’t want this post to get too long, I’ll sum up my thoughts on characters briefly. My opinion of Dumbledore never changed. I always knew he was human and probably had some skeletons in his closet but I never questioned his plan for Harry, while I was surprised and upset for a moment to find out he was sending Harry to his death, I knew there had to be a catch. As far as Snape is concerned, I’m still conflicted. I can forgive him for Dumbledore’s death and recognize his amazing bravery, but I’m still caught up on how terribly he always treated Harry especially considering his background.  I discussed Harry through most of the post but I think his character development is brilliant, you see him grow up so much. Ron is the same way. He finally confronts his worst fears when he kills the first horcrux and his transformation into a confident young man is awesome. I particularly loved Neville. I’m so glad that Neville became such a hero, even before he killed the snake. He had always been Harry’s foil and when Harry left Hogwarts, Neville stepped up. I love Neville.

As far as placing the series into a larger social/cultural text, I think that first of all, it is a great series for anyone to read. It highlights so many of the problems in today’s culture and shows how impossible our lives can seem but also emphasizes doing the right thing, no matter what the consequences. I think Rowling’s experience at Amnesty International really shines through the series and the series is easily applicable to any of the cases that she came into contact with in her position there. The struggle of the oppressed is a constant underlying theme in the series as is equality. There is also the historical context in which the series can be compared to Hitler’s Reich. 

First time reading

For reading this the first time, finishing the series shocked me and put everything together, making me truly enjoy the series with all its twists and turns. I got very upset thinking that Harry was about to lose his life but gained a lot of respect for him for being able to sacrifice himself as his mom once did for the good of another.

Ron shocked me when he left them but then it made sense when the truth came out that he was just jealous of Harry and Hermione’s relationship, which made him leaving almost justifiable to me.

Hermione remained the same throughout the series always impressing me with her knowledge and every book she became more of a rebel and an adventurer.

Dumbledore was a superior figure the entire series and his death in the 6^th book upset me but then in the last book finding out he planned it that way to ensure the wand was no able to give Voldemort the power of the Elder Wand, was very impressive and shocking.

The biggest shock was Snape, I never would of thought all he did was driven by love and devotion, and throughout the series he barely shows any signs of love or compassion. Snape’s love for Lily Potter was the reason he was always there when Harry got in trouble and the reason he would turn Harry in, truly trying to keep him from danger. Also, when you find out the silver doe that helped Harry and Ron was really Snape’s patronus.

All of these characters changed when faced with adversity and all risked their life to fulfill the ending goal of killing Voldemort.

This most problematic and stressful part for me was when Harry knew Voldemort was about to find out the necklace was gone and he was on the search for the other Horcruxes. Also, when Harry was trying to find out why Voldemort was on the search for Grindelwald. The whole Elder Wand scenario was problematic, who had the true power, it was very confusing but Dumbledore had it planned the entire time.

In J.K. Rowling’s series she uses her characters and plot line to describe scenarios today, such as the problems between muggles and pure bloods and how the Slytherin pure bloods feel superior to the muggles and make it known. Also, she shows the coming of age very well. Such as, in real life one gets there drivers license and gets accepted to college, and in the series these are depicted by getting the acceptance letter to Hogwarts, learning how to ride a broom stick and new spells.

Blog Post #3

Reading the last book of this series was awesome, because I honestly did not expect most of the deaths, twists of plot, and the secrets that were revealed. This was my first time reading the entire series, and putting it all together at the end makes everything so much better and more interesting (with a lot of anticipation!). My feelings about Dumbledore were just completely reassured: still pulling strings and helping out, when he is dead. It shows that he is with Harry every step of the way, whether he can physically be by his side or not. To be honest, I still am not a Snape fan, and Rowling made him so tricky to figure out and he seemed so sneaky. I was so convinced he was a Death Eater or on the dark side in ALL the books, and then he tries to claim he isn’t, but really is, and then isn’t again. His love for Lily showed true loyalty and gave us more of an idea of what the real Snape was like. It was kept very quiet and never hinted towards, and Snape always made comments about how much Harry was like his father, and never noted anything about his mother, or more specifically his eyes being similar to Lily’s. I never would have guessed any of that if you would have asked me after the fifth and sixth book, because we didn’t like him in the Order of the Phoenix or when he killed Dumbledore. I think Ron was really important in this book, because he displays his bravery and knowledge, and I particularly love when he saves Harry and destroys the Horcrux. He shows that Harry isn’t the only one that can contribute on their mission, and there is a reason he and Hermione promised to accompany Harry. Hermione, from day one, had the brains to disguise Harry, use the polyjuice potion routinely, put a false memory charm on her parents, and trick Bellatrix about the sword just to name a few examples. By now, that is what was expecting of her and she too contributed in a major way in Harry’s quest. After all of the horrible deaths and battles in the Deathly Hallows, the epilogue nineteen years later really cheered me up, and the two marriages of Harry and Ginny and Ron and Hermione were somewhat expected, but enjoyable to see. Seeing their children getting ready for Hogwarts for their first year had to be a funny feeling for them after everything they had been through together at the school.

Blog Prompt #3

How did you feel about the end of the series? What moments did you find particularly poignant, or problematic, and why? How did your feelings towards Dumbledore and Snape change? About Harry, Ron, and Hermione? Why did they change in this way?

In addition, now that you have finished the series, how would you place it in a larger social/cultural context?

Neville's Development

In the Harry Potter series, we are initially introduced to a group of young kids, only eleven years old. Throughout the seven novels we witness them come of age. They face many challenges and are forced to grow up and develop quicker than normal children. Neville Longbottom is a fantastic example of a Hogwarts student developing over the course of the series.

In the first four novels, Neville Longbottom is not seen as a main character. He doesn’t seem to serve much of a purpose in the novels. He becomes friends with Hermione, Ron, and Harry, but he never plays a major role until later in the series. He is a supporter of Harry and he is a good friend. It is not until Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, that we as the reader begin to see Neville in a different light. Neville works tirelessly to improve his skill along with the other students in Dumbledore's Army. Neville plays an important role in the battle at the Ministry and we learn that the prophecy could be about either Harry or Neville. Again, in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Neville fights the Death Eaters alongside Harry.

In the series, Neville changes drastically. He starts out as somewhat of a dunce, constantly making mistakes and performing spells incorrectly. However, later in the series we start to see him as a talented wizard and a loyal friend. The development of Neville truly depicts the theme of coming of age in the series. I believe that Neville is one of the best examples of this theme. We see him start the series as a mediocre student. He attempts to stand up for himself in the Sorcerer’s Stone, but fails. Later on, we witness Neville as a key component of Dumbledore’s Army and we see him as a young adult who can hold his own in a traumatic environment.

Kreacher's Development

My favorite character in the series is Kreacher, and I love the way he develops over the series. The major theme that revolves around Kreacher is empathy. First off Kreacher is a house elf. He is forced to do anything that his “master” commands. He loved his original owners, the Blacks because they treated him properly. The Blacks despised of anyone that was not pure blood so Kreacher took up similar values. Later in the series we learn that Kreacher experiences a very traumatic experience. He was volunteered by Regulus to go with Voldemort to hide the Horcrux which was a necklace. This is the moment where Regulus decides that he no longer wants to be a death eater, because of the way Kreacher is treated by Voldemort forced to drink that harmful potion. Later Sirius is the master of Kreacher and Sirius despises Kreacher because Sirius associates Kreacher with his parents, thus Kreacher’s hatred toward anyone non-pureblood is further strengthened.

Sirius dies and later Harry becomes his master. Harry treats Kreacher improperly so Kreacher returns the hatred. My favorite moment in the story is when Kreacher sends a Christmas present to Harry “To Master from Kreacher” and it is a box maggots. Initially, Kreacher is a dreadful cook, and is constantly ranting about “Half-blood traitors and mudbloods”, but that all changes when Harry gives Kreacher a Black heirloom. This empathy shown by Harry completely changes Kreacher’s behavior. Kreacher becomes a fantastic chef. He doesn’t once say “mudblood” or “Blood-traitor” after this instance. He also goes as far as leading the house elves to war against Voldemort. This one simple show of empathy towards Kreacher wins him over.
Empathy is a major theme in this novel and Kreacher is a prime example. When treated properly Kreacher adopts their beliefs. His entire appearance and cooking is dreadful when under Sirius control because Sirius hated Kreacher, but when someone treated him kindly he became a great cook, more cleanly appearance, and positive attitude. I believe that Rowling created the House elves to show the significance of empathy, because Kreacher went from hatred of “mudbloods” to risking his life for them.

Blog Post #2: Trusting Snape

SPOILERS!!! Don’t read unless you have finished the 7^th book!!!

I remember when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released. My friends and I were waiting for midnight to arrive so we could get our books, and there were employees handing out stickers and such. When we were offered some, I took a long, purple sticker thinking I would use it as a bookmark for my speed read of the book that night. On it were the words “Trust Snape!” which I thought odd. Turning to my friends I asked if Snape’s loyalties were really something to question at this point. I, much like Harry, was completely convinced that Snape was guilty and was baffled that this sticker was encouraging me to think otherwise.

Knowing what I know from the 7^th book however, I see Snape in a completely different light. At the beginning of the tale, when we meet him in the Great Hall, we immediately dislike Snape. He’s described as resembling a large bat. He dresses only in black robes and has ridiculously greasy hair that he hides his face behind. He picks on Harry, and really the entire Gryffindor house. In the second book he continues along this road. In the third book he wants to turn in Sirius Black who, through the story he and Lupin both tell, we have grown to love. In Goblet of Fire we see him and Karkaroff speaking in hushed whispers all over the school and first truly suspect Snape of being a Death Eater. He’s by far our least favorite Order member, even if he does swoop in to help Harry with Dumbledore at the last minute. Then to secure his place as our least favorite person he KILLS Dumbledore. We learn early on in the 7^th book that Snape has been named the new headmaster of Hogwarts, which we, along with Harry, this is horrible! I know I would have much preferred to see McGonagall as Headmistress.

But then we reach Chapter 33, The Prince’s Tale. We learn of Snape’s undying love for Lilly. How they were friends and how that friendship fell apart. How he came to Dumbledore, agreeing to spy on Voldemort as long as he could protect Lilly. How Snape agreed to protect Harry since he was unable to protect Lilly. That he was fulfilling a promise to Dumbledore when Snape killed him on the Astronomy Tower. How he protected Lupin from a Death Eater, but at the expense of George’s ear. How it was his patronus that Harry followed to the sword. Through all this we see that Snape’s actions were not fueled by hate for James and Harry, as we thought, but by his love for Lilly. After this realization it is near impossible for the reader to hate Snape. We, like Harry, must forgive him and carry this with us to our real relationships. People may be acting based on things we cannot know about them, and we should always be ready to forgive even our most hated enemies.

Blog Post #2: Discovery of Courage

One of the major themes that Rowling has in the Harry Potter series is the power of courage when faced with hardships. In the first couple novels in the series we see the main character Harry, Ron, and Hermione exemplify an extraordinary amount of courage when facing dangerous creatures, a Troll, Fluffy, Aarog, and a Basilisk, and dangerous wizards, Voldemort, death eaters. As the series progress, Harry, Ron and Hermione encounter more danger and they face it head on. However, they are not the only characters that’s showcase a great deal of courage. Neville Longbottom is depicted as a quiet timid boy in the first novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. As I read the first novel I couldn’t figure out why the sorting hat put Neville into Gryffindor, the house that is composed of students that possess the quality of courage, a quality which Neville certainly lacked. But as the series progress, Neville matured and slowly became more courageous. In the first novel, stands up to Harry, Ron and Hermione and tries to stop them from sneaking out of the Tower. Though it was a small act of courage to stand up to his friends, that was one of the first signs that showed embodying the Gryffindor virtue of courage. In later books, specifically Order of the Phoenix, Half Blood Prince, and Deathly Hallows Neville becomes more courageous fighting death eaters and continuing DA meetings at Hogwarts when Harry was no longer at school. To me the importance of Neville finding his courage as he matured was very different then that of Harry’s courage. Both boys are Gryffindors, both had parents in the Order of Phoenix, and both suffered major losses at a young age. The major difference being that Harry had courage thrust upon him from a very young age with losing his parents, undergoing the maltreatment from his aunt and uncle, and continually being targeted/attacked by dark wizards, and Neville had to search inside himself to find his courage and you see that as he grows from a timid first year student to a seventh year student who continued to lead a group of students in the fight against the death eaters during the school year. Neville’s transformation shows that courage is something that can be attained from standing up for your loved ones and what you believe in.

Somewhat of a Foil

I think that one of the most evident characters to come of age is Neville. In the beginning he is a nerdy kid who can’t seem to keep track of his toad. Even his grandmother treats him like he isn’t worth much. By the end of the first novel he is already showing signs of growth when he tries to stop the trio from going to find the Sorceror’s stone. He is still picked on brutally in the series by Snape, but even gets a little relief from him when he envisions him in his grandmother’s clothes. Finally, in the 5th book (as well as the 7th—but I won’t say much about that so that I don’t spoil anything) Neville gets the recognition he finally deserves. He is still seen as a little bit of a nerd, but he can finally stand on his own two feet.

It isn’t until later in the series when we find out that Neville has had a rough childhood just like Harry, and lost his parents (essentially—their minds are gone). I think we start to feel empathy towards Neville, just as we had empathy for Harry when the series first started. Neville is treated just as bad, if not worse, by Snape and Malfoy. We already know that Harry is picked on by the two, but he at least has a fighting chance as compared with Neville. I think that Neville is used to portray the theme of empathy. Neville is a helpless character and when others attack him, the reader cannot feel anything but empathy for him. He is just like the elves and innocent muggles who are tortured in the books. When people are helpless, it is easier to feel empathy for them.

Harry and Neville have somewhat similar backgrounds (no parents, very close in age, raised by relatives), but they end up as two completely different people. Neville isn’t exactly a foil to Harry, but he does emphasize Harry’s characteristics by being a parallel character. Rowling uses the two to show how two similar people can become to completely different people. The characters go through a total coming of age.

Blog Post #2, Seeing Beyond the Surface

All of the main characters have gone through coming of age experiences in the series. We can easily see each one growing and changing. Hermione isn’t just a shy, awkward, studious kid who only follows the rules anymore. She stands up for what is right and uses her knowledge to help her friends. It isn’t just about following the school rules and being a model student; it becomes about what is the right thing to do and acting on that knowledge. Ron finds the courage to be who he is instead of continuing to live in the shadows of others. He comes into his own not only by becoming a Prefect and then the Gryffindor Keeper, he also aids Harry in many of the tasks they go through. Ron even helps to destroy a horcrux. He comes into his own as a character as he develops and becomes more comfortable with who he is. Neville learns to have courage and stand up for himself. He stands up to Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the first book and then later he helps to fight against the Death Eaters when they’re in Hogwarts. He comes to be more than just the bumbling idiot that people thought of him as before. The DA and the real world threat of Voldemort helped Neville to form better relationships with those around him and to come out of his shell more, proving himself to be a truly brave person. All of these characters learn about the importance of friendship, love, loyalty, and more. Rowling packs so much into every storyline and every character. When I read this series originally I was about the age of the characters. I grew up with them and as I was learning to deal with life and my understanding was broadened, theirs were too. By putting so much into these characters they become more real and relate-able. We’re able to see bits of ourselves in them and then learn from their experiences even though it is just fiction.

Another character that changes rather surprisingly is Draco Malfoy. Not only does he change as a person but our perception of him changes as well. Rowling shows us that things aren’t just black and white. A villain isn’t just a villain. She even shows us some of this with Tom Riddle himself as we see his background and the circumstances that made him that way. It doesn’t excuse his terrible actions, but it does provide us with more of an understanding of why and how Voldemort became what he was. Draco is painted as an antagonist to Harry throughout the series and so naturally the reader often doesn’t like his character or have any sympathy for him. He bullies Harry, criticizes Ron's family, and calls Hermione a "mudblood". They're not exactly nice things. So of course we laugh when he’s turned into a ferret or when the other characters hex him. But slowly we learn about the circumstances Draco goes through and the truth behind the tough façade. Half Blood Prince initially paints another suspicious picture of him as Harry sees him sneaking around and is determined that Draco is doing terrible things. Even though Draco tries to put on a bold face and brag about the job he’s been assigned, he’s actually really worried about it. Some think Draco is being honored by being given such an assignment from Voldemort, but really there’s also punishment because of Lucius’ failure to get the prophecy and his capture from that. Voldemort assigns Draco the task because if he fails and dies then it doesn’t matter. He’s ok sacrificing Draco. There is the chance that Draco succeeds in the plan, and in some ways he does actually succeed in his mission though he fails to be the one who kills Dumbledore. His reluctance to actually kill as well as the stress this mission puts on him and the time that we see him crying in the bathroom show us that he is a character who struggles too. He isn’t just a terrible dark villain. He’s another person who also is trying to cope with life and the circumstances he’s been given as well as the expectations from his home life and then Voldemort on top of that. We finally see him as human and this changes our view of his character. Even in Deathly Hallows we hear about Draco being forced by Voldemort to use the Cruciatus curse. He’s an unwilling pawn in the game, and we feel sympathy for his character. Rowling’s ability to not only show the development of Draco but to also show that things aren’t just black and white really opens up our ideas of the world. We thought Draco was a terrible person that was worthy of our loathing, but it turns out he’s just another kid struggling and trying to cope. These characters, just like real people, have much more depth to them than it first appears.

Dumbledore's Development (D.D.)

Dumbledore’s development throughout the series shifts with my favorite aspect of the series, the tone. As readers, we really come to understand (or partially understand) who Dumbledore is through the eyes of his students, especially Harry. In the first chapter of The Sorcerer’s Stone, we first encounter Dumbledore’s purple boots and wisdom. The students are flabbergasted by his choice of words but honor his godlike status in the wizarding world. After all, he appears on a Chocolate Frog card. The tone remains relatively innocent in the first two books, and Dumbledore’s development remains in this godlike manner—sending help to Harry when he’s in trouble. The Mirror of Erised, Fawkes, and the Time-Turner are examples of this help. As Harry’s relationship with Dumbledore grows, however, he becomes more like a father figure. Not only is he Harry’s protector, but also he teaches Harry valuable lessons. He stands by Harry in The Goblet of Fire when everyone accuses him of putting in his own name, and he believes Harry about the return of Voldemort. In The Order of the Phoenix, when Dumbledore’s reputation is put at risk, Harry’s allegiance remains strong. I think it’s interesting to note that Harry’s opinion of Dumbledore changes when he takes on Voldemort’s perception. He wants to attack Dumbledore during these perception shifts. Dumbledore’s godlike status to Harry fades in the sixth book when Dumbledore is most vulnerable and destroyed by someone he trusts. His godlike status continues to fade into the seventh book when Harry hears the various rumors about Albus’ life. It brings up the discussion of “knowing” someone. Harry thinks he knows Dumbledore, but he begins to question his friendship when he learns about his past.

Dumbledore’s development in the series changes as Harry matures. He begins to form a friendship with his professor, who gives him personal instruction on the Dark Arts and in life. Rowling said the theme of the series is “death.” This theme is emphasized with Dumbledore’s death at the end of the sixth book. The tone becomes emphatically serious with the death of the godlike character. With his death, there is little hope in Harry who loses his source of guidance.

Blog Post #2

The entire series I have thought that the take away message on Snape is that just because you think someone is bad, doesn't mean they are. Throughout the series, up until the Half Blood Prince, Snape always looks bad, but in the end it's always proven that he's not really bad. However Rowling has ruined that perspective, since Snape is in fact bad.

In the earlier books every time we think Snape is out to get Harry, it ends up being the opposite. In the Order of the Phoenix we find out that Snape is a member of the order, which proves again that Snape is a trusted person. We also find out that he is a reformed Death Eater and  Dumbledore trusts him enough to vouch for his character.

Of course this all changes when Snape kills Dumbledore.  When I first read it I really thought that it was all going to be a trick. I thought it was a set-up to make Snape look like he was in on it, but really he wasn't. Then the book ended without the big reveal. I didn't really know what to think.

I think that Rowling's is pointing out that just because someone is trusted, doesn't mean they can be trusted. In other words don't trust anyone.  She even plays with idea when Harry thinks Hagrid might have opened the Chamber of Secrets. She wants you to think that there might be a hidden agenda in everyone.

She plays the same game with Sirius Black. When we first hear about Black, he's  a criminal, who everyone fears. Then  later we find out he's not what we thought he was. She's able to make us first hate and fear Sirius and then by the end of the book we not only accept him as good, but we grow to like him.

Sirius also mirrors Harry's mother in the fact that he dies fighting for Harry. This is the ultimate change in character. Not only did he go from being hated, to loved, but then he loved Harry enough to give up his own life.

We learn with Black that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover just like we did with Snape. The only problem with Snape is that we eventually learned we should have judged him by his cover. Rowling also shows us in both these characters that wizards and humans are fluid. Just because we think we see something in them, doesn't really mean it's there. However, sometimes it is.