It appears to me to be Harry and Voldemort in their final duel in the Great Hall. (The bewitched ceiling is showing the dawn outside, and in the background you can see the people standing around and watching.) I assume Harry is reaching to catch the Elder Wand.

I have to say the only thing that took me out of the book was when Harry became godfather to Lupin and Tonks' kid. I KNEW then that they were goners.

I too am on my second reading. It's better.

This book was wonderful. It couldn't have ended any other way. I hope she never sells the rights, although I do hope she continues to write.

Although I must say it would be interesting to read a book about Albus Severus...

Just finished the book about an hour ago (got it on Saturday morning). JK really did outdo herself this time. The only thing was that I started bawling and I told my roommate (who hasn't read the book yet, she is re-reading book 6) that if I'm crying this hard at the book the movie is going to be gut-wrenching. Can you imagine the score that Hans Zimmer will do? Eek!


Question (highlight to read after some spoiler space for those who get the email alerts):





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Okay, maybe I'm just having a blonde moment but who the heck was the person that JK said would come into their power late in life? I seriously don't have a clue who it was. What chapter did it occur it? At first I thought it was Molly, but she came from a wizarding family because while the Weasley's weren't well off, they were Pureblood.


thoughts on book (again highlight to read after some minimal spoiler space)



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I loved the memories that Snape gave to Harry at his death. I literally was bawling. I was like OMG he loved Lily and he actually did want to protect Harry it's just that he (Harry) reminded him so much of James and James was an ass. I also loved how Harry named his son after Snape, it was another of thos "aww" moments for me. I thought it was interesting that Petunia wanted to go to Hogwarts to the point that she wrote to Dumbledore to try to get in.

I was happy to discover the pact between Snape and Dumbledore. I always thought that Snape wasn't evil and that there was a reason that DD called him there on the night he died.

I was shocked with the amount of characters that died (that we actually "knew" of); Mad-eye, Tonks, Lupin, Fred, Snape, Dobby, Bellatrix and even Hedwig and of course Voldemort (which we knew as coming). I had a feeling that one of the Weasley's would die. I was sad when Tonks and Lupin died, especially since they basically did the same as Lily and James, putting their lives on the line to save their son. I got my first tears when Dobby died, LOL.

I thought it was interesting that Draco was saved by Harry & Co. twice, even that Draco seemed to be "nice" to them 19 years later.

I could go on and on, but I shall stop for now :D

My guess is that the person who comes into power late in life would be Neville Longbottom, although I'm really not sure about that one either.

It was fantastic. I could not have envisioned a better conclusion to the story of Harry Potter. I would love to read a story about their children. But, I'm holding out for her to write Hogwarts: A History.

Highlight: Yes to both of your questions. :)


I had the exact same thought about Neville. Early in the series didn't he worry that he was a squib?

I cried from the first chapter to the very end. I really really wanted to know what happened to the Dursley's and if Harry's relationship with them ever improved. I secretly hoped in the Epilogue that Dudley would show up with his own kid being sent to Hogwarts! That would make Mummy proud!!! :p

In case you didn't realize, the entire thread has a spoiler warning so if someone gets email alerts because they subscribed to the thread they have either a) already read the book, or b)haven't but don't care about knowing what's going to happen. Basically making the posts difficult to read (which if you hit quote you can see it plain as day) isn't necessary.

As Beryana noted, the title of this thread says "Spoilers Abound," so no need to hide the spoilers. I noted this in a post yesterday, but I went back and checked, and JKR made the statement that one person would do magic late in life an interview in 1999, before the publication of POA. She never said it would happen in the last book. I think people just assumed it would be in the last book.

The speculation I have seen is that she was referring to Voldemort's mother, Merope Gaunt, who couldn't do magic until her father and brother were gone and were no longer squelching her.

Alternatively, it is quite possible that this was a plot point she decided to drop in the 7 years between making the statement and finishing the writing.

Things I would have liked to have seen / found out:

- Did harry finish school

- Of those killed in the battle, did any of them ever become Hogwatrs ghosts (what are the requirements anyways?)

- What kinds of jobs did they take upon finishing (Did Harry become an Auror?)

- What became of Azkaban and the dementors?

- Did goblin / human relations improve?

- I am still a bit confused about the sword ... if Griphook took it back in the Gringotts battle...how did Neville get it? Unless...they made the switch....

- who raised Lupin and Tonk's son

- Did Snape get a frame in the headmaster's room? I could only imagine what would have been said if Harry ever had a chance to communicate with Snape in that manner

- And as much darkness that was in him, how was Voldemort's body disposed of?

My thoughts........

Does anyone else find it ironic that Harry and Voldemort are distantly related (both coming from the Peverell brothers)?

In the epilogue, Teddy Lupin was snogging Victoire (which I'm assuming is Bill and Fleur's child). Victoire means victory in French...my guess is that the wizarding world had a baby boom 9 months after Voldemort's downfall ;).

Questions I still have:

Who leaked the info about Harry's departure from the Dursley's to Snape? I know Dumbledore told him, but how did Dumbledore's portrait know?

I too would like to know what happened to the Dursleys.

Who is headmaster at Hogwarts and what does Harry do for a living?

Nigellus maybe....possible they were still using Grimmauld place and then don't forget Prof. McGonagall was still headmistress at the time too....

OK, I gotta say something here. James definitely acted like an ass to Snape, but if we were all judged by our nature in adolescence, we'd be in trouble. Don't get me wrong- I like Snape and he was a good guy for the (most) part (let's not forget that the only reason he protected Harry was so his mother didn't die in vain and he was a Death Eater). James did a lot of great things for the Order and I'm sure he simmered down once he matured.

as Dumbledore said....he wonders if they sort too early

Neville pulled it out of the sorting hat. I don't know how he got it, but I know he pulled it out of the hat like Harry did in the chamber of secrets.

I was a little confused by that as well, but I had to leave it at "he pulled it out of a hat." As we have been reminded, "Help will always be given to those at Hogwarts who ask."

I, too would have liked to have been told about whether Harry, Ron and Hermione went back to school and what they and Ginny now do for a living. I assume Tonks' mom raised Teddy -- that's who he was with during the battle. And I also assume that Snape's portrait is indeed in the Headmistress's office (for I think McGonagall became Headmistress -- would have liked to know if she was still living when Albus left for Hogwarts).

And I don't think anyone told Dumbeldore about Harry's departure necessarily. Dumbledore saw that coming a year earlier. He would have had discussions with other members of the Order about it before he died.