I am just reading The Room of Lost Dreams over at the exchange.
Of course, the point of fanfiction is to fill in blanks the original author left us (and heaven knows JKR left us enough to last a lifetime), but there is something pretty much all of the stories have in common that JKR didn't touch at all, and that is the simple act of surviving the war.
JKR didn't bother to deal with traumatized, injured, depressed people. She jumped up seventeen years and all was well.
In fanfic, it isn't, and those seventeen years didn't just fly by while everybody who lived lived happily ever after.
No matter whether the writer ignores or uses the epilogue, no matter whether the people who died in DH are dead in the fanfic or not, we try to deal with the inevitable.
Survivor's guilt, Post Traumatic Stress, marrying quickly and having children early, the psychological and the political effects of a war.

And it's not just because we want to be able to write steamy hot lemons and long hurt/comfort fics. Somehow, it feels that in her determination to wrap things up JKR not only put every single character she ever mentioned before into DH to finish the specific plotline more or less cleanly, she also made her characters less human in the end. Even the ones she had taken the time and effort to make nicely life-like, realistic and complex before were turned to mere cut-outs to file away somewhere and leave the desk nice and tidy.

As we want to continue to play, it makes sense we can't leave it at that. But still, I think we're being much kinder to the people and the universe JKR created than she herself was.
From an interview with Rickman that [livejournal.com profile] harrietvane linked:

In all this time, we have barely mentioned Harry Potter. Rickman always avoids it - "I don't want to play with something that has to do with children's innocence" is a typical riposte - but it is the boy wizard who has given him enough leverage to get films such as Snow Cake made. And, of course, he likes playing the professor of potions, whom he sees as "quite an insecure person, always longing to be something else that people will really respect".

"At this point, it's good to have done something for children," he says. "I like the fact it's persuaded children to read. If I'm going to be working when I'm 80, I need them as my audience."

He gives a faint, Snape-like smile that suggests he might prefer them as his next meal. Perhaps it was a glimpse of his forthcoming Sweeney Todd. He's a very funny man, but he does make a good villain.




He must be just as disappointed about book 7 as most of the fans. I think he understands Snape better than JKR does.
quite an insecure person, always longing to be something else that people will really respect
*nods sagely*
this is what you get when you eat dinner in company of people who know Harry Potter for a change.

Cropping up in a discussion about the Sectumsempra curse:

Zorro Snape

Discuss.


Also, I've come so far in panicking about DH that I actually started considering that Mr. Lovegood might be right in some things.
My bets aren't on the rotfang conspiracy, but you never know...
Don't worry, there are no spoilers. Not that I expect anybody who's afraid of spoilers to still read the flist, which raises the question why I'm still posting HP related stuff, but there you are.


If Tom Riddle really didn't know about Horcruxes - that is, how to know make one - by the time he asked Slughorn about it, he did not make the Gaunt ring a Horcrux when he killed his father.
Because in the memory Slughorn tampered with, Tom already wore the ring when he asked Slughorn, so it would have been too late after that one murder to create the Horcrux. Dumbledore suggests something like that when he tells how he found the ring and says that After Tom made the Horcrux, he didn't want to wear the ring anymore, but I never really noticed before.


Also, Dubledore is a strong enough Legilimens to break through Tom's memory spells on Morphin Gaunt. Wouldn't that mean that he would notice if Snape was lying to him?

I suppose when it comes to the question of Snape's loyalties, it's still all a question of whether Lord Voldemort or Albus Dumbledore would work harder to find out.


Also, Phineas Nigellus seems to know why Dumbledore trusts Snape. And as he's a Slytherin, he's unlikely to think that love, as suggested in the theory of Snape's love for Lily, is a good enough reason.
Speaking of Phineas, the scene when he wanders off at the end of OotP to look for Sirius in Grimmauld Place - the idea of seeing him walking from portrait to portrait, calling out for him, after claiming over and over again that he's worthless, a blood traitor - ouch.



Dumbledore wears the Gaunt ring when he and Harry visit Slughorn. Dumbledore counts - and rightly so - on Slughorn recognising the ring. But does Slughorn recognise it as the ring Tom Riddle owned, does he know it is a Horcrux, what actually does he know?
I must say I can't decide on Slughorn's loyalty. He is extremely fixated on his own interests, and he loves to know famous people. Who's more famous than Lord Voldemort?



Another funny thing: In "Snape's worst memory", Harry actually sees Severus use the Sectumsempra curse. Severus uses it on - James, I think and cuts his cheek open. Yet when he uses it on Draco and sees what it does, he doesn't realise that. He doesn't realise that he's seen it before.

WTF?

Jul. 15th, 2007 01:42 pm
I'm almost at the end of GoF.

And here," Voldemort moved on to the two largest hooded figures, "We have Crabbe ... you will do better this time, will you not, Crabbe? And you, Goyle? (page 705 of the Bloomsbury paperback)
Is that just about them not coming to look for him? Then why would he address only them, when JKR clearly states he passes by others without saying anything?
Or did they in some way betray them?


"[...]So how could I take him? Why ... by using Bertha Jorkins's information, of course. Use my one faithful Death Eater, stationed at Hogwarts [...]" (page 712)

I'm puzzled. When he goes around the circle counting off the Death Eaters that are not there, he reaches a gap where six are missing: three dead, one too afraid to come back, one who he believes has deserted him forever, one who remains his faithful servant.
Of course, while reading the first time, many of us figured the faithful servant was Severus, only later to realise it was Crouch jr.
However, at the time when Voldemort must be plotting, Barty Crouch jr is in fact not yet in Hogwarts. The exchange only takes place the day before Moody is supposed to arrive at Hogwarts. The only possible servant in Hogwarts at that time is Snape. But he must be the one who Voldemort believes has deserted him.
I would assume the one too afraid is Karkaroff.

Voldemort does later accept Snape back in his ranks or he couldn't spy on the Death Eaters during OotP.
Or does he think Karkaroff to be the one who's deserted him, and Snape the one too afraid?
And how, still, could he refer to Barty as the loyal servant in Hogwarts at a time when Barty was in fact not in Hogwarts?


It probably is just JKR not quite getting her facts straight.
But that doesn't make it any better.


Also, must Voldemort make the cardinal mistake of any villain, even though we know from countless James Bond movies how dangerous it is? Must he tell his actions in front of his mortal enemy and force him into a duel?

The good thing about the audio books is that I pay closer attention when listening that I would to the book. The bad thing is I could read the book in one day, but take two for the audio book.
I'm finding something new every day. So here's for today. And it sure fits me - eceopt the Hufflepuff part. I insist I'm a Ravenclaw...
ResultBadger
Your Patronus is the Badger! The badger is a symbol
of aggressiveness, passion and drive. He is
also the mascot for Hufflepuff. As your
Patronus, the Badger will bite and claw to
protect you. Congratulations!

That your Patronus is a badger says that you are
very driven in whatever you do. When you enjoy
something, you go at it with all of your heart.
Unfortunately, you also tend to be aggressive,
and this can lead to a bossy attitude. Try to
keep that aggression in check, and you'll be a
wonderful witch or wizard!


What is Your Patronus? Version 1
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