Harry Potter

The sixth and seventh books just ruined the series for me. My two favorite Harry Potter books were the fourth and fifth ones, so I probably had unrealistic expectations. That and Fan Fic, probably ruined the last two books of the series.

After reading the type of fanfiction I'd come to enjoy, I absolutely loathed Ginny Weasley and expected a Harry that'd grow more powerful via character development and training. And then the Half-Blood Prince and the Deathly Hallows came out.

Harry pretty much stagnated in terms of magical ability, he's been throwing the disarming spell around since his second year. He'd be demolished by Voldemort in a fair fight. The introduction of horcruxes and the Deathly Hallows just made me rage. Let's forgo the epic magical battles (like Dumbledore verus Voldemort in the Mo M) and just bring in items of unfathomable power instead.

And Ginny just gets on my nerves, I couldn't believe what JK Rowling wrote as an epilogue. My mind just broke when I read the name of one of his many children. Albus Severus, are you joking? She tries to passes these two off as heroes when Albus turns out to be a Manipulative Bastard, while Snape's been a child abusing creep whose one positive is that he loved Harry's mother (gross).

/end rant /Cool story, bro

^^There's a reason I'm not in Ravenclaw.

edited 1st Mar '10 7:34:40 AM by Roman

I'm not sure why you are on about magical power: The whole point is that the difference between Harry and Voldemort isn't about their fighting prowess (or lack thereof), but his ability to selflessly love. I'm pretty certain that came up in O Ot P.

Yes, Harry's a lover, not a fighter.

edited 1st Mar '10 1:43:45 PM by Drakyndra

True enough. If you look at it objectively, Harry's not actually that talented of a wizard — he's a very good flyer and pretty resourceful with what he does have, but he never shows much raw intelligence or magical aptitude.

That excuses some of his lack of progress. Still, I think that by the end of the story, he does show some pretty appalling lack of initiative; if I had Superpowered Wizard Hitler gunning for me, I'd certainly take some time out of my busy schedule of wangst, emotional abuse, and awkward teenage dating to learn how to blow some things up with my mind.

Superpowered Wizard Hitler

This just made my day.

Yes, Harry's a lover, not a fighter.

^also, he's not the first person to call Voldemort "superpowered wizard Hitler"

I wasn't consciously quoting anyone, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone else had come up with the phrase independently. It's a pretty obvious description of Voldemort, after all.

Jo has said that he's a combination of Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin

The allegory breaks down when you try to imagine Scrimgeour as Churchill. I mean, really. The man doesn't crack a wry grin once!

wasn't he killed by the Death Eaters? I always thought Dumbledore was supposed to be Churchill?

Harry is basically Weak, but Skilled in terms of raw magical power. That, and he took advantage of the fundamental laws of magic that Voldemort warped to suit his Horcruxes' needs.

Simply put, Harry could easily defeat Voldemort in the end, but he'd have much more trouble trying to defeat, say, Snape in a one on one duel.

Right. Which is why all those Uber!Harry fics out there rarely ring quite true.

Well, Nightmares of Future Past did it pretty well, but that managed to squeeze in about twenty years of practice and a lot of motivation thanks to the Peggy Sue premise.

Not to mention Jade-Colored Glasses.

@Mac Phisto: Possibly, but it was Scrimgeour who took Fudge/Chamberlain's place, so for me Dumbledore requires some squinting.

yeah, and Scrimgeour still failed horribly

mmmmm... this is fun.

yes, voldemort was actually very weak when you look at him. he hardly had a heart at all anymore, he'd given it all away to greed. harry has one of the biggest, noblest hearts, i think. i guess you can't really put your heart into charms or transfiguration, really? like the mad bellatrix lestrange said, "You've got to mean it." Harry meant it when he was fighting for the good. he's like the ultimate noble character. honestly, can you believe what it would have been like if you had gone into a dark forest all alone on a dreary, miserable night to your death, all to save everyone you loved? that's true love right there, and that's what JKR was telling her story about. Love overcomes all power without soul any day. Harry had never ever killed anyone, he had always thought of the best for his friends, and when he loved someone, he loved them with all of his heart. That's why all of his losses were so painful for him. Voldemort killed so many, split his soul seven ways, never cared for anyone and never felt crippling remorse. on the outside, it would have seemed that voldemort had, though coldly, more power. but no, the love prevails! ^^ that's why i love this series.

As for Snape, I feel sorry for him mostly. Poor guy. That's my opinion.

Albus Dumbledore ROCKS. He was an amazing character. He had amazing wisdom and love as well. He's always been my favorite character.

Luna ROCKS! 8DDD she's such an awesome person, i'm telling you. I think most of us agree here. xDDD she's also so FUNNY. I love it.

I was actually only about six when i read Co S, so i didn't quite realize the whole Harryx Ginny thing even later on when Harry started liking Ginny (back) in 6, and i was nine. Yeah, I didn't get that Ginny might still have a crush on him from the second book xD I remember reading Order of the Phoenix when i was eight, and after Umbridge made her announcement to Hogwarts at the beginning of the year and Ginny remarked that, "...you'd have thought we were five, the way she talked to us," and I had thought, "...Five isn't that young an age..." Being thirteen now I can look back on that with great amusement.

Neville is an awesome guy as well. I'd love to meet him so that I could become good friends with him.

I love Ginny, Neville and Luna being best friends! Neville and Luna were sort of the outcasts and I just loved it that Ginny was nice enough and open-minded enough to become great friends with the both of them, being the popular sort of girl that she is. All of them together as friends just gives me a fuzzy feeling inside. I'm a bit disappointed that Neville and Luna didn't end up together, but you know it's the author that knows best ^^.

I'd be in Hufflepuff! x3 mostly because that's where the sorting hat would think i'd be happiest, I think ^^ and yellow rocks! :D that color is really cool! xD hobbit holes! and badgers are awesome. then again, eagles and sky-filled windows are pretty awesome, too...

this topic is dying

new idea!

list the characters you have Perverse Sexual Lust for!

I'll go first:

Bellatrix Lestrange

Seamus Finnegan. It's Sluagh's fault.

^^Nightmare Fetishist much?

If I had to pick a character I'd go out with, it'd probably be Bill or Charlie. For Les Yay, I'd totally do Ginny or Luna.

edited 14th Mar '10 6:36:37 PM by Mapi

Sirius Black. I blame Gary Oldman.

Oh yeah, if it weren't for the fact that Sirius is way older than I am...

Luna. Also, Luna, Luna and Luna. And then more Luna.

^^Nightmare Fetishist much?

She could probably deal out some GREAT discipline... Her and that Cruciatus curse...

the way she breathes "ickle... baby... Potter..." and that seen in The Half Blood Prince where she kisses Draco on the cheek... not to mention being played by Helena Bonham Carter... wearing a corset that shows off her huge... tracts of land...

...

I'll be in my bunk

edited 14th Mar '10 10:10:47 PM by MacPhisto

Unfortunately, I started reading the HP books when I was still a little teeny, and they are too associated with that childhood nostalgia to really think about the characters like that.

That, and I think Harry's generation is too young for me to find attractive, and MWPP and co are too old.