Harry Potter

Hermione's clearly a genius.

I really wish Rowling would write something else. Something completely non Harry Potter, or, failing that, something else Harry Potter. Was there really only one world's worth of awesome in her head?

I know that the books had some major suck when you stop to think about it, but c'mon. There's a reason you've all read them, and read them over and over and over again, and I don't think it's because the world is frequently illogical.

You know, if anyone in the wizarding world had a basic grasp of the study of journalism, they probably wouldn't have gotten into a situation where everyone gets inaccurate news from tabloids and has no idea what the hell is actually going on.

but... that's how most people get their news nowadays

Well, it's pretty clear that that aspect of the wizarding world was intended as a loose satire of British tabloid journalism, I think.

Favorite Characters: Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Fred, George, Sirius, Lupin, Hagrid, and Moody

Favorite class: DADA, though the amount of homework for any of the classes seems like an absolute shitload compared to what I'm used to so I'd probably fail them all.

House I'd most likely be sorted into: Slytherin. And it just bugs the hell out of me that there are no decent Slytherins. I'd have to be the first.

edited 15th Feb '10 2:42:24 PM by Beta Ray

Well, depending how old you are, I could be your supportive upperclassman.

edited 15th Feb '10 4:04:59 PM by FurikoMaru

Favourite Character: Luna Lovegood

Favourite Book: Goblet of Fire

Favourite Class: Potions

Most Likely Place to Be Sorted: Ravenclaw

Actually, I'd be a 7th Year at this point. So I might be your upperclassman.

edited 15th Feb '10 6:00:25 PM by Beta Ray

I'm turning 21 this year. I was Head Girl in your third year.

Than you should've graduated at this point and can't be an Upperclassman to anyone. Unless I'm misunderstanding the term, which I probably am because I'm just using context clues at this point.

I was using upperclassman as a stand-in term for sempai.

Also, I'd like to state for the record that if I ever did become Head Girl, the first thing I'd do would be to change the bloody title.

Favourite Character: No real preference

Favourite Book: Half-B Lood Prince

Favourite Class: Defense Against The Dark Arts

Most Likely Place to Be Sorted: Dunno

Part of me loved The Deathly Hallows and part of me was really annoyed by it, but I think it's shortcomings was our (the fans) fault, not J.K.'s. We rushed her. She obviously had a talent for planning a head and getting things to fall into place. (Think of the sheer number of Chekhov's Gun s that appeared in the fifth book.) I think if we hadn't been such a demanding fanbase she would have had time to make the proper edits and adjustments and we would have gotten a better finale. On the other hand there were some beautiful moments. The Déjà Vu moment when Hermione asked Ron if he "was a wizard or not" was epic and Lily's eyes being the last thing Snape saw before he died was pure poetry.

edited 15th Feb '10 9:15:32 PM by WordCasters

You have a much greater capacity for faith than I do.

^^word.

• Favorite Characters: Harry, Luna, Snape, Dumbledore, Neville (At least NOW he is anyway)
• Favorite Book: Order of the Phoenix
• Favorite Class: Er, never thought of that. In Real Life, my best subject was always Literature...and I can't think of a good Hogwarts equivalent.
• Most Likely To Be Sorted In: Ravenclaw

I liked Neville before it was cool to.

I'll just go against the consensus here and say that I didn't like Neville when I was reading most of the series, and outside of Dumbledore's Army and the Year of Darkness I still don't. He was incompetent to the point of caricature through six books (something that I never like; I always feel embarrassed on the character's behalf), and the turnaround in the seventh was inadequately foreshadowed.

I did like watching him finally stand up to his grandmother, though.

I was alway fairly indifferent to Nevile. You have have to work pretty hard to make me outright dislike a character.

@Mac Phisto (from ages ago)- Yes! I hope your happy!

@nornaguest, re:Neville: I can't agree that he was that incompetent for most of the series. Really, the only "Neville is incompetent" moments are: in the first book, when he falls off his broom (during the first lesson, most of the class isn't much better); in the third book when he writes down the passwords; and generally in Potions class, when being scared of Snape makes him screw up repeatedly. In the meantime, though, he shows growth all through the series. His attempt to stop Harry, Ron and Hermione from breaking more rules(and the 10 points he earns in doing so) is a major CMOH at the end of book 1. In Book 5, he stands up for Harry and Dumbledore when it's the least popular thing to do, joins the secret DA group, and makes huge progress— it's noted at one point that he learns a spell faster than anyone else in the group, including Hermione. At the end of that book he insists on going with Harry to the Ministry of Magic. In the sixth book, only he and Luna respond to Ginny/Ron/Hermione's call for aid when Death Eaters invade the school. Really, from the third book on he gradually gets braver, more confident, and better at magic— I don't see his taking a leadership role in the last book as a surprise at all.

What I like about Neville is that no matter what, he *keeps trying to get better*. Yeah, he makes mistakes, gets made fun of, is the odd man out in his class— imagine how it would feel to be one of 5 guys in a dormitory— two sets of best friends... and you. Sucks, probably. But he stands up for his friends all the time, even when they can hardly be bothered to do the same. He never shies away from danger, even though his less-than-stellar skills put him at probably a higher risk than say Harry or Hermione.

Anyway. What the heck was up with Snape being so mean to him all the time anyway? OK so he hates Harry b/c of his history with Harry's parents. He hates Hermione b/c she's Harry's groupie (would seem that way to Snape, at least) plus she also probably frustrated him by being so smart but not being able to go beyond the textbook as he had done. Ron, yeah, also Harry's friend/groupie, plus a smartass. But why pick on Neville? What did Neville ever do to Snape? Why torment the kid so much that Snape was his biggest fear? Seems out of line even for an antihero like Snape.

^Snape= not an antihero.

He's just an immature prick of a potions genius with a metaphorically-soul-crushing debt to his dead best friend that acts as a substitute for moral fiber.

Maybe he's brilliant and maybe he's justified, maybe he's on the right side of the war and maybe, just maybe he's even got a few moral fibers of his own, but to bring the word "hero" within a half-mile radius is an insult to the character.

Oh, and Nevile— it's because he's a sadistic bastard. "Out of line" was when Dumbledore gave him a job there in the first place.

edited 16th Feb '10 3:49:37 PM by DaeBrayk

Anyway. What the heck was up with Snape being so mean to him all the time anyway? OK so he hates Harry b/c of his history with Harry's parents. He hates Hermione b/c she's Harry's groupie (would seem that way to Snape, at least) plus she also probably frustrated him by being so smart but not being able to go beyond the textbook as he had done. Ron, yeah, also Harry's friend/groupie, plus a smartass. But why pick on Neville? What did Neville ever do to Snape? Why torment the kid so much that Snape was his biggest fear? Seems out of line even for an antihero like Snape.

because for the first six years, Neville was an incompetent klutz who screwed up the simplest potions

Is James Potter a hero?

I ask because I don't remember him committing any acts of heroism. Getting yourself killed to protect your baby doesn't count. That's just evolutionary instinct.