The books have lost a lot of traction among younger kids. They are still read regularly but at the same rate as other classics. I think this is because the later ones aren't really for their age group. The popularity remained crazy until book 5 came out.

I thought the books were purposefully (if not successfully) designed to appeal in style to whatever age kids the kids in the books were. Very jeuvenile in Books 1 and 2, young adult lit in 3 and 4, moody adolescent litratoor for 5 and 6.

I don't think it's worked out too well. I really haven't like the more recent books. I particularly loathed the last one, which was unbelievably boring for 400 pages, then breathtakingly exciting for 50. The end. Bah.

Dumbledore doesn't seem the type to me to ask anyone to make an unbreakable vow. Either he trusts them, or he doesn't.

As for him being really dead, yes I think he is dead.

Something that occured to me is that Snape calls Voldie the Dark Lord. Does anyone recall if anyone good calls him Dark Lord? I can only recall Death Eaters saying it, while everyone else calls him he who must not be named.

You're correct, everyone who is a death eater calls Voldemort, the Dark Lord, only Harry and Dumbledore call him by name, Voldemort, everyone else has been He Who Must Not be Named.

As for Snape being chummy with Draco and whether or not Snape is still a death eater or loyal to Dumbledore. I believe he is loyal, and remains loyal to Dumbledore. To remain on the good side of the Malfoys, and Draco, would make sense. Since Snape is the head of Slytherin, keep your enemies close.

GoF is my favorite book of the series so far, not the movie (although the dragons were really well done). Like T and iSm, Prisoner of Azkeban is, thus far, the best film.

Hmmmm, maybe I will put them on my iPod for the drive across country.......:coffee:

I never thought of the unbreakable vow thing to be a dark thing. I thought anyone could do it. Maybe I need to reread 7. Although, I must again agree with iSm that 7 was slow in places. And the payoff for 7 bummed me out. All that and the item was not a horcrux. Bleh.

I think Harry Potter may be a horcrux. Can people be horcruxes? I think Harry might die in the last book OR Voldemort will not die but be sent to a place where he can never come back nor hurt anyone. That's my theory.

I've said this one before but don't know if it may be that I'm crazy, but does anyone else thing that Hermione might be a werewolf? I'm just saying that in 'Azkaban' they said that werewolves only responded to werewolves and Hermione distracted Lupin with a wolf cry. She's also very into the rights of creatures that are different. And that hair of hers, sheesh! Rowling also had her answer all of the werewolf questions in the classroom, but then again Hermione always answers all the questions...

I also have a theory that Mrs. Dursley is a witch that is helping to protect Harry. I mean her sister was a witch... all the Weasley kids are magical... it's possible. It would account for her severe distate for her own sister even though she's dead.

I'm worried that the body count will go up in the next book. But if Ron or Hermione die, I will be devastated.

Good casting call for Umbridge. Staunton is amazing.

Ginny did, in the poem to Harry, during the time that she was under Riddle's control.

I actually DO think that Dumbledore is capable of making an ubreakable vow with Snape... but not for the reason you thought. I thought that his unbreakable vow was for Snape to kill him at the planned moment (if circumstances called for it) so as to distract them from Harry, to save Draco from murder-peer-pressure, and to secure Snape's spot in Voldemort's hierarchy so as to help bring him down from the inside.

An another topic, I think Harry's toast. I think that he (or his scar) is the last horcrux, and he/it will have to be destroyed in order to destroy Voldemort. After all, "neither can live if the other the other survives," does not exclude the possibility that both have to kick it.

They could both end up surviving at the end.
:confused:

Also, I believe Dumbledore is dead. He appeared sleeping in a portrait in his office at the end of the last book. But there are phoenix references all over the place, so who knows what will happen next...

Only JK Rowling knows and she is not one to spill anything significant. :(

I'm with you, if Ron or Hermione bite it in the last book, I will be crushed, same thing with Mr. or Mrs. Weasley.

I think he's capable of it, I just don't think it's something he would do. I think if he really trusts Snape then he would make him give his word and that would be good enough. I think you are right about the rest though. I think that eventually Draco will understand the sacrifice that they both made for him and join the good side.

I really hope you are wrong. I think making a horcrux must be a complicated bit of magic, and Harry's mom's sacrifice protected him. I also don't think Rowling's going to make Harry suffer so much his whole life and then not reward him with a normal life in the end. I think we may have a hobbit like scenario in which we think Harry will die but then Fawkes will fly in and save him.

If Harry, Ron. Hermione, any of the Weasley's (except Percy), or Hagrid dies, I will be crushed. That being said, I think that either a Weasley or Snape will die. If she kills Hagrid I'll hunt her down. :p