Monday, July 18, 2011

Finale sets box-office record

If I could get through these books while "Deathly Hallows, Part 2" is still in the theater, I will be able to count myself as part of the final tally. But I'm not betting on it.

If you haven't seen this movie, my daughters say it is the best of the lot. And they recommend taking a box of tissues. Here's a story on the record-breaking weekend that took down Batman.

The postman rings twice

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Chapter 9

He got off, he did
Harry Potter is going to Hogwarts
More trouble ahead

So much to celebrate at the House of Black. The decontamination, of course, is forging ahead. Sounds like they could get some EPA galleons as a Superfund site, or, at the least, some hazmat suits.

There was little time to celebrate Harry’s innocence. The unexpected prefect news brought great joy to the Weasley household, and some humor from the underachieving twins. I’m not a big fan of Ron, but I agree that it was nice for him to catch a break. Yeah, he’s a good friend to Harry, but he does complain and whine and sulk quite often.

Hermione’s selection was certainly not surprising. She will be the perfect prefect. At least that’s what’s expected.

I’m wondering what being prefects will mean for Ron and Hermione. Will they be able to help Harry when helping Harry requires breaking a rule? Or maybe this is part of the Order’s plan. While they won’t tell state secrets, they have to know that our three amigos will somehow get involved, and having prefect badges might come in handy. After all, one of V’s top priorities is killing Harry. V has to save what face he has.

Meanwhile, Harry is working out his priorities. It’s good that he has realized that he “don’t need no stinking badges.”

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Reading the book, not going to the movie

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Chapters 6, 7 and 8

I just dropped off my three daughters at the theater for the midnight showing of "The Deathly Hallows, Part 2." I was hoping to be all the way through the books so that I could watch with them, but I've been under a non-reading spell lately. I had to drop them off early because of the long line. I thought about just having them apparate there and back to save me the two trips, but I looked on my iPad and there wasn't an app for that.

It has been my practice to write about each chapter, but I am leaving that path at least for this post. These three chapters could have been one long one leading up to Harry's hearing.

We learned lots about the House of Black how lots of magic people are related. All very interesting, but not much action other than Fred and George apparating and the cleaning of doxies out of the curtains.

Then we get a tour of the Ministry of Magic in the next chapter. I kept wondering what floor the sporting goods were on.

The hearing was peculiar. Fudge, of course, trying to keep the Voldemort thing quiet tried his best to run a kangaroo court and convict Harry. But Dumbledore is about 10 times smarter than Fudge, and the other members of the Wizengamot were obviously not intimidated by Fudge.

So Harry is free to return to Hogwarts and see what kind of trouble he can get into. Not sure what kind of showdown is coming with Voldemort or his minions in this book, but I'll keep trying to push ahead this next couple weeks and finish it up.

Meanwhile, I need to rest up to go get the moviegoers who are undoubtedly witnessing the magic world's version of "The Gunfight at the OK Corral."