The Horcrux Hunt

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Chapter 10

RAB. I had to think for a few paragraphs what that was from. My reading has drifted for a while, but I'm back hoping to be diligent for another 26 chapters and end this thing.

So RAB represents the initials of Sirius Black's brother Regulus. He's the one he swapped the horcrux locket with a fake locket. It all made sense as I kept reading. Harry is now on the trail of a horcrux he thought was gone forever. It's still gone, possibly forever, but there is hope.

Kreacher. What a pathetic existence. He's in the house all alone. Of course, no one has been ordering him around, but still. I'm not as empathetic as Hermione, but still.

Kreacher now has the important job of finding Mundungus Fletcher and retrieving the horcrux. Not sure how Harry will destroy it, but there's probably something in one of those ancient books in Hermione's go bag.

The letter. Does it mean anything? Does it hold clue? Does Mundungus have the rest of it? Will we find out what Harry's mum said about Dumbledore?

I don't have a house elf to help me find these answers, so I'll just keep reading. I'd like to say I'll be finished in 26 days. But my track record says it will take longer than that.

But not too much. I promise.

Mind games

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Chapter 5

Before reading this chapter I had five questions. I answered some correctly, whiffed badly on one and one remains unknown.

Where did Voldemort vanish to and why? I was actually correct about this one. Harry passed safely through a magical force field meant to keep Death Eaters out.

Is Hagrid dead? Thankfully no. I just figured when he hit the earth that hard and the Richter scale probably registered about 5.4 that he didn't make it. Lots of padding I suppose.

Are any of The Seven Potters and their escorts dead? Because I assumed Hagrid didn't survive I figured the rest did. Sadly, Mad-Eye Moody is no longer with us. Maybe he'll meet up with his other eye some place.

Is Harry in a safe place? He is now. The old portkey trick to the Burrow worked. And everyone else except Mad-Eye, of course, and Mundungus are safely there if not all in one piece. Poor George and his missing ear. He and Fred will find a way to monetize it in their joke shop.

Who told Snape? That's still a mystery. Those at the Burrow are hot to find out though.

Now Harry, presumably in a safe place, wants to leave for the same reason he broke up with Ginny. Dumbledore's and now Mad-Eye's deaths have more than saddened him. He's blaming himself and he doesn't want another death (perhaps even his closest friends) on his conscience.

Harry is in a tough spot. He needs his friends for protection and help. But he doesn't want them to die while protecting and helping. The pain in his scar has increased his fear that something bad will happen.

The curious behavior of his wand is also troubling. He's thankful it happened, but why? There is a curious connection between his wand and Voldemort's wand. But of course, as Harry can surmise from his vision of Voldemort terrorizing Ollivander, the Dark Lord had chased him down with someone else's wand. We, of course, know it to be Lucius Malfoy's, and the vision revealed the same to Harry.

The mystery of Harry reading or hearing or seeing Voldemort's thoughts and actions has returned. Seems like Voldemort has let his guard down in his rage. Or something like that.

Hermione reminds Harry to keep his guard up to keep his mind free of Voldemort. Not sure this a two-way street though. My hunch is it seems like Voldemort would have more of an upper hand and wouldn't need spies if he could read Harry's mind.

But what do I know. I'm no mind reader.

Talk about your dark alleys

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Chapter 1

I've started Year 5 on my quest. I must be demented.

Dudley must be on his way to a productive life. The Sweet Science has rescued many young boys from a life of crime. It's good to see him making something of himself. Yet, I do wonder if there is a spine inside that mass of flesh.

Perhaps I am being a bit judgmental of dear old Dudley. I suppose if my cousin waved a magic wand at me and I encountered Dementors completely unaware of what was going on, I'd be a little spineless too. Dudley is a spoiled brat and a bully, but I do feel some pity on him.

Voldemort's attack has apparently begun. But I think he sent some boys to do a man's job. A little Expecto Patronum! and the Dementors were defeated. And it was jolly of Harry to save Dudley from his first kiss.

Now here's something I should have realized. Old Mrs.Figg is a witch. Of course, she has lots of cats and she took an interest in Harry when no one else would. No doubt she works for Dumbledore. Can't wait to find out who or what Mundungus Fletcher is.

As cold as it is the spring, one has to wonder if the Dementors are lurking in alleys all over the Midwest.