Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Chapter 11
I see the next chapter is titled "Professor Umbridge," but we already got a rude introduction to her. She seems rather self-important, not an entirely unprecedented trait for a professor of defense against the dark arts. Apparently we'll be learning more in Chapter 12 about this charming witch. Prof. Umbridge has certainly taken umbrage at the leadership of Dumbledore, good man that Dumbledore.
And IN CASE YOU MISSED the Umbridge speech, the ever-clever Hermione gave us an interpretation. She did tell us she works for Fudge, an interesting note.
Of course, before the Umbridge illumination, the sorting hat, as we know, purports to have a touch of omniscience. So the hat predicts a rough year ahead: Thanks for that insight. Didn't see that coming. (OK, enough with the sarcasm. Don't want to be called a hater.)
Poor Harry (sorry for more sarcasm), always the reluctant hero/celebrity.. Everybody snickering at him and talking behind his back. It's just not fair. Do you suppose he was sucking his thumb behind those curtains around his bed? Sorry, sorry for that nasty remark. I know he's only 15.
OK, let's move on and see what the Order of the Phoenix has planned. I'm sure Harry will snap out of his self-pitying funk. He usually does enough to get the job done.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Ready for a long winter's nap
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Chapter 10
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
People were stirring, watching "It's a Wonderful Life"
I was hanging out in a recliner in the next room
Reading about Harry Potter and his broom ...
Well, that's enough effort on my poetry skills, or lack thereof. After a long winter's drive and some soup to warm the tummy, I settled down in a comfy recliner and read Chapter 10.
About time those kids went off to school. There's nothing quite like the beginning of school. There are always changes, some welcome, but most not. Harry has to deal with his friends and Malfoy being prefects, no sight of Hagrid, somebody named Luna Lovegood, seeing those "horse things" for the first time, and still not knowing what his future holds.
It ought to be another interesting year full of trouble from all things Slytherin, more attempts on his life by Voldemort and probably girl trouble. Gotta throw some of that in there, I suppose.
Harry and his gang sprang to their carriage
And away they all flew off to the castle
And I heard them exclaim, 'ere the rode out of sight
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
People were stirring, watching "It's a Wonderful Life"
I was hanging out in a recliner in the next room
Reading about Harry Potter and his broom ...
Well, that's enough effort on my poetry skills, or lack thereof. After a long winter's drive and some soup to warm the tummy, I settled down in a comfy recliner and read Chapter 10.
About time those kids went off to school. There's nothing quite like the beginning of school. There are always changes, some welcome, but most not. Harry has to deal with his friends and Malfoy being prefects, no sight of Hagrid, somebody named Luna Lovegood, seeing those "horse things" for the first time, and still not knowing what his future holds.
It ought to be another interesting year full of trouble from all things Slytherin, more attempts on his life by Voldemort and probably girl trouble. Gotta throw some of that in there, I suppose.
Harry and his gang sprang to their carriage
And away they all flew off to the castle
And I heard them exclaim, 'ere the rode out of sight
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
Monday, December 12, 2011
My promise
My plan for Christmas break is to rise from the ashes of not blogging and finish "The Order of the Phoenix." It's a long book, but I think I can do it. So be rooting for me.
I will have to go back and read my posts on this blog to remind me what this is all about. I seem to remember there is a character by the name of Harry Potter and he's trying to survive and defeat at the same time some arch-enemy whose name begins with V. I'm sure it will all come back to me once I dust off the book.
Should be a magical month of December.
I will have to go back and read my posts on this blog to remind me what this is all about. I seem to remember there is a character by the name of Harry Potter and he's trying to survive and defeat at the same time some arch-enemy whose name begins with V. I'm sure it will all come back to me once I dust off the book.
Should be a magical month of December.
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.
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.”
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."
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."
Friday, June 3, 2011
After-dinner ghost stories
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Chapter 5
The meeting wasn't official
But Harry got the scoop on V
Danger surely lies ahead
I'm with Harry on this one. Make him a member of the OOTP. There is no doubt an egomaniac like Voldemort will devise a new way to finally kill the boy. What better way to stop Voldemort than to have Harry in the inner circle.
But what do I know? I'm just a muggle.
This little after-dinner chat has served to catch us up on what the OOTP and V have been up to for the past month while Harry has narrowly survived his Privet Drive sentence. Lots of peaking around corners, slithering up dark alleys, looking through keyholes, apparating to and fro and wand waving is sure to carry us through this 870-page book (I'm only on page 98).
Dumbledore appears to be firmly in control of the OOTP. And as strange things begin to happen, it seems that the OOTP will be able to convert more to their side.
Still, what was said about V trying to stay under the radar might keep this war from being front-page news. I think it will be more fun if the story continues to be one clandestine operation after another.
So let's all keep this to ourselves.
The meeting wasn't official
But Harry got the scoop on V
Danger surely lies ahead
I'm with Harry on this one. Make him a member of the OOTP. There is no doubt an egomaniac like Voldemort will devise a new way to finally kill the boy. What better way to stop Voldemort than to have Harry in the inner circle.
But what do I know? I'm just a muggle.
This little after-dinner chat has served to catch us up on what the OOTP and V have been up to for the past month while Harry has narrowly survived his Privet Drive sentence. Lots of peaking around corners, slithering up dark alleys, looking through keyholes, apparating to and fro and wand waving is sure to carry us through this 870-page book (I'm only on page 98).
Dumbledore appears to be firmly in control of the OOTP. And as strange things begin to happen, it seems that the OOTP will be able to convert more to their side.
Still, what was said about V trying to stay under the radar might keep this war from being front-page news. I think it will be more fun if the story continues to be one clandestine operation after another.
So let's all keep this to ourselves.
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