"But most of all, you need to practise constant, never-ceasing vigilance".

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Part 1 & 2

 Sooo...this past Friday I was supposed to have my last post up for the Goblet of Fire, except, I haven't had any posts up for Goblet of Fire yet. I know, I'm failing at this readalong. #failing. My excuses are nothing new: work, life, sickness, poor time management, etc. But I'm not giving up just yet! I'm only half way done the Goblet of Fire so I'm going to do one post for the first half of this book and a second one for the second half, in attempts to catch up to the rest of the readalongers in Alice's HARRY POTTER READALONG ALL THE GIFS.

And in an effort to make up for lost time, these posts will be sweet and short (bullet-point style!) and of course, spoilers are fair game.

Random Thoughts on Chapters 1 thru 20:

*The Quidditch World Cup = boooorrrring. And it seemed like a lot of work to set up, and a lot of memory charms on Muggles, just for one game! But the tents = awesome and I would totally be up for camping more often than I actually do if my tent looked like the Weasley's on the inside. Although, come to think of it, some people's RV trailers are pretty much like their homes on wheels...

*If everybody already knows what's going to be revealed at school, why can't Harry, Ron and Hermione know? And since they aren't even old enough to enter the Triwizard Tournament anyway, does it matter if they know?

*I think one of my favourite parts is when Hermione is outraged over learning that Hogwart's employs over 100 house-elves: 'But they get paid?' she said. 'They get holidays, don't they? And - sick leave, and pensions and everything?' (p.161).  Leave it to Hermione to make it her mission to fight for the rights of house-elves.

*"Spotted dick" - and a million young children (and me) reading this book giggled.

*I honestly thought Harry and Ginny might have a "thing", but Ginny is pretty non-existent in this book so far and then there's this: "...[Harry] had just won the Triwizard Tournament...Cho's face stood out particularly clearly in the blurred crowd, her face glowing with admiration...Harry grinned into his pillow, exceptionally glad that Ron couldn't see what he could." (p.170)

*We meet Professor Moody and while the description of his appearance gives me the chills, "It looked as though [his face] had been carved out of weathered wood by someone who had only the vaguest idea of what a human face were supposed to look like,and was none too skilled with a chisel." (p. 163), I have a feeling Professor Moody has been employed by Hogwart's to protect Harry.

*Even before the names are drawn for contestants of the Triwizard Tournament, we all know Harry's name will be called (duh). And maybe it's just me, but no one seemed that concerned with HOW Harry's name got in the goblet or WHO put his name in it. They seem more concerned with following the rules of whoever's name is called MUST compete, no exceptions, even if Harry isn't of competing age.

*Ron, Ron, Ron. Now, after all you've been through together, you don't believe Harry when he says he didn't enter his own name into the goblet?! I get it, you're jealous, but you've always been a *little* jealous.

*We end this first half of the book with Harry preparing for the first task in the Triwizard tournament. Is it too early to predict that Harry will do well in all the tasks??*

I know I've missed many things I would probably want to talk about had I done the readings and these posts on time, but even with my little notebook, this is all I got friends. But on the upside! I have watched the first two movies so far! And I will finish this readalong to the end, goddammit, even if it means I'm still writing these posts long after everyone else is finished (but hopefully not!).


*Edit: I was just looking back at my notes and I see that Chapter 20 actually ends with Harry completing the first task in the Triwizard tournament. Successfully of course.

"This is magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable, Harry."

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Part II

So...I'm not doing to well with getting my Harry Potter Friday posts up on Friday...but better late than never, right? Right? I finished the book yesterday and HOLY SHIT. I still have so many feelings about everything that happened! I don't even know where to start. I'm also supposed to be packing for Mexico for tomorrow, but PRIORITIES. So for this post, I don't want to over-analyze and think too much about some of the things that I know don't make a whooooole lotta sense, I just want to keep all the feels that I'm feeling.  Because PoA is definitely my favourite book in the series so far.

Also, *spoiler warning* for the rest of this post! (You know, if you're one of those rare people who hasn't read Harry Potter yet.)

Sometimes I felt dumb while reading this book and not being able to predict what was going to happen, or who was going to end up actually being bad or actually being good, because, come on, I'm not a 12-year old reading this for the first time, but seriously guys, I don't think I saw anything that happened in the end coming. I knew in the first half of the book that there were some things/people that seemed up to something or just not right, but I just didn't know what these things were going to amount to.

Quick run-down on my thoughts:

-I didn't want to say it in my last post in case I ended up being wrong, but I really wanted Sirius Black to be good! When the truth about him came out, I was SO happy. Those moments between Black and Harry, where Harry discovers the truth about Sirius, Pettigrew, Lupin and his father were my favourite scenes this entire series so far. And when Black asks Harry if he might want to consider living with him during the summers since he's he rightful guardian, I honestly had tears in my eyes. Of course, it was all too good to be true (for now), but I'm certain we haven't seen the last of Black just yet.

-So Lupin wasn't being poisoned by Snape like I originally thought, but I still don't like him. And while I'm relieved that Lupin isn't dying, his being a werewolf doesn't seem all that much better to me seeing as how he can no longer teach at Hogwarts anyway. I'm disappointed Lupin has to leave - he was one of my favourite new characters this book! 

-I was so sure that Crookshanks wasn't really a cat - when actually it was Scabbers that wasn't really a rat. Crookshanks is one smart kitty. Although, if Harry, Ron and Hermione had been half as smart as Crookshanks, they would have listened to the sneakoscope back in Chapter 11 when it went off when Crookshanks and Scabbers were both near it.

-I know it seems a lot to expect a young boy like Harry to have killed Pettigrew when he had the chance, but I really wish someone had killed him. Why would they think he could be securely imprisoned in Azkaban if he's an Animagus? Wouldn't he be able to change into a rat and easily escape? That's how Black escaped after all.  Poor thinking on all of their behalves, I gotta say. Even if they catch him now, what's stopping Pettigrew from turning into a rat again? MAKES NO SENSE. Although, I did love the whole idea of an Animagus.

 

-I've always loved the idea of time-travel, but I find time-travel works best if you don't over think it. Over thinking time-travel = flaws galore.

Ok that's all I got off the top of my head! I really should go pack now before hubby loses it. Also, I apologize to any of you readalongers who are reading this - I don't have time to read anyone's posts for this week, but I will be back next week to make super-late comments on your posts! I also won't be having a post for the first part of Goblet of Fire as I will be in Mexico until the 26th, but I will do a double post the following Friday, promise!

Harry Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Part II

And just like that, I apologize to Dobby for all the horrible things I said about him and for wanting nothing more than to strangle him. When he caught that sock that Mr Malfoy accidentally threw at him (well played, Harry, well played), and he realized what it meant - well...I...*tears in my eyes*.

And when I actually thought for a minute that Ginny had been killed, I just - couldn't. I mean, I don't have *feelings* for her (yet), but I wouldn't want any one of the Weasley's to die. Plus, I have my suspicions that her and Harry might have a thing in the later books...

I'm glad Lockhart got what was coming to him. Really, it couldn't have been executed more perfectly. I'm surprised he hadn't accidentally cast a spell on himself before. What a dumb-ass.

I like how JKR totally made us think that Ginny had walked in on Percy doing *you know what* (is that even appropriate for a young reader's book?) but then said he was just making out with his girlfriend. Even if that WAS what he was doing (making out), why imply earlier on that it was something else. Or am I the ONLY ONE who's mind went there?!

Let's talk about Harry:

- He's our hero - again. But not before having almost the entire school, his own house included, thinking that he's actually the heir to Slytherin. And it didn't help his case that Harry can talk to snakes in snake language (ie. Parselmouth), which was an ability possessed by Salazar Slytherin.

-But no matter what other people thought or gossiped about, Hermione and Ron stood by his side. And even though it seems like Harry didn't get either of them a Christmas gift (again), he at least remembered to give them his phone number at the end of the school year. BUT - and I know I keep going back to this - why doesn't Harry just spend the entire summer with the Weasley's?? Everyone knows that the Dursley's locked Harry up the previous summer and treat him horribly. And Harry SAVED Ginny's life! I'm sure the Weasley's would be happy to have Harry even if he hadn't saved their little girl. Is every book in this series going to start off with a few chapters on how horrible the Dursley's are to Harry? WE GET IT JKR.

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." (p. 245)

Oh  ya! And Hagrid! I'm so glad he wasn't actually the one to have opened the Chamber 50 years ago! And how can you not love someone who loves ALL animals/creatures as much as Hagrid does? Even if said creatures include HUGE spiders *shudder*. While I'm sure Hagrid is happy to remain in his title as gamekeeper, I do think his name should be publicly cleared at Hogwart's.

Best quote this book:

"Snape was looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison" (p. 177)

"There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other..."

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Part II

And just like that, the first book in the Harry Potter series is done. I mean, yes, it's been two weeks since the readalong started, but still. This whole readalong is just gonna fly by, isn't it?

I'm trying to gather my thoughts and feelings and put them into a coherent post, but it's TOUGH. So much happened in such a short book! And if JKR could write about so much in just over 200 pages, then imagine the adventures that must be in store in her bigger books! My brain can't even comprehend all that's to come. Good thing I'm an adult and should be able to handle the bigger books like any ol' 12 year old reading Harry Potter.

Readalongs are the best.

So since we left off:

- JKR does a good job of making you believe that Snape is pure evil. Or at least I sure fell for it. I mean, I still don't really like him, but I am kind of glad that he's not totally out to get Harry.

-Finally! Hermione, Harry and Ron are the best of friends:

"But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them." (p. 132)

Friends forever.

-Hallelujah! Because now Hermione's nagging and bossiness is much more tolerable for some reason. I think the tone from one character towards another changes when the characters actually like each other which changes the reader's feelings towards said characters. Now that Harry and Ron are friendly with Hermione, her bossiness is just a quirk that we can all put up with. And I say this as a very bossy person myself. Because my husband tells me all the time that I'm quite bossy, yet he still loves me. So there.

-Harry finally experiences Christmas as one should and it's his "best Christmas day ever". Which is terribly sad considering that it didn't take a lot for Harry to have the best Christmas ever. A few thoughtful presents, and a great feast? God, Dursley's, how could you not have been even a little bit nice to Harry on Christmas?

-The second terribly sad thing to happen in this part of the book (well, actually this part was the saddest to me, but it came after the aforementioned sad thing): Harry discovers the Mirror of Erised and sees the parents he's never even met in it. And it's all he can think about when he's not in sitting in front of the mirror. But then Dumbledore explains to Harry that the mirror "shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts". And in that moment, my heart breaks for Harry. For the childhood he missed out on, the parents he never had and will never know and for all the unanswered questions he has and may never get answers to.

-We end this book with Harry coming out a hero (obviously). Harry, Ron and Hermione successfully put Fluffy to sleep, drop through the trap door and solve their way through the obstacles in order to get Harry to the Philosopher's Stone. This is where we find out that it's Quirrell who's all evil and not Snape. And Quirrell's not only evil, but he's also housing Voldemort in the back of his head. Which is disturbing, because, two heads in one. But Harry, just a young wizard, overcomes both Quirrell and Voldemort and manages to keep the Philosopher's Stone out of the wrong hands, before he passes out. When Harry comes to, Dumbledore tells him that the stone has been destroyed, but me thinks Dumbledore is *gasp* lying to Harry. We shall see.

Best quote of the second half of the book (other than the title of the this post of course):

'So light a fire!' Harry choked.
'Yes - of course - but there's no wood!' Hermione cried, wringing her hands.
'HAVE YOU GONE MAD?' Ron bellowed. 'ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?' (p. 202)