The Close

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

We can quibble a hair about the occasional moments that were not in the book that were written into the movie, as well as about the important bits from the book that were left out of the movie; overall, however, the movie was quite satisfying indeed.  The classic lines that we all yearned to hear were spoken.  The deaths, though quite sad, were mercifully understated and not at all maudlin.  The heartbreak so long hidden in Severus Snape was finally revealed.  The Dark Lord was vanquished at last. 

All was well.

Surprisingly, Herself did not cry at all - in fact, her eyes did not even water.  Perhaps the act of writing in the blog about the anticipated hard parts of the movie was enough to allow her to view it in a detached manner. Perhaps the sobbing of the woman two seats away was sufficient distraction to allow Herself to remain serene.  Nevertheless, it was rather unusual for her to be so dispassionate.  What hidden strength did she find to remain so reserved?  That is a question that bears contemplation, indeed.

Bring Your Hankies

We will be going to go see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 soon - probably this evening.  So many conflicting emotions:  anticipation; excitement; sadness at the closing of the series. A tinge of worry - how will the on-screen deaths play out? How emotionally charged will it be?

Will Herself cry?  I am uncertain.  While she is among the first to admit that she is frequently moved to tears, there are currently various circumstances about which she feels enough genuine sorrow that to cry because of a movie seems disingenuous.  Furthermore, she does not want to place her companion movie-goers in the uncomfortable position of feeling obligated to try to provide solace for her, when she herself cannot even determine what would be comforting at this juncture. She might even need solitude. She does not know.     

Just to be on the safe side, she will bring tissues with her to the theater.  And we will be certain to provide a review of the movie for you afterwards.

HP A10

Q10: What form would your patronus take?

This question turns out to be nearly impossible to answer, for the criteria for ascertaining the characteristics of a patronus are unknown.  Is it an animal for which the person feels an affinity?  An animal that is traditionally known to have certain characteristics that are also shared by the person?  An animal that represents an individual who is important to the person, such as Harry Potter's stag or Severus Snape's doe? 

When Herself was small, she liked koala bears.  Also, like many young girls, she was partial to horses (and their magical cousin, the unicorn).  As a teenager, she also was a bit fond of llamas because they are slightly odd, rather wry, and serviceable animals.  Wombats were nifty to her as well.  As an adult, she has enjoyed the company of a rabbit, several dogs, and multiple guinea pigs; she particularly cares for the guinea pigs (as you will recall, she has even written about one here).  Is that sufficient influence for the form of her patronus?

What kind of animal is Herself?  Perhaps not a bird, for she does not particularly like to fly.  Not an ocean-dwelling creature, for sure - she is a land mammal.  Beyond those qualifications, though, I do not know what animal she most resembles. 

And what of important individuals?  There have been many people who have intersected with Herself's life; only a handful have been sufficiently vital to possibly have an impact on what type of animal might be revealed as her patronus.  Furthermore, it is impossible to quantify and compare the influence of these people - how can one weigh the import of a parent with a sibling with a husband with a child with a friend? It cannot be done.

For now, Herself's patronus appears to be non-corporeal. Only with time, more practice, and greater concentration upon her happiest memories, will Herself be able to conjure a fully corporeal patronus, so that we may learn of its true form.

A Pause to Care

We interrupt the Harry Potter Ponderings once more to direct our thoughts and hearts toward two of Herself's favorite people, who are suffering from uncertainties and difficulties right now.  Alas, there is no magic wand that will help.  All we can do is provide an ear to listen, a shoulder to lean on, and our love. 

We are thinking of you.

HP Q10

Back to our Harry Potter ponderings:

Q10:  What form would your patronus take? 

A Pause to Scratch

We interrupt the Harry Potter Ponderings in order to tackle a rather unpleasant issue in the household: 

THERE ARE TICKS.

There have been none found attached to any of the humans or the pets.  Nevertheless, we all panic ever so slightly each time we feel even a tiny itch.

We will resume other posting once we have followed all the instructions of The Bug Man and The Vet regarding eradication of the vermin.

HP A9

Q9:  Severus Snape:  Discuss.

As we all now know, much-maligned Severus Snape ultimately turned out to be a heroic individual.  Only as he lay dying, when he imparted the essence of his critical memories to Harry Potter, did we finally learn of the sorrows and secrets that he was able to hide so well from everyone around him.  The ultimate revelations essentially required that we re-read the entire Harry Potter series so that we could view all of Professor Snape's actions and activities in the proper light.

The cornerstone to understanding Severus Snape is acknowledging the single force which the Dark Lord cannot comprehend.

If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. - Albus Dumbledore

There was a glaring absence of love in much of Severus Snape's childhood and years at Hogwarts.  His revealed memories alluded to the fractious relationship between his parents and their indifference toward the young Severus.  Their neglect was followed in turn by the cruelties of James Potter and Sirius Black (as well as other individuals) toward the awkward and reclusive teenage Severus Snape.  While Severus Snape no doubt contributed in part to his difficulties as a student at Hogwarts by dabbling in the Dark Arts, it is clear that the unrelenting bullying he endured hardened his heart and left him jaded and callous. 

Shining through the bitter darkness in which Severus Snape found himself was his friendship with Lily Evans.  Ultimately, his passionate yet unreturned love for her motivated his every action throughout his adulthood.  He placed himself in peril on innumerable occasions; he served as a double agent against Voldemort at great risk; and he worked covertly, continuously and consistently to protect Harry, who was a constant reminder of his beloved Lily's love for another man -- a man with whom Severus Snape had an unwavering, mutual enmity. 

How was Severus Snape able to hide so much from the Dark Lord?  Just as Voldemort could not anticipate or grasp the enormous, protective power of Lily's love for her child, he also no doubt could not begin to imagine, let alone fathom, the enormity of the driving force behind Severus Snape.  More potent and more wrenching than a love lost, was Severus Snape's unfulfilled love for Lily. 

The love that lasts the longest is the love that is never returned. - William Somerset Maughm

Unrequited love is a phoenix within the heart:  mythological and magical, it soars to impossible heights while crying out its terrible and beautiful song. It is consumed by its own flames and yet arises perpetually anew from the ashes.  Its tears can heal wounds that would otherwise be mortal injuries. It is idealized; irrefutable; incomprehensible.  Immortal.

Severus Snape:  not heartless, as so many believed, but rather, perpetually heartbroken.  Thankfully, Harry Potter ensured that the wizarding world ultimately understood Severus Snape's motivations and sacrifices.  Justice and understanding belonged to Severus Snape in the end.  We would do well to remember to be similarly kind to, and forgiving of, the lovelorn; for buried within their tortured souls may be the seeds of salvation for us all. 

[Snape:] "Expecto Patronum!"
From the tip of his wand burst the silver doe:  She landed on the office floor, bounded once across the office, and soared out of the window.  Dumbledore watched her fly away, and as her silvery glow faded he turned back to Snape, and his eyes were ful of tears.
"After all this time?"
"Always," said Snape.