To This Muggle's Grave

I'm back with the promised 2nd blog about Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. While the previous one dealt with situation before and as I was reading the book, this is about the aftereffects. To my surprise it was like a whole world against me!

Some Zonked, those who just finished reading the book, being shattered that the greatest wizard ever in the history of Hogwarts being killed!

Some Mad angry, that JKR should choose something like killing the most important and most likable character in Harry Potter. There could be no one who could not like Dumbledore. There could even be people who dint really like Harry Potter himself, but no one would have anything against the great headmaster.

Some Murderous, swearing that if Snape was for real they would not hesitate to murder him. Harry Potter Forums filled with "die snape die!!" slogans and that Dumbledore should never have believed Snape.

Some Disbelieving, Wondering if JKR's gone nuts killing all those who've always tried to save or protect harry like Sirius and Dumbledore and both of them dieing a very mediocre death. Sirius just falling off behind a curtain?? and Dumbledore just drinking some green liquid voluntarily, and ultimately not finding the horacrux??.... both of them dying a death without anything good dying for.

Amidst all this , I was more than happy the way JKR decided to sketch this book, I enjoyed in its entirety, it takes over The Sorcerer's stone in my ranking which is

1. Prisoner of Azkaban
2. Chamber of Secrets
3. Half Blood Prince
4. Sorcerer's Stone
5. Order of the Pheonix
6. Goblet of Fire

After hearing my views, the reactions were mostly an eyebrow lift! something like

• What are u? mad?
• Are you Soulless?
• Ohh Your just baised!
• You just can't come in terms that you were wrong about Snape!
• I can see the dark side of you! Go ahead tell me you like Lord Voldemort

All this did not persuade me to believe that I was wrong about Snape. I was more than happy to know that he was the Half Blood Prince... I was wishing all the way. This does not mean that I am happy Dumbledore dies. Hell nooooo! I like him a lot. Hez the perfect Granpa material...and love him for his serene wise nature. But my argument is just that snape isnt bad!

There are hints all over JKR's writing, both subtle and blatant.

• Remember? Hagrid tells Harry, Ron and Hermoine that he had overheard an argument between Snape and Dumbledore and Snape did not want to do what dumbledore asked him to do. I have a hunch that Snape was asked to kill Dumbledore in case the situation arises. The concept is a little hazy at this point of time but it seems plausible.
• Snape dint even have a hint that the Death Eaters had entered Hogwarts because he had to be informed about it, so if he was involved entirely in the break in why dint he know previously?
• The other death eaters did not dare to kill Dumbledore, as the Dark Lord had mentioned that only Malfoy should complete the task, if Snape was one among the death eaters he wouldnt dare to take the task in his hand.
• If Snape intended to kill Dumbledore, why had he to wait so long? The unforgivable curse could be used at any instant.
• If snape was to be shown as a guy who betrays Dumbledore why would JKR break the suspense in the first few chapters of the book itself? It doesnt strike to me as some kind of twisted surprise.
• There is the Unbreakable Vow to be explained, just like how Sirius dies just falling off behind a curtain...answers to which should be available in the 7th book.

There are hints all over....right from the first book to the sixth over which i am placing my defense for Snape's case! Whatever it is i think JKR has succeeded in her intension of making people hate Snape... just that she missed one soul's ardent belief.

This reminds me of my high school days non-detail reading of "The Pride and Prejudice", when the whole class of girls were drooling over the hopelessly romantic Bingley, I had my eyes, heart, soul and most importantly mind/brain on Darcy. I proved to be right that time. I am hoping JKR doesnt let me down this time. Even if she chooses to, I would rather prefer to have my own version of the 7th book. Well, its the Wizarding world, Anythings Possible!!

My argument is if you truly love Dumbledore, you'll trust Snape. If dumbledore can go to his grave trusting Snape...I can too..After all I'm a muggle...lesser powers than the Greatest Wizard of all Times! :D

The Unbreakable Vow

All right! All right! It’s about JKR’s most happening book these days, “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince”. Before I even start off with the blog, I should say this blog is restricted only to those who have read the book. Those intending to do so in the near future, you wouldn’t want me to break the suspense hidden in it. Do you? Get back after you read up!

17th July 2005 Sunday, 9:00 PM: My roommates and I had gone for dinner to a friend’s place. We were served yummy food, and my roommate sitting besides me unusually did not utter much as a single word. She hardly ate two spoons and she just sat head hung down occasionally sniffing (She wasn’t smelling if you are considering the actual meaning of the word, she was obviously sobbing). Then one of the guys in that house asks

Guy: What’s wrong with you today?
Roomie: Nothing, if I tell you guy’s you all will scold me. It’s the book
Me: Oh! Come on…. Don’t tell me you are crying over something that happened in the wizarding world?
Roomie: He shouldn’t have died! :(

I was shocked! Somebody dies in HP6? And it’s someone who is very dear to faithful Harry Potter fans? They were discussing more I just left the place so that I dint have to spoil the suspense of the book. The knowledge of the fact that someone dies is by itself a big spoilsport!

18th July 2005 Monday, 11 AM: My copy arrives from amazon.com, and my friend at work, who is yet to read the book, says

Friend: I know who dies, I found out today morning. Actually I dint want to know but I guessed it right :(
Me: Please don’t tell me.
Me (in my mind): Yeh! Just don’t make it obvious. Even though my brain 1/4th realizes who it could probably be. I’m just refusing to know before even turning a page of the book.

19th July 2005 Tuesday, 7:00 AM: I check my mail and my friend from India sends me a mail saying that she can’t but wait to discuss the book with me and wanted me to finish as soon as possible and a chat window pops up…

Friend: How many pages?
Me: About 10 chapters!
Friend: I got a little emotional you know! But I wont tell you who dies!
Me(in my mind): What else can be so disastrous? Not the dead of Prof. Mcgonagall or Prof. Flitwick obviously
Friend: SNAPE!!!!!! I’ll kill him…. And Pavi, this book will disappoint you.
Me(in my mind): Yeh! True! Snape is my favorite! Don’t tell me JKR ruined his character! And what’s more disappointing than the person you like turning a murderer/traitor?

20th July 2005 Wednesday, 8:00 PM: In the bus back home, I was reading the 20th chapter and I meet one of my friends and she finishes off in one sentence

Friend: Harry Potter? Dumbledore dies!!
Me: Great! Thanks a Ton!
Friend: Err! I haven’t read it… I’m just guessing!
Me (In my mind): Hmph! Like that consolation is going to help!

22nd July 2005 Friday 6:00 AM: Finally finished the book. That which would have taken me normally about one and a half days took me 4 days because of work and all that happened above. I did enjoy it, but .....

Anyone see how difficult it is to refrain from discussing a happening book like this? I bet I would have blabbered a whole lot to people who haven’t yet started reading the book. Sorry guys! I know how it feels! Today I take an unbreakable vow “I shall shut myself until I finish reading any Harry Potter book which will be as soon as possible and never spoil the other’s joy of reading the book!”

More to follow about Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.... real soon :)

Life Vs Survival

I’ve been doing some heavy reading lately which probably is making my mind work overtime one thought let to another and to yet another and finally lead to the writing of this blog. For some reason I got reminded of the day my mom decided to get birds,

Mom: Come on lets go get the birds

Me: Ma! No way…I don’t think it’s a great idea to get birds as pets

Mom: Why not? I like the way they chirp, it’s so lively.

Me: I can’t quite come in terms with the fact of birds being caged, they need more space, at least something more closer to their natural habitat. Get some other pet, anything else!

Mom: Did you know that these birds were born in cages, their wings are not accustomed to flying in the wild and that they would die if they try to do so? The cage is their home and they like it in there.

Me: All right ma if you really want them.

I dint talk to her properly when she got the birds home. My mom did manage to convince me that it was not all that bad an idea to have birds as pets. The birds seemed to be happy just feeding on the food it was served daily and contended with its usual routine. One day one of the female birds died, apparently due to indigestion. We had to replace them with a new pair because a new female could just not get along with the widower. A few days back I was on the phone with my dad and….

Me: How come home seems so silent today I can’t hear our birds chirp!

Dad: We gave them away.

Me: How come suddenly? I thought mom loved them!

Dad: Yeh she did, but one of them kept trying to fly away whenever your mom tried to keep some food or water in the cage. One day she couldn’t really catch hold of that to put him back in the cage. These birds cant stay without their pairs one might follow the other, so we thought it was best to give them away.

I thought of the determined bird that freed itself out of the cage… his up bringing just thought him to stay within the confines of his cage, eat what was served, swing on the little pieces of wood tied to the cage, chirp and jump around the cage all day and create one hell of a racket if the daughter of the house doesn’t switch of the lights by ten at night. But he chose otherwise, maybe his wings gave him away sometime, maybe some wildcat or bird killed him, maybe he grew hungry and passed out, or maybe he just loved it out there. He might have been aware of the consequences or maybe not. But maybe he thought he wasn’t doing anything worth his life just sitting around and pecking on food all day. At least this bird knew what he was dieing for (if at all death came by) as compared to the one that died of indigestion. One might argue saying, but the birds in there were smarter, they had a secure means of survival…. But tell me; is life about survival or living? Are you saying “huh?” I say, “Oh yes there is a difference.”

A blind beggar on the streets is “looking” for a means of survival; a blind salesman selling books on a train and making sure he keeps track of what he sold in spite of his disability is “earning” a living. An agitated Afro-American mugging an innocent passer by returning from his late night duties is “looking” for a means of survival. A rapper at the rail station platform who is more aware of what talent lies in him is “earning” a living. It’s not only the unprivileged but there are others who also act like these beggers or looters, just that we dont realise it. I am pretty sure I would have also come in terms with certain things just for the sake of things to run smoothly. Pacify (actually “fool” is more like the right word) myself by saying “That’s how its meant to be”, “Its safer and easier this way”, “Its lesser confusion”, “Its been so all this while, who am I to change it?”. Lets see, if I am passionate about my life (as I claim to be) I would choose to live rather than survive! Happy Living!!!