I had intended to start reading His Dark Materials when I finished my most recent book purchase. But given the countdown to Deathly Hallows, I've decided to re-read the entire Harry Potter series before its release. Anybody care to join me? I've thought we could set a time for reading each book and discuss them, pointing out little things we've noticed or simply if we enjoyed it or not.

How does this sound for a schedule?

Philosopher's/Sorceror's Stone + Chamber of Secrets in April
Prisoner + Goblet in May
Phoenix in June
Half-Blood Prince in July

If you had started earlier, I would have joined you because that's what I did a few months ago. I can still join in the discussions, though.

over the title of this thread.

Anyway, the schedule works for me! Count me in!

Oh!! I just got it now!

Glad you both liked it

I started the first book, it's amazing how many names become important later on that you just passed over initially. Also, the first Weasley who's name you hear - Ginny Perhaps this foreshadows her importance :idea:

I'm in! I was wanting to do this anyway, so it'll be good to have some fellow readers along the way. Oh, and I too love the title of this thread

I'll put The Time Traveler's Wife on hold ( good book btw) and start in on Sorceror's Stone on Friday.

Almost halfway through Sorcerer's Stone, it's fun rediscovering the world of wizarding all over again. Something I thought was interesting was that when Ollivander spoke about Harry's parents wands, James Potter's was especially good at transfiguration. Some foreshadowing of his animagus capabilities right there.

^ I forgot about that. It is nice to re-read a good book (or in this case a series). That is why I am glad that I have been able to start my library collection. HP was the first addition to this library. Okay so right now it is only one shelf of the built-in's, but it is slowly growing.

Have a great day!

I finished Sorcerer's Stone over the weekend. It was fun going back to the beginning, being introduced to the characters again. Back when Harry was (relatively) happy.

I plan on starting Chamber of Secrets soon.

I finished book 1 last night. It's amazing how many things I had completely forgotten - even when I read certain things there was no memory jog. I think the film has made me remember the book differently. What I liked most were the little comments that foreshadow things to come - like Harry thinking Snape could read minds for instance

The thing that always intrigued me most about this book were the comments of the centaurs in the forbidden forest. What is it they have predicted Harry will do? Will it be important in Deathly Hallows?

He sure does seem evil throughout the series and even killed Dumbledore in book 6, but why do I think he might turn out to be the real hero in book 7?
It's true...you tend to forget (or at least I do) about all of the foreshadowing. This is truly a series of books that can be read over and over and over again.

Have a great day!

^ I finished book 1 last night, and was actually going to make those exact comments, tigger. If the centaurs have read the stars correctly, then it seems as though Harry will be dying in The Deathly Hallows. It almost makes me reconsider my feelings about Snape being good. I'll have to see how the rest of the series goes.

Tigger, any chance you can paste the Centaurs qoute in here or at least a synopsis of it?

Have a great day!

I noticed that too about the centaurs! Firenze saved Harry. How will that affect the shape of things to come?

While reading SS, I forgot this was back when Percy was still decent. I wonder if he'll ever come back into the Weasely fold.

Oh, I just remembered another thing from SS that worries me for Harry's fate. I don't remember exactly which part of the book it was, but she says "In the years to come, Harry would remember that moment as...." then I don't remember what happened after. But typically when foreshadowing like that, authors use "years later," as in when they are adults. I wonder if years to come indicates only the next 7 years, after which he could not remember that moment because he's no longer living? Food for thought? :-k

I'll try my best.

And Tyler, reading that exact line you mentioned actually made me think Harry was going to survive

Ooohhh...I think I need to complete the book I am reading and pick up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone again.

Have a great day!

I'm with podge, when I read that I thought, "Oh, Harry must live." But we shall see tho.

Hmm, interesting Tigger and Tina. Maybe I'm reading TOO much into the words she's writing where I shouldn't be. But then again, maybe I'm not, we'll find out in a couple of months.

Okay, the centaurs... here's some of it anyway. I've just included the dialogue....

Bane - What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?
Firenze - Do you realise who this is? This is the Potter boy. The quicker he leaves the forest the better.
Bane (angrily) - What have you been telling him? Remember Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?
Ronan - I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best.
Bane - For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!
Firenze - Do you not see that unicorn? Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must.

This passage has always confused me. Are the centaurs predicting that Harry will do something terrible, or is it the case that he has such an important path to fulfil that the centaurs are afraid to change his path, even in the slightest turn? In some ways the centaurs remind me of the ents from LotR. They both have the power and possibly the disposition to do good, but they choose to be inactive in the events of the world, even to the detriment of what is good and right. The ents ignore and wish to be ignored, the centaurs like to predict and observe.

What I would like to know? What path do the Centaurs see ahead for Harry? And like the ents, will they eventually be forced to act against evil? Perhaps Voldemort will cloud the stars like Saruman clouds the sun, finally rallying the centaurs....

My first impression of that passage is that Voldemort was supposed to kill Harry and that the other centaurs were angry with Firenze for disrupting that. Because then, when Firenze drops Harry off a bit later, he says to him that there are rare occasions when the stars have been wrong, and he hopes that this is one of those times. I get the impression that that hints toward a Voldemort victory. But at the same time, she left it open by saying that sometimes the stars are wrong.

^ what he said.

Also, remember that the Sorting Hat did say Harry could be great in Slytherin. In Chamber of Secrets with all the talk of the heir of Slytherin, is there an heir of Griffyndor?

^ I don't really think an heir of Gryffindor would play much of a factor in the plot. The whole heir of Slytherin thing was a big deal because 1. Slytherin was a Parselmouth, so his heir would be as well and 2. He was a major advocate of purebloods, so that would point to who was killing the muggleborns. I'm sure there is an heir of Gryffindor, but I don't really feel like it's going to be a question that will be answered.

As for the heir to Slytherin...does this indicate that Voldemort was married and had children? Or is it someone from the same bloodline (e.g. a niece or nephew)?

As for the Centaurs...I always thought that Bane was just upset about Firenze helping a human, since Centaurs always tried to keep to themselves. I believe that the stars are either wrong or have been misinterpreted and that the Centaurs will align with the "good side".

Have a great day!