I am not worried, Harry...I am with you.

Well, I finished Book Six last night and I got up early today to head to Borders for my wristband.  I'm so stoked about tonight- it's really going to be a lot of fun.  I've been a little down these last few days, what with rereading Book Six and knowing that it'll all be over quicker than I know it, but I'm so conflicted by the major excitement I'm feeling to finally know what will happen!  I'll post my review of the last book when I'm finished (I'm going to try and make it last, but I want to be finished before we leave for San Diego on Wednesday, or else I'll let it fall to the wayside), but for now, here's Year Six:

I am so glad I read this book again because I had forgotten all that happened in Year Six.  The first time I read it I remember feeling a little annoyed with all the Voldemort history.  It wasn't exactly riveting and I felt like it was taking up too much of the book.  On a second reading, however, I realized that it's really not that bad and certainly more interesting the second time around.  I think I was so quick to devour this book the first time that I really skimmed over a lot of stuff.  I had forgotten about Dumbledore's withered hand, Felix Felicis, Ron and Lavender, Cormac McLaggen, and Marvolo, Morfin, and Merope Gaunt.  I really liked where they took all the relationships in this book, too- Ron's insecurities, Ginny's promiscuities, and poor, poor Hermione.  The new characters introduced in this book, basically Slughorn and Scrimgeour, are very unique and really stand out.  I love the first chapter with Fudge and the Prime Minister- I really hope that makes it into the movie.  And of course, this book's best aspect is the strengthening of Dumbledore and Harry's relationship.

This book's biggest problem is Snape.  I started this project with the intention of closely watching Snape's behavior to enforce a decision about him and where his loyalties lie.  I remember two summers ago when I finished Book Six for the first time.  I put it down and thought- wow, there's the twist, Snape was bad after all.  Because there's always some sort of twist...not like an M. Night Shyamalan movie, but something always ends up being not like it seems.  So naturally, I assumed the twist was that Snape is bad- we've always suspected it, but now it's confirmed.  And so I turned to a fellow Potterhead friend to discuss the book and the first thing he said was, "So, do you love Snape or what?"  And I'm all like, huh?  And then he launched into how he thinks Snape is still good, he's still on our side, Dumbledore trusted him, etc.  I thought he had just gone nutty, but then I realized that other people thought this too.  There were all these theories out there about Snape that painted him as the tragic hero.  And when they started promoting the seventh book with the tag line, "Severus Snape- Friend or Foe?" I really had to step back and give him another shot.  So I watched him carefully over these last 6 books and up through the fifth year I was convinced that he was on our side.  Which is why this sixth book is such a problem.  Rowling does absolutely everything she can to discredit Snape- there's even an entire chapter devoted to Snape answering every question that could be posed in his favor and explaining how he is still on Voldemort's side.  Even arguments made about how he doesn't kill Harry on the many opportunities he has had to do so are explained at the end when shouts to Death Eaters that Harry is the property of the Dark Lord and they are instructed not to touch him. You really have to look deep to find things that may indicate otherwise.

I found but one shred of evidence to suggest that Snape may still be on our side.  Twice Dumbledore must see Snape about injuries- the first is when his hand is cursed and the second he pleads for him after returning from the cave.  If it was Snape's aim to kill Dumbledore, why did he not do it when he came to him desperate and seeking help.  Dumbledore says that if it was not for Snape then he would have been dead instead of simply having a dead hand.  This was before the Unbreakable Vow occurred, and therefore letting Dumbledore die would not have jeopardized Malfoy's mission nor Snape's position as a spy as he could say that he didn't know how to fix it, or something went wrong.  But instead he saves Dumbledore's life.  I believe that had the Death Eaters not been snuck into the castle the night Harry and Dumbledore went after the Horcrux, then Snape would have once more saved Dumbledore's life and remedied his weakened state.  Additionally, the way Dumbledore pleads for his life to Snape is so uncharacteristic that there has to be something unspoken between them there.  As much as I truly hate to be wrong about things, and therefore often don't take sides before I know what will happen, I'm going out on a limb by saying that Snape may turn out to be okay.  In fact, I have long suspected that he will sacrifice himself for the greater good in this next book- be it to save Harry, to kill Voldemort, destroy a Horcrux or something else to that effect.  It's nearly 8PM here, which means that over on the East Coast you lucky people are but an hour away from getting your hands on your copy, but I have to get ready for tonight.  It's going to be a long one, and I'm sure this book will be just as heart wrenching as the rest.  Here's to Snape!