mijan | HBP: The initial reaction/over-reaction...

Oh my fucking head... that is definitely my new favourite book of the series. PoA has been de-throned. I finished reading it almost nine hours ago, and have been absorbing and processing it ever since. I'm taking the time tonight to post my reaction to one of the final chapters... the one which seems to have the most people's trousers in a twist... and the one which has me the most excited.

Note: The following is an over-enthusiastic ramble, thick with spoilers, and dripping with speculation. Enter at your own risk!

Dumbledore was putting on an act up on the tower! It's brilliant! And even while Harry was dueling with Snape, Snape was GIVING HIM ADVICE! Harry will only realize it later. Trust me, I know. I've never been so sure of something in my life. Go back and read that scene again... That whole chapter, even. Look at how carefully things were played

Can you picture Dumbledore, who duelled with Voldemort like he was dancing a very dull cha-cha, BEGGING to ANYONE? He was intentionally putting Snape in a position of power, giving his illusion of fear so that Snape could have that "status" as a weapon later. It was so rehearsed, it's hilarious. And Dumbledore KNEW what Draco was attempting to do, so of course he knew what Snape was planning along with him! And he was perfectly ready for it! To the WELL ORGANIZED MIND!!! Haha! Dumbledore knew!

Now, as Harry battled Snape, notice that while Snape was angry, until Harry goaded him, he NEVER struck at all, not even in the slightest. And then, when severely goaded, he only gave Harry a relatively mild punishment. He didn't want Harry cursed. Yes, Voldemort wanted Harry alive, but the other DE wasn't going to kill him.... just torture him. Snape put a fast stop to that... But even while he and Harry were dueling, he was giving Harry very carefully placed ADVICE.

Look at what he says... that Harry needs to learn to keep his MOUTH SHUT AND HIS MIND CLOSED. Nonverbal magic, and an Occluded mind. Things he's been TRYING to teach Harry, and things that would be valuable TOOLS. If Snape wasn't trying to help Harry, he *might* have told Harry to shut up, but he wouldn't have said to keep his "mind closed". THAT was the key to the whole scene.

That wasn't just Snape needing to throw a final insult at Harry's ineptitude. It was actual advice. Snape had a VERY important cover to maintain. So considering that he was being watched, he did what he could to A) throw a final jab at Harry - because yes, Snape did find him to be a younger version of James, and wasn't too fond of Harry personally, and B) give Harry a last desperate piece of advice, no matter how harshly presented.

On a different tangent, Snape was well aware of Draco's ambiguity (as was Dumbledore). Snape is going to safeguard Draco... of course. Draco has a lot of thinking to do. We haven't seen the end of him. Draco has reached a whole new realm of complexity, ambiguity, and uncertainty. It's EVERYTHING that we could have ever hoped for regarding our favourite little obnoxious ferret. He only made his feeble attempts on Dumbledore's life out of fear for himself and his family. He didn't want to do it... not really. Hell, he was crying over it! Can you believe this? One of the best fandom!Draco cliches, and the fandom was right! It's brilliant! We all wished and wanted, but assumed it could never happen.

The one thing to remember is what single characteristic still defined Draco's actions: Cowardice and fear. Not malice... well, except for his attack on Harry in the compartment of the Hogwart's Express... but even then, he could have done worse. Hell, Harry almost killed Draco, not the other way around, but that's a tangent for another day. In fact, it's late, and I'm dead tired. However, I plan an in-depth character analysis of Draco for another day. Oh, this is everything I could have wanted!

Stay tuned, my dears!