Blog 3: The end of an era

            I absolutely love the end of the Harry Potter series.  One of my favorite chapters of the entire series is “The Prince’s Tale,” which is pensive scene with all of Snape’s memories.  This chapter helps tie together the whole Snape/Harry/Dumbledore relationship and shows that Snape was never trying to hurt or kill Harry, but keep him alive.  In my opinion, Snape is one of the biggest heroes of the series.  This chapter shows that Snape did actually have a heart, since he was in love with Lily, Harry’s mother.  His patronus had been a doe, in memory of her, since hers was a doe as well.  Though he made some mistakes in his life, like telling Voldemort the part of the Prophecy, which led to the death of Harry’s parents, he wanted to repent them and not let Lily die in vain.  He sacrificed so much to be at the right hand of Dumbledore and to take down Voldemort.  Snape was smart enough to outwit Voldemort, making him think that he was working for him and not against him.  Snape was as close as he could get, being in the close circle of those Voldemort confided in the most.  Voldemort even told Snape his plan to have Draco murder Dumbledore.  When Dumbledore finally tells him that Harry must die, Snape is outraged, showing that he may have actually started to care for him.  He was so upset with Dumbledore that he had been helping keep Lily’s son alive basically until the right moment that he must be like a lamb raised up for slaughter.  Up until this chapter, when I first read the series, I had hated Snape.  After learning about his past and who’s side he was actually on, he became one of my favorite characters and made me look back on the entire series for clues to where his actual loyalty lay. 

            I also love the epilogue that J.K. Rowling wrote.  I think it was a great way to end the story, by making it light and not too heavy.  Though it would have been interesting to know what Harry, Hermione, and Ron grew up to do in the wizarding world, I believe it was still written very well.  I loved that Harry and Ginny ended up married, as well as Ron and Hermione.  Throughout the whole series, I had hoped that Ron and Hermione would end up together.  I thought it was nice how Harry named two of his children after his parents in their memory.  I especially liked how he named one of his children after Dumbledore and Snape.  I loved the explanation Harry gives as to why Albus Severus was named after them.  Harry explains, “You were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts.  One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew” (758).  I think it was important to have some sort or reminder of Snape after all he sacrificed to keep Harry alive and not let his mother die in vain.