book or the movies, so since this is the much-awaited finale of the series that had made our childhood complete, I think I’m obliged to write something for it.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is my most favorite book from the series (second in
The Goblet of Fire), so I was really excited for the last movie to come out, although I was aching to see it end. I was ridiculously afraid to watch it because I didn’t want to see magical people die – even Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). And okay, because I couldn’t bare the reality of my favorite series ending. Endings, however “happily ever after” they may be, are
still endings. And endings are sad.
Part one of the movie was really good. I liked everything about it, especially the narration of “The Tales of the Three Brothers.” It was fascinating in every way. The “Seven Potters” was also fascinating. My jaw was dropped all throughout the transformations. The movie was also funny. Remember the part where Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) copied the three officials’ faces to sneak into the Ministry of Magic? It was very hilarious. Ron was like, “Oh my God. What am I gonna do? My wife’s all alone downstairs,” (when he was told that his wife was in trial). And Harry told him, “Ron, you don’t have a wife.” And who didn’t love the moment when Hermione and Harry were dancing? Obviously, Harry couldn’t dance, but it was very cute.
Also, the part where Ron came back to join Harry and Hermione destroy Horcruxes again was really funny. A mad and frustrated Hermione was amusing to look at, and Ron’s face was also ridiculous because he looked so guilty.
“Hey.”
“You – complete – arse – Ronald Weasley! You show up here after weeks, and you say ‘Hey’?”
And that “ball of light from the Deluminator” was supposed to be something serious, but to me it was just so funny. Everything Ron Weasley did was always so funny to me. Later, Harry said, “Just keep talking about that little ball of light touching your heart and she’ll come around,” (when Ron asked how long Hermione would be mad at him). And he casted an “Engorgio” spell on the flames Hermione made using his new borrowed wand. It was really hilarious! It just showed how young and playful they still were.
Dobby’s (Tobby Jones) death was sad. I shamefully cried at that part.
“Such a happy place to be with friends. Dobby is happy to be with his friends.” I could still remember Dobby back in the second book. He was very annoying, and I hated him before because he was such an over-protective house elf. He should have listened to Harry about not trying to save his (Harry’s) life again, but he didn’t. So he died. But his death made me like Harry more. He insisted on burying Dobby in a non-magical way, and it was such a moving and caring act. The characters definitely had grown over the past years. They became smarter and braver and more loyal to family and friends.
“I want to do it properly,” were the first words of which Harry was fully conscious of speaking. “Not by magic. Have you got a spade?” And shortly afterward he had set to work, alone, digging the grave in the place that Bill had shown him at the end of the garden, between bushes. He dug with a kind of fury, relishing the manual work, glorying in the non-magic of it, for every drop of his sweat and every blister felt like a gift to the elf who had saved their lives. (The Wandmaker, Chapter 24)
The second part of the movie was very action-packed. It should be. The anticipated “Hogwarts Battle” was amazingly done. One of the best parts in the battle was when Professor Minerva McGonagall (Dame Maggie Smith) headed the battle and asked all of the stone warriors to protect the castle. It was really good because McGonagall was adorable (“I’ve always wanted to use that spell!”). I had never seen her so excited. Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis) had grown the most. He was just that buck-toothed kid with his frog, Trevor and his poor memory, but he had always been very loyal and brave… just ungainly and awkward. But I liked how awkward he was. The part where he was jumping with bliss and confidence when the Death Eaters couldn’t go pass their protective charms was very hilarious! Oh, Neville. I was also excited to see him lead the Dumbledore’s Army and kill the snake with Godric Gryffindor’s sword. Did you notice how he refused to let the sword go out of his hands after the battle? His parents were surely very proud of him.
I loved Severus Snape’s (Alan Rickman) every scenes. His death was tragic, and I almost cried when he cried. It was very moving and his past, as well. “Look at me. You have you mother’s eyes.” Snape has one of the most incredible story lines all throughout the series. Who could have thought that first love never really dies? He was the most loyal and most loving. He could even have his own book!
“I have spied for you and lied for you, put myself in mortal danger for you. Everything was supposed to be to keep Lily Potter’s son safe. Now you tell me you have been raising him like a pig for slaughter –”
“But this is touching, Severus,” said Dumbledore seriously. “Have you grown to care for the boy, after all?”
“For him?” shouted Snape. “Expecto Patronum!”
From the tip of his wand burst the silver doe. She landed on the office floor, bounded once across the office, and soared out of the window. Dumbledore watched her fly away, and as her silvery glow faded he turned back to Snape, and his eyes were full of tears.
“After all this time?”
“Always,” said Snape. (The Prince’s Tale, Chapter 33)
I didn’t like Fred Weasley’s (James Phelps) death scene, though. I didn’t see how he died because I wasn’t looking. It was so fast, and I didn’t cry when George Weasley (Oliver Phelps) was crying. It was annoying that I didn’t. It could have been better if Percy Weasley (Chris Rankin) was really there, because in the book, he was so devastated when Fred died (it was also when they all made up and had forgotten that Percy was a “Ministry-loving, family-disowning, power-hungry moron.”).
“No – no – no!” someone was shouting. “No! Fred! No!” And Percy was shaking his brother, and Ron was kneeling beside them, and Fred’s eyes stared without seeing, the ghost of his last laugh still etched upon his face. (The Battle of Hogwarts, Chapter 31)
He and Ron had both grabbed Hermione and pulled her to the floor, but Percy lay across Fred’s body, shielding it from further harm, and when Harry shouted “Percy, come on, we’ve got to move!” he shook his head. “Percy!” Harry saw tear tracks streaking the grime coating Ron’s face as he seized his elder brother’s shoulders and pulled, but Percy would not budge. (The Elder Wand, Chapter 32)
Also, Kreacher wasn’t in the battle. I loved Kreacher. He was such a loyal elf.
The house-elves of Hogwarts swarmed into the entrance hall, screaming and waving carving knives and cleaver, and at their head, the locker of Regulus Black bouncing on his chest, was Kreacher, his bullfrog’s voice audible even above this din: “Fight! Fight! Fight for my Master, defender of house-elves! Fight the Dark Lord, in the name of brave Regulus! Fight!” (The Flaw in the Plan, Chapter 36)
The much-awaited kiss between Ron and Hermione was quite fast and less memorable than how it was written. I remembered what Rupert Grint had said about the whole idea of him and Emma Watson kissing: “It’s quite uncomfortable. I’d rather kiss Daniel.” And I’ve also learned that they had shot the kissing scene when Daniel Radcliffe wasn’t around because he’d tease them. In the book, Harry was beside them when the two had kissed. I was actually looking forward to that scene because it was just humorous (why did I always find Harry Potter funny?).
There was a clatter as the basilisk fangs cascaded out of Hermione’s arms. Running at Ron, she flung them around his neck and kissed him full on the mouth. Ron threw away the fangs and broomstick he was holding and responded with such enthusiasm that he lifted Hermione off her feet.
“Is this the moment?” Harry asked weakly, and when nothing happened except that Ron and Hermione gripped each other still more firmly and swayed on the spot, he raised his voice. “Oi! There’s a war going on here!” Ron and Hermione broke apart, their arms still around each other.
“I know, mate,” said Ron, who looked as though he had recently been hit on the back of the head with a Bludger, “so it’s now or never, isn’t it?” (The Battle of Hogwarts, Chapter 31)
But I loved how the Horcruxes were made – and destroyed. Lord Voldemort really was such an awfully ingenious wizard. I also loved the last part! After nineteen years, Ron grew fat and hairy; Hermione looked as young as before; Albus Severus was really such a good-looking kid; Harry’s scar had not pained him since Voldemort died; and all was well.
Harry Potter will never die. It will forever be part of our childhood. Harry Potter is like our own Horcrux – if it’s destroyed, somehow a part of us dies, but it will live as long as we let it live in our hearts, as long as we won’t forget how it had made our lives magical, as long as we will always feel young when we hear about it, as long as we will hold it as part of our lives forever.
