The highly anticipated eighth installment of the "Harry Potter" series has finally hit the book shelves. Millions of fans lined up on July 30th for the midnight premiere of what J.K Rowling herself has called the last of "Harry Potter."
Here are ten thoughts I had while reading "The Cursed Child."
***Spoilers below***
Uncle Ron is probably one of my favorite things ever. The way that Lily Potter gushed over her hilarious Uncle Ron made my heart melt a little bit. Let’s be honest. Hermione and Harry were always the best part of solving the problems at hand. Ron was the witty sidekick and lovable best friend. He played a very important role in defeating Voldemort but always got pushed to the side. Seeing how much Albus and Lily cared for their fathers’ best friend was touching.
Harry spent his later years at Hogwarts aspiring to be an Auror, a dark wizard catcher. Learning that the Boy Who Lived was the Head of Magical Law Enforcement…was a bit disappointing. I understand that after the battle of Hogwarts many dark wizards were most likely captured or went into hiding…but a ministry official?
Harry and Hermione were beyond adamant that they wanted to avoid working for the government during the school years. I’m sure Hermione feels that she is “making a difference” as the Minister of Magic but I think fans (mainly me) wanted a little bit more back story there. How did she become the minister? Harry has a job with piles of paperwork? The guy could barely finish his homework.
Let’s get Serious. I think Delphi being the daughter of Bellatrix Lestrange and Lord Voldemort was a more interesting move rather than realistic. I don’t think that Voldemort would have ever had a child or have felt the need to be with Bellatrix. Feel free to disagree with me but I never saw that as a possibility for Voldemort. I don’t think that he wanted any ancestors. He wanted it to be him and him alone.
Snape continues to sacrifice himself. I actually laughed as Hermione and Snape talked like they were friends in one of the changed realities. I liked seeing how the resistance against Voldemort continued no matter what reality.
That ending. Merlin’s pants. Harry has relived his parents’ death in a few different ways over the course of the series, but Harry watching Voldemort enter his house…I got chills. I truly felt like I was there, which was a feat for this book because I didn’t feel like that the whole book.
I can see how sitting in a theater and watching this all unfold would make it ten times better. I got nervous as the dementors walked around the crowd and Lord Voldemort returned to stage. I almost shed a tear as I read the names of the three best friends returning to page after so many years.
Whether or not this book was realistic, “actually a part of the series”, I’ll let other readers decide. I may not rank this book in my top ten list…but I am beyond thankful to have reentered the world of "Harry Potter" again. I’ll take as much as I can get from this universe. So if there is another book, I’ll be in line waiting.
