*SPOILERS!!* Chapters 16 through 20 *SPOILERS!!*

[Richard]

The story is really unfolding now. The end of chapter 20 indicates that we’ll get close to the Deathly hallows, and what they are!

I loved Ron’s return, as I really hated the parts without him. The stuff in Godric’s Hollow was great too, though it went all very fast. Loved the flashback of the night the Potters were killed though, as well as the destruction of the locket Horcrux. I’m now wondering who conjured the doe. My guess is Aberforth, though I haven’t got a clue why.

Dumbledore’s backstory is very fascinating. In book 6, we learn so much about Voldy, now it seems that we are doing the same with Dumbledore. Him and Grindelwald actually being friends, or used to be friends is an interesting thought. I wonder what happened and how DD’s sister is going to play in the rest of the book. Was it due to Grindelwald that she got killed? And has this anything to do with the green potion from the cave in book 6?

And another death, well, sort of. Harry’s wand. This came as a surprise to me. What will he do without it? His new one seems much weaker. After all the emphasis on the wand chosing the wizard, it seems there won’t be a wand out there for Harry that comes close to being as good as his now broken one. I really hope it can be mended / repaired. I mean, if Harry is gonna live after the end of the book, he’ll need a decent wand right. Of course, not sure if he will live…

Richard

[Richard]

I paid more attention at the behaviour of the locket during these chapters. In two instances, the locket acts rather curously.

First, in Bathilda's house, Harry feels the locket getting 'excited' when he's near Bagshot / Nagini. Is this because it feels the other Horcrux is close?

Second, when Harry is close to the water, the Horcrux tris to killHarry. Does it feel the Sword? Does it know it's close to something that could destroy it? Or is it more than the peice of soul? Is it caused by something of Slytherin getting so close to something of Gryffindor?

I absolutely love the scene where Ron and Harry get back together, and the conflict the horcrux plays out (with Harry/Hermiony instead of Ron/Hermione). I really wonder how J.K. Rowling might have felt putting that in. She did give the Harmonia people something in this book...

I also 'liked' Harry's anger with Dumbledore. Many fans fell like DD had done a poor job preparing Harry after book 6. It was justified, in my opinion.

I just loved the whole Godric's Hollow part with Harry being at his parents' grave, the statue and the encouraging messages on the sign near the ruins of the Potters' cottage.
Also, Voldemort showing up. It's like the second time in the book Harry escapes him, and the fifth time in Harry's lifetime he does do (when his parents died, at the end of PS, at the end of GoF, at the end of OotP and at the start of DH). If you count Tom Riddle at the end of book 2, it is 6 times, double that of his parents and Neville's parents! Go HARRY!

Richard