On Hallowed Ground: CC2K Looks to Harry Potter Book Seven
Written by: The CinCitizens
Love Harry, Hate Harry – By Anastasia Salter
As a fan of Harry Potter, I’ve been at every midnight movie showing and book release. I’ve gotten my Slytherin T-shirt and debated Snape’s good or evil alignment at the wee hours of the morning. There’s a shelf in my room that holds all six books to date, plus the oft-forgotten mini-tomes Rowling released as books from the Harry Potter universe itself. Now I’m watching the close of the saga, and I can’t even make predictions for book 7 anymore: no matter which character ultimately dies, this will be the end of a years-long friendship with these characters.
So why are these books that I wish would never have a last page? I find it hard to even explain the appeal. First I must confess that while I love the Harry Potter novels, I do not like Harry Potter much. I find him bland, pigheaded, and generally lacking in subtlety and empathy. I think most of his success through the first half or more of the saga has been luck, not skill: his actions in Order of the Phoenix, the film version of which I eagerly anticipate, are downright destructive to those he cares most about. If any character needs redemption in my eyes, it is Harry Potter: it is time for him to look beneath the surface of things and find the maturity a true hero requires.
Harry’s lack of maturity has been most played out in his relationship with Draco Malfoy and Snape. In these two Harry can see only evil. These two characters are J.K. Rowling’s most complex: Draco is the school bully who ultimately lacks real malice. He’s all talk and no fire, trembling behind his father’s shadow. Draco had to do his growing up in Book 6, and now I believe he is ready to see Harry as an ally—not a friend, perhaps, but as the only hope for getting Draco out of the corner he’s backed himself into. Snape, on the other hand, we’ve seen constantly acting as brave as Dumbledore himself: but at every turn, Harry ignores the good and only sees Snape’s vicious temper.
The possible redemption of Snape has already been addressed, but I find myself with grave fears for our dear Severus as the final chapter approaches. I do not believe Snape is evil, just as Dumbledore could not believe it, and I cannot see the great Albus Dumbledore pleading for his life. To me there is no question of Snape’s allegiance, for he may be a grouchy misanthrope but he always goes out of his way to save people’s lives—particularly Harry Potter, who has certainly given Snape no reason to come to his aid. The great redemption of Snape, then, will be in his death: I imagine that Snape will make one final gesture and come to the rescue of Harry, and in doing so will prove to everyone his allegiances. Only martyrdom will get through Harry’s thick skull and bring him to a realization that the world is not all black and white—Snape’s sacrifice will make Harry’s victory possible.
Snape’s death will also allow for the redemption of another young man, Draco Malfoy. Harry may not see Snape’s dualistic nature in time to accept Severus as an ally, but in the death of Snape there is hope for a change in Harry’s perception. Draco has been nurtured by Snape throughout the saga: Snape has been like a father to him, even going so far as to swear an unbreakable oath and act so that Draco would never have to become a murderer. Draco will repay this debt to Snape, and Snape’s death will be the spur that moves him to action. When Draco moves away from the Death Eaters for good, there will be hope for everyone—Draco may even be instrumental to the destruction of a Horcrux, as he certainly has the connections to turn the tide.
This does not mean that I am certain that Harry himself will survive. The problem with heroes is that there isn’t much use for them outside of times of great conflict. It’s hard to see Harry growing up to be a Quidditch star after finally defeating Voldemort—more easy, perhaps, to see Harry drunk somewhere reliving past glories and mourning dead friends. Perhaps the position of Hogwarts headmaster might be tacitly reserved for him, and that would certainly be a nice, sweet ending—one where Harry grows up to marry Ginny and raise a brood of youngsters before taking the same position as his former mentor. Such an ending might be suitable for a children’s fantasy novel, it might even fit the tone of the first few Harry Potter books.
The question of whether these are children’s books anymore is a difficult one. There was a time when a fairy tale was a dark story, full of viciousness and bad turns and even unhappy endings. Such tales have been cleaned up over the generations, filled with light and hope and monsters that can be easily swept under the rug—Disney in particular has created these modern tales with as little sex and violence and is considered “appropriate for children.” By those standards, Harry Potter isn’t appropriate for children anymore.
Harry’s world has aged with him, and I do not see a happy ending for this final chapter. I believe Harry’s scar itself marks him as a horcrux, and that for Voldemort to be defeated Harry himself will have to die with him. This is the purpose for which Harry has been marked all his life: through his death, he can protect those he loves, and know that Ron, Hermione, and Ginny will have a chance at full lives. Harry’s death will be grand and noble, and after all, for a well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure…