ENDING SPOILERS do not open if not finished

[Kenneth]

OK beyond all of the loose threads not touched on, there are two things that continue to bother me about Rowling's all-too-neat ending.
1. Where did Neville get the sword of Godric from? I think I might have just breezed past this little plothole.
2. Someone please go over the math for me on the whole Elder Wand ownership thing. THat did not make sense and seemed like a big lazy deus-ex-machina device. What, the wand just chose Harry because he was the coolest kid in school or something? And why would it have even chosen Draco to begin with, why not stick with Snape?

[Sana]

Neville got the sword from the sorting hat. the sword always presents itself to a true gryffindor (someone who is displaying bravery). He was standing up to Voldemort, so the sword came.
The Elder Wand was in Dumbledore's posession. The night when dumbledore died, it was Draco who disarmed him so he became master of the Elder Wand even though Snape killed Dumbledore b/c snape killed dumbledore at dumbledores command, not b/c he overcame him. Then harry became the master of draco's wand in Deathly Hallows and so the elder wand also became his, make sense?

[Jillian]

I have a question...is the Elder Wand one single wand? Or does its power change wands depending on who the rightful owner is? So lets see.... Voldemort is still in possesstion of Dumbledore's wand....but since Harry overcame Draco, the power of the elderwand rests within Harrys wand? Is this right?

[Kate]

I think it is a single wand, but, at the very end, Harry disarms Voldemort and catches the wand with his, so called, quiddich skills at catching. That's according to the book. Anyone think the epilogue, with the whole world getting married to who they expected, was just a little too pat? And the end went awfully quickly, especially after the ages of them travelling...

[Tara]

Exactly, Kate! The end was just so neat and tidy and quick, whereas they were in the tent in the forest, what seemed like, forever! It kind of seemed like the deathly hallows objects weren't even necessary. It was a rambling story, and the book would have been a lot better if it was only 400 pages instead of 750. Rowling was desperately in need of an EDITOR!

[Andie]

Oh I agree Tara. I had to reread the last few pages to make sure I didn't miss anything. I hated the neat little packaged abrupt ending.

[Janice]

I'm agreeing with Tara ... 400 pages would have been better

and the epilogue was definitely overkill

[Sara W]

About the Elder Wand -- I think the trick to understanding it (for myself anyway) is appreciating that the allegiance of the wand was not necessarily dictated by who actually possessed the wand. Voldemort had the wand in his possession, but through the strange rules of allegiance, its power belonged to Harry (via Draco).

As for the epilogue, I thought it was a bit of a letdown. I would have preferred a more comprehensive wrap-up where all of the characters and places might have had a part -- what happened to the Durleys? Hagrid? Luna Lovegood? Who is headmaster at Hogwarts now...?

I guess that would have meant no possibility of sequels though. ;)

[Kecia]

I loved the book, but I thought the epilogue was dreadful! After I closed the book I wondered if the epilogue was there to wrap up the series or was it there to set up a sequel series. I suppose time will tell...

[kirk]

The sword thing WAS confusing, and I admit I had to get online and research that little nagging feeling in my head that it had sommmehting to do with the "true Gryffindor" thing, but couldn't remember exactly what. Was it first mentioned in Sorcerer's Stone??

[Jodi]

The info about the sword of Gryffindor was set up in The Chamber of Secrets. Harry pulls it from the sorting hat, Dumbledore explains it after they defeat Tom Riddle and the Basilisk.

[Michele]

She could have easily replaced the epilogue with "everyone had babies and lived happily ever after." I really wanted to find out what everyone's jobs were (not just Neville) and what about Ted Tonks? Is he living on the street? I thought Harry was his godfather, and assumed he'd be raising him. Wasn't that the point of Lupin and Tonks dying?

The end definitely felt like Rowling was twisting the rules to get the ending she wanted. Since when can wands change allegiance just because someone won the person's OTHER wand? Definitely a little weak. It's a shame because I enjoyed the book right up until the end, where it became way too bogged down in detail to enjoy the finality of it.

[[deleted user]]

I agree with most of the things said up to now.
One thing is really confusing though, would really that step-where-you-know-is-definitely-solid Hermione have in the middle of the war, when the most important thing is to stick with everyone else, left the group simply with the hope that Ron's attempt at Parsletongue would succeed and the Chamber's door would open?
The idea of Ron - or any body else, for that matter - speaking the language of snakes is simply ridiculous.
In my opinion, Rowling has simply said it thus to avoid a whole chapter spent on Harry venturing in the chamber of secrets.
And the epilogue was a ... well, to use Dumbledore's phrase, fiasco.

[Megan]

Michele- Ted is 19 by the epilouge. I'd assume that he has a place of his own by now as he's well past the age of majority. He probably either grew up with Harry or Andromeda, because as far as I know she was alive and kicking at the end of the Final Battle.

[Michele]

but that just raises another question... if he is 19, what is he doing on the Hogwarts Express? (unless I misread that.) anyway, i just thought it would have been touching to show that moment of adulthood when Harry realized he was now responsible for raising a child of his own. we can't let ALL the burden off of his shoulders!

and Milad, you're right, i forgot about that. it made no sense for them to run off to the chamber of secrets just because Ron thought he may have remembered the word for "open." although for the most part, i enjoyed everything until Harry came back from the dead.

[Rob & Liz]

The final chapter is almost like a first chapter of a probable forthcoming book. It was so different to the rest of the book.
We see Harry now married 20 odd years down the road to the girl I did not expect and everybody rushing off to send the kids to Hogwarts. Surprise the train station pillar still works.
rob

[Megan]

Who did you expect him to marry? I'm a 100% Harry/Ginny shipper so that strikes me as a bit odd.

But I'm sure the station piller still works, they probably preform 'matinence' on it every few years,as that will be the entrance to Hogwarts untill someone decided to remove Kings Cross.

Michele- He was saying a very physical good-bye to his girlfriend, Victorie, Bill and Fluer's daughter.

[shahrzad]

I can't believe you want a shorter book, because I personally think it was too short :). I love the book so much. Her world is so believable I sometimes think may be I am really a muggle.
and also I see many question hear that jk answer in her interviews for example about Ted, sword and many other things. if you are so curious about it go to the mugglenet.com you'll be satisfied

[Rob & Liz]

My actual review...
An excellent read, had me in suspense and I enjoyed the different switches in the characters.
Course the last two chapters were ones of wonder, suspense and enjoyment.

I now have to read the books I missed earlier so I can fill in the missing puzzles.
Rob

[Amrita]

I agree that the epilogue was much too neat and tidy, it should have been more than just everyone sending their kids to Hogwarts. But I don't agree that the book should have been shorter.

[Penny]

I think that if the author was to write a shorter book, she should get rid of some of the camping stuff, because I didn't find that part interesting at all. Actually, that was the boringest(?) part.

[Malia]

I abloslutly loved her books!!!!!!!!! But I'm bummed because I heard that J.K.'s next book[s] is/are going to be under a pen name.

[Emily]

Tara, the deathly hallows were HUGELY important!!!!!!! They explained why Voldermort was the way that he was and how Harry was different. The actual Hallows themselves weren't important, it was the message that Rowling taught throughout the series: That the only power that really matters is the power of love. Throughout the series, we have wizards striving for power and the hallows are the last way to achieve ultimate power - but Harry regects that power because he already has all that matters! That's the whole point of the book!!!!!!

[Nicole]

well, from the things being said about the ending, I liked it.the book ended with a abrubt end without the epologe. honestly,It was the series wrap-up! it ended on a good note. Is that so bad??? It was good to be at least 700 pg's long.It was the 7th book.the part in the foret was probably ony (at least) 40 pg's long. and some of us have a high reading level and engoyed the longness.Oooo, and did you know, the last harry movie is going to be two moivies? that means they arent going to leave anything out!!!!I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Isaac]

I didn't have time to read all the posts so someone may have said this already. If a wizard disarms or kills the wizard in possession of the wand it rightfully is given to the disarmer.

[Maja]

I don't know... For me it would make more sense that the wand becomes yours after you KILLED the person, not disarmed them... Because even if they are disarmed, they are still alive and could claim their wand back... I don't see the bond being broken between the owner and the wand if the owner is not dead... IMO...

[Isaac]

Maybe, but without a wand to channel the spells out of they're powerless, Right?

[Maja]

I guess, but that doesn't mean that the bond is broken... or is it? I mean obviously it is, but still... doesn't make sense....

[Carita]

I think the ending had to end tidily because she was on close watch from an editor and she did say that she didn't want the series to continue, so thats why so neat.

I used to hate the ending, not everyone can get the ending they want. Not explaining every detail adds mystery and a whole world of assumtions to the story that I think was intentional. Not to mention the TREMENDOUS pressure and stress put on her of how to end the last book.

Last thing: I would hate if the series went on. I really want that world to go on, but there has to be an end.

[Heather]

I love cheese! Yum yum, chedder... so good.
Oh, and Harry Potter is pretty cool too!

[Sammy]

1. This is not a plothole the sword presented itself to Neville as it has the power of presenting itself to any worthy Gryffindor.
2. Draco disarmed Dumbledore the night of Dumbledore's death, which Harry witnessed, however at the Malfoy Manor when Harry, Ron and Hermione are taken there by snatchers Harry disarms Draco. When you disarm a wizard their wand rightfully belongs to you, so Dumbledore's wand (the elder wand) rightfully belonged to Draco and then when Harry disarmed Draco the Elder wand, rightfully Draco's now rightfully becomes Harry's. When Harry has a vision of Voldemort stealing Dumbledore's wand because it is the elder wand he pieces these things together and realizes the wand is rightfully his.

[AgCl]

if you ACTUALLY read Philosopher's/Sorcerer's stone, Half-blood Prince and Deathly Hallows you wouldn't be asking any of these.

but you'd get a good explanation from this site: http://www.today.com/id/20035573#.UuT...

[Sammy]

You haven't read the books closely enough if you're asking these questions.

[Roni]

Okay, maybe most of you guys are younger than me and were able to read them like all at once, but I read them one by one as they were released, sometimes waiting a year (possibly more in some cases) for the next book. This gave me plenty of time to go back and re-read (yes, read again) the books and understand them better. So I have to agree, you haven't read closley enough if you're asking these type of questions.

I have to agreee that I would like to know about the 19 years between the final battle and sending the kids off. It would be nice to see what all of them did during that time, rebuilding and getting back to "life as usual".

[Roni]

Carthya wrote: "Maja wrote: "I don't know... For me it would make more sense that the wand becomes yours after you KILLED the person, not disarmed them... Because even if they are disarmed, they are still alive an..."

Wasn't that why it was called the "Deathstick"? Wizards would kill the previous owner for fear they would come back and claim the wand or take it back?
Read closely...