The Pensieve

An Academic Guide to Harry Potter

Harry Potter Carnival #54

Written By: Dana Huff - Sep• 01•07

Welcome to the 54th Harry Potter Carnival! Please be aware that this carnival and outgoing links will contain spoilers. You are advised not to read if you haven’t finished DH.

J.K. Rowling

It turns out that the rumor about JKR working on a detective novel was a joke that got out of hand. While that particular rumor wasn’t true, it is fun to speculate about what she might write next and how it will inevitably be compared to HP.

Fan Art

Sanna L. is the current featured artist at TLC’s Fan Art Gallery, and it’s not tough to see why:

Fawkes

Look at those vibrant colors!

Theories and Speculation

Leanne Bruno shares an interesting essay about house-elves in DH over at HPL.

Hermione’s Library

Mike Weinstein’s essay on Astronomy in the Harry Potter Series has been updated to include information from DH.

Random Fandom

I haven’t forgotten I promised a Harry Potter “Methadone List,” but I’m a teacher and we started back to school, leaving me fairly busy for the time being. But it is coming! Meanwhile, enjoy another OotP movie review from the Flick Guru at The Guru’s Movie Reviews.

Just for Fun

Christine Gowen said she couldn’t find good instructions for making a wand online, so she created some herself. Go check out “Make Your Own Magic Wand” at the Crafty Teacher.

Thanks to everyone for the submissions! To submit Potterica for the next carnival, use my carnival submission form. Please note the category for which it should be considered. Deadline is 10:00 P.M. Friday, September 14. The next HP carnival will appear Saturday, September 15. Deconstructions of DH and spoilers are OK for submission to the September 15 carnival.

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Harry Potter Carnival #53

Written By: Dana Huff - Aug• 18•07

Welcome to the 53rd Harry Potter Carnival! Please be aware that this carnival and outgoing links will contain spoilers. You are advised not to read if you haven’t finished DH.

J.K. Rowling

The latest scuttlebutt is that JKR is working on a detective novel.

Fan Art

John Struan collects Harry Potter fan art at his blog Super Punch. A sample of one of his finds is this picture of Snape’s Avada Kedavra by ThanataPhaemo:

Snape Kills

Theories and Speculation

Nancy LeFever shares 10 Life Lessons We Can Learn from Harry Potter at the Centre for Emotional Well-Being.

Hermione’s Library

HPL is still in the midst of a massive update and overhaul and is asking for your patience before contacting them about out-of-date information (in other words, check the date the page was updated before contacting the editors).

Random Fandom

Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series, shared a list of books she referred to as “the Methadone List” for readers to enjoy while waiting for her next book. But what sort of Methadone List can one create for Harry Potter fans? The New York Post has a start, but stay tuned here for my own Methadone List.

Just for Fun

In his recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Daniel Radcliffe described a picture making the rounds in which he is “reading” a copy of DH. It took some digging, but thanks to some readers at TLC, I found it at Dan’s unofficial website. Here it is — Harry Potter reading Harry Potter:

Dan Radcliffe with DH

Before you correct me and tell me he said he was actually just signing the copy for a fan, I want to assure you I knew that, but you have to admit it’s a more interesting picture if he’s reading it.

Thanks to everyone for the submissions! To submit Potterica for the next carnival, use my carnival submission form. Please note the category for which it should be considered. Deadline is 10:00 P.M. Friday, August 31. The next HP carnival will appear Saturday, September 1. Deconstructions of DH and spoilers are OK for submission to the September 1 carnival.

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Harry Potter Carnival #52

Written By: Dana Huff - Aug• 07•07

Welcome to the 52nd Harry Potter Carnival! Please be aware that this carnival and outgoing links will contain spoilers. You are advised not to read if you haven’t finished DH.

Before we begin, I would like to remind submitters that they should probably check in here at the Pensieve periodically for announcements about the Carnival.

J.K. Rowling

JKR has been talking about HP in many places since the book was released, but perhaps the most illuminating information for fans can be found in this web chat on July 30, 2007.

Jeremy Bruno has a bone to pick with JKR.

Fan Art

My favorite chapter of DH was the chapter in which Harry sifts through Snape’s memories in the Pensieve. The image of Snape and Lily talking about Hogwarts, magic, and Dementors under a tree really stayed with me. I found a great rendition of this moment done by theyoungdoyler:

Down by the River

Theories and Speculation

Thought that now the series was over all the speculation would cease? Not likely! Check out this editorial at Mugglenet for a few of the questions DH raised.

Hermione’s Library

Rather than share one post, I would like to share a site for this edition’s segment of Hermione’s library. Wendy submitted a couple of posts from the Gryffindor Gazette for the Carnival, and while they didn’t quite fit in (her link to the Jonathan Ross interview has already been posted here, and I don’t tend to post about other things the HP movie stars are doing), her site is really impressive, and I hope you will check it out.

Random Fandom

Grrlscientist, frequent contributor to the Carnival, shares her thoughts about Harry Potter. I absolutely loved the book myself– my favorite in the series. I haven’t had as much of a chance to write about it yet as I’d like with work this summer, but stay tuned.

Yehuda Berlinger contributes the definitive list of Harry Potter games.

Just for Fun

Meredith Mathews shares a compendium of links for Potter fans.

Judith Withers shares her humorous look at Harry’s thoughts on the movies.

Thanks to everyone for the submissions! To submit Potterica for the next carnival, use my carnival submission form. Please note the category for which it should be considered. Deadline is 10:00 P.M. Friday, August 17. The next HP carnival will appear Saturday, August 18. Deconstructions of DH and spoilers are OK for submission to the August 18 carnival.

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Carnival Delay

Written By: Dana Huff - Aug• 04•07

I will be posting the next carnival on Monday.  I have gone out of town on personal business and have limited access to a computer.  Thanks for understanding, and thanks for all the submissions.

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He’s Everywhere…

Written By: Dana Huff - Jul• 26•07

Darth Vader reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry… I am your father.

Photo via Teban.

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Forums

Written By: Dana Huff - Jul• 26•07

I have been trying to make up my mind about something, and perhaps readers can help.

Is there any interest in a forum to discuss the HP books here? I have been a regular contributor in the past to a forum frequented by adult fans of the HP series, but I became rather disgusted with the lot of them because they are so down on Jo and her decisions. I gather that many of them write fanfiction (which, no offense, I’ve never had much use for), and they are unhappy that JKR’s canon doesn’t match up with their fanon ideas. Frankly, I think some of their ideas are disturbing.

I have tried to participate in forums at TLC, but the sheer number of posts is so large and unwieldy, I just can’t keep up. It’s very frustrating. I haven’t tried Mugglenet’s forums, really. Mugglenet frustrates me because it doesn’t publish an RSS feed for its posts. I can’t keep up with sites that don’t publish an RSS feed — it’s too hard for me to check a whole bunch of sites each day. It’s much easier for me to check my feed reader. Veritaserum‘s forums look like they’d be about the right size for me to keep up with, but I thought I’d float the idea of forums here at the Pensieve just in case.

If there is an interest in forums, I want to state upfront that no sexual fanfiction, slash or otherwise (and the same goes for fan art) will be allowed. I know some people like that kind of thing, and there are other places (unfortunately, I think) for them to share it, but my site should be kid-friendly.

Some possible ideas:

  • We could sort into houses and perhaps even vote for good posts in order to earn house points.
  • We could have a variety of discussion areas, including areas for books, movies, off-topic, etc.
  • In lieu of forums, we could enable registration here at the Pensieve, and folks could contribute posts to the blog — in that way, the Pensieve might move toward being more like Mugglenet or TLC, which I’m not sure I want — they already do a really good job with HP news, and I’m not sure another site like that is needed. However, a collection of blog posts about HP would be different, and, based upon some of the reaction to the HP Carnival, I think, welcome. I might still be able to figure out how to attach posters to houses and enable posters to earn points for good posts.
  • People like forums. I receive very few comments here, and I don’t really mind, but I have wondered if the way the site is set up doesn’t encourage interactivity. Perhaps that could change if we had forums.

So leave your thoughts in the comments. If there appears to be enough interest in either contributing to this blog or creating forums, I can do that.

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Revisiting Book 7 Predictions

Written By: Dana Huff - Jul• 24•07

THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!

Back before we knew the title of Book 7, indeed shortly after HBP was released, I posted my predictions for Book 7. Let’s see how I fared.

(more…)

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The Prince’s Tale

Written By: Dana Huff - Jul• 23•07

SPOILER ALERT. DO NOT READ THIS POST IF YOU HAVEN’T FINISHED DH!

Yesterday I posted here that I had finished DH and would wait until the weekend before posting spoilers. I have decided not to wait after checking out TLC and HPL and discovering they are already posting spoilers. They have a point. I think it was right for spoilers to be contained up until the book’s release, and I am so happy that my exposure to spoilers was limited (I knew the title of one chapter, but aside from that, nothing was ruined for me). At the same time, I suppose it is only fair that once the book is out there, it’s fair game for discussion. I will post warnings and put any spoilers beyond the link that follows, which you will have to click if you want to read further. Don’t say I didn’t warn you… (more…)

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Finished

Written By: Dana Huff - Jul• 22•07

THERE ARE NO SPOILERS IN THIS POST.

That said, I finished DH last night. It is my favorite in the series. If you are interested in my thoughts on the book, please stop back by here this weekend. Unfortunately, I will be fairly busy over the next few weeks, and it may be some time before I get all of my thoughts out.

On a completely unrelated note, I find it interesting that with each book release, the folks who don’t like Harry Potter or don’t get it will insist on trying to spoil the fun of those who do. I don’t speak only of posting spoilers online or of yelling spoilers out as people leave the bookstore. I speak of those who feel as though it is their duty to try to convince Harry Potter fans that they are somehow deluded or unintelligent because they enjoy the books. It is well within your rights not to read or not to like the books, and even to complain about them if you must, but I own this blog, and I don’t have to post it here. I know there are those who might complain that their dissenting opinions are not given voice, but frankly, that’s not true. No one is telling you that you can’t proclaim your disdain for the books. But it’s my right to ignore it, and that’s what I plan to do. I don’t feel compelled to provide you with a soapbox.  Just in case you were wondering why your comment didn’t appear or your submitted post didn’t appear in the carnival (by the way, before you assume it won’t appear, double check the date you submitted; due to spoiler leaks, I felt compelled to change the submission deadline). This blog is a labor of love for me. I don’t receive a lot of comments. Not many people link to it. I hardly ever receive carnival submissions, though that has not been the case the last two weeks. I write here because I love the Harry Potter books, and I love talking and speculating about them. If you don’t love them, it does nothing to detract from my own enjoyment, and nothing you say will matter or change my mind, and I don’t pretend I could change yours either. I say we just agree to disagree and not pester each other.

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Harry Potter Carnival #51

Written By: Dana Huff - Jul• 21•07

Welcome to the SPOILER-FREE 51st Harry Potter Carnival! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is upon us at last, but before the book was released at midnight, I asked contributors to share posts related to DH, especially predictions. Please note that submissions received after the revised deadline (changed to combat spoilers) will not appear in this carnival, but may be considered for the carnival appearing on August 4.

J.K. Rowling

JKR has had a busy week with all the spoilers. DeepDiscount.com sent the books several days too early, and some scans and photographs of the books have appeared online. JKR and Scholastic issued a press release.

Fan Art

Perhaps more than any artist, official Scholastic book cover artist Mary Grandpré has influenced our perception of Harry Potter. Thanks for the beautiful art (courtesy of Veritaserum)!

Mirror of Erised

Theories and Speculation

Tim LeBon shares an interview with two authors and one co-editor of books about Harry Potter and Philosophy, with their predictions about DH.

Much has been made of the HP series’ supposed link to wicca, but what can Harry Potter teach us about Spirituality? via Sri Chinmoy Inspiration.

The wand chooses the wizard, but what might that mean, especially for Voldemort and the trio?

Hermione’s Library

Did you take TLC’s mega-prediction quiz? How did you do? What has Jo said about DH? Did all your questions get answered?

Random Fandom

Bob warns that no one had better shout the ending when he leaves the bookstore. I hope you got away OK, Bob.

Incidentally, July is a big vacation month in America. Were any of you on vacation when the book came out? Sheila Scarborough presents Harry Potter when you travel with kids posted at Family Travel: See The World With Your Kids. Speaking of travel, the Travel Minx shares why reading a Harry Potter book can be better than a holiday.

Just for Fun

Scott shares Harry Potter’s Guide to the People You Meet in College posted at College and Finance, saying, “I thought it was pretty clever… and you have to really know the novels to get all the jokes.”

OotP Reviews

So many of you sent in OotP reviews that I set up a section to house most of them (with the exception of Bob’s, as I paired his two submissions together above.

Thanks to everyone for the submissions! To submit Potterica for the next carnival, use my carnival submission form. Please note the category for which it should be considered. Deadline is 10:00 P.M. Friday, August 3. The next HP carnival will appear Saturday, August 4. Deconstructions of DH and spoilers are OK for submission to the August 4 carnival.

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