My favorite Harry

GOBLET OF FIRE is one of my favorites in the series.  It's the one where, when dealing with plot devices in literature, we have the true turning point the overall series.  The kids aren't kids anymore--they're teenagers who are discovering just who and what they are and what they want to be in life.  (As a side note, it's interesting that even though Moody isn't the real Moody throughout this whole school term, Harry, Ron, and Hermoine all take his advice and choose to become Aurors.  You would think they wouldn't listen to anything Barty Crouch, Jr. says even if what he says is as Alastor Moody.  But, interestingly enough, Harry, in particular, does pursue a career as an Auror, proving that in spite of the fact that Moody wasn't Moody, Harry (and Ron and Hermoine) greatly admire and respect him.)

I love that we get more of an inkling that there might be something between Ron and Hermoine.  There have been hints in the 3 previous books, but this is the first time there's really a serious indication that there's more than meets the eye between these two.  Of course, it can't be TOO obvious or TOO easy for the two of them to get together ("The course of true love never did run smooth" you know!), so throwing in the fact that Ron is totally clueless to the fact that he cares more for Hermoine than as a friend as well as Hermoine getting a little friendly with Viktor Krum add a little spice and sizzle to the whole situation.

Rowling has gone on record stating that she'd originally thought about killing off Ron at some point in the series.  Personally, I wouldn't have wanted her to do that, but I have to say that a powerful, romantic love scene between Ron and Hermoine as he lay dying would have been something else to read.....I wouldn't have been able to keep reading or to sleep for a week from weeping and sobbing so hard!  It would have been genius on Rowling's part....to have Ron die, saving Hermoine's life somehow--and the two of them somehow realizing their true love for one another---only when it's too late.  And maybe even Ron telling her he understands if she finds someone else to love....even if it would be Harry.

Oh, wow.  That's powerful.  I'm all choked up just thinking about the possibility of Rowling doing that!  Not that I wanted Ron to die, you understand!  I just would have been a very powerful, moving, and, yes, romantic scene!!!

Anyway, GOBLET OF FIRE is also where we have an actual death IN and DURING the story itself.  Of course, Professor Quirrell dies in Book 1 when he touches Harry and Voldemort leaves his body.  But we all know that death doesn't really count in the overall scheme of things.  The death in this book is of a beloved character--even though Cedric Diggory doesn't really come in to the story until Book 4.  (He IS mentioned very briefly in at least one of the previous books during a scene when several other characters are in a group and are mentioned, but Cedric doesn't actually enter the STORY until Book 4.)  It's a very violent and powerful death, one which Harry feels responsible for simply because he and Cedric agree to take the Goblet together at the same time.  Plus, Harry almost dies--again.

GOBLET OF FIRE is a long book that is a bit of a challenge to get through--there's a lot of information that we have to remember as well as quite a few new characters.  It gets a little complicated trying to remember everything, but it is a testament to the fact that Rowling truly is an incredible storyteller in that we as readers DO remember as much as we do remember throughout this long, great portion of the HARRY POTTER series.....!

I had a thought during the reading of this book.....does anyone know the exact number of times Harry has had to have medical attention throughout the whole series???  And can anyone name each of those times and which book each happens????  I think it'd be fun and interesting if we started a running list that we all share and add to as we remember them!!!!  (It'd be interesting to include the times Ron and Hermoine need medical attention, too.  Hermoine needs more than I remembered from my first couple of readings!)