Rowling dedicates 'Deathly Hallows' to me

J.K. Rowling dedicated “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” to me. It says: The dedication of this book is split seven ways: … and to you, if you have stuck with Harry until the very end.”
Harry Potter No. 7 that wraps up nearly all loose ends in this saga, introduces some new twists, satisfies me, but still leaves me wanting more. The magical world that Rowling created is so wonderful and pleasing that I hate to say goodbye to it. Rowling has ruled out prequels and sequels, even though the ending certainly could be the start of another seven-years-at-Hogwarts stories.
Other critics have compared the series to a waste of old-growth forests and silly when rated next to Tolstoy, Fitzgerald and Dostoyevsky. Though one writer compared the fascination with Harry with the excitement readers greeted each installment of Dickens.
That’s what Rowling and the Harry Potter series are about: a wonderful world, expertly imagined and crafted, with enticing characters and fun dialogue.
How we deal with death is a major theme of the series, and we are treated to several deaths and endings in DH. I cried several times. When you invest time into characters and a story, it’s hard not to be personally affected on some level.
SPOILER ALERT!
Now I’m going to discuss specific scenes in DH, so if you haven’t read it, you may want to wait until you finish, unless you just like to read my writing, then go ahead.
Once again a book opens with Death Eaters, but here Voldemort is in their midst. We see the powerful attracted by the Dark Arts and the thuggish. We also witness remorse, which is a theme throughout DH, through the Malfoys. Even Voldemort could be redeemable if he shows remorse. Lucius and Narcissa show that intelligent people can spot the difference between playing at being evil and being consumed by evil, and they tread a fine line in order to avoid being consumed by Voldemort. This chapter foreshadows parts of the end, with Severus Snape being the most trusted servant of Voldemort, the bond of Bellatrix LeStrange in love with her evil master, the Malfoys pulling away, the torture for fun of Muggles, and the fear through which Voldemort rules.
We are treated to a fun chapter in which we find out that Dudley Dursley shows gratitude, perhaps a bit of remorse, toward Harry. Aunt Petunia can’t summon any of those feelings; while Uncle Vernon perhaps had a twinge of understanding of the pain he has caused Harry.
Then, the good guys show up in force in the Order of the Phoenix, to spirit Harry to safety. And our first tragedies strike. We find out the depths of Ron and Hermione’s love of Harry and a determination to stick with him even though it very well could mean their deaths. From the beginning of DH, Harry shows plenty of remorse, regret, humility and an unwillingness to accept the sacrifice of others for him.
Here Harry and his friends start the epic journey. As with many epic journeys, theirs is epic … and long. Each chapter is needed, supplying vital information that Harry will need to destroy the Horcruxes in which Voldemort has hidden parts of his soul. Harry learns of some weaknesses of Voldemort. The friends’ relationships are tested. His best friend, Ron, deserts him. But heroically saving Harry’s life, Ron returns. In nearly every chapter Harry must deal with Dark attacks. And finally, the friends are captured. In places during this journey, it was hard to keep reading.
With help from Dobby the house elf, Harry, Ron and Hermione escape from the Malfoy mansion, where Hermione is tortured. Dobby dies as he brings Harry to safety. I was crushed. Dobby and Harry had such a bond, and his death galvanizes Harry to move forward with his plans to defeat Voldemort.
As the pace speeds up, Voldemort finally sees Harry’s plan.
And fans find out that the slightly misspelled anagram of Severus Snape, Persues Evans, is true. Snape has loved Lily Evans for all his life, protected her son at the cost of his own life, and is the “horrible boy” that told Lily about dementors, to whom Aunt Petunia referred in “Half-Blood Prince.” I was right: Snape is good, deep down. And as he dies, he looks into Harry’s eyes and sees Lily’s.
I was puzzled by the introduction of the Deathly Hallows into the storyline. It felt almost like cheating. But once again Harry had to move forward without everything being in place. Once again he survives, in a Christ-like way, which I had expected in some way. Even though his death had me in tears. Returning again to the theme of remorse, Harry’s offer of redemption to Voldemort was needed but of course not taken.
The last few chapters were highly satisfying. Rowling neatly ties up most of the threads and skates past being maudlin. Others may argue with that assessment, even as tragedy dots the battle scene.
No, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” isn’t a weighty work of finest literature, but it is an engaging story well told that has enticed legions of children and adults to turn from the videogames and television to explore the wonders of the written word.
I’m glad to have been a part of Harry’s saga, I’m glad to have been there from the beginning, I’m glad to have been there at the end. I hope many others feel the same way now, and I hope many others have the chance to feel so for many years to come.