"Having read LOTR numerous times as well as the Silmarillion, some Unfinished Tales, etc. I appreciate the world and history he created." Go Tolkien! Go Lord of the Rings! Go silmarillion! I also love the Golden Compass. Great story. Harry Potter isn't bad ether. "she hated the Lord of the Rings series because they changed so much." They are still tree hours long each! They had to cut a lot so that non LOTR fanatics would watch it. If you watch the extended edition everything is word for word!:)

Any interest in discussing character names? Since I didn't follow the first thread, I don't know if this has already been discussed. I found it interesting that certain characters were given names odd names and others were given common names. All the characters who have Latin names ending in "us" -- all those names have a meaning: Albus = white Rubeus (Hagrid) = red Sirius is the brightest star of the constellation Canis Major, the Greater Dog, Sirius Black = Black dog Remus Lupin - Remus of legendary Romulus and Remus, twins nursed by a she-wolf (Lupa means she-wolf) Argus (Filch) - Argus is a monster with a hundred eyes Severus = Severe Bilius (Ron's middle name) = peevish or ill-natured Lucius = bringer of light Regulus = prince or heart of the lion, it's the bright star in the constellation Leo Some other interesting names: Harry (from Harold meaning Army Ruler) Hermione (earthy) Ronald (Advisor to the king) James (means supplanter) Lily (the flower?) Draco = dragon (or serpent), also means cruel or severe Bellatrix = female warrior Pettigrew = small growth Fleur Delaceur = flower of the heart Tom = twin Narcissa = vanity, callousness and insensitivity Phineas (nigelus) = loudmouth As for Voldemort -- well mort means dead or death, and the only meaning I could find for Vold is that it means violent in Danish. Could = violent death? Anyway, I think a lot of these names are very interesting any comments?

Between the Valentine crafts for 5 y/o and HP for 8 y/o - we must have very similar lives! I had one for my son last summer, he was also 8. It was the first time we went all out for a party. He usually chooses to just go out with a friend or two. We even had it a few days later than his bday to do it on July 31, Harry's bday. The guests ranged in age from 5 (my own middle child) to 9. I printed invites myself, on parchment in emerald ink, telling guests that they were invited to a summer session of Hogwarts School. I used the same words that Harry reads in his letter (Dr. Mr. xyz, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted...), just changed them a little to suit the occassion. I might have saved it, email me, I could send you the file (in Publisher 98 or 2000) if I did save it. I wrote that it was in honor of Eric's 8th birthday, and concluded that all supplies would be provided, robes were optional. To make quick robes for my own kids, I bought XXXL mens black tshirts and cut a slit up the middle front. They were satisfied, that was before they saw the more glamorous version in the movie though. I have a black graduation robe of my own from HS that would work great, but when you have one thing and two kids that's asking from trouble, so I never even showed them. We only had about 10 kids, some had read the books, some had not. And since it was before the movie, those who hadn't knew very little, so we worked with that. I knew someone else who had a lot more kids and divided the kids into teams according to the houses and declared a house champion at the end of the party. Kids drew their house out of the "sorting hat." But they said it didn't go well because all the kids wanted to be in Gryffindor and some were a little miffed when they weren't. The games were classes -potions class we did some goop you make with kitchen stuff. I actually made (I could kick myself for the time spent, but they looked good) golden snitches. I dipped small styrofoam balls in gold glitter paint and attached white feathers. I made about 20 then hid them in the yard for the kids to find, "Quidditch Practice." One game was Bertie Botts beans in a jar, guess how many. I also sent my crafty aunts on a hunt for frog shaped chocolate molds, which they found. Another time consumer project, but they were the hit of the party. My kids no longer ask me to bake cookies, they are still asking for chocolate frogs or treats. The kids inhaled them, though. If I did it again, I would wrap a few in little bags for their goodie bag instead of just putting them out. We served orange soda and root beer, relabeled pumpkin juice and butter beer. I decorated the patio we had then (man, I miss that patio, we moved) with a roll of purple plastic table cover. It was about $14 for 100 feet (best decorating bargain I learned from college days working in a party supply store). I hung it in strips from the ceiling like curtians and tied it with gold rope. I was going for the great hall look, I put stars on the ceiling and tried to get my white Christmas lights up, but that plan didn't work for me. Always something goes wrong. Everything was purple and gold, the cups were clear plastic goblets. The favor bags were filled with a couple Harry Potter things (pencils, notepads, bookmarks) and cheap magic tricks I bought from a local magic shop. I told the man I wanted things for less than $2 that kids 6-9 could do, he was very helpful and demonstrated the tricks (after they were purchased LOL). So teaching the kids to do the tricks in their bag was part of the spells lesson. If money was no object, I would have hired a magician, I saw a couple ads in local parenting magazines for magicians who had tailored an act to the HP craze. I think everyone had a good time. The golden snitches and the chocolate frogs were the biggest hits, a little pride in myself since I spent FOREVER on them! All the kids wanted to know where I got them -it never occurs to them people make things. So I told them I could not reveal my Underground sources. Oh, and we made wands. That was the first thing we did as kids were arriving, so they had their wand for rest of the party. Can't go to wizard school without a wand. I bought I think about 1/4" dowel rods (I let my son pick what he thought looked best for wands) from home depot and cut them into 10-12" lengths. I had glitter, glue, wire garland with stars and paint markers set out to let the kids make their own wand as they arrived. I know my own kids had fun, they wore those robes and played with those wands for days. I guess thinking about it, everything was pretty much non-competitive, that's just how my ideas came out.

Hi I'm new to the forum but I've been dying to post what I think is coming to book 7... also forgive me if this has already been mentioned :). 1.) I truely believe Snape is still on the good side for a couple of reasons: a.) I think Snape was in love with Lily. It's kind of hinted in book 5 when Harry was in Snape's memory and Lily came to Snape's rescue. I think the only reason he said that nasty remark to her was because he was embarassed that he just showed HER and the other kids on the lawn his dirty undies and was made a fool by his competion. This is probably why James (had a hunch about Snape's feelings for her) and Siris (100% loyalty to James) hated Snape so much and why Snape hates James/Siris. Also, he probably hates Harry so much (not because his father saved his life and was jerk to him) because Harry is a walking/talking reminder Lily picked JAMES (in every book it remarks how Harry looks exactly like James. So everytime Snape looks at Harry he sees Lily in Harry's eyes and her decsion for a husband in Harry's other physical characteristics). b.) You have to admit, JKR was seriously setting up for everyone to hate Snape. I mean it was TOO built up to make everyone think he's on the dark side. Just seems like her to give us a twist. Plus, in EVERY book so far Snape has been Harry's number one suspect except book 6 when he's hunches are seemed to be confirmed... but are they? c.) It seems to me like DD was begging Snape in book 6 to kill him like he promised (if you remember Hagrid caught them fighting about something Snape didn't want to do). d.) JKR seems to be building Snape up for this great... whatever its called where he can shut out his thoughts and feelings from others... and I bet he can also do that against Vold. Why else is he the PERFECT spy? Its not secret Snape is a very powerful wizard and amazing abilities. e.) Last reason (there might be more but this is all I can think of =P) Snape did two things on the Hogwarts lawn... first he prevented Harry from performing the unforgivable curse. Well, you might say "well duh Snape didn't want to die or be tortured" but that comes to the second thing Snape did on the lawn. He didn't kill Harry. Some think that this might be because Voldamort had other plans for Harry and was ordered to not harm him, but I don't think that was it at all. Vold got what he needed from Harry in the 4th book and he couldn't get what he need in the 5th book (which he also needed Harry for). I honestly think Snape was keeping Harry from harm and keeping him from going to Azkaban. 2.) R.A.B. I have two ideas who this is. The first one is Siris' brother. I think it mentioned that his initials are Relmus A. Black (sorry if I botched his first name... but it starts with a "R" anyways). If you remember from book 5, a heavy lockit was found by Siris and he pitched it in the bag AND Remus was killed by the Dark Lord for wanting to back out... but they never got into the details...