After a brief hiatus, I have returned to the blogging world. Where have I gone, you ask? Well, I was inspired by a friend to re-read the entire Harry Potter series for the third time. I've just finished the sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, after a few weeks of steady reading. The fourth book has always been my favorite, but recently I've had a change of heart and I now prefer the sixth book. Therefore, inspired by my recent Harry Potter obsession, I have created this list of the six reasons why the sixth Harry Potter book is actually the best out of the entire series. Enjoy! (Spoiler alert: if you for some reason haven't read the HP series yet, do not read any further)
1. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes
After a dramatic exit from Hogwarts the previous year, Fred and George finally open their shop in Diagon Alley, and it is a huge success. From love potions to Pygmy Puffs to Skiving Snackboxes, the joke shop sells everything imaginable to troublemaking Hogwarts students. They are able to spread joy and laughter through Diagon Alley, even while You Know Who plagues the whole of Europe. Best of all, Fred and George show their cheek when they create a spoof trick of You Know Who, named "U-NO-POO".
2. Fleur, or should I say, "Phlegm"
Now that Fleur and Bill are engaged, the part-veela is always hanging around the Burrow. Aside from adding another body to the already-full household, Fleur manages to get on everybody's last nerve. She enchants the boys and enrages the girls, Ginny in particular, and is nicknamed "Phlegm". However, by the end of the novel, Fleur and Mrs. Weasley finally begin to get along, and she is hesitantly welcomed into the family.
3. Luna's Quidditch Commentary
"And that's Smith of Hufflepuff with the Quaffle... He did the commentary last time, of course, and Ginny Weasley flew into him, I think probably on purpose, it looked like it." Like always, Luna Lovegood's brutal and uncanny honesty never ceases to draw laughs. When combined with the wizarding world's most famous sport, Luna's loony antics are heightened to a whole new level. The only thing better than her commentary is her enchanted Gryffindor hat.
4. Harry and Dumbledore's pensieve adventures
One part of the magic of the novels that is lost along the making of the movies is Harry's private lessons with Professor Dumbledore. Over the course of these few lessons, Harry and Dumbledore delve deep into Lord Voldemort's past, starting even before the Dark Lord was born, by using a pensieve to relive memories. I absolutely love getting more background on He Who Must Not Be Named, and he becomes a much more complex, and even sometimes relatable, character. Plus, Harry gets to infiltrate Slughorn's deepest memories using the revered potion, Felix Felicis, for a little luck.
5. Ron's many tragedies
First came his budding, and then failing, relationship with Lavender Brown. Next, his poisoning by Cauldron Cakes spiked with love potion meant to be for Harry from Romilda Vane. After that, his sister's relationship with fellow Gryffindor, Dean Thomas. Finally, his fights with Hermione that resulted in his being attacked by transfigured birds. In The Half-Blood Prince, Ron cannot catch a break. And each and every mishap is more and more hilarious!
6. Harry and Ginny
FINALLY! Harry Potter's inner "beast" awakes when he sees Ginny and Dean together, and he realizes that he likes Ron's little sister. And best of all, Ginny is no longer the shy, clumsy little girl who was afraid to talk in front of the famous Harry Potter. The few short weeks that Harry and Ginny are dating are the happiest weeks of the entire series.
I hope that this list has brought back the best of your memories about the Harry Potter series. If you have any other thoughts about the series, I would love to read your comments.
Happy reading!
