I also forgot to mention how much I enjoyed Hermione’s “Are you a wizard or what?!” which was a nice callback to book 1.

Okay, predictions? Here’s one:

1) Let’s say Matt’s right, Snape was in love with Lily, and his remorse over her death made Snape come back to Dumbledore. (If this is true, you sort of have to wonder what kind of idiot Snape was to think that a half-blood witch would somehow be exempt from Voldemort’s reign of terror.)

2) In order for that regret to be genuine, Snape would have to be, ultimately, good. I mean, it means nothing if she died and he used it as an excuse to gain Dumbledore’s confidence. That final scene suggests there was something real there.

3) If he’s good, what the hell HAS he been doing all year aside from allowing Death Eaters to torture students?

4) We still haven’t solved the mystery of the silver doe.

5) We know that people’s patronuses can change in a moment of loss or sadness…like when Tonks’s became Lupin’s when she was in (unrequited) love with him.

6) What do you think are the chances that Lily’s patronus was a doe (emphasis on the eyes notable)?

7) What do you think are the chances that Snape knew perfectly well that the Gryffindore’s sword he put in Gringott’s was a fake? The kids trying to steal it — what a perfect excuse for him to need to remove it.

I probably have some details wrong — or the whole thing wrong — but that theory rings correct to me, so I’m publicly stating it so if it’s correct I can take credit later.