Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Chapter 34
Chapter 34: The Forest Again
Well.
This may be the saddest chapter ever, and that’s before Voldemort killed Harry. The appearance of Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus, and Harry’s plaintive, “Will you stay with me?” completely slew us.
Passing on the quest to Neville, no goodbye to Ginny, the death of Colin Creevey (Colin Creevey!), I open at the close, the Resurrection Stone…
I’m still kind of stunned by this chapter. I know, intellectually, that Rowling is using all of the oldest tricks in the book, but dammit, it’s powerful. There’s plenty to think about, though.
Who will kill the snake? Will Hagrid get free? Turns out the ring was the Stone. Can Harry really be dead? Of course, my money’s still on Harry surviving this book. It’ll be fascinating to find out how. But, man, every time Rowling pushes the “dead parents reappear to comfort their son” button, it works.
No spoilers for later chapters in the comments! I have to go to band practice now. Dammit.
You guys are almost there! Thank goodness. I won’t have to worry about slipping up.
Oh yeah, the writing was not masterful, but I still cried hard. (It was my chapter to read out loud and I could barely do it, but I didn’t want to give it to Matt because I knew he wouldn’t cry, and that would have pissed me off. :) I can get a little teary just thinking about it now. Harry having at last a chance to ask for something he never has had a chance to ask for through all his efforts: that his mother and father stay with him, support him, not leave him while he faces his challenge. He becomes a little boy for a moment, after years and years of going without parental love and support, and it just killed me.
i think i was in hysterics by this chapter. i remember my parents running downstairs at 1am cause i was crying my eyes out over my book (it still has tear stains on it) this was one of the most emotional chapters.