Today's topic is: What one moment is guaranteed to have you bawling like a little baby every time you read it, without fail?
There are a few scenes in Harry Potter that will have me weeping like a little baby, actually to be honest there are far more than a few! I cried every time Rowling killed off another one of my favourite characters (Dumbledore, Fred, Lupin, Dobby, Sirius...the list goes on), I cried whenever Harry struggled with or learned something about his parents, I cried when Hagrid thought Harry was dead in the Forbidden Forest...well...I think that demonstrates my point!
I decided to pose this question last week when I was discussing Deathly Hollows with Gabe on his last Harry Potter Countdown post and we were discussing the representation of Snape in that book. As Gabe said "Book seven was not a good time to be a hardcore Snape fan," and I agree wholeheartedly that Rowling must have been out of her head when she made Harry recite all of Snape's secrets in front of the crowd as he battled Voldemort. But as much as I wince during that scene and groan when I realise Harry named his son after Snape I instantly tear up when Harry pulls young Albus Severus (bleh) aside and tells him not to worry about becoming a Slytherin because he was named after one who was "probably the bravest man I ever knew."
It takes place in that horribly corny '19 years later' chapter and the line and the situation are both fittingly corny but for some reason I can't help but tear up every time I read it. As much as I don't like a lot of the Snape stuff in that book this line almost makes up for it. It's so simple and yet is quite a powerful representation of the shift in the relationship between Harry and Snape and a much more appropriate homage than naming his son after him. (I mean seriously?!)
Maybe it's because of it's simplicity compared to the over the top theatrics employed during the final duel or maybe because it's such an understated yet strong compliment to a man who was both the bane and saviour in his life and maybe it seems like a small step towards redemption for yelling his secrets from the rooftops. I don't really know, and I'm sure this line isn't enough to appease many Snape enthusiasts, but for me it's a shining gem in that final moronic chapter and a fitting statement to remember the complex potions professor I always adored and believed in.
Next Week (15/6/2011): The films have been a contentious topic for HP fans, what is something you love and something you hate about the films? This can be about any of the films from the series and can refer to absolutely anything; actors, SFX, music, costumes, etc
