Do you know what immediately comes to mind whenever I think of the Malfoys? It's not that they're bad or evil. It's not that they're Slytherin. It's not their looks.
It's love.
Whenever I think of the Malfoys I think of love. They love each other savagely and all-encompassingly and selfishly--to hell with anyone else. This was my most clear impression throughout the sixth and seventh books. They would and have done anything for each other.
Even with the unfair way Rowling treated Slytherins in general, (more on that tomorrow) I'm glad she didn't completely shit all over the Malfoys and left that aspect of their characters alone.
I just got off the phone with Brandi (I wanted to give her plenty of time to finish the book)
Well she hasn't finished the book.
And I am once again reminded how differing our opinions on the characters and just EVERYTHING about Harry Potter are. It's frustrating and seriously made me want to burst into tears. (I'm not mad at her or anything, just really really bewildered and hurting for my beloved characters)
Firstly, she said she was disappointed in the book so far. She didn't like the book and thought it should have been better, which had me gasping in righteous indignation right there. HOW COULD SHE THINK THAT???!!!!????!!!11!11!1!11!1 I thought it was amazing.
Secondly, she doesn't like Harry. She thinks he's not being very...I don't remember what she said, but she doesn't like the way he's acting, which blew me away, cuz I thought he was acting exactly as he should be (Minus the mooning over Ginny constantly, which was the one thing she probably LIKED)
Thirdly, she's convinced that Dumbledore is coming back, and that he is a picture of kindly goodness, and that everything must be lies. Oh yeah, and she hates the way Harry is considering these 'lies'. What the hell does she expect him to do???? It's coming from all different directions, and dammit, he wants to know the truth! I totally respected that about him.
And lastly and most importantly, she WOULD NOT stop talking about how much she hates Snape and wishes he would die. Which almost sent me into a fit of yelling/screaming/weeping/cursing right there. Snape got enough guff pre-book, and I can hardly stand to hear people insulting him now that we know him. But even then I was willing to forgive her because, as I said, she hasn't finished. I was secretly gloating that, boy would she be chastised when she got to the end!
But NOOOOOOO, she has to go and say that even if he isn't evil she'll still hate him because she just hates him, blah, blah, blah and hopes he dies very painfully and rots in hell. (I may be paraphrasing, but she kept saying it over and over and I know that's what she meant) I came closer than I EVER have to actually yelling at her.
I wibbled. I really really wibbled. Because it's just so unfair!!! How can anyone be that close minded to possibilities? So stuck in their opinions that they can't bear to listen to any other point of view??
Today I remembered exactly why I like winter. The first snow, first real snow, of the season is always so magical and it never fails to fill me with this sort of indefinable happiness no matter how cold it is or how bad I'm feeling. There’s nothing in the world as beautiful. It inspired me. So here's a little vignette to commemorate this day.