I thought the same thing about the plot. There were a lot of times where I felt like stuff was just happening to have something happen, to make a point about the values going on, or sort of have the characters enact things that would develop them. Like Lupin's going back and forth about Tonks. I got the feeling that was something that sounded good in the outline, what with having him finally overcome his reticence and die happy. But it felt like nothing more than that--not something organic, and not something that built anywhere in the plot, because basically Lupin was just having this stuff on his own, and then Harry told him off, and then he went away and changed his mind. Even more so with Ron's suddenly deciding he had to leave, and then being away, and then coming back at a handy moment, getting the sword and literally slaying his demons. So much of the plot felt like the characters were following an outline--and with some characters I couldn't even really follow it. Like where Lupin was following what felt like a contrived pattern the Malfoys seemed mostly like plot devices.


Out of curiosity, what books do you like to read like that?

Well, like my favorite books as a kid were The Dark is Rising, which plenty of people don't like or just think are boring. I like spending time with hobbits-it Crickhollow chapter makes me really happy.:-) I Capture the Castle. I don't actually have too many books I read over and over. But I've never re-read the HP books for pleasure in that way. The fanfics I get pleasure out of are very different from the books.