But we all knew that it wasn't so hard to fall back into the fandom. I mean...
So, let me talk about Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
It was also interesting to see the tiny details and to go "She knew!". I could make one very long list, but let me pick on a few of them.
The first is the snake from The Vanishing Glass. To most people, this is when Harry talks to snakes for the first time. BUT, is it the first time we meet Nagini? I always had this theory and I think JK Rowling admitted somewhere that this snake is Nagini (Pinterest?) but if anyone can find out which interview she confirmed it in, that would be grand!
Another was when we met Quirrell the first time in Diagon Alley. In the Leaky Cauldron (in an early draft of this chapter, JK Rowling admitted that Rita Skeeter was in this scene - imagine how DIFFERENT the series would have been), we meet him but he isn't describle much in detail. We didn't know he was wearing a turban till The Sorting Hat chapter. So was he always wearing a turban? One has to wonder...
Plus, in Diagon Alley, when Harry met Draco Malfoy for the first time in Madam Malkin. Draco asked Harry for his surname. This has always struck me as odd. Why would an eleven year old ask for your surname? It's only in this reread that I got it. If he is from an old pure blood wizarding family, then your surname is important. It's your status of a wizard! HOW HAVE I ONLY JUST GOT IT NOW?!
An interesting little thing I saw and went "Ooooh!" over was the Bloody Baron. In The Sorting Hat chapter, Seamus Finnigan asked Nearly Headless Nick how the Bloody Baron was covered in blood. "I never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately. He KNEW the Bloody Baron and the Grey Lady's backstory. JK ROWLING KNEW ABOUT THIS FROM BEFORE BOOK ONE!!!
Another thing that caught my attention was when the Gryffindor's and Slytherin's had their first lesson and Neville had to go to the Hospital Wing with Madam Hooch. Draco makes a joke about Neville that makes the Slytherins laugh and it's Parvati Patel who speaks out against Malfoy. Not any from the main trio, but a side character! That is very telling.
There is faults with this book - I can see that now, with JK Rowling's discovering her voice - but it's great to reread this and discover new details and my love for this series.
One book down, six to go...! See ya after Chamber of Secrets!
I had no idea the snake from the zoo was Nagini! I loved this post, you're making me want to reread the entire series as well to spot all these little things that hint at future events.
ReplyDeleteI know about Nagini! I am trying to find the pin of this but until I see an interview confirming it, I am unsure...
DeleteAnd yes, am planning to reread them all! The first few books will be easy to spot little things, I feel. It's when I get to Order of the Phoenix, that's when I might need help!
And yes, reread Potter! Or just one Potter. You can start on Harry Potter night!
Oh my gosh this has made me want to re-read the first book straight away. Plan to do so before the end of Jan.
ReplyDeleteGo for it. It's weird rereading it as it was cool and slightly surreal!
DeleteThere is no escaping the Harry Potter fandom!
ReplyDeleteYes, exactly! I love what you pointed out, it's so true. I love the way- and I think I appreciate it way more now, especially on rereads of the series - how clever J.K. was with her foreshadowing and just the whole planning of the series - like she knew SO much in that first book. SIRIUS BLACK is mentioned a few pages in by Hagrid, and of course when you first read it, and before all the books were out, there was clue as to how important that character would be. And Mrs Figg!! It just bowls me away. Every time. So much love for that. *cough* I've probably babbled on far too much.
I think another reread may be due soon....
You can never escape the fandom. NEVER!!!
DeleteI KNOW! I love that tiny mention of Sirius! And Mrs Figg - I forgot that she was mentioned in this book - it slipped my memory.
Go on, reread the series again. Or just your fave Potter. You know you want to... (yes, I am going to be a bad influence on people if they want to reread HP again...)