I just read all the chapters from 1 before Azkaban until the end. Have to say I loved them. Either that which had pissed me off about the chapters immediately preceding that one was not present or I have lower standards now. From what I recall the irritating bits were Harry being inexcusably stupid in ways that are later fully endorsed by Eliezer. But everything Harry has done since then has been either a good decision or revealed to be a bad decision. Like going to @#%@# Azkaban. I particularly like this scene:
″...and Professor Flitwick says her determination seems unshakeable,” Minerva said tightly, staring at the silver-bearded old wizard who was responsible for this. Albus Dumbledore was just sitting silently and listening to her with a distant sad look in his eyes. “Miss Granger didn’t even blink when Professor Flitwick threatened to have her transferred to Gryffindor, just said that if she left she would take all the books with her. Hermione Granger has decided she’s going to be a hero and she’s not taking no for an answer. I doubt you could have pushed her into this any harder if you had tried to—”
It took all of five full seconds for Minerva’s brain to process the realization.
“ALBUS!” she shrieked.
Dumbledore isn’t a total villain just yet!
Of course the awesomeness of Tonks kicking butt, Harry and Neville taking out Sunshine, Harry’s ritual domination of naked Chaos and Quirrell doing it because he needed cheering up go without saying!
The story got a whole heap lighter and it was good to get back to Hogwarts and the student battles. Draco casually admitting that Harry was better than both of them combined and Harry getting a handicap was a nice touch. It was like book one had finished with a climactic battle and things are back to the early chapters of book two with the low stakes Hogwarts games.
Worst part: Hermione pulling an absurd feminst revolution. It totally wasn’t appropriate to the culture. SPHEW is way less sane than SPEW and Hermione just looked petty. She must have temporarily downgraded to sub Canon levels that chapter. The vigilante gang was far more appropriate!
I reread it a lot recently and once SPHEW got attacked by the whole huge army of bullies and Harry pulled that ritual awesomeness i enjoyed the arc much more in retrospect.
I just read all the chapters from 1 before Azkaban until the end. Have to say I loved them. Either that which had pissed me off about the chapters immediately preceding that one was not present or I have lower standards now. From what I recall the irritating bits were Harry being inexcusably stupid in ways that are later fully endorsed by Eliezer. But everything Harry has done since then has been either a good decision or revealed to be a bad decision. Like going to @#%@# Azkaban. I particularly like this scene:
Dumbledore isn’t a total villain just yet!
Of course the awesomeness of Tonks kicking butt, Harry and Neville taking out Sunshine, Harry’s ritual domination of naked Chaos and Quirrell doing it because he needed cheering up go without saying!
The story got a whole heap lighter and it was good to get back to Hogwarts and the student battles. Draco casually admitting that Harry was better than both of them combined and Harry getting a handicap was a nice touch. It was like book one had finished with a climactic battle and things are back to the early chapters of book two with the low stakes Hogwarts games.
Worst part: Hermione pulling an absurd feminst revolution. It totally wasn’t appropriate to the culture. SPHEW is way less sane than SPEW and Hermione just looked petty. She must have temporarily downgraded to sub Canon levels that chapter. The vigilante gang was far more appropriate!
I reread it a lot recently and once SPHEW got attacked by the whole huge army of bullies and Harry pulled that ritual awesomeness i enjoyed the arc much more in retrospect.