Bubbly Berls is Babbling about: Deaths in Harry Potter

This new feature, Bubbly Berls Babbles (or BBB), is kind of an adaptation of my old feature, Fun Questions, back at Fantasy is More Fun. And the title tells it all. I’m Bubbly, I’m Berls, and I’m about to Babble about something! I hope you’ll babble along with me 🙂

Today Bubbly Berls is Babbling about: Deaths in Harry Potter

So this summer I reread Harry Potter, again. And rather than write a review of what we all KNOW is one of the BEST series of ALL TIME, I have a 3 post series on things I noticed this time around. This is the third and final post (for this reread). I already wrote about Teachers at Hogwarts and Classes at Hogwarts.

This time, I’m talking about the deaths and, more specifically, how much they impacted me on a scale of 10. I decided to do this because over the years I’ve often commented on how many people die and the deaths that suck the most, but I’ve never really taken stock of who EXACTLY dies and how much I cared. So, without further ado… in the order of their death:

Cedric Diggory

Cedric was the first person we know and care about to die in Harry Potter (well technically Harry’s Parents were the first, but we don’t know them at that point). His death happens in The Goblet of Fire and, honestly, isn’t THAT sad. I didn’t feel like I knew Cedric that well and he was something of an antagonist for Harry. What makes his death sad is its impact on Harry and the fact that it’s the first of many… it’s where it all starts to get a bit dark!
Scale out of 10: 3

Sirius Black

Sirius dies in the next book, The Order of the Phoenix. His death is a rough one because of how unnecessary it is! If Harry hadn’t been such a teenager and done as told, Voldemort could have tricked him. Or, if he’d bothered to look at Sirius’s parting gift, he could have known Sirius was ok. That his arrogance – the same fatal flaw his father had at this age – cost him someone so dear is very sad, but more angering for me.
Scale out of 10: 7

Albus Dumbledore

Dumbledore dies in The Half Blood Prince. This was my first ugly cry in the Harry Potter series. Dumbledore is supposed to be this person who will ALWAYS be there… undefeatable. His death is shocking and unbelievable. It’s like the loss of all hope, at least at first. As such, it’s one of the most crushing for me.
Scale out of 10: 9

Hedwig

Hedwig dies right at the start of Deathly Hallows and it KILLS me! The death of a pet, defenseless and a victim of bad people is always the WORST for me. This is even more terrible because Hedwig is completely capable of traveling solo and could have just met them at the Borrow and been completely fine. It even would have made more sense, since Hedwig was kind of a giveaway about which Harry was the real Harry!
Scale out of 10: 10

Mad Eye Moody

Moody dies pretty much right after Hedwig in Deathly Hallows. The thing about Moody – we didn’t really get to know the REAL Moody. I think he was a good, albeit a wee-bit crazy, guy. But in the scope of the story, he was an okay loss for me.
Scale out of 10: 3

Dobby

Dobby is killed by Bellatrix LeStrange at about the half-way point of Deathly Hallows and it is, for me, the worst. This is the most devastating loss of the whole series for me. Every time I read it, I cry… major, UGLY tears. And I have to stop reading for a bit to grieve. I think Dobby is the truest, most innocent and good soul of the series and his death is a major loss. I know it’s great writing, but I hate JK Rowling just a little bit for doing it.
Scale out of 10: 11

Fred Weasley

This is where the people start piling up… the end fight sequences of Deathly Hallows. He’s been a good friend to Harry, and considering how close Harry is to the Weasely’s it’s like a brother or a cousin. Plus, he’s a twin, so you know George will NEVER really be okay and that’s a bit devestating too. And the family had literally JUST been reunited. I wish it had been Percy, after having just redeemed himself. Sux big time.
Scale out of 10: 6

Severus Snape

Another end of Deathly Hallows casualty, and perhaps the most shocking. Gah! He dies seemingly the “bad guy” all whilst STILL trying to hep Harry defeat Voldemort. And his final line “look at me” makes me cry every time, that his love for Lilly is so profound, he wants to look into her eyes as he dies. *tears*
Scale out of 10: 9

Collin Creevey

Part of the Deathly Hallows epic battle losses, Colin is a rough one because of his age. He wasn’t allowed to stay and fight, so he would have had to sneak back in to fight. He was like Harry’s personal cheerleader ever since he appeared in the series, and its rough to see goodness and innocence go like that. I think it just helps to underscore the evil of Voldemort and his Death Eaters.
Scale out of 10: 5

Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks

I group Lupin and Tonks because they pretty much go as one in the final battle of Deathly Hallows. Lupin’s death is another Sirius for me, in the kind of relationship he had with Harry – another father figure gone. Tonks we honestly didn’t know that well, but what we did see, I loved. Knowing that they’d JUST had a baby – Teddy – makes their death suck all the more. Another orphan created, thanks to Voldemort.
Lupin – Scale out of 10: 9
Tonks – Scale out of 10: 5

And that’s it! I think taking so many great figures out proves that JK Rowling was an amazing author – she did one of the hardest things to do: killed of characters she loved. But by doing so, she made us feel and she made it so much more. Except Dobby. Dobby should have lived 😉 Until my next re-read brings on more thoughts, that’s all the Harry Potter Babble for a while!

Babble with me! How did these deaths impact you?

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