The Flaw in the Plan

Calendar and Dates

Still in the small hours of the same morning as the previous chapter.

Interesting facts and notes

'You see?' screeched Voldemort. 'Harry Potter is dead by my hand, and no man alive can threaten me now! Watch! Crucio!'

More shades of the Stone Table sequence in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, except that Voldemort had enough sense to wait until after his enemy was safely dead (supposedly) to make showy gestures like this.

what sounded like hundreds of people came swarming over the out-of-sight walls and pelted toward the castle, uttering loud war-cries.

And as long as I'm on the subject of scenes that remind me of other scenes from some of JKR's favourite books, this reminds me of the arrival of the eagles at the Battle of Five Armies in The Hobbit - an army of unexpected help arriving at the last moment in a desperate battle.

'Snape's Patronus was a doe,' said Harry, 'the same as my mother's

I'm willing to take Harry's word for it that Lily's Patronus was a doe, and it certainly fits with what we saw earlier in the Pensieve (i.e., Snape conjuring his own Patronus to make the point that what he did was done for Lily's sake), but I don't recall that it was previously stated outright that Lily's Patronus was a doe.

try for some remorse, Riddle...

As Hermione learned from Secrets of the Darkest Art (DH6), this is what would be necessary for Riddle to put his soul back together again.

Exceptional character moments

Molly Weasley's duel with Bellatrix. Bellatrix is too arrogant to take Molly seriously.

Tom Riddle, who doesn't understand love well enough to avoid making mistakes in handling the Malfoys and Snape, let alone to understand Harry or Albus Dumbledore.

Harry asking Voldemort to have some remorse.

Harry giving up the Elder Wand.

Memorable lines

Hands, softer than he had been expecting, touched Harry's face, pulled back an eyelid, crept beneath his shirt, down to his chest and felt his heart.

Still feigning death on the ground, he understood. Narcissa knew that the only way she would be permitted to enter Hogwarts, and find her son, was as part of the conquering army. She no longer cared whether Voldemort won.

"Is Draco alive? Is he in the castle?"

"'NO!' The scream was the more terrible because he had never expected or dreamed that Professor McGonagall could make such a sound."

"'You show spirit, and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom.' 'I'll join you when hell freezes over,' said Neville."

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!"

"'You - will - never - touch - our - children - again!' screamed Mrs Weasley."

"'No, he was cleverer than you,' said Harry, 'a better wizard, a better man.'"

"'Severus Snape wasn't yours,' said Harry. 'Snape was Dumbledore's, Dumbledore's from the moment you started hunting down my mother."

"You're right. But before you try to kill me, I'd advise you to think about what you've done... think, and try for some remorse, Riddle..."

"'So it all comes down to this, doesn't it?' whispered Harry. 'Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does... I am the true master of the Elder Wand.'"

"Oooh, look, a Blibbering Humdinger!"

"Really gives a feeling for the scope and tragedy of the thing, doesn't it?"

"But Harry had eyes only for the man who stood in the largest portrait directly behind the Headmaster's chair. Tears were sliding down from behind the half-moon spectacles into the long silver beard, and the pride and the gratitude emanating from him filled Harry with the same balm as phoenix song."

"A wise and courageous decision, but no less than I would have expected of you."

"Quite honestly, I've had enough trouble for a lifetime."

Words and phrases

• Mental
• Mummy