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Posted by in Canon discussion / Rants
We all know the quotes. They’re turned into memes, they’re spouted by cosplayers — they seem to define the characters who said them. Except DID they say them? In many cases, the answer is no. Yes, Quirrell did say “Troll — in the dungeons — thought you ought to know” (PS10)… Read More
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Posted by in Pottermore / Rants
I received an email from Pottermore Insider informing me that there are new Bertie Bots Beans scattered through Pottermore. I jumped on that and spent a pleasant three minutes finding them. Three minutes. If that. And it occurred to me at the end of my short search why I find Pottermore delightful and wonderful and, well, a little boring. Read More
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Posted by in Pottermore / Rants
So hey, I'll bet you noticed that Rowling wrote a New Short Story and posted it on Pottermore. It would be hard not to notice, since it's been talked about all over, even in the Muggle news. I rushed online to read it the moment I found out. And it's pretty cool! Good old Rita Skeeter, still at it. (I can't help but wonder if she has come clean to the Ministry about being an unregistered Animagus). But it's not really a story, Read More
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Posted by in Rants
Quidditch is awesome! Quidditch is exciting! Quidditch is the best sport in the world! Those Bludgers flying around, trying to smash into people! The Keepers hanging from their brooms to block a 10-point shot! The Seeker making a spectacular diving catch of the Golden Snitch and scoring 150 points! Wait, what? The Seeker scores 150 points in one go? Compared to only ten points for a goal? That's crazy. It doesn't make sense. I've read the argument any number of times: the number of points gained from a Snitch capture is WAY too large for the game to be fair. Your Chasers can play their hearts out for hours, scoring Read More
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Posted by in Rants / The Films
I love the Harry Potter films. I have dear friends who worked on them. I was on the set during the filming of Order of the Phoenix. David Heyman even told me that they used the Lexicon "every day" while they created the films. So don't mistake what I'm about to say for anything but loving criticism. The films are nothing more than very expensive fan fiction. They're made-up stories closely based on the Harry Potter books, created by people who are massive Harry Potter fans and who care very deeply about "getting it right," but who, for one reason or another, changed a lot of things. Sometimes they changed things for very good reasons. Sometimes, though, they seem to have changed things for no particular reason at all. I can't explain it, but there you go. However, for a lot of people, the films are Harry Potter. They've never read the books, or barely read them anyway. As far as they're concerned, Dementors attacked Harry and Dudley in an underpass below a highway. Snape died in a boathouse. And Harry fought Voldemort in an extended, violent duel at the end of the Battle of Hogwarts, punctuated by clever bon mots and death-defying falls from high places. But oh well. I really don't care. At least they're Potter fans! The more the merrier! Just do me a favor ... don't send me any more emails telling me that I screwed up on the Lexicon when I write that: Read More
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Posted by in Rants
I enjoy a good Harry Potter meme as much as the next guy. Okay, maybe more than the next guy, since the next guy probably isn't obsessive Harry Potter fan. True, some are a bit lame and others are clearly aimed at teenage girls, but whatever. We all have our favorite ways to fan-crush on something and I'm great with that. However, there are some memes that are flat-out false. They pop up like Death Eaters and no matter how often fans try to Avada Kedavra them, they keep coming back. Here are three that particularly aggravate the true fan in me: Read More
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Posted by in Rants
I need to add a follow-up to my comments of July 20. I wrote that in response to a horrible, sickening post on a Harry/Hermione website. I still feel exactly the same way about what I read there. I am still appalled at what someone wrote in the name of… Read More
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Posted by in Rants / Website news
More updates all over the site. I have had a few notes from people who have been spoiled when they Googled something like ‘Death Eaters’ and hit the Lexicon’s page. I am truly sorry if that happens. We talked about the whole problem of spoilers before the book hit the… Read More
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Posted by in Rants
I rececently was directed to this very disturbing post on the PhoenixSong.net forum. The insinuations are nasty enough that I decided I needed to respond directly. I am not a member of that forum so I couldn’t respond there. Hopefully the people involved in that discussion will notice this. Here’s… Read More
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Posted by in Rants
Well, this has been interesting. You’d think that I would have been familiar enough with the, uh, fervency of fans when it comes to “shipping,” but I have to admit that I was surprised by the reactions in email to Penny’s essay. Some accused the Lexicon of no longer being… Read More