Knowing what you know from book 5 (spoilers)...

[Lizzy Bennet]

...has anyone who has re-read or is re-reading the series finding any of the pre-book 5 HP books different given you know where things are going?

After re-reading book 5, I decided to go back to book 3 and re-read that and book 4 (not sure why I didn't start back at book 1...maybe because book 3 is my fave and I've not re-read it in a while! )...as you can well imagine, given who the focus of book 3 is (Sirius), it's bittersweet re-reading that book knowing he dies in book 5.

For those of you re-reading any part of the series, do you view the books differently with the information you have in book 5 and if so, how so? Neville is so different in book 3, and I'm sure, once I get to the part where the Maruaders are talked about, I'll have a much different take on James Potter, given what I read about him in book 5...also, I'll have a different take on Snape...I seem to remember gecko (I think) mentioned that when he started re-reading the series (he started from book 1 on...you know, like a NORMAL person! ) he noticed that there seemed to be some foreshadowing about Snape being good at Legillmacy (I KNOW I spelt that wrong ...I don't have my book handy ) all the way back in book 1 (though you don't find out that Snape IS good at that until book 5). It makes me wonder what other 'hints' I missed out on in the series and all the ways J.K.R. smartly foreshadowed things...I'll be interested to see what you've picked up on from the series having read book 5 and now re-reading the series!

I thought this might be a fun topic to have to discuss anything we've gleaned from the series or interpreted a different way or reacted to differently or simply had a different spin on having read book 5 and now re-reading some or all of the other books in the series. It can't just be me who's re-reading some (or all!) of the series! Do share on this thread...I'll be interested to read what you picked up on (particularly from books 1 and 2, as I didn't start there ) and what you thought of it!


~ Lizzy

P.S.--As I read more of book 3, I'll be sure to post my thoughts and findings...hope I'm not the only one re-reading!

[Sacred Guardian]

i'm reading book 5 again right now, but i will reread all of them including 5 once i finish 5 this time

[ElijahRain]

I have reread the last half of 5 so far and have started number 1 again. However, I'm on hold for a while since life has sped up lately and work and family take precident.

[Colin]

After re-reading book 5, I decided to go back to book 3 and re-read that and book 4

Yes, I have done this 3 times so far. It has given me an insight into Sirius that I did not see before.

I continue to reread the last thre books, looking foir an angle.

[Lizzy Bennet]

After re-reading book 5, I decided to go back to book 3 and re-read that and book 4

Yes, I have done this 3 times so far. It has given me an insight into Sirius that I did not see before.

I continue to reread the last thre books, looking foir an angle.

I think I start at book 3 because when I first read the series (and not all that long ago ...oooops! ), I started with the third book as I had just seen the second movie, and I remembered the first pretty well. Strange, I know!

So, for some reason, I'll probably read book 3, book 4, book 5, book 1, and then book 2...habits are hard to break, I suppose. Of course, how long between each book I'll take depends on how many other books (because I DO like to read things other than Harry Potter [and should, being a Children's Librarian!] ) I find to read in the meantime as there's a lot I want to read...maybe if I stretch it out good and long, book 6 won't seem so far off!

So far, I'm up to the part on the train with Lupin and the dementors in book 3...I just adore Lupin's character, and the interview I read with JKR saying how she based the dementors on her own battles with depression are fascinating. I'm still curious about the use of cats in HP (how certain cats, like Crookshanks, have abilities [such as snuffing out true identities, like Wormtail's]) and the continuous use of the number 12, not to mention, socks! Those repeat mentions continued into book 5...I wonder what it all means?

Certainly, if I didn't see it the first time I read book 3, knowing what I know now, it's clear the dementors have minds of their own, and I have to wonder if the Ministry ever really had control over them... Sure, the Spinster of Darkness (Umbridge ) set them on Harry, but although I know she's probably just a power-crazed secretary (no offense to any secretaries out there!!), she did seem evil...I wonder if she's mentioned in books 3 and 4 (this is the first time I've re-read the series since book 5). I'll be paying close attention to what the older books say about the Ministry (particularly the 'Department of Mysteries'), about Sirius, and anything else that was 'big' in book 5...


~ Lizzy

[Marcus Baker]

What i did was go and read book 3 and 4 before book 5, so i dont need to read it over, however i am currently reading book 5 once again. oyea i love it 8)

[Dink Meeker]

Sure, the Spinster of Darkness (Umbridge ) set them on Harry, but although I know she's probably just a power-crazed secretary (no offense to any secretaries out there!!), she did seem evil... ~ Lizzy

I love the Spinster of Darkness label. Though she may be self righteous, self involved, and definately a zealot, I wouldn't call her evil. I wouldn't call her good though either. I think she's probably a good representation of the so called moral majority of our world.

I'm going to start re-reading from PoA. I'm sure I will view most of the characters in a different light after reading OotP and hopefully catch some more information about the dementors.

[Friar Tuck]

I'm going to read Book 5 again, then GoF.

Umbridge reminds me of the Salem Witch Trials, doing crazy things despite a person's innocence. She's just going with mom mentality.

[littlemissy]

After reading book 5 I decided to go back and read 3 too! It's my favourite one though I wasn't specifically looking for clues or foreshadowing, I just love it! It really was bittersweet reading about Sirius (I think I posted this somewhere else...maybe a different HP board) knowing that he dies. Especially the bit that went something like:
'Sirius: you know what this means, turning Pettigrew in?
Harry: you're free?
Sirius: well, yes...' and then all the bit about Harry going to live with Sirius. I was like 'noooooo, it's so unfair!' and found myself hoping the book would have changed since last time I read it, and Pettigrew wouldn't escape, and Sirius would have his name cleared! argh!
Will keep an eye on this thread, looks to be very interesting I might start again from the beginning now...

[Albus]

I started re-reading the first book (really great !!! ) and I found out a lot of things I hadn't noticed before and that may become very important in the future. Tell me if you can add some more.
I'm sorry if sometimes I can't report the exact quote but I have the Italian version, so I can only try to translate...

1) In Chapter One, when Hagrid arrives with the motorbike, Dumbledore asks him where he had found it. The answer is the following:
"A loan, professor Dumbledore" said Hagrid "by young Sirius Black"
That's great ! Isn't it ? So the motorbike was property of Sirius and maybe it will become Harry's !!! I think we'll see the motorbike again !!!

2) In Chapter Four, when Hagrid tells Harry the whole story of Voldemort, he says that among the wizards he had killed, there were the Bones. Maybe the parents of Susan Bones ? I have read in some topic in this forum someone say that Susan may become important in the next two books. Maybe...

3) At the end of Chapter Seven, Harry has a nightmare in which Professor Raptor (sorry, I don't know if it's only the Italian name, anyway he's the DADA teacher of First Book, as a matter of fact Voldemort himself) tells him he must get to Slytherin and so on... And then he sees a green light and wakes up trembling... An anticipation of Legilimens ???

4) There is already a topic on this, I have seen: there is a passage in which JK says: "...yet he sometimes had the horrible feeling that Snape could read minds".

5) A quote from Dumledore in Chapter Seven (I try to translate):
"Ah, music ! A kind of magic which overcomes all the ones we're doing here". Maybe he will really use it in the next books ???

6) In Chapter Six, reading what is written behind Dumbledore's picture-card, Harry reads that Dumbledore is famous for having won in 1945 the famous Dark Wizard Grindelwald (that's the name in the Italian version).
Do we know anything else about this Grindelwald ?

7) Sorry I forgot one of the most important things: we don't yet know the circumstances in which James Potter saved Snape's life, don't we ?
Or it is a big mistake of myself ???

[highsorcerer]

1) Sirius's flying motorbike was mentioned in SS/PS, PoA, and in OotP. In PoA, Hagrid talks about it in the Three Broomsticks to Flitwick, McGonagall, and the landlady. I OotP, Arthur Weasley and Kingsley Shacklebolt loudly discuss muggle artifacts and the possibility of a flying motorcycle at Kingsley's office.

2) I think in one of the D.A. meetings in OotP it's revealed that Susan Bones lost her uncle/aunt to Voldemort. Her parents seem to be alive.

3) Harry's nightmare in book 1 is probably a manifestation of his fears about Slytherin (particularly after the experience with the sorting hat) and a subconscious awareness of his link with Voldemort (and, through him, Professor Quirrell (English Name).

4) Apparently, no wizard can really read minds, but they can use legimency to sense mood, get images, and detect lies and truth. Snape is likely a good legimencist.

6) I think the only mention of Grindelwald is on the chocolate frog card.

7) As revealed in PoA, Sirius thought it would be an amusing trick to tell Snape where Lupin went every month. Since finding out would put Snape in the same room with a werewolf (and thus either killed or faced with the condition himself), James went to Snape's rescue, and got him away before the consequences could occur. Snape blamed James as well as Sirius for the trick in the first place.

[Devinci]

I, myself, am rereading the books in such a strange fashion. As some of you said you were, I read the third one right after finishing the fifth one (had to...rekindle the flames that were Sirius... ) But anyway, now I'm in the middle of the second one, then I'm planning on reading the first one...then the fourth???? Draw your own conclusions from that one...

[HuffleDuck]

i don't know why i keep reading book 4 and 5. I have no idea how many times i have read book 4. Now i'm reading book 5 for the 3rd time

[Meg Boyd]

Ok, this is from another thread, that will be closed because of its accidental redundance...

When I re-read Philosopher's Stone this week I noticed weird stuff too Albus!

Like when Hagrid is talking to Bane in the forest about the dead unicorns, Bane is distracted on how Mars is extremely bright that night...and if I am right Firenze while teaching Divination in Book 5, tells them how Mars has been getting brighter, predicting a war the wizards would be having...the night when Bane told of Mars' brightness, Voldemort made his first step to get life back...the first step of his regaining power

In the same scene, Bane also says "Innocent are the first victims"...
Bertha, Frank, and Cedric were all innocent first victims in Voldemorts return to power...

just a bit of thinkage for your noodle...

[Ju-DedoH]

awww, in your poll there is no "since i can't find my philospher's stone anymore, I can't reread the series as I really would like to do" option ...