Class, "Harry Potter History" is now in session; please open the seventh book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," and prepare to read along.Author J.K. Rowling continues to be kind enough to answer fan questions, even if she's covered the territory before, offering more details and insight into "Harry Potter" characters and, in this case, her state of mind during the writing process. A fan recently asked, "If you had to choose one chapter from the entire HP series as your favourite, what would you choose?"
Here's her answer:
Chapter 34 Deathly Hallows 'The Forest Again' https://t.co/DniVfbTjKT
- J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 17, 2015
Another fan responded, "really? Because I bawled..." So did Jo, as it turns out:
So did I, but it was the culmination of 17 years' work and the most cathartic piece of writing of my life. https://t.co/XG0srTyVIE
- J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 17, 2015
So this is where we re-read the chapter and picture the author tearing up as she reviewed this heartbreaking part of Harry's journey. In the U.S. hardcover -- with the red-orange cover -- the chapter begins on page 691, with an illustration of Harry and his mother.
The chapter continues until page 704 and it's worth re-reading to experience the culmination of Jo's 17 years of work. This the (hor)crux of the story, and it'll probably give you chills and sniffles to read all over again. Harry is a true Gryffindor. He Who Must Not Be Named feared death, but Harry was brave enough to sacrifice himself for his friends.Finally, the truth. Lying with his face pressed into the dusty carpet of the office where he had once thought he was learning the secrets of victory, Harry understood at last that he was not supposed to survive. His job was to walk calmly into Death's welcoming arms. Along the way, he was to dispose of Voldemort's remaining links to life, so that when at last he flung himself across Voldemort's path, and did not raise a wand to defend himself, the end would be clean, and the job that ought to have been done in Godric's Hollow would be finished: Neither would live, neither could survive."
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