(no subject)

[rusty_halo]

jaydk has convinced me to go see Harry Potter 3 again tonight. For the third time in IMAX. Eighth time total. That doesn't include the numerous times I've watched the Remus/Sirius scenes on my own copy. I'm such a dork. (But it is really cool to see in IMAX....)

(Is OoTP still considered spoilery? Well, it's been out over a year; I'm not going to hide every spoiler from it, so be warned.)

Here is a great essay about why Remus/Sirius might be canon. Not that I really care if they're officially canon or not, because I don't give a damn about authorial intent, but it's nice to see their relationship being examined so closely.

jaydk has tried to convince me that Sirius isn't really dead. I mean, there's no body, and who dies from falling through a veil anyway? Why would Rowling set up such a weird death unless something more was going to come of it?

I still think he's dead, personally. But now I have this idea in my head, which gives me hope, which is very bad because it makes me want to read more fic....

I'm going to be so devastated when the next book comes out and my poor darling Sirius is still dead!

Speaking of fic, I quite loved The Host and His Guest by Diane Coffin. (That's a rec; go read it if you haven't.) Not to mention the amazing stuff that anniesj has been writing.

So, btw, is anyone in R/S fandom for Sirius? Everyone seems to prefer Remus. I don't get it at all.... I totally identify with Sirius, and find him fascinating, and like him best. (Though I was more like Snape than Sirius in school ... but that whole flashback didn't bother me. Just made me love Sirius even more, and made me more heartbroken that he didn't really get a chance to grow up properly.)

God, I'm babbling. This is horrible. This is why jaydk and I are going to hang out tonight--so we can babble to each other about this.

We were also happy to learn that DragonCon has added a "Young Adult Literature" track. Which is going to have Harry Potter stuff! Woohoo!! (Given that there was only one HP panel last year, this is a major improvement.)

Anyone else going to DragonCon this year? jaydk and I decided to go because we had so much fun last year--so much to do, great music, amazing costumes, etc. Something for everyone.

Anyway, in boring RL news, over the weekend my dad came to the city and helped me install a new air conditioner. I should save on the electric bill, in the end, and at least the fuse won't blow, and I'll probably have better luck keeping roommates in a room that isn't sweltering.

My dad also brought the cats back, and the new roommate moved in. The cats seem fine; Lucifer is being very clingy, which he does whenever he's away from me for long. He needs lots of attention. The new roommate seems cool--vegan and likes cats. I've got my fingers crossed that it'll work out.

I went into work two hours early today, so that I can take off two hours early tomorrow. (Working ten hours = really boring). But tomorrow I'm going to see Common Rotation at psubrat's! With tons of cool people like chenanceou, elizard100, rockgoddes, redeem147, and so on. Should be fun. :)

And then I want to see Common Ro again the next night in Long Island, and then maybe Saturday night in Woodstock ....

I'm such a fangirl.

Comments

[ignited.livejournal.com]

Heya. I haven't read OotP myself (but don't worried, I'm spoiled as heck -- it's just a question of me actually getting 'round to buying a copy). Out of R/S, I think I like Sirius more, which is funny, considering everyone seems to like Remus more! But anyway, also, I don't think Sirius is dead. ...Because dude, what kind of death is that anyway? But I'm trying not to be to 'he's not dead! AGHHH!' because if he doesn't come back, I don't want to get too upset over it. ;)

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

I know, jaydk always argue over Remus or Sirius. She hated Sirius until the movie; at least now she likes him a little bit.

I find Remus, well, terribly dull, to be honest. Unless he's with Sirius....

I know, I so don't want him to be dead. But I think he is.

[paratti.livejournal.com]

I think he's dead dead unfortunately. If nothing else, JKR's interview about how hard she was crying when she wrote that scene convinces me he's staying dead. I've killed loads of characters I love. I bawl my eyes out when I write it and know they are going to stay that way. I wrote one death I swore I never would, but didn't cry as I knew I was pulling him back drom it. I think JKR might be the same type of writer.

Though I think the setting up of the veil means Harry might get a crucial message from beyond it in the coming books. Possibly from Sirius, possibly from another currently dead character like James and Lily or one that will die - Dumbledore. It's definitely more than just Sirius behind the curtain since Luna could also hear the whisperers.

But in the case of Sirius returning to life, I think it might be best not to store up false hope unfortunately.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Dammit, you're making me all sad.

This is so stupid, several times when I saw the movie by myself, I started crying in the theater.

For my mental health, I really should *not* get into this fandom. Spike fandom made me miserable for a long time; I don't want to deal with that *again*. Why can't I find a fandom that makes me happy? Why aren't there a million talented writers writing essays and fic about Jaime Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire, who gets a better story than Spike and Sirius combined....?

I remember calling my mom at 3am crying hysterically after I downloaded the Seeing Red wildfeed. And at least then, Spike wasn't dead. And then when we got the spoilers for Chosen ... well, let's just say I'm very glad that the WB wanted James Marsters.

When I was reading OotP, the one time I read it, right when it came out, I was thinking this would be my new fandom if Sirius didn't die. And when he did, I forced myself not to care, put the book on a shelf never to be touched again, and that was that.

*sigh*

And that movie sucked me in....

Please let me find something else to distract me asap.

[paratti.livejournal.com]

::small voice::
Sorry. I'd be the first to leap on some hope for Sirius if I could find some that fits with JKR's storytelling style, but I can't. So I figured I'd just enjoy the books as they are and let her take me on her ride. I trust her to take me somewhere worth the price - which is more than I'll ever say about JW after the travesties of the last couple of years.

But I'm desperately trying to avoid getting sucked into writing anything other than the stories I'm already committed so, as I've some original characters nagging me to tell their stories, so it's easier for me.

::Hugs you::

[tinpanalley.livejournal.com]

I just noticed myself on your FL and I thought would say "Hi!" I've added you back too!

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Hi. :)

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

I LOVE Sirius (and have had many debates with jaydk about this ;)) but I haven't read any fic about him and Remus ... Still, like you, he's my man in the Potterverse. And much like you, I think he's permanently dead.

I wish I were coming to the movie tonight, but I need to see the husband today ;)

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

You love Sirius too? Woohoo! Why didn't jaydk tell me about this....?

I hope we'll get a chance to hang out at some point. I want to see more Sharpe! And then we can gang up on Jane about how awesome Sirius is...

BTW, if you want to check out R/S fic, this is a great starting point:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/musesfool/628616.html

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Hee! jaydk probably didn’t want to be barraged by BOTH of us expressing our Sirius love, having been tag-teamed about Jaime Lannister ;)

Although, speaking of Jaime, my love for Sirius does not compare to my love for the Lannister. I’m not sure I’m ready to start reading HP fic yet – especially as Snape and Draco both leave me awfully cold and a whole lotta fic seems to focus on them. But I shall bear your recommendations in mind for sure.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Hee, I think you're right about jaydk.

Well, Sirius is very different from Jaime, yes. I think I'm more drawn to him simply because there's a larger fan community, and because his story is unfinished, so there's lots for fan writers to work with. Sirius' arc was so horribly abbreviated, and we missed so much, that there's lots and lots to fill in.

Jaime, OTOH, doesn't have a huge fan community giving me lots of extra material to explore. And I like the way his arc went, and I feel that I got everything I wanted out of it. It felt complete (though I certainly hope it will continue) and it felt satisfying--like there's not a lot of little details to fill in, because we saw lots of good little details already.

So, yeah, overall I'm certainly much more satisfied with Jaime, but I find more to obsess over with Sirius....

Oh, and speaking of fic--Snape and Draco leave me cold, too! (I don't think I've ever read a Draco fic, actually, and only a couple featuring Snape, as a supporting character to Sirius and Remus). Read the R/S fic; it's worth it....

Another good recs list:
http://www.somedistantgalaxy.com/rlsbss.htm

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Heh! I dunno, the spirit hasn't moved me yet to read HP fic ... but I've saved all your recs so if and when it does, I'll have something to get into ...

have a WONDERFUL trip to Vegas, and let's get together when you're back - we have some "Sharpe" to watch ;)

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

I dunno - I think I have the opposite reactions which is to say that I love Sirius, but I don't obsess about him at all, whereas I actually had a dream the other night about Jaime's fate ;) Which of course, I promptly forgot when I woke up. But it was riveting in my dream!

Hmmmm! This is interesting - I do feel that Sirius (like a favorite LOTR character of mine) died before any of his potential could be realized (and I guess what tears my heart about him is that he's wrongly imprisoned, all the years in Azbakan, and then, just when I think "oh, OK, he's free now" in fact, he *can't* be vindicated publicly and now he's dead!) And I'm sorry to say that I think he really *is* dead.

But Jaime? I don't see his arc as over at all - because he's still got to make amends for what he did to Bran, for one thing. He's only JUST got to the point where he can wear the Kingsguard uniform without thinking it's a lie; and he's only just gotten to the point of telling Tyrion the truth, no matter what the cost. But he's got a whole lot *more* to do - I have, obviously, no idea where Martin is going with his story and I could be totally wrong about this and probably am, but the way I see it, Jaime's action in killing Aerys, though very much the right thing to do at the time, was also what kind of made the kingdom the mess it is, so I feel like he has to do something for Dany at some point... And the other thing is, of course, Bran - somehow, Jaime has to make amends for that (and I'm sure, being Martin, it'll come in a way that I totally don't expect, just as his promise to Catelyn is being fulfilled in a very strange way!)

[soulmate815.livejournal.com]

Oh, my eyes!! Potter spoilers as I am reading the book! gak

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Well, I warned!

You have to let me know what you think of the book. How far along are you?

BTW, did you want to come tomorrow with Chen to Leslie's?

[10zlaine.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I found out accidently, as well.

not *this* post, though.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

*feels guilty*

Wait a minute, you guys, the book has been out for over a year!

*retracts guilt*

Go read the damn thing. Spoilers no longer count as spoilers when the book has been out that long.

[10zlaine.livejournal.com]

I know! I know!

I started to read it, but then felt guilty for wasting time like that (which it was, since i'd just finished the one before that and needed to do other stuff), so I got it on tape.

I haven't started it yet because I can't seem to make myself take the Common Rotation cds out of my car on the commute.

It's very, very sad state state I'm in, no matter which side you pick.

[miggy.livejournal.com]

You know I'll be up for HP talk at Writercon. :) (And I will get there somehow, dammit.) But I do have to warn you that Sirius is one of my least favorite characters... but I can talk about him perfectly logically, and even "one of my least favorite" still translates to "still have affection for him; just not as much." The only person I absolutely must rant about is Hagrid.

(Fucking dumbass.)

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Wow, you don't like Sirius? Huh. Our opinions about Spike are so similar, and much of what I like in Spike is also in Sirius.... Interesting.

Right after we read OotP, jaydk and I got into a screaming match at a restaurant over whether Sirius was likeable or awful. But, y'know, a friendly screaming match. (I promise not to scream at you.)

Oh, I'm so totally with you on Hagrid. As the books get more adult, he just gets more and more out of place. And distracting from what's really interesting. I can't believe Hagrid's alive and Sirius is dead...!!

Please, please, please come to Writercon. I so hope you can make it. Let me know as soon as you make a decision for sure, though, as it could effect the rooming situation.

[miggy.livejournal.com]

For me, Sirius suffered two fatal blows in the like-him-or-don't sweeps, I think. Neither of them were his fault, but they've pretty much sealed the deal.

1) I have an instant aversion to characters who are primarily presented to the readers as having suffered. Anyone who's introduced right after having gone through something horrible sets off my alarms for bad writing. While Sirius doesn't fall into the category of "like him/her not because he/she has any sort of discernable personality, but because of the child abuse/rape/torture/etc. suffered in the past," it's a kneejerk reaction that's very hard to get over. JK's suffering because of bad experiences with other authors, which isn't terribly fair, but.

2) PoA is my least favorite of the novels. In part, that's so because I just never connected to the action (I'm not sure why, really), but also because one of the primary plots was set off by one of my least favorite scenes in any of the novels. If a teacher brings a deadly animal into a classroom of 13 year olds and doesn't pay attention, and — SHOCK — a 13 year old boy shows off and gets hurt, it is the teacher's fault. Kids that age are stupid. While it wasn't Buckbeak's fault, certainly, Hagrid should have been out of his ass for the rest of the series. (Um, I really dislike Hagrid and how his idiocy is constantly excused. Yes.) So, Sirius' introduction to the world happened during a book that I wasn't incredibly fond of, which isn't the best way to land in someone's heart.

However, Hagrid is the only character I hate, and Ron and Sirius are the only other characters I'm not really fond of. Even Umbridge and Fudge I appreciate for the roles they play. So, JK's got infinitely more affection from me on that count than Mutant Enemy. :)

[miggy.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I will make it to Writercon. It looks as if I've found someone who can loan me the money to make the ticket purchase, and that was the problem; can't be reimbursed for something if you don't have the funds handy to buy it in the first place. :)

Speaking of screaming matches, I totally freaked out the girl next to me when I went to see PoA. coldfury and I were in the IMAX, waiting for the previews to come on. Somehow I got started on how Gryffindor is the Bush Administration of Hogwarts: black and white worldview, everything has to be cast in terms of morality, you're with us or you're against us, blah blah blah. I paused midway through my quite passionate speech and noticed the stranger on the other side of me was practically falling out of her seat, she was leaning so far away.

Of course, it probably didn't help her estimation of my mental stability that I'd shown up for the movie in a Slytherin scarf.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Yay! Glad to hear that you'll be at Writercon. We all have to exchange cell phone numbers and plan to meet and everything, don't we...? When are you arriving, btw?

LMAO. Last time we saw it in IMAX, jaydk and I were so into discussing it that the guy in front of us apparently assumed that we were experts and started quizzing us on what details he may have missed in the first two films.

Interesting views on Gryffindor, btw. I tend to see good and bad sides to each house--I don't like how Gryffindor is canonized and Slytherin demonized. It seems more to me that both sides have their wonderful and awful qualities, depending on how they are applied.

You're right about the Gryffindor-style arrogance and black-and-white morality, but Bush also reminds me of Slytherin in the sense that he puts the wealth of himself and his cronies above the welfare of others. Like the dark side of ambition is greed, and being willing to fuck over anyone who gets in your way.... Slytherin has that whole "we" (pure bloods) are better than anyone else, and the bigotry that goes along with that. Which is very Bush.... It's more like he incorporates the worst aspects of Gryffindor and of Slytherin.

[miggy.livejournal.com]

I'm buying the tickets today once I get the loan, so I'll get that info to you. Which addy is good to email to? I'll send you my arrival time, cell #, all that.

And yeah, good point about the mixture of the two houses' worst qualities. With a really bad pure Slytherin, you'd get, say... Ken Lay. (Looking at the real world, that is.) Greed and self-interest above all, and lots of people have their lives ruined for his success. A really bad pure Gryffindor, and you get... Fred Phelps. Goes after his ideals with every ounce of his being and never backs down in the face of adversity, but they're just horrible, horrible ideals.

But you need to combine the two for the real scariness to occur on big, terrifying scales.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

drinkthepoison at hotmail dot com is the best email address for me. I'll reply when I hear from you and send you all my info, too.

Totally looking forward to this! :)

[trepkos.livejournal.com]

Your life is much less sucky - hurrah!

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :)

[myhappyface.livejournal.com]

Please excuse my randomness, but I just have to say I'm so happy to find someone else who prefers Sirius. I <3 him.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Awesome. :)

[evemac.livejournal.com]

Oh man, THANK YOU. Because I love Remus, but I don't LOVE Remus like I LOVE Sirius. See, there is a distinction and it comes in caps lock and bold. ;)

But I thought I was the only one who prefered Sirius. Or, one of a few. He's just so deluded about Harry and stubborn and messed up. His death is one of the few book-character deaths that absolutely kills me. And I'm re-reading OotP right now for the first time in a year and everything's all terrible because I know he's going to die.

And as to the question if he comes back? I'm not deciding either way. Because I don't want to build my hopes up, and it would depress me too much to really accept that he's dead.

Anyway -- yay! Another Sirius fan! :)

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Oh, I totally get the distinction. Though it's more like I don't really care about Remus on his own, I like Remus when he's with Sirius, and I LOVE Sirius.

I don't know if I'm ever going to re-read OotP. So painful. :( I'd spend the whole time not enjoying the book, just dreading what happens to Sirius. And also, I didn't really think it was that good.... (the "surprises" were terribly predictable, and the school administration gave me horrible flashbacks to high school that I really don't want to think about).

See, I like that jaydk thinks that Sirius is coming back, because she doesn't like the character at all. So if she thinks it, it's not her emotions getting in the way, it's just logical analysis. She could still be wrong, but I can't just dismiss it as wishful thinking....

I like your idea not to decide either way. But I know, no matter what, I'm going to be disappointed when (if?) he doesn't come back.

So glad you're a Sirius fan, too. :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/beingboring_/]

because I don't give a damn about authorial intent
Laura, do you mind if I cite you in my thesis with this line? Just so I can bypass all the repetitive debate about dethroning the bloody text and post structualism? Because, really, that's exactly what i want to say.
Sorry to be so totally random!

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

LOL. Um, sure, if you want to. :)

[anniesj.livejournal.com]

First of all, I just wanted to say how HAPPY I am that you've found a fandom that makes YOU happy again -- I know how much BTVS pissed you off in its final years (and I understand that so very, very well *g*), and I'm just happy to see you all babbly and giddy over fandom again. Awwwwww! *tacklehugs* Of course, it's all the better that I happen to be obsessing over the same thing! ;)

You already know where I stand -- I'm a Moonygirl. It's the angst factor. Remus is my woobie and I adore him. That being said, I also *fiercely* love Sirius. circe_tigana have gone back and forth on this on occasion, and I'm actually loving him more and more as I sink deeper into the books/fandom. He's just so wild and passionate and unpredictable, and so terribly fucked-up after Azkaban, and he desperately wants to do the right thing even if he doesn't know HOW sometimes. Which, like you said, Spike appeal. ;)

And I think the reason why I love him and Remus together is just because they seem to balance each other out. Sirius brings out the mischief in Remus, and Remus manages to tame Sirius. It just WORKS. *swoon!*

So, yeah, while Remus might be my favorite, Sirius ain't that far behind him. ;)

Also, I adore you for all the pimping. *hearts!*

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Aww, you just said so much of what I'd been thinking. The two of them really do balance each other out so well. I've never been a fan of a pairing before, but this one really does work beautifully.

And yes on "He's just so wild and passionate and unpredictable, and so terribly fucked-up after Azkaban, and he desperately wants to do the right thing even if he doesn't know HOW sometimes." That's like my bulletproof kink of a character. So very similar to Spike, but of course with his own unique Sirius-ness.

I'm glad that we're into the same thing now. So very cool. And I'm sorry for being such a freak about Spike fandom, getting so upset.... I am trying to keep my distance from this one because I don't want to end up taking everything so seriously and being so miserable again. (Because, y'know, I tend to see everything through one character, and nothing matters but that character, and I freak out when anything bad happens to that character.... and having that character be DEAD is not going to be good for me!)

Oh, no problem about the pimping. Thank you for the amazing writing!

[riddering.livejournal.com]

While I'm not really in the R/S fandom, Sirius is my favorite character from the books. I enjoyed the novels but his story in book 3 was what made me fall in love with the HP universe. I was really delighted with how much characterization he was given in OoTP, considering that the plot is all filtered through Harry's pov, and then I was completely crushed that he died.

Last summer I remember a lot of people dived into the HP fandom (many people have done so this summer too; HP must be a summer fandom) and I tried but the lack of Sirius appreciation really drove me away. Here is this complex and ambiguous character but most fans were ignoring him to whine that Draco wasn't being made complex and ambiguous--that there was no character with those qualities--when JKR had delivered us one in the last few books. In fact, most Slytherin fans crucify poor Sirius. Another reason was the fact that even R/S people who liked Sirius didn't talk about him much. Remus is much more adored and chatted about. I become very bitter when my favorite character doesn't get the attention I think he deserves.

I guess I'm the one rambling now. ::sheepish:: About Sirius' death--I agree with the people who say the method and lack of closure for his storyline are good reasons to support his return. But. I also think that JKR would not have "hyped" up the death and told fans she cried while writing it if he really were to come back later. Even if Sirius is gone physically, I'm sure she'll be telling us more about him and the Marauders. I think in an interview she said we'd find out about his old motorcycle as well as a few other things. Still...that's not much satisfaction. OoTP did so much for Sirius' character that his death surprised me a *lot*. I was sure he wouldn't die after the going back home plot gave him an arc that I knew wouldn't be resolved in the fifth novel. It wasn't and now probably never will be canonically.

I hope that you do talk more about Sirius in the future. I'm glad that someone else as intelligent as you in fandom loves his character. Whenever I try to talk about him I become unintelligible.

I'll be going to DragonCon too. Though mostly in the company of octopedingenue because Atlanta is far from home and I react as well to traveling as I would being sucked into another dimension.

[cherusha.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree with you about the lack of Sirius appreciation. And I'm also very bitter about all the crucifying Sirius got (and still gets) from Snapefen and other Slytherin fans after Book Five came out. But in a sense, the massive amounts of Sirius-hating made me love him more ("Nobody wants you anymore, but I still do!").

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Wow, Sirius is really hated in fandom? By Snape fans??? Snape is an adult who continues to bully children; Sirius was just an arrogant kid. Sheesh.

Sirius has always been my favorite character, since pretty much as soon as he showed up. It just seemed so obvious, lol. (I know, differing interpretations are what make fandom interesting. I'm just surprised how few people share mine, because before I came online mine seemed so clear.)

[cherusha.livejournal.com]

Yep, believe it or not. There are essays out there that "prove" Sirius is a sociopath based on the prank incident and the constant bullying of Snape.

It's nice to know there are Sirius fans out there :)

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

LMAO!

That's great ... from Snape fans! Guess they never heard that saying about glass houses....

It's funny how I always end up loving hated characters. First I was a "serial killer lover" and "rape apologist" for liking unsouled Spike, then supposedly an advocate of child-murder, incest, and treason because I like Jaime Lannister in A Song of Ice and Fire ... and now I'm supporting an arrogant "sociopathic" bully .... Clearly, I'm a morally depraved human being.

Or, y'know, maybe I just like complex characters and can understand the difference between fiction and reality....

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Snape is an adult who continues to bully children; Sirius was just an arrogant kid. Sheesh.

Yeah, I felt sorry for Snape after we saw the scene in the Pensieve, but I can't forgive that he, the adult, bears James Potter such a grudge (from beyond the frelling GRAVE already) that he takes it out on Harry continuously. And breaking off the lessons was just SOOOOO inappropriate. Harry's a child, Snape is the adult and it's time he *acted* like that ...

And darling, some of our favourite characters are not beloved in fandom - you'd be surprised by the number of Jaime-Hatahs out there ... (Although I'm more surprised by people who are indifferent to him!)

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

I really loved him in book 3. In fact, I distinctly remember reading book 3 and thinking throughout: "This guy is so interesting, and totally my type. Oh, I so hope there's a twist and he's not really a horrible bad guy." Naturally, I was very happy with the conclusion of that one. :)

I really liked how much characterization he got in book 5. She made him more complicated and ambiguous, which is *wonderful* and made me like him even more--I don't get at all why that would make someone like him less. No character should be perfect--the ones with dark sides are much more interesting. I love my characters complicated and grey and conflicted and fucked up (but with basically good hearts underneath). The whole time I was thinking "This could totally be my new fandom; please don't let him die." Stupid JKR.

Here is this complex and ambiguous character but most fans were ignoring him to whine that Draco wasn't being made complex and ambiguous--that there was no character with those qualities--when JKR had delivered us one in the last few books.

Yes, exactly! It's like saying you want a character with a dark side, but then when he does something dark, saying you dislike him for it. You can't have it both ways--to be ambiguous, a character has to do negative as well as positive things.

To me, it would be boring to be a Remus fan. He's too nice. Sirius, OTOH, is fascinating. So many layers and complications.

You're totally right that OotP seemed to be starting an arc for him, but then didn't finish it. Set it up perfectly and then cut it off, which is what makes his death even more horrible, because he had so much growing to do, and he was a good and well-meaning person underneath, and he should have had that chance to become the person that I knew he could be (*sob*).

That was the thing that really surprised me with his death--he's so interesting and fucked up, there's so much to explore here--let's kill him instead??? HUH??? Why not kill, say, Hagrid, who has no interesting complications to explore but could get a similar emotional reaction? It's terrible to cut off such an interesting story. It's like how ME kept refusing to explore all the interesting stuff going on with Spike and Willow in S7, and focused instead on Dawn and the potentials. WTF?

Oh, I'm glad you'll be at Dragoncon. Go to some of the Harry Potter panels! It would be great it we met up at some point. I'm actually not going to know that many people there: jaydk, elizard100, and rockgoddes are the only ones so far.

[jaydk.livejournal.com]

Hey, for the record, "convinced" was more like "Hey, want to go to a movie? Harry Potter? Cool." I would say, closer to a mutual telepathic decision...thing. ;-)

Also for the record, had a fabulous time seeing HP on IMAX one more (last) time with you, and not paying attention to the plot in favor of Remus/Sirius and pointing out all the cool stuff (Alan Rickman is a god, and we are not worthy). And even more fun discussing/debating (that's the polite word, right? ;-) afterwards. So fun to have a partner-in-crime for the new fandom obsession.

Despite the continuing (and enjoyable) screaming match over Sirius, I must confess that he's growing on me, entirely thanks to Gary Oldman. GO has totally taken me from "eh Sirius, whatta jerk" to "Sniff, poor Sirius -- so tragic." GO just brings out all that tenderness and real emotion that I never really got from book Sirius. So now I honestly like and maybe even love the character a little bit. And of course he's Remus' one-true-love and GO and DT are so great and hot together, and dude, how can I not love that?

Speaking of, here's the link to that video I mentioned:
http://www.livejournal.com/~_projectgalem/103680.html

And here's a picture of tiny elfin Gary and much taller and kind of scary looking David:
http://www.david-thewlis.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=11&pos=10

Also, my favorite Slytherin pic evah is to be found over at TheSnitch.co.uk under the galleries for PoA. They've got some Sirius pics that I bet you'd like too ;-).

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

You did convince me. I had no plans to see it again, and then you said "Do you want to see it again?" and that convinced me. Entirely your fault. :P

I had a great time seeing it again, too. So many nice little details to notice and talk about.

LOL, our "discussing/debating" wasn't that vehement....

Awww, you said you might love Sirius a little bit. I'm never going to let you forget that you said that...

Thank you for the links. You rock. (I just sent you an email with a bunch of the ones I was referring to).

[jaydk.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the e-mail!

And only a little ittle bit (holds thumb and forefinger very close together). And only Gary's Sirius. The book one is still a jerk ;-). But Gary...so good. If he can make me feel for Sirius, that guy's got talent. I can't wait for the next movie because GoF is my favorite book, but I really can't wait for the film version of OotP in a couple years for more David Thewlis and Gary Oldman!