Making The Hallows Less Deathly Boring

[lokifan]

All right, dear flist, I have a question for you. The majority of fandom (whether it’s a small majority or an overwhelming one seems to depend on which corner of the interwebs you inhabit) was dissatisfied with Deathly Hallows. So if you were JKR’s editor, in a power suit and awesome boots (that goes double for you, son_of_darkness) which parts would you want changed? Chopped out, added in, cut down UNTIL IT WAS NO LONGER HALF THE BOOK AND MONUMENTALLY DULL. *coughs* Not that I have any particular bias. Would you concentrate on making it less of a minefield of plotholes you could lose a leg in, or would you just want Draco to be touched inappropriately?

Comments

[tuawahine.livejournal.com]

I would have every second chapter from Neville and Ginny's points of view, showing what is going on at Hogwarts -- much more interesting than the camping, I think. And I would take out both cases of Harry using Unforgivables (same for McGonagall).

Oh, and I would have the Dumbledore/Grindelwald romance spelled out, and there should definitely be more Draco and more Snape.

[lokifan]

I would have every second chapter from Neville and Ginny's points of view, showing what is going on at Hogwarts -- much more interesting than the camping, I think.

I'd really like that! It was absolutely interesting. On the other hand, I think I'm glad that's left for fic - stuff like rage-worthy sexism with regards Ginny, and where-is-your-choice-theme-now with regards Slytherin students, would make me sad. Although I'd love to know how Draco was acting - how obvious was it that he was miserable?

I would have the Dumbledore/Grindelwald romance spelled out, and there should definitely be more Draco and more Snape.

I'd like not more Snape necessarily, but Snape alive and active and interacting with Harry, not a lump-sum of Snapeishness after he was dead.

And yes, the Dumbledore/Grindelwald romance absolutely should have been spelled out - if it was a crucial motivating factor for Dumbledore, there's no excuse for it not being spelled out. If people are still reading these books in fifty years, they're not going to have The Collected Interviews Of JKR alongside.

[newshoundhdt61.livejournal.com]

I can't say I was happy for Snape to die, but I certainly understand why he died. Once the Hallows were introduced and Voldemort found out about the Elder Wand, Snape had to die. And Canon Snape would never have interacted with Harry; he hated and despised him. Something that kept him alive while he served as a spy (clever Dumbledore!).

[lokifan]

I can't say I was happy for Snape to die, but I certainly understand why he died.

Well, yeah. I was certain going in he was going to die, that didn't bother me. And of course canon!Snape would have interacted with Harry. He interacted with Harry repeatedly through six books, and even in the seventh if you count the doe. I'm not talking about friendly interaction - but their relationship and the parallels between them was crucial, and not dealt with. Something like Snape explaining, to Harry's face, what he had to do - that would have been dramatic and made for a more dynamic scene.

[newshoundhdt61.livejournal.com]

I guess we just have different views on how the events played out. I just didn't understand why someone would want to see more interactions between Harry and Snape. They don't like each other and their interactions clearly demonstrated that. Once the final battle was over, they would have no reason to interact. Their relationship and the parallels between them were drawn very clearly to me and I enjoyed not having everything spelled out in black and white. Harry certainly understood them.
I liked the way JKR handled Harry finding out about Snape's true allegiance and why it was given. I found it to be more dramatic than the two of them sitting down face to face.
I think I just have very different opinions from most readers about the book.And I most definitely have different opinions on secondary characters. I think she treated Draco, Neville, Luna, Ginny, and the rest quite fairly.

[lokifan]

They don't like each other and their interactions clearly demonstrated that. Once the final battle was over, they would have no reason to interact.

Of course, but I wanted to see them interact before the final battle. I'd like to see it partly because Harry was so wrong about Snape. Not through fault of his own, but he was wrong. That's the change in the relationship I wanted to see - Harry's having to face that. It would have forced development, and frankly I think forgiveness is easy when someone's dead. Harry dealing with it, at least in part, while Snape was alive, would have been interesting. After all, their relationship was clear to us - but Harry didn't see it while Snape was alive. He was blind to Snape's protection of him, for instance.

[tuawahine.livejournal.com]

Oh, you're right. If there had been Hogwarts chapters, and all the Slytherins would have been the Carrows' loyal minions without exception, I would have been even more angry than I am now at the 'all Slytherins leave before the fight' thing. As it is, I can imagine a number of them helping/being in the DA and just not wanting their banner in the RoR because they are ashamed of their house mates, and coming back with Slughorn for the battle.

I'd have loved to have seen some (more) Snape/McGonagall interaction. It's heartbreaking in a way, because I think they used to have a lot of professional respect for each other, and now Snape is headmaster, but McGonagall thinks he murdered Dumbledore and supports what the Carrows is doing, and he can't say anything, and oh, the drama!

And yes, I too was expecting at least one lengthy Harry/Snape conversation (initial shouting and hexing included), not a one-sided viewing of memories. I think the 'all is explained' chapter should have been Snape and Harry instead of King's Cross!Dumbledore.

[lokifan]

Well, exactly. The Slytherins thing infuriates me for a variety of reasons, and at least I can fanwank why the banner wasn't there. Although my preferred reasoning isn't that they were ashamed of their housemates, but that the RoR can be broken into - they did it as the Inquisitorial Squad - and if some of them were being junior spies, pretending to be on the Carrows' side, it would be terrible strategy to have their banner up. I'm totally going to write a scene like that one day - Neville wanting to proudly proclaim the Slytherins' membership, and Pansy scorning him. :)

OMG THAT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME. Oh. And I'm thinking about the Snape/McGonagall thing now, and it's heartbreaking. Snape not being able to explain - and worse, her finding out only after he was dead.

I think the 'all is explained' chapter should have been Snape and Harry instead of King's Cross!Dumbledore.

I like that idea! Yes, that would have worked. And been quite interesting - Snape taking over Dumbledore's usual role in more ways than one!

[tuawahine.livejournal.com]

I'm totally going to write a scene like that one day - Neville wanting to proudly proclaim the Slytherins' membership, and Pansy scorning him.
YES! You should write that! (Though I always imagined Millicent would be the secret ally in Slytherin 7th year. Or even Nott the Death Eater son for extra drama.)

I really do wonder how Snape managed to have any authority at all with the teachers. (And that none of them resigned in protest, actually.) If I ever feel up to it ('cause yeah, that won't be happy fic), that is something I may have to write about.