Things that get you all choked up

[ConnieAnnKirk]

---

booksntea wrote:

Definitely when Hedwig dies, it was basically the start of all the deaths in the book. And in real life, I'm afraid of birds, so this was big for me.

Also, I think maybe my biggest choke up was Ron yelling Hermione's name at Malfoy Manor. That just...*sigh* wow. Yeah. Oh and then Dobby's death soon after was kind of the breaking point where I had to close the book and cry before I could continue.

Well if I ever need a good cry I know which forum to go read!

---

booksntea--Are you new with us?  If I haven't officially welcomed you yet, Welcome!  Love your screen name--so fitting for a book club name!

EnJOY!

[booksntea]

Why thank you Connie! I've already posted on a couple of the other HP forum topics as well, I really enjoy them! I'm in the middle of rereading the series now through audiobooks, I'm a full time college student so Jim Dale provides me with an escape while I'm driving and walking to classes!! Who doesn't love books and tea? Looking forward to more fun discussions, even though the topic of this one tugs at the heartstrings!

[Jules934]

---

Psychee wrote in part:

Since JKR spelled that out in the text -- that Dumbledore was NOT man enough to face any kind of truth about possibly having killed Ariana himself, I think we have to accept that as a given.  He lived with the shame of the possibility, but he thought he would be destroyed by real knowledge of that.  That was his rationale to Harry as to why he never pursued Grindelwald early on -- he was afraid he would learn that he was the killer.

---

Mmmm... I see your point.  One can hardly read King's Cross too many times.  Dumbledore says he does fear the knowledge and  " I think he knew it, I think he knew what frightened me." (718) 

I see that statement as an ambiguous sentence.  The antecedent of "it" is unclear.  Does "it" refer to Dumbledore's fear?  Or does "it" refer to Grindelwald knowing who cast the fatal spell?

Then JKR abruptly switches to the topic of Dumbledore's avoidance of the confrontation* leaving the reader to assume the 2 were connected.  I suspect a red herring there.

From there, alerted to the need to look deeper,  my thoughts go in 2 directions.

1)  Whichever Grindelwald knew (if in fact he did know either), he would taunt Dumbledore, saying

            he knew what Dumbledore feared, and/or saying

            Dumbledore cast the spell.

2)  Aberforth confirmed that there was no way to tell who had cast the fatal spell.

I go with the "fact" that 2 of the 3 combatants did not know, then the likelihood is that the 3rd didn't know either.  If pressed, I would grant that the 3rd, however, could know.

And furthermore, I believe that, what Dumbledore actually feared was what he considered to be the almost-certain taunt.  But knowing that the taunt was almost-certain, he would know that it was meaningless; Grindelwald would make it no matter what the real circumstances.  Therefore........

If you thinking "circular reasoning", I would counter with "spiral reasoning"  LoL

*  Which would parallel the Dumbledore/Voldemort avoidance, but that is another subject.

[Jules934]

---

agnijay wrote:

Ah, but do you think it would have been worse for him to see how misguided his judgement was; that he had fallen in love with the man who killed his sister? Or do you think it would have been worse for him to realize that he himself had done it?

---

It was the first that led to the second.  Perhaps they would have merged or gone the way of "how could he have loved someone whose ideology was so different from his own and why did he close his eyes to the truth for so long?".  Hopefully, the consolation that he did end the destruction would have been sufficient.

[Mollywobbles]

Interesting question.  Which would have been worse for DD, that his judgement was faulty, or that his affections had been misplaced?  It ultimately came down to the fact that he couldn't face either one, knowing that it might reveal who had struck the fatal blow to Ariana.

Personally, I think it would have been worse for Dumbledore to question his own judgement.  Of course, I'm looking at it with the whole of Dumbledore's life experience in the frame.  Who know which would have been worse for the young man that Dumbledore was then.

Does it strike anyone else that Kendra and Aberforth, the two who were regarded suspiciously, were the strongest members of the Dumbledore clan?

---

Jules934 wrote:

---

agnijay wrote:

Ah, but do you think it would have been worse for him to see how misguided his judgement was; that he had fallen in love with the man who killed his sister? Or do you think it would have been worse for him to realize that he himself had done it?

---

It was the first that led to the second.  Perhaps they would have merged or gone the way of "how could he have loved someone whose ideology was so different from his own and why did he close his eyes to the truth for so long?".  Hopefully, the consolation that he did end the destruction would have been sufficient.

---

[Psychee]

---

Mollywobbles wrote, in part:

Does it strike anyone else that Kendra and Aberforth, the two who were regarded suspiciously, were the strongest members of the Dumbledore clan?

---

Strongest in what way, Mollywobbles?  Emotionally stronger?   We don't know much about Kendra -- only that she isolated herself in order to protect her child.  She was single -minded, in that regard. 

As for Aberforth, his needs had always been simple, I think.

The dad had one emotional explosion in reaction to his child being hurt.  But he went onto prison and died there rather than to tell anyone what caused him to react the way he did -- a confession that would have kept him out of prison, I think, but would also have resulted in his daughter going permanently to a hospital.   Isn't he entitled to some points for emotional strength?

[GB123]

I think it was sad when Mr lovegood almost got harry killed, but poor, poor Luna!

[Mollywobbles]

I was thinking of emotional strength, Psychee. I don't have any issue with Dumbledore pere's assault on the muggles who attacked Ariana, and yes, he does deserve some credit for going to Askaban rather than reveal the reason which might have kept him out of jail, but might have resulted in Ariana being locked up in St. Mungos.  Still, Dumbledore Sr., once he was in jail, did not have to contend with the day to day issues of dealing with Ariana, this fell on Kendra.  Her isolation was self-imposed.

Aberforth, while he may have had simple needs, was the one who stepped up to the plate when it came to wanting to care for Ariana after Kendra died. I thought he deserved a lot of brownie points for doing that at such a young age. 

Getting back to the subject of things which choke you up, I found Aberforth's account of the events leading up to Ariana's death pretty moving.

---

Psychee wrote:

---

Mollywobbles wrote, in part:

Does it strike anyone else that Kendra and Aberforth, the two who were regarded suspiciously, were the strongest members of the Dumbledore clan?

---

Strongest in what way, Mollywobbles?  Emotionally stronger?   We don't know much about Kendra -- only that she isolated herself in order to protect her child.  She was single -minded, in that regard. 

As for Aberforth, his needs had always been simple, I think.

The dad had one emotional explosion in reaction to his child being hurt.  But he went onto prison and died there rather than to tell anyone what caused him to react the way he did -- a confession that would have kept him out of prison, I think, but would also have resulted in his daughter going permanently to a hospital.   Isn't he entitled to some points for emotional strength?

---

[Psychee]

Of the two boys, I think Aberforth was more of the nurturer.  He took both Ariana and his animals under his wing while his brother Albus pursued intellectual challenges.

When you think of that, it makes Dumbledore's statement about never having had imagined that he would care so much for Harry, even more poignant. 

[eemmaa]

That's what gets me too. Neville's evolution is just amazing.

Em

[Jules934]

Neville's great.  Always figured he'd break out of his coccoon .  He's a Gryffindor, you know.  When Harry passed the reins to him just saying "kill the snake"............  I knew, and I knew Harry knew too, he had it all. 

Notice that the reins went to Neville, not Ron.

[Jules934]

Another choker....in GoF, when Harry's with Dumbledore after he returns from the graveyard and Snape comes in and says he's going to voldemort -- the unspoken words are so  impactful, and Dumbledore watching him leave the room and looking at the closed door for so long after he's left, knowing the danger Snape's putting himself in................... 

[Mollywobbles]

---

Psychee wrote:

Of the two boys, I think Aberforth was more of the nurturer.  He took both Ariana and his animals under his wing while his brother Albus pursued intellectual challenges.

When you think of that, it makes Dumbledore's statement about never having had imagined that he would care so much for Harry, even more poignant. 

---

Poignant?  How do you get poignant, Psychee?  I think it said more about Albus finding emotions within himself, than it did about any feelings he had for Harry.

[Psychee]

---

Mollywobbles wrote:

---

Psychee wrote:

Of the two boys, I think Aberforth was more of the nurturer.  He took both Ariana and his animals under his wing while his brother Albus pursued intellectual challenges.

When you think of that, it makes Dumbledore's statement about never having had imagined that he would care so much for Harry, even more poignant. 

---

Poignant?  How do you get poignant, Psychee?  I think it said more about Albus finding emotions within himself, than it did about any feelings he had for Harry.

---

It's hard to explain, Mollywobbles.  Just the idea of having Harry's plight call to his soul at a level so deep that he didn't even know he had the capacity for such caring.   He didn't look for those emotions -- they just sprang up -- new, fresh, unguarded, deep.  That's very poignant to me.

[shibby1011ph]

off the top of my head....

1.) book 7 --- when harry realizes that he's about to die and as he whispers it to the thingamajig, it opened.

[readingSLASHwr…]

In DHwhen Ron tries to spare Hermione's torture by volunteering to take her place.

Dobby's funeral, especially when Harry refues to use magic when burying Dobby.

In DH, when the Weasleys are mourning over the loss of Fred.

DH- When we find out how much Snape loved Lily. I love all of his memories of her that he shares with Harry. It really helps you understand their relationship

In HBP when Ron says Hermione's name in the hospital wing.

OotP- When James humiliates Snape and Harry realizes that Snape was right about his dad.

GoF- Nevilles reaction to the Crucis Curse (torture cures). It is later learned that his parents were victium of the same curse.

PS/SS- When Harry looks into the Mirror of Erised and sees all of his family smiling back at him

[Tragedy]

There are several moments within the Harry Potter series that have made me choke up, or full-out cry:

In the fifth book, as Sirius falls through the veil.

In the sixth book, when Dumbledore tells Harry he isn't worried because he is with him.

Also in the sixth book, when everyone is in the hospital wing, and they talk about having Dumbledore's funeral at Hogwarts so the students can say goodbye.

In the seventh book, when Ron leaves.

Also in the seventh book, when Ron screams Hermione's name as she's being tortured.

And last but not least, when Fred dies.

I get really into these books, so I am sure there are more than what I have listed.

[Psychee]

Welcome, Tragedy!  (Boy, that sounds odd!   ) Thanks for posting!

[Mollywobbles]

---

Psychee wrote:

---

Mollywobbles wrote:

---

Psychee wrote:

Of the two boys, I think Aberforth was more of the nurturer.  He took both Ariana and his animals under his wing while his brother Albus pursued intellectual challenges.

When you think of that, it makes Dumbledore's statement about never having had imagined that he would care so much for Harry, even more poignant. 

---

Poignant?  How do you get poignant, Psychee?  I think it said more about Albus finding emotions within himself, than it did about any feelings he had for Harry.

---

It's hard to explain, Mollywobbles.  Just the idea of having Harry's plight call to his soul at a level so deep that he didn't even know he had the capacity for such caring.   He didn't look for those emotions -- they just sprang up -- new, fresh, unguarded, deep.  That's very poignant to me.

---

While I might agree that the emotions were fresh, I don't believe for a moment that they were unguarded.  Dumbledore, as an adult, was never unguarded, as I see it.  Everything was planned, calculated and orchestrated.  There might have been a few moments when DD came close to lowering his guard, but they are few and far between.  I think the moment on the Tower "Severus Please", might have been one of them.  But one could argue that this was all pre-arranged.  Possibly another in HBP when he tees off on Petunia and Vernon about how they treated Harry and the damage they had done to Dudders-maybe.  Oddly, one moment I think that rings true for me is when DD tells Trelawney she can go back to her Tower in HW, even though Umbridge has evicted her.  Of course, DD needed Trelawney to be sequestered, but I think there might have been a little bit of legitimate concern there.

It's fun to be bantering again with you Psychee!

[Shop-Owner_26]

All I was thinking was "I love you Neville"