I am a fan of the Harry Potter series. Not a GINORMOUS fan, but a middle distance fan. The kind of fan that can sing the chorus to "Voldemort can't stop the rock" but not the verses. The kind of fan that has only read through the books twice (except for goblet of fire which I've read four times) The kind of fan that has already pre-ordered the half-blood prince but havn't googled for guesses as to who he is (though I am taking the easy way out and guessing Hagrid). But I have spent my fair share of brain space nawing on young Potter and here are some of my reflections on things that we can learn from the stories.
You have to go underground if you want to save what is above ground.
#1 Passage under a great three headed dog (who incedentally gaurds the underworld in classic literature)
#2 Chamber of secrets
#3 a hole under the weeping willow
#4 a graveyard (the death symbolism being unmistakable
#5 Miles under the Ministry of magic (Which is, like the gryfindor quiddich team, filled with church images).
Sentimentalism is a thin veil over cruelty
Umbridge is one of my favorite antagonist, kittens and cruelty and power-hungry eyes.
One of the scenes that I thought especially inciteful was when umbridge accuses of Minerva of trying to take her job at the ministry. (Sounds like some old crackpot revolutionary politician that got into his position of influence through back-room meetings that sees conspiracy theories everywhere. [I could give you his BLitzkrieg initials but I sort of feel sorry for the old hippies in Moscow ID who think that they can stop the Holy Spirit with a back room declaration that the Holy Ghost doesn't have a city permit])
