And when I say “epilogue”, I mean the last couple pages of the Deathly Hallows in which we find out that Ron and Hermione are married and so are Harry and Ginny, and they all have kids at Hogwarts. Harry’s named his kids after important people in his life, and there’s this nice little moment where you understand that from now on, everything is going to be ok.
I know a lot of people hated the ending, saying it was too sappy or TMI. But I disagree. I think it’s the best way J.K. Rowling could have finished the series, and there’s one reason for my opinion: They’ve been through enough.
Proof:
Sorcerer’s Stone: Harry has been verbally and physically abused for 11 years. His parents allegedly died in a car crash, leaving him in the care of his hateful relatives. Then he finds out he’s a famous wizard. And if that’s not overwhelming enough, he’s also shouldered with the responsibility of keeping the Sorcerer’s Stone safe from Voldemort. He almost dies, then he goes home for the summer.
Chamber of Secrets: Harry has again been verbally and physically abused for a summer, and a certain sneaky house elf decides to withhold letters from his friends so he is led to believe that they’ve forgotten about him. Then other horrible things happen, he’s injured in more ways than I care to list, and then is forced to fight a basilisk and save his future wife from the 16 year old version of the man who killed his parents. He almost dies, then goes home for the summer.
Prisoner of Azkaban: More abuse, finally snaps and blows up his Aunt. Finds out that his godfather, Sirius Black, who is blamed for his parent’s deaths, has escaped from Azkaban to come and kill him. His friends are attacked. He is attacked by dementors and almost dies. Then both father figures that emerged from this book, Sirius and Lupin, are both forced to leave Hogwarts because of circumstances they can’t control. Harry almost dies, then goes “home” for the summer.
Goblet of Fire: More abuse, but then his friends the Weasley family come pick him up to go to the World Quidditch Cup. He’s almost killed in a Death Eater riot and someone steals his wand to cast the Dark Mark. Then at school his name is drawn from the Goblet to compete in a really dangerous tri-school tournament, even though he’s not of age and Hogwarts technically already has a “champion”, Cedric Diggory. His best friend, Ron, alienates him, believing Harry is lying about not entering the drawing. Then Harry is almost killed in many creative ways, has to battle things no 14 year old has ever had to battle before, and then watches Cedric die in front of him at the hands of the man who he almost captured the year before. He then witnesses Voldemort getting his [noseless] body back and barely makes it back to Hogwarts alive with Cedric’s body in tow. He’s then almost killed, again, by David Tennant (Barty Crouch, whatever) who has been pretending to be a teacher all year. Harry goes home for the summer.
Order of the Phoenix: After still more abuse in the muggle world, Harry returns to Hogwarts and realizes that very few people believe him about Voldemort. Several of his friends alienate him (but Ron’s back) out of fear. No one in the mysterious organization “The Order of the Phoenix” will tell him what’s going on because they think he’s too young. Harry has visions of Voldemort, and it’s discovered that he and the Dark Lord are connected psychically via Harry’s scar. He’s then tortured by Snape in an attempt to get rid of the visions. Ron’s dad is almost killed in one of these visions, and he visits the hospital where he learns horrible things about his friend Neville’s past. An evil Professor, Dolores Umbridge, tortures Harry and his friends at the same time as ruining the school, the one place Harry ever felt safe and loved. Then Harry and his friends decide to storm the ministry of magic (who don’t believe Harry about Voldemort), all of them are almost killed in a myriad of awful ways, then Harry watches his closest father figure, Sirius, killed. Harry is almost killed by Voldemort (again), but Dumbledore rescues him, and then goes home for the summer.
Half-Blood Prince: More abuse, then Dumbledore takes him on a field trip to recruit a new potions master. Harry learns about horcrux’s and how they’re the reason Voldemort can’t truly die. After a series of awful things happen during school, Dumbledore takes Harry to destroy a horcrux. That day ends with Harry watching his next-closest father figure, Dumbledore, die. The castle is stormed with Death Eaters. Harry and his two best friends decide to finish what Dumbledore started and not return to school the next year.
Deathly Hallows: Slightly less abuse during the summer, Dudley shakes Harry’s hand before he and his family are taken into safekeeping. Harry will never see them again. Then Harry’s owl is killed, as is his friend Mad-Eye Moody. George Weasley is injured as well. After Bill and Fluer’s wedding is interrupted by Death Eaters and Harry is forced to listen to people bad-mouth Dumbledore, the three friends escape to Sirius’ old house. Harry feels more alone than ever as he watches his friends fall more in love. Then they’re almost killed and are forced to hide in the “mundane British countryside” (A Very Potter Musical, anyone?). Ron eventually gets frustrated with their lack of progress and leaves. Hermione is crushed, and Harry has to deal with one best friend leaving and the other best friend falling apart. Then Harry and Hermione are almost killed by a giant snake pretending to be an old lady (Little Red Riding Hood: HP edition?), and Harry’s trusty wand snaps. Meanwhile, at Hogwarts, Harry’s friends are being tortured. Ron rejoins them and they are all captured and taken to the Malfoy residence. Then they escape, but Dobby the house elf, who was the only reason they escaped, is killed. Then they all return to Hogwarts to find the final horcrux and fight the death eaters. Chaos ensues, more people die, Harry’s final father figure, Lupin, and his new wife, among them. Harry sacrifices himself, but then is miraculously brought back to life to fight Voldemort as a mortal. Voldemort dies, but so did a lot of other people.
So let’s summarize, shall we? Every father figure Harry has ever known is killed, two of which in front of him, countless friends of Harry are killed, some of which in front of him. And even if they aren’t killed, every single other friend of Harry’s is tortured in unimaginable ways. Harry was abused before finding out he was a wizard, but even as a wizard, he’s almost killed every single year afterwards. And all of this happens before he even turns 18.
Those kids deserved their happy ending, especially Harry. After all the horrors of his life, Rowling allowed him happiness. She gave him the one thing he’d never known before: a family. So criticize away, but I for one can sleep at night knowing for absolute certain that Harry Potter and his friends are finally safe.
I LOVE THIS!!!! I totally agree about it. Happy ending was the best ending for this series. It satisfied everybody.
You know what just occurred to me reading this post. I don’t know why actually, but it would have been a nice pay-off to have more of a pay off with the Thestrals that are dangerous but only Hagrid has managed to train.
Would have been nice to see something like Death Eaters surrounded by Thestrals but unable to see them and then all of a sudden one of their number is killed and then they they suddenly see these horrific skinless horses area all around and have to withdraw and leave the heroes alone. Would have made a nice pay off for Hagrids love of dangerous beasts.
Maybe in the new movies or something.