return to Hogwarts

I'm probably the only person in North America reading book 4 of the Harry Potter series this week-end. I really enjoyed the first couple of books in the series but the Dementors in book 3 scared the crap out of me so I stopped reading them. Lately everyone has been commenting on how great the sixth installment is. It seems to be everywhere -- I counted seven people reading it on the plane last week. So I thought maybe it was time to give Rowling's story another shot. What better way to spend a long week-end than relaxing in the sun with a good book?

I am most of the way through The Goblet of Fire (yes, I know, I read slowly) and I have to say that I had forgotten how much fun it is to go to Hogwarts. I love the names of things and all the invented words. (And, to be honest, I love the idea of a castle where staircases and pictures move, where the ceiling looks like the sky and any misfortune can be solved in the sick wing, even if regrowing all the bones in your arm does hurt.) I love that she has made Harry just believable enough that a hundred pages from the end of the book I still wonder if just maybe Cedric will win the Triwizard Tournament even though I know that somehow Harry will be the hero in the end.

I'm glad that so far Rowling seems to still like her hero and hasn't written him into misery quite yet. I read once that by the end of the Anne of Green Gables series, Montgomery hated her heroine but was under contract to finish 6 books. I've read the series, and towards the end things certainly seem to go south for Anne. If something is in store for Harry, please remember that I'm most of the way through book 4 so no book 5 or 6 spoilers please. I think I'll finish my education at Hogwarts afterall.