What do you think was the most shocking moment/death of the Harry Potter book series?

Question

The most shocking moment for me was when Dumbledore died. I thought he would make it until the end. Sirius' death was also shocking.

DISCLAIMER: For those who have not read the final Harry Potter book, do not answer this question. Somebody might give away the ending.

For me, the deaths of Dobby and Hedwig were heartbreakers. I was also shocked to see Mrs. Weasley get so violent on Bella.

But the true heartbreaker for me was what Snape revealed in his pensieve memories.

Answer 1

Snape's pensieve thoughts. Really explained a lot that was left in the dark for all 7 books.

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Just to expand on this, through the 1st 6 1/2 books he was portrayed as being bad, but Dumbledore always defended him to the death (quite literally). You knid of felt there was something else there, but I never would have guessed that it was so involved. Brilliant job by Rowling in this plotline I thought.

Answer 2

The most shocking was Sirius. Because I hoped he would survive all seven books and have his name cleared. And because his death came in a moment in which I wasn't that prepared to see one of my favorite characters die, I guess I didn't believe yet that the HP series would be such a great picture of "good people die too in wars no matter how unfair it is".
Dumbledore wasn't shocking as I always thought Harry would have to go to the final challenge alone (or at least without his mentor). Lupin and Snape were heartbreaking but they weren't shocking anymore as everyone was dying, nothing could shock me in those pages. The most heartbreaking was Dobby though.

Answer 3

Fred's death. I wanted to sit there and cry my eyes out but I couldn't, because I had to keep reading to see what happened next. I mean, they aren't even the Weasley Twins anymore! It's just George. And that's incredibly sad. I was shocked to find out that Rowling had always planned to kill Fred (I read it on some AOL article online). Dobby's death was also shocking. Let's see.... Lupin and Tonks as a pair was something I was incredibly shocked and angry about. I couldn't believe Rowling would kill both the parents of another child. I'm just glad Teddy's well cared for, unlike Harry was. I was pretty much shocked about all the deaths. But Fred and Dobby's more. Ha, I mean I did think sometime while reading the series that Dobby might end up killing himself in the end with all that self harming he did, but still....

As for the most shocking scene, most definitely the end of page 699. When he was surrounded by his parents and Lupin and Sirius, and he asked "Does it hurt?" God, I was crying so hard. I think I had to stop and wait until I could see better before I could read any more. But definitely page 699 in book 7.

Incredible series, though. Absolutely ingenious.

Answer 4

Book 1 Film - Hermione's transformation. Really horrible...
Book 3 - Lupin reveals Harry's relationship with Sirius and saying hello to Pettigrew
Book 4 - Avada Kedavra to Cedric.
Book 5 - Umbridge really pissed me off. I really hate people making so many rules especially that rule where groups are prohibited. Also Sirius' death.
Book 6 - haven't read it but I've read some reviews and I have to say Dumbledore's death. We all got mad at Snape until "The Prince's Tale"
Book 7 - so many events that shocked me:

Dobby's Death
Harry saying Voldemort's name that lead them to being caught by friggin' Greyback.
The chapter "The Prince's Tale"
Fred's death - oh another good guy died
Mad-Eye's death - just when everybody made it to safety, this guy dies.

This might not qualify as an appropriate A to your Q but my heart was beating fast when I was reading "The Muggle Born Registration Commission" if I was Kreacher I would be pissed for cooking food for someone who won't turn up.

Answer 5

In Narnia the witch is used as symbolism and has a deeper meaning, all of the Narnia series have a deeper Christian meaning to it. The problem I see with Harry Potter is the total witchcraft. That is all it is basically about. If the witchcraft was toned down a little like in the other movies/books I would be more okay with it, and you have to look at what it is doing to our children. On Halloween they all want to be a character from HP and want to pretend they are doing witchcraft and casting spells. You really don't see much kids wanting to be the fairy Godmother. I have read the books and seen the movies and I did not find much interest in them. The other story's do use magic but it isn't based all on witchcraft, and are more acceptable than HP. Those are my views on the matter.

Answer 6

Hi there....

Most shocking death? I'll have to go with Hedwig's. I mean, I expected a lot of tragic twists since it was the last one... but not Hedwig's... She's actually a very appreciated creature in the series , if you ask me because from the start of Harry's journey, she was there..., but when it was almost over, she died... I find that extremely sad... And besides, she's the coolest owl a wizard could ever had...

Well, since the series consists of a million twists, turns and shocking moments, I guess one of them which is still instilled on my mind is the triwizard cup being a portkey... I mean, who would've thought that the cup could be a portkey?... I was like... NO WAY!!!... But on the second thought, it was written by a genius, so, what can I do, right?

Answer 7

The most shocking deaths for me was when Hedwig and Dobby died. I really didn't see that one coming. I was also saddenned at the death of Fred Weasley.

The most heartbreaking scence for me was when Snape revealed his love for Lily Potter. It was very sad. He almost hooked up with her -- and then he blew it. The point is, he kept on loving her until his death...his graphic death.

Answer 8

Just one. FRED WEASLEY GETTING KILLED. Much more than mere surprise, I was shocked, upset and angry there was not even room for sadness. The impact on the characters when Moody died was nothing compared to the impact of those three words, "No, Fred! No!"

I initially felt that if Jo Rowling really thought it imperative that a Weasley should die, why not Percy the prat or Charlie the least mentioned Weasley? I first found it utterly useless and pointless. But afterwards, I guess I mellowed (but I haven't forgiven her completely yet!) and I think that with Fred's death, she was imparting that even those like Fred and George who were always funny is not immune to the evils of Voldemort. Almost everyone was expecting Harry to die, but I would bet that nobody expected either Fred or George to get done in. For me, the saddest part is not that the series has ended, the saddest part is although I know it's just fiction, I feel that I knew these two more than any character in the series and it saddens me than in the fictional world I have grown to love, George has lost his twin, his brother, his friend. Even Jo Rowling have said that George would not get over the lost of Fred even if he continued running the joke shop. I think that it would take me quite a while to get over it, too

Answer 9

I feel that Dumbledore's death was in many ways the most painful in the series, because he was so powerful a character, and so important to Harry in every single book, but I wasn't as shocked because it was discussed as a possibility so often in HBP. I was shocked at Sirius, though--because I didn't see it coming.

The one that shocked me most was Hedwig. I never thought any of the companion animals in the series would die--they felt "off limits" to me. (even after Buckbeak!) So when she died so suddenly, and there was so little time given to it, with Harry having no time to grieve over her, that really brought me up short. Once I read that, I felt JKR had put us on notice: anyone could die. Since none of the main student characters died in DH, I feel a little bit upset that Hedwig's death was used to make readers feel that every character was at risk.

Answer 10

I shuddered when Harry had to carve lines into his hand with Umbridge's magic quill.

The most shocking death was Dumbledore's,though i was also saddened by the loss of Sirius, Dobby and Hedwig.

Answer 11

I'm a bit weird but the thing that shocked me most was when Harry's wand broke... and not because of the whole link between Harry and Voldemort's wnads just because it was Harry's wand :)

But not far behind in shcok value were Hedwig's death (just unexpected) and Lupin and Tonk's (there was no warning for this... you didn't read that they were fighting Just that Harry saw their bodies) and from other books probably Sirius death.
I expected Dumbledore's death and had already decided that Dumbledore had asked Snape to do it.

I think that's most of them LOL