The Masquerade Crew

By Bec C. “I sometimes think we sort too soon”. With these words from Dumbledore in the books, and a carefully placed Gryffindor scarf in the movies (if you noticed it you know what I’m talking about), Snape’s whole identity, because in a Hogwarts universe our houses in part define who we are, was placed into question. Suddenly debates abounded. Was Snape truly a Slytherin? Or, like both the books and the movies implied, was Snape secretly a Gryffindor after all? After all, Snape has shown great bravery, and as Slytherins are the bad guys and Gryffindors are the goodies, the brave ones, then surely Snape is a Gryffindor? Right? Before we can get onto the topic of Snape’s true house, I want to examine these two houses, and the concept that while one is brave and good, the other is dark and evil.

Book Synopsis As the novel begins, Harry, Ron and Hermione are on the run from Lord Voldemort, whose minions of Death Eaters have not only taken control of the Minister of Magic but have begun to systematically -- and forcibly -- change the entire culture of the magic community: Muggle-born wizards, for example, are being rounded up and questioned, and all blood traitors are being imprisoned. But as Voldemort and his followers ruthlessly pursue the fugitive with the lightning bolt scar on his forehead, Potter finally uncovers the jaw-dropping truth of his existence.... (from goodreads)

Book Synopsis The final installment of the Harry Potter saga! The final book has everything that will make your heart go wild with enthusiasm, excitement, and fear. After seeing Harry trudge along the winding path to Death, we see it all coming to an end very soon. Will it end how you expected, or differently? Read to find out!

By Ciel W. The Harry Potter series are, undoubtedly, very popular books for this generation. It has fascinated, and still does, millions of fans worldwide. Out of these millions, more than half were (and are) only kids when they started reading, hence growing with Harry, creating an eternal bond of friendship and understanding. Additionally, some of these millions of readers are parents reading to their small children, seeding in them the love of reading. Harry Potter has marked its place in the top favorite reading choices of children, teenagers, and adults all over the world. Its increasing popularity has made the book very successful. However, does being popular and successful mean that it’s a “Classic” and will stand the test of time? Many times when we refer to the word “Classic” we are referencing the Western Cannon, which denotes literary, artistic, and musical influences in shaping the Western culture (i.e. Europe, America, etc.). In the literary aspect, it is a bo...

Book Synopsis As the novel begins, a "grim mood" has fallen over the country. The minions of Lord Voldemort (a.k.a. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named) continue to grow as his evil spreads. The Ministry of Magic has stepped up security everywhere, and as Harry enters his sixth year at Hogwarts, he begins to see himself -- and everyone around him -- in a different, more discerning, light. With rumors swirling about Harry being the prophesied "Chosen One," he begins taking private lessons from Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore. As Dumbledore prepares Harry for his destined clash with Voldemort by revealing jaw-dropping insights into the Dark Lord's past—who his parents were, what happened after he left Hogwarts, and more—Harry also struggles to uncover the identity of the Half-Blood Prince, the past owner of a potions textbook he now possesses that is filled with ingenious, potentially deadly, spells. (taken from good reads)

Book Synopsis Sixth year at Hogwarts.

By Charlotte Parr ‘They were good but nothing like the books’. A common phrase that I often hear after coming out of the cinema when a much-loved book has been turned into a film. It doesn’t make the film bad; they’re just not quite the same. The Harry Potter films have sparked off a whole different group of fans, those that have seen the films but not read the books and personally, I think they’re missing out on a lot. As great as the films are there are other bits of detail that are skipped out in the films. For example, early on in the series a comment is made about Peeves, Hogwart’s resident poltergeist, knocking something over which leads to a large crash. Although at the time it seems insignificant we later learn that the item Peeves knocked over was the vanishing cabinet that appears later in the series. Although this did not affect the plot of the films in any way, it was a shame that they couldn’t include these small details that made me smile.