Harry
Potter and the Half-Blood
Prince
ends on an especially dark note. The Death Eaters have entered
Hogwarts. Dumbledore is dead. Voldemort seems sure to regain power
now that his
greatest
rival is out of the way. The Wizarding World looks to the future
with dread and almost despair.
There
seems to be no eucatastrophe in sight. No one suddenly stops
the Death Eaters from invading Hogwarts. No one miraculously steps
up to prevent Dumbledore's death. There is
no joyous turn this time, no
happy ending.
Or is there?
Perhaps
the eucatastrophe of this
sixth installment of the Harry Potter series isn't especially
noticeable because it happens within Harry. In
the past, Harry has not always handled tragedy well. His
response to Sirius' death, for instance, was a cross between searing
anger and near despair.
But
this time, Harry, quite
unexpectedly,
reacts
differently. After
Dumbledore's funeral, Ron, Hermione, and Harry are discussing whether
or not Hogwarts will remain open. Harry says
simply, “I'm not coming back even if it does reopen.” He goes on
to explain that he plans “to track down the rest of the Horcruxes,”
just as Dumbledore would want him to do. “I've got to find them
and destroy them, and then I've got to go after the seventh bit of
Voldemort's soul, the bit that's still in his body, and I'm the one
who's going
to kill him,” Harry continues. He
speaks calmly and resolutely. He has made his decision, and he will
carry out his plan even if it costs
him everything, including his life.
What
a change! This is a very different Harry from the one who railed at
Dumbledore after Sirius' death. He
has learned much, and
he is ready to tread
the path he knows he must take.
This
may
not be a typical eucatastrophe, but it is amazing and beautiful in
its own way, and it may even
give readers an unexpected pleasure and joy to see Harry face the
apparently hopeless state of the Wizarding World
and vow to rise above it with dignity and courage.
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