JKR Write's a Prequel for Auction

Although JK Rowling stated that she would never write a prequel for the Harry Potter books, she announced on Wednesday, May 28th, and the work will be up for auction in London next month. There's a catch though: the prequel is only 8oo-words long, written on an index card and stars James Potter and Sirius Black. The proceeds from the auction will benefit two charities: English PEN which promotes the freedom to write around the world, and Dyslexia Action. A partial quote, curtsy of jkrowling.com.

"After playing around with a number of different ideas I decided to write a short (for me!) excerpt from a prequel to the Potter series. It is about 800 words long and the action takes place around 3 years before Harry is born," Rowling stated.

"Although I did feel a bit like a relapsing addict as I sat down to write – the words poured from my pen with frightening ease – I am NOT working on a prequel. Indeed, I’ve written that clearly at the bottom of the card itself. I just thought that this was the best way to make money for two extremely worthwhile charities."

Rowling stated that she had no intention on writing another Potter novel, but last December, she sold a handwritten leather-bound fairy tale called The Tales of Beetle the Bard, based off of the book in the Deathly Hallows at a silent auction for $4 million dollars. For more information on The Tales of Beetle the Bard, go to HPANA.com or any other Harry Potter fan site.

(disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and is in no way affiliated with JK Rowling.)

That's a Wrap!

(This contains spoilers of HP: HBP, so read at your own risk. Don't say I didn't warn you either.)

Hello again! For all of you who don't know, the next installment of the "8-movie series" (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is going to be in 2 movies since one "wont' do it justice," curtsy of the LA Times) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is due to be in theaters nation wide November 21st, 2008. The filming has ended as of Saturday, May 17, according to a new update on Emma Watson's official website.

The 652 pages of volume six drive forward more satisfyingly. At the outset, Cornelius Fudge, whom we have met as the Minister for Magic, updates a Muggle prime minister about the dark times — raising the intriguing possibility that a real British prime minister might be tempted to play a bit part in a future film which is not confirmed yet. Fudge is then to be replaced by Rufus Scrimgeour as the new Minister. The device of this meeting in the PM’s office gives an opportunity for a certain amount of (rather dull) recapping — for those who will read only this volume, perhaps? They would be unwise to do so. A great deal of the pleasure of this book comes from seeing developments unfold that careful readers will have predicted. This is the book in which everything in the series starts to come to unfold as we uncover the truth behind the 4 most powerful Wizards.

A question that pop's up a lot in this book (as well in the series) is Snape persuading Death Eaters of his loyalty to their side. Is this what it appears to be? Or is Snape fulfilling Dumbledore’s orders to infiltrate the enemy as a means of fighting them? Through out the entire book, Snapes actions are uncertain, I was even confused, with him wanting to help Draco Malfoy (due to the fact he made an unbreakable vow with Malfoy's mother to protect him) in fulfilling his "job" since he replaced his father in Voldemort's circle. At the end when Snapes actions are clearly leaning towards one side, there is still room for interpretation. For example, after Snape kills Dumbledore and Harry runs after him, Snape deflects Harry's spells and yells, "Blocked again and again and again until you learn to keep your mouth shut and your mind closed, Potter!" Now doesn't that sound an awful lot like Snape's giving Harry a few pointers on learning occulemcy again? We all know how well that turn out in the Order of the Phoenix... utter and complete disaster. It is one of the achievements of this volume that we are left questioning what we know in order to understand Snape and his motivations that are left unresolved until Deathly Hallows.

We then find ourselves back at No. 4 Privet Dr., the Dursley's as Dumbledore comes to pick up Harry (for the first and last time). This is where Rowling's creativity and charisma lashes out as kind Dumbledore, being scrupulously polite, manages at the same time to be devastatingly rude to Harry’s foster family. From then on the book is aloft.

We expect this volume to be grim, with the after effects of Sirius' death, and the danger to the wizarding world is as great as it has ever been. And yet the novel has vivacious bubbly attitude, partly thanks to the blossoming of young love, in directions Rowling neatly and cleverly encouraged us to hope for. They get their OWL results (Hermione gets her 11 O's). A wedding begins to blossom. Weasley Wizarding Wheeze is a success. Luna commentaries, quite enthusiastically, a quidditch match. Dumbledore takes Harry back through the Pensieve to learn more of the early life and antecedents of Voldemort. Malfoy's alliance is questioned, which side is he really on? Harry's now the "heart throb" of the school and finally dates Ginny, to Ron's annoyance. Ron's now pimpin'-it-up with Lavender Brown, and they're even interpreted as "a noise like a plunger being withdrawn from a blocked sink.” Three guesses who said that.

As expected the book takes it's usual dangerous action packed adventure where Dumbledore gives clues, Harry follows them, almost gets killed, blames himself in sorrow, Hermione snap him out of it, add a couple of inappropriate comments from Ron and all is well until the next installment. In this morally complex sequence, there are agonizing issues of responsibility and sacrifice. It ends in shock and tears, and its consequences will resonate to the end of the seventh book.

There will always be those who say that Harry Potter, measured against Great Literature like Twain, is not worth the hoo-hah. But the hoo-hah is born of pure enjoyment, and those who have enjoyed the first five volumes can’t possibly abandon the story now. Rather than miss this, most enthusiasts would, as Peeves the Poltergeist urges in the book, "set fire to their own pants."

(disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, that alone belongs to JK Rowling.)

Winner of Youtube Awards

Now to give you all a taste of my sense of humor, here is the first place winner of the YouTube video awards that I found a few months back. It's a parody of the Harry Potter books and films into a puppet show called Potter Puppet Pals. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Tootles!





(disclaimer: I do not own Potter Puppet Pals or Harry Potter, that belongs to Neil Cicierega (PPP) and JK Rowling (HP).)

"Harry Potter" Actor Dead Over Stolen Cell Phone

Robert Knox, 18-year-old actor was stabbed to death outside the Metro Bar in Sidcup, in an attempt to protect his younger brother, Jamie, from an attacker on May 24th. Knox just finished his film debut as the seventh-year Ravenclaw Marcus Belby in the upcoming film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Even though the part of Marcus Belby was a minor role, Knox's absence will be surely missed.

Marcus Belby is first introduced to us in Chapter 7: The Slug Club as Professor Horace Slughorn, newly re-appointed Potions Master, finds students who seem to have connectes to somebody well known or influential. Since Marcus is the nephew of Damocles Belby, who was an outstanding wizard with his invention of the Wolfsbane Potion and Order of Merlin First-Class, he was a candidate to be roped into joining The Slug Club.

I'm positive I'm not the only Harry Potter fan that's deeply saddened by this tragedy that happened last week. When I read "'Harry Potter Actor Stabbed'" on CNN I first thought of Daniel Radcliffe or Rupert Grint, 'You've got to be kidding me!' I almost cried right there until a wave of relief washed over me when i found out, it was some other actor. But then I thought, "Who the hell am I to say 'Oh thank goodness it's none of the important actors that died, it's just some extra, so who cares.'" What kind of person am I? I mean seriously, I was relieved that it was some minor character that died and not a main one. It's like in the actual Harry Potter books, you always want the main characters to live on and have huge families (like Harry, Ron, Hermione, etc). But, if a minor character dies, say like Colin Creevy, you just brush it off and say "oh well, he was funny, but annoying." And we all do it in books, TV shows, movies, and were not aware of it or not whether it's in Grey's Anatomy (where people die in every show) or I, Robot (robots die through manipulation, but you can't but help feel sorry for them) it's a never ending cycle. So, what do you think? (mind you this is my first blog so it's it's all over the place, the next one will be better.)

In every movie there are the main and minor actors, but no mater what part you are, they are of equal importance. Marcus Belby may of been a minor role, but Robert Nox was making him into a character to be remembered. Robert was a promising actor that could of reached beyond greatness. He was a great person but sadly died protecting his little brother but, that was the kind of man he was. He would do anything for his friends and family. Robert Nox was said to be a born performer and his kind but funny energy is going to be terribly missed.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/showbiz/2008/05/26/murphy.potter.stabbing.itn?iref=videosearch