(A) 85% | ExtraordinaryNotes: A flavorful foreboding, it plies expanded bandwidth, like ripened fruit, and more acute: a sweet and spicy sandwich.*Check out progress updates for detailed commentary: Progress updates:02/13/2020 - PreambleOf all the books, most people say this one's their favorite. I believe a big reason why is it hits the sweet-spot between the middle-grade fare of the first two and the dark seriousness of the last four. On the whole, I enjoyed the last four more, as serial installments of the "Voldemort is back" storyline. But of the standalone books, I like this best.02/14/2020 - 4%(1) Hedwig flew all the way to France, assuming Hermione would have a gift for Harry. A bit presumptuous.(2) Hermione's letter: "Dear Harry, Ron wrote to me ... Did you see that picture of Ron and his family ... Ron says he's going to be in London ... Ron says Percy's Head Boy ... Ron doesn't seem too happy."- Ron, Ron, Ron. It's all about Ron.02/15/2020 - 7%(1) "Ron Weasley ... came from a whole family of wizards. This meant that he knew a lot of things Harry didn't, but had never used a telephone before."- Filmmakers should've taken note... not so much the telephone part.(2) Everyone's weirdly casual about the fact that Harry's punished with beatings. Likely entirely acceptable in the early '90s.02/16/2020 - 12%(1) "Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other)."- Well, wizards use wooden wands to kill each other too.(2) Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and tossed it aside, then hitched up the trousers of his bottle-green suit."- Trousers? Suit? Fudge enjoys muggle clothes, I see.02/17/2020 - 15%(1) Hermione takes Muggle Studies. Which, while not cheating, is a lot like taking a language you're fluent in.(2) '[Hermione's] arms were clamped tightly around the enormous ginger cat."You bought that monster?" said Ron, his mouth hanging open."He's gorgeous, isn't he?" said Hermione, glowing.'- Well, Hermione does have a thing for gingers.02/18/2020 - 18%(1) When arguing about Harry's safety, it's Arthur who insists on extra precautions, while Molly believes Dumbledore knows what's best. I'd have thought it'd be opposite.(2) "Mrs. Weasley kissed all her children, then Hermione, and finally Harry."- I wonder if Molly ever treated her kids' other friends this way. Possibly, she's seen the future.02/19/2020 - 27%(1) "Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding."- That's quite the meta statement.(2) '[Professor Trelawney] shot suddenly at Parvati Patil, "beware a red-haired man." Parvati gave a startled look at Ron, who was right behind her and edged her chair away from him.'- Hmm, it'd be a much better omen for Padma, Ron’s Yule Ball date.02/20/2020 - 30%(1) Pansy Parkinson is totally Malfoy's Lavender Brown. Unlike Ron, Malfoy's content to string her along.(2) Malfoy calls Buckbeak ugly, provoking an attack. Wonder if hippogriffs understand English or are just sensitive to tone.(3) Ron's surprisingly proficient at potions, at least where knifework is concerned. His roots are "beautifully cut."02/21/2020 - 34%(1) Parvati's greatest fear is mummies. I'd assume they'd only be a real threat in Egypt. Though, perhaps she was menaced by one brought over for Victorian unwrapping parties.(2) Lupin and the Marauders mocked Snape as students. Lupin encourages Neville to mock Snape in effigy. Snape bullies Neville more than ever. Not right, but it makes sense.02/22/2020 - 37%(1) Crookshanks kills a spider, and eats it in front of Ron. Then goes to kill Scabbers: taking out all Ron's natural enemies.(2) "Ron and Hermione had just turned up in the common room, pink-faced from the cold wind and looking as though they'd had the time of their lives."- See, who said Ron and Hermione can't get along, just the two of them?02/23/2020 - 41%(1) The Hufflepuff quidditch team's secret weapon is Cedric Diggory... who makes all the female Griffindor players giggle and swoon.(2) Snape calls Hermione an "insufferable know-it-all." Ron yells at Snape and gets detention... only Ron gets to call her that ;)(3) Snape makes Lupin's class study werewolves... because he's such a troll.02/24/2020 - 45%(1) Lupin: "Don't worry. I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the [werewolf] essay.""Oh no," said Hermione, looking very disappointed. "I've already finished it!"- This is why I procrastinate.(2) Trips to Hogsmede essentially serve as bonding-time for Ron and Hermione. Or at the very least, a ceasefire during their pet conflict.02/25/2020 - 49%(1) Ron has a crush on Madame Rosmerta, which the book only hints at. In the film Hermione teases him about it.(2) In the book Harry finds Ron and Hermione in Honeydukes. In the film they're by themselves in a secluded wood:Hermione: "Do you want to move a bit closer?"Ron: "Huh?"Hermione: "To the Shrieking Shack."Ron: "Oh no. I'm fine here."02/26/2020 - 55%(1) For someone who scolds others for breaking rules, Hermione's awful cavalier about entering the boys' dormitory.(2) '"When thirteen dine together, the first to rise will be the first to die!"... Professor McGonagall poked a large spoon into the nearest tureen."Tripe, Sibyll?"Professor Trelawney ignored her.'- McGonagall with the sly diss!02/27/2020 - 58%(1) I'd imagine butterbeer must taste something like a cross between butterscotch and root beer.(2) Dementors drain happiness. The remedy for a dementor attack is chocolate. Ergo, chocolate equals happiness.(3) Hermione's favorite subject is arithmancy. I'd never have taken her for a numbers person. But then, math is the opposite of divination.02/28/2020 - 62%(1) Cho is to Harry as Cedric is to the Gryffindor girls. Eyes on the snitch, Harry! Not the girl!(2) Harry is to the Firebolt as Jon Snow is to Longclaw.(3) '"Penelope and I have got a bet on," [Percy] told the team. "Ten Galleons on the outcome of the match!"- Yes, because making your girlfriend pay you money is always a good idea. *eye-roll02/29/2020 - 64%(1) Hermione: "Harry, if you go into Hogsmeade again... I'll tell Professor McGonagall about [the Marauder's] map!"- Oh, Hermione. Always resorting to blackmail. Like getting Harry's broom confiscated worked so well.(2) Hagrid: "Really upset, [Hermione] was, when Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron."- Never confide in Hagrid, he always spills beans!03/01/2020 - 66%(1) Ron to invisible Harry: '"Where are you? ... Are you still there? This feels weird!"'- "Weird" seems to be Ron's catchphrase, as in "Weird! What a shape! This is money?" or “So that’s a house-elf? ... Weird things, aren’t they?”(2) "Harry tried to look innocent, all too aware of his sweaty face and his muddy hands."- Blame it on herbology!03/02/2020 - 68%(1) '"Oh, Ron!" Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and broke down completely. Ron, looking quite terrified, patted her very awkwardly on the top of the head. Finally, Hermione drew away.'- Ron's not used to being hugged, I guess. Pats go on the back.(2) Ron totally gets turned on by Hermione punching Malfoy. She should've done it sooner!03/03/2020 - 70%(1) Hermione quits divination... which fulfills the prophesy of the lost pupil!(2) Trelawney: "Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb?"Ron: "I don't need help ... There's going to be loads of fog tonight."(3) For a supposed charlatan, Trelawney's remarkably accurate with her omens... albeit imprecise.03/04/2020 - 73%(1) Co-ed changing rooms seem like a recipe for disaster.(2) Penalty shots in quidditch are never adequately explained or described. Is it soccer-style, where the shot's taken from a fixed position? Or is it hockey-style, where the player moves toward the goalkeeper?(3) Apparently, wizarding trials involve a judge, jury, and executioner.03/05/2020 - 75%(1) Apparently, Ron has giant feet. Could well call him Ronald McDonald instead of Ronald Weasley.(2) Like Neville, Hermione's boggart is also a teacher. It's McGonagall saying she's failed everything. Unlike Neville, she fails to find the humor in it.(3) Hermione blushes when Ron compliments her rule-breaking. Weird what passes for sweet-talk.03/06/2020 - 77%(1) I'm getting a definite "Hound of the Baskervilles" vibe at the scene where the Grim pulls Ron below ground.(2) At the execution scene, both Harry and Hermione fall to pieces. Surprisingly, it's Ron that's the pillar of strength.(3) The tunnel at the base of the Whomping Willow goes off the Marauder's Map. It's literally uncharted territory.03/07/2020 - 79%(1) "'If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!' [Ron] said fiercely, though the effort of standing upright was draining him of still more color, and he swayed slightly as he spoke."- Another estimable Ron line/act given to Hermione in the film.(2) Knowing how the book plays out takes all the edge out of seeing Sirius as a villain.03/08/2020 - 82%(1) Lupin seeing Peter on the Marauder's Map is a spit-take I want to see!(2) Hermione's awfully naive, assuming every Animagi voluntarily registers with the Ministry. But then, she's new to rule-breaking.(3) I heard J.K. Rowling say once that being a werewolf was akin to living with AIDS. Really makes you read Lupin's origin story differently.03/09/2020 - 87%(1) "Bandages spun up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. Lupin helped him to his feet; Ron put his weight gingerly on the leg and didn't wince."- Far cry from the film, where Ron's a whimpering wreck. Though, I did get a kick out of film-Ron milking his injuries to bait care and attention from Hermione. Book-Ron would never be so bold!03/10/2020 - 91%(1) Ron's in the hospital, leaving Harry and Hermione to save the day. It was the other way around last book, which is an interesting bit of mirroring.(2) "[Madam Pomfrey] was carrying the largest block of chocolate [Harry] had ever seen in his life. It looked like a small boulder."- I have a feeling medicinal chocolate may not taste so great.03/11/2020 - 94%(1) "From what Harry could see of Hermione's face, she looked terrified."- One major aspect of Hermione lost in the films is how terrified she is all the time. She gets braver each book. It's called character development!(2) Harry bows to Buckbeak before leading him away. Who says you never learn anything practical in Care of Magical Creatures?03/12/2020 - 96%(1) Hermione: "Harry, I can't believe it... You conjured up a Patronus that drove away all those Dementors! That's very, very advanced magic."Harry: "I knew I could do it this time because I'd already done it... Does that make sense?"Hermione: "I don't know."- It's a chicken and egg paradox... where did the confidence come from to begin with?!03/13/2020 - 98%(1) '"[Sirius Black] didn't disapparate!" Snape roared, now very close at hand. "You can't apparate or disapparate inside this castle! This–has–something–to–do–with–Potter! ... They helped him escape, I know it!"'- Well, Snape's right about that.(2) Must get to writing my review. How does one distill Harry Potter in a sentence? It's never easy.