That's not very kind: she doesn't just randomly kill off characters, she developed them, she loves them-it happens for a purpose.

I had thought Dumbledore would die somewhere but the manner of it was such a shock! I can't believe it! Well, I can. But it was just so terrible, Dumbledore was one of my favorites, he really was. And really grew on me so much in HBP. Why, why, why did he trust him? I'm still somehow convinced that there was a purpose to it somehow...that Dumbledore knew what he was doing. Like he got Harry all of this imformation because Dumbledore sensed it was coming. i dunno...
Rest In Peace Dearest Dumbledore, you did everything possible and so much more.
-Erin

One of the things that spoiled it a bit for me was I glanced at the Table of Contents before reading the book, and the titles of the last two chapters pretty much foretold what was going to happen -- just not how. I'm also reminded of how back in an interview, someone mentioned that they felt Snape had a redeeming pattern to him, and JKR was rather surprised by that comment.

I read this book knowing I was going to hate it when I was done with it, just because I knew I was going to get over-emotionally wrapped up in the story, and also it's going to be a while before I can read the next one... :-)

I think we need to look at one what Dumbledore knew and second his last words.

Dumbledore had become aware of the Unbreakable Vow. Snape had to protect Draco. Dumbledore did not want Draco to become a killer. Draco to him was still reachable. Draco true to Dumbledore's word could not kill the Headmaster. Enter Snape.

We don't know now if Albus and Severus ever spoke about the vow between Draco's mother and Snape. We don't know if Dumbledore had arranged for Snape to do in the end to protect Draco. Who will pay for not being able to carry his mission, but it is unlikely Voldemort will kill Draco, since in the end Snape did the killing.

Dumbledore's last word were, "Severus....please" not something like "Serverus...don't" or "No...Severus...No" It is as if Dumbledore's last words are a request of friend to save a child. The anger Harry saw might have been Snape's own hatred for what he had to do to protect Draco. Even afterwards Snape didn't hurt Harry. He even coached Harry to block him (Snape) from his mind while Harry was trying to jinx him. Snape even at that moment was trying to help Harry. Snape knows if he can read Harry's mind so can Voldemort.

That's just my take on it. I might be wrong, but I might be right.

Addition: Remember Snape showed up as a foe in Barty Crouch Jr's Foe Glass. I believe this clue is important.

Sweets, that's just rude! You shouldn't hate a person because you don't like the book! I didn't like PoA and I STILL don't like it, but I kept reading the books anyway! She kills people off for a REASON. You're entitled to your own opinion, though. Ponder this, though: If HP is dead to you now, than why join a Harry Potter fan site???

reading people's comments is getting me calmed down. at first, I was so upset at Snape and DD dying and also Aragog dying (why do that to poor Hagrid?) especially considering that I really love Snape and found it so hard to believe that he could be that horrible and mean. But you're right, AnimagusSnuffles, he was trying to get Harry to say the spells in his head, so that Snape wouldn't know exactly what was coming and be able to block them, and who knows what Dumbledore was requesting of him in his final words. It could be he was begging for his life... but JKR is very careful with word choice. Although, no one in the Order is going to trust Snape anymore, so its kind of a waste.

Ok now that I calmed down a bit after the shock, I relised that snape really didn't have a choise. I'm guessing that the thing draco was assigned to do was to kill dumbledore and Snape swore that he would help draco and if draco couldn't kill dumbledore he would. The unbreakable vow makes it so that either he or draco had to kill him unless they both ended up dead (and I would die too if that happened). So sad though, i really wish he didn't die but still love snape and most likely always will.

if only Dumbledore hadn't froze Harry...

I am so confused! Is Snape good or bad? Dumbledore did say "please", not "Don't kill me, you idiot/traitor!" So, well... It could go either way. Why would he make a pact with Mrs. Malfoy to protect Draco? I'm sure he knew about the mission... Maybe he just has a soft spot for Draco? Or not... Dumbledore certainly still thought he was good, otherwise why would he call for him? Dumbledore isn't THAT dumb, now, is he? (though he does have the word "dumb" in his name... jk, he's not dumb, of course). Snape didn't want to hurt Harry, and he seemed just to want to get Draco to safety while making Harry "safe", too. And Snape couldn't be that bad, as he saved Harry in the first year, right?

the more i think about it...i think Snape was doing it for the right reasons.

Maybe Dumbledore had told Snape that he was dying from the black hand curse or something. I think Dumbldeore new he was coming to the end and that's why he gave Harry lessons and was angry when Harry was being very quick about it. Just before Malfoy came upstairs it says that Dumbledore was clutching his chest which suggest he may have been having a heart attack or something. Dumbledore knew about this pact between Snape and Narcissa about Draco but still trusted him, that's gotta mean something

In a way it does, doesn't it? Dumbledore would trust that Snape must make it appear that his loyalty is whith the Death Eaters, seeing as he is supposed to be spying. And, he technically had to kill Dumbledore so that he doesn't have to die, quite sadly. Mind, I wish that that never had happened.

Of course, Snape may have been acting entirely in his own will, choosing to do it. I haven't quite figured it out. I may not until the seventh book, after all, the only one who totally trusted him with Dumbledore; the others only did because he did and now that he killed Dumbledore....

I've been thinking of that, too. It is fishy. Snape, I have concluded is one of the most complicated characters of these stories. He is finely crafted, no matter what horrible deeds have been done. Once the shock wears off you find that there are many more paths that this could have taken.

I will only agree with what Si said. The characters die for a reason. Sirius had to go for Harry to grow up, to come to age. Snape may not be totally ruined, and if he is, she didn't exactly ruin him. He'd have been ruined from the start. And Dumbledore, as I said, in a way, had to die. He is Harry's protector. By taking Dumbledore away, Harry has to make more of an effort to grow up, more of an effort to ready himself, prepare himself. To hate JK simply because she has crafted a book as fine as these are? That would preposterous. Harry Potter isn't supposed to be a fun book right now. This IS a tragic book. It's not ruined, its being built. This is life. People in wars die and this book is based around a war.

I'm glad to see that there are some Snape-supporters still around! (Even though we're massively outnumbered by those who want him dead... *gulp*)

I like other people's theory that Dumbledore somehow KNEW he was going to die... All I have to say is this:

There had to be more to it.

Snape could have killed Dumbledore loads of times. The same with Harry. And yet he didn't. Dumbledore never really told us exactly WHY he trusted Snape, (He came so very, very close... Remember when he "struggled" with himself, as though he was tempted to tell Harry?) and I think we need to learn that before we throw Snape into the abyss...

Besides, perhaps Dumbledore was pleading for death, not life. It's possible.

There had to be a reason for Snape to kill Dumbledore, and leave Harry standing. I realize that he says, "We have our orders, Potter is the Dark Lord's!" or something to that effect, but it sounded like he was trying to convince the other Death Eaters, not himself. Snape, who probably does hate Harry as he did James, left him alive. He could have killed him. Dumbledore was gone. There was nothing in the way... But he didn't.

Oddly enough, I find that there might be some good in Snape. While, I currently still detest him, it may wear off one day. After all, like we have pointed out, there are both ways that we see him being horrible, and then there are many ways that he may be a great person.

After all, when you think about it, it was Dumbledore who put the freezing spell on Harry. Maybe he didnt' want Harry to interfere for a reason. Dumbledore has never been afraid of death. He knew it was coming, I'm almost certain of that by now.

So, maybe my original theory was correct. Snape had to act that he was working with the Death Eaters because that's how he is technically supposed to appear. The Death Eaters would be far too suspicious if he were helping the Order, wouldn't they? So, he had to play with his act. And Dumbledore knows it.

Also... you'd think if Snape were really betraying them all, he would have leaked information about the Order to Voldemort, wouldn't you think?

I feel like I'm a side-switcher Haha.

Glad to see that I'm not alone in still loving snape. Snape really didn't have a choice about killing dumbledore, i mean if he didn't one of the death eaters most likely would have.

In a sick way, it is a little more comforting that it was someone close to Dumbledore who killed him as opposed to a Death Eater. Almost comforting-ish... o.O

I agree, even though it is a bit weird. Plus I would rather have him die quickly with avada kedarva then suffer at the hands of one of the other death eaters who might end up using cruel and painful ways to kill.

Exactly. And, just like Sirius, Dumbledore's death was vital to this plot. It's going to be important in the final battles. Harry comes of age in a few months; the Dursley's can't protect him for long.

So sad. I was just starting to get to like Dumbledore again after the 5th book, and then she has to go and kill him off. And OMG Snape... i want to strangle him.

Join the club Kirst. ^.^

Though, we DO have a nice lil theory on it that makes the death ALMOST allowed.

I was extraordinarily shocked that she would kill off dumbledore! I mean i didn't think she'd kill off such an important character in the book! I mean yea Sirius used to be my favourite character but he wasn't major so I wasn't too shocked when he died but DUMBLEDORE?!?!

Anyway, this is just my theory:
You know R.A.B who actually took the horcrux in the cave? Well i've been thinking up the names of people with those initials and reading other websites and i honestly dont think that Regulus Black actually died. I think he may have been in hiding after escaping voldermort's followers but i dont think he died. Plus, Sirius would've got kicked out of the Black home when he was sixteen and apparently all the things that happened to Regulus would be after he left. I highly doubt he would've kept enough track of him in azkaban to know whether he was killed or not...
Anyway, I think R.A.B might be regulus come back for some revenge but on whose side, I don't know. That's just my wild theory.
Also, poor Draco. I hope they find him in the next book and he still wants to be good! He's my favourite.

I can't wait till the next book comes out... it's such a cliffhanger she left us at... and who for sure is R.A.B?

yeah, almost. it does give a different take on things. I tend to let the emotion overtake me, so i can't think of reasons why things have to happen

I thought exactly the same thing! i checked in OOTP and there was no mention of them finding his body.

Hm... maybe... I dunno... he doesn't necessarily have to be dead either...

Interesting theory blackpadfoot.

I would just like to bring up a subject i feel to be very revelant. so far, it looks as though, now i hope you all wont hate me for this, there will be no 7th book. if u look at the end, he clearly severs all connections with the series, breaking up wtih ginny, putting a hold on connections with Ron and Hermione, but worst of all, dropping out of Hogwarts. i kno this is somehting no body wants to hear, but it looks to me, the series is over. she has always said, this is a series depicting harry potter's life in hogwarts, depicting his 7 year study, but by ending his term at hogwarts, she bascially ended the series. i do not kno if htis is true or not, i merely feel that ppl should kno about the death of what was the greatest series of out time.

DD CAN'T BE DEAD!!! Omg, I was serioudly freaked out when I read IT. Um... me and a friend were jsut discussing that JK had in fact lied...She said There'd be no life for Harry after Hogwarts.... Then what will happen?1!?!?1?!
Just a bit curious,
Tina