beboots | Entries tagged with harry potter

I... can't help myself. >_> The shinies. They are so pretty. (ALSO: warning, the last one in this list is a (hilarious) SPOILER OF SPOILERS)

( See more - MUCH MORE - under the cut! )

Current Mood: amused

MOAR RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU SAY?

I'm sure that if anybody knows my tastes well, they'll know that I absolutely love well-written crossovers. As such, I thought I'd link you guys to the best stuff I've run across thus far... and that I can think of off the top of my head and can dig up easily enough. (Thank you so much, Delicious, for continuing to exist...) Many of these are oldies but goodies. :)

I've noticed that a disproportionate amount are Harry Potter crossovers... but JKR created such a lovely sandbox, so it should be no surprise that everyone wants to play in it! ;) There are also lots of Good Omens crossovers on this list, but in my defense, Good Omens is an amazing book, and it engenders some amazing fanfic.

( (Cut for long list of awesome fics) )
One of the best crossover videos I've ever seen. Another oldie but goodie: Cowboy Bebop X Trigun. Hey, one show is about a bunch of bounty hunters in space. The other's about a guy on a planet in the future with a giant bounty on his head. THEY MUST MEET.

And of course, I can't mention awesome crossovers (let alone awesome crossover videos) without at least mentioning the Buffy vs Edward video (Buffy: The Vampire Slayer X Twilight).

I'm thinking I'll do a timetravel fic recommendation list as well one of these days. And a good alternate universe list, too.

Current Mood: tired
Current Music: Trueblood OST

This is my final entry before my return to the real world! (AKA the True North Strong and Free) that by no means is the end of this travel blog, however. Once I've managed to get some sleep and finally upload the hundreds and hundreds of photos onto my beloved but neglected laptop computer, I'll be sorting through said photos so I can create blog posts on the things that words just can't describe. :)

Let me narrate to you my last few days in Britain.

It must have been three days ago now that we visited Alnwick Castle, a must-see pilgrimmage site for any Harry Potter fan. In case you aren't in the loop (I wasn't until q week or so ago either), this castle provided many exterior shots of Hogwarts in the films. Think the first flying lesson in the Philosopher's Stone. That's Alnwick Castle.

(Oh, and continuing on the favourite theme in these islands of nothing being pronounced as spelled, "Alnwick" is spoken like "ann-ick". Of course!)

It also had an absolutely gorgeous library, and I sincerely regretted not being allowed to take photos there. I would also have loved to have visited this place as a young child; they have a "knight's quest" obstacle course that kids dress up for. Adorable and fun-looking!

Also, speaking of Harry Potter and such... When we arrived in London, it was at King's Cross, so of COURSE we needed to take photos at platform 9 3/4. :) They have half of a luggage trolly going "through" the barrier there for you to pose with. We did a "running smack dab into the solid wall and breaking our noses" photo as well. ;)

We spent a full day in York, running around trying to see everything. The Treasurer's House is a good example of how bad antiquarians could get. You see, Frank Grant, a ridiculously rich man with a passion for old furniture, bought up this beautifully preserved house, then renovated the crap out of it to fit with his "vision" of what a seveteenrh century house would look like. This included deliberately banging up the centuries-old oak floorbords so that they would look right.

On the plus side, I saw a portrait of Charles I in there (the one with the horse and jaunty pose I spoke about in a previous post way back).

We also went on a short ghost walk (can't get enough of those ghosties and ghoulies!). Our guide was very witty and a very gifted storyteller, among other things. His "spooky" name for the tour was "Poltergeist Peter", or "Petergeist." Again, I'm irrationally amused by puns. :)

Yesterday, we took the train from York to London King's Cross. I chose to book my flight home a a reasonable hour (3:00 or so in the afternoon), but the others, who booked separately, believed that a flight that leaves at 7am was doable. Um, they spent the night sleeping in the airport. I stayed in a nice hostel near Hyde Park and a bunch of museums. Granted, I didn't sleep well because I'd lost my earplugs and was in a twelve-person dorm with a couple of snorers, but it's the principle of the thing, right?

Anyway, with little else to do to kill time... We for went to go see Wicked, the musical. (They'd already seen it when they were in London the first time nearly two months ago.)

It was awesome. Inspiring music, wonderful sets and costumes, snappy dialogue... I need the soundtrack post-haste.

It was a wonderful final day in the UK. Now, to kill a few hours before I leave for the airport, I'm heading over to a history of medicine exhibit just around the corner at the Natural History Museum. Or maybe the Victoria and Albert museum. One of the two. :)

See you soon, everyone!

Supposedly the last word in Deathly Hallows, J.K.Rowling

Anyway, it's about mid-day now - I still have thirteen hours until I can crack open my own copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. :( However, I thought I'd just give a quick update.

Last night, I had a long, winding dream (you know, the kind that switches focus/scenes like fifteen times?). Anyway, one of the things that I remember clearly was that someone yelled out "Spoiler! Snape lives!" So... now I want to see if it was a prophetic dream or not. If Snape survives the book, then I'm psychic! XD

Also, on that note, I spent the last three days madly knitting a two-toned green "armband" with "TRUST SNAPE" on it. :) I don't think he's evil.

Now, it's about 10:50am as I write this. I had a shift at Superstore this morning, from 8am until noon. So how am I typing this, you might ask? I was biking to work, and was hit by a car. >_<; I was biking past this one intersection, and saw a car waiting to pull into traffic. I didn't see a gap, so I thought it was safe to ride in front of him. I was going downhill, so I braked a little as I approached. As soon as I pulled in front of him, though, he shot forward and hit me, bruising my leg and throwing me about a meter or two. Luckily, I was wearing my helmet. He hit me with the front of his car, I didn't hit the side of it. Anyway, he stayed and called an ambulance, and several other people stopped to see if I was okay. Even a doctor, on her way to work, stopped and used her stethoscope on me (my heart beat was going crazy; I think I was in mild shock). I didn't loose consciousness, or break anything, but I did get a scraped elbow, bruised hip and a twingy ankle. We were both going pretty slowly I just hope I'm not miserable and in pain at the midnight release this evening.

However, I'm really grateful for my luck, though - that would have absolutely sucked had I broken something or been killed today of all days. It reminds me of our own mortality - someday, I'm going to die, and there's so many things that I won't be able to do. I mean, there will be awesome books published after my death that I'll never be able to read.

So my only vehicle (my beautiful bike), has a front wheel totally bent up. I called my dad, and had him drive me home (luckily, he had an eye appointment at ten, so he wasn't at work). The man who ran me over actually only lives a few blocks away from me, and he offerred to pay for bike repairs. He was a nice guy, and I think the accident was at least partially my fault. I should have stopped, to be cautious, even though I had right of way. Still, it was almost bound to happen eventually, as I often bike to work during rush hour, next to the busy highway to Edmonton.

I wonder how big the bruise on my hip will be.

(I was tempted to put "crushed" as my mood, in reference to my accident, but decided against it ;P ).

Current Mood: weird

On Harry's invisibilty cloak, Wizard People, Dear Reader

So I'm so pumped for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! XD I really do feel for JKR, though - she's going to get lynched if she doesn't deliver, eh?

In any case, I thought I'd post my thoughts and predictions for the seventh volume, to look over to see if I'd pass divination afterwards. :3

I firmly hope that Harry will live, but I think he's only got a 50/50 chance. I've read so many arguments for and against, and I really don't know.

I believe that Ron will be among those who die. Why? That chess scene in the first book - I read this really fascinating argument (link here: http://www.knight2king.net/Knight2King/7moves7years.html ) that the chess game forshadows all of the events that follow. I mean, we already know that JKR is wonderful with throwing in little tidbits of what's to come (I mean, she mentioned Sirius black in the very first chapter, and didn't come back to him until the third book! Plus, there's the whole set up for parseltongue, etc...) So, Ron sacrifices himself so Harry can continue to go confront the bad guy in the symbolic chess game... Hmm... Frying pan of foreshadowing! >:3

I also hope that Draco Malfoy will turn "good". I mean, he's now failed to kill Dumbledore - so he's not exactly in anyone's good books. Plus, he's seen Snape, his pseudo-mentor (I say that because obviously his mother knows him enough to trust him with her sons' life, plus Snape favours Malfoy even above and beyond his other Slytherins) kill someone in cold blood right in front of him. Perhaps he'll have second thoughts as to what side is "good"?

Also, I believe in Snape. Dumbledore totally asked Snape to kill him. :D That, or Snape's playing both sides, and will side with "the light" at the end, because c'mon, the good guys have to win! (Although that would certainly be an interesting twist, to just have Voldemort WIN in the end...)

I figure that Pettigrew's blood debt to Harry (set up way back in the third book) has got to play some sort of role. Perhaps he'll be in "deep cover" for Harry? Betray his lord at the last moment for the son of his (ex)best friend?

I'm so excited for the book release! XD I work (at Superstore) an early morning shift the day before the release. Last time, when the Half Blood Prince came out, we recieved a whole pallet of copies in the morning, and had them locked up and guarded by a really old greeter. My friend and I got to reach through the bars and touch them (not read, just touch); a sort of religious moment. ;) I hope I get to do it again this year!

You know, it's got to be fun to be the employees of all of the bookstores right now - organizing all of these parties. I hope there aren't riots or anything.

In any case, I'm going to the midnight release at the West Edmonton Mall Chapters. I'll bring my camera, and I'll be sure to post pictures!

After I finish reading, of course. :3

Current Mood: excited
Current Location: Not Hogwarts
Current Music: Hedwig's Theme