Most Shocking Moment in the Series

[Krums_Girl]

I think the most shocking thing was when The Trio broke into Gringotts. The very first book, we see it as a safe, sacred, untouchable place, and then 3 teenagers go and break into it, and make it out alive. It's a strange and unexpected turn of events, I think.

[willfitz]

I was most shocked and disturbed by Ronald's desertion of Harry and Hermione. Ron's soul "claim to fame" is having been Harry's best friend, and usually a good one, when he really needed it. Sure, he had moments of being a jerk, such as the beginning of the Triwizard Task, but for me, this moment suddenly shifted the balance of his character from positive qualities to flaws.

[Nandi]

Originally Posted by willfitz

I was most shocked and disturbed by Ronald's desertion of Harry and Hermione. Ron's soul "claim to fame" is having been Harry's best friend, and usually a good one, when he really needed it. Sure, he had moments of being a jerk, such as the beginning of the Triwizard Task, but for me, this moment suddenly shifted the balance of his character from positive qualities to flaws.

You did not read GOF (Goblet of Fire).Ron is full of flaws.And in some respect a bit too much like his mom,

[bellatrix93]

Originally Posted by Yoana

I didn't have any genuinely shocking moments, because I always read ahead and spoil myself and so I can't have the proper stunning with all the build-up and all.

Dumbledore's death was spoilt to me. . Which is why I didn't find it so shocking as I read. However, it was still a shock to me when I found out that Snape was the one to kill him. I always thought no one would've been able to do it except Voldemort.

Originally Posted by Dedalus Diggle

Peter cutting his whole hand off - with any normal knife, that would take some real sawing to accomplish, and in any case, an awful lot of nerve and determination! And it is gross to think about.

Cedric's death. It was so casual.

I remember being shocked about that one. And worst, realising that it was 'the mission all Voldemort's servants would die to do'.
The Graveyard scene was all so shocking. Voldemort using his father's bones. And him coming out of the huge cauldron. And Wormtail writhing on the ground and bleeding, Harry tied to the tomb with Cedric's body a few yards away from. DE's reunion. Harry's parents coming out of Voldemort's wand.
It was one of the darkest moments in the series.

[Picko]

Originally Posted by Nandi

You did not read GOF (Goblet of Fire).Ron is full of flaws.And in some respect a bit too much like his mom,

All I remember thinking when Ron deserted Harry and Hermione was that it was Ron just being Ron. Didn't surprise me in the least.

[snapes_witch]

Professor Snape killing Dumbledore was the most shocking to me. I just knew he was loyal to Dumbledore and couldn't believe he'd actually kill him -- and the hatred on his face . . .

I eventually worked out their plan and was relieved to have it confirmed in DH.

Snape's death wasn't a shocker because I'd allowed myself to be spoiled on another forum.

[lcbaseball22]

No doubt it was Snape "murdering" Dumbledore- from the intitial shock in HBP to the revealing info in DH on what really went down!


This probably goes down as one of the biggest plot twists in literature...in the same vein as the "Luke, I am your father" twist for film

[Rush]

The death's were easily the most shocking for me. Dumbledore's being the most shocking, followed by Sirius, then Mad-Eye Moody. The other deaths following Moody were as shocking to me because I knew after Moody's death, many others would be dying in DH.

Besides the deaths, I think Quirrell turning out to be trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone rather than Snape, Sirius not being a supporter of Voldemort and Scabbers being Pettigrew, or Moody actually being Barty Crouch Jr. and trying to kill Harry were the most shocking moments for me.

[9th_Wonder]

Dumbledore's death was the most shocking for me, followed by Hedwig's and Fred's deaths.

And I never thought Snape would get the DADA job, that was a surprise, to me at least.

[BurrowGhoul]

The graveyard scene, from the moment Cedric and Harry's feet hit the ground, and all the way through the Barty Crouch Jr. scenes.

Hedwig's death. At that point, I knew DH would be an emotional book.

I remember how much my heart ached as Harry walked through the forest, knowing what he was going to have to do. Not shocking, per se, but so weighty.

[Phyllis811]

Finding out Snape was really good! I hated his guts after I realised that yeah, Dumbledore was really dead, and that SNAPE had killed him!

[Yoana]

Originally Posted by Nandi

Most of the baddies don't as far as we know even that person (to not use another word) Umbridge gets off easy.And i would not have minded if Dobby and Colin had survived in fact they should have.All the others were knowing what could happen so pehaps they asked for it in a way.These two did not both being almost children.And I would not have complained if only Remus had died and if Greyback had been killed it would be fine with me this way it seemed like all the baddies survive except for Bella in that silly duel and Voldemort had not been able to win after Harry lost the Hocrux

There are always casualties in war. There's even a saying, I can't remember who said it originally, that the first victim of war is innocence. It's only realistic that people/creatures like Dobby and Colin would be lost in such a war.

Also, Voldemort dies too, it wasn't just Bella.

[halfbreedlover]

Originally Posted by Yoana

There are always casualties in war. There's even a saying, I can't remember who said it originally, that the first victim of war is innocence. It's only realistic that people/creatures like Dobby and Colin would be lost in such a war.

Also, Voldemort dies too, it wasn't just Bella.

Actually, I think one of the centaurs said that in SS. "Always the innocent are the first to go." I don't have the books with me, but it was something like that. I know he was referring to the war that the stars were predicting.

Children do die in war. Look at Cedric. He wasn't even fighting.

I used to think, when I first finished DH that JKR did get a little trigger-happy. Now that I think about it though, the deaths do all make sense, in terms of underscoring the destructiveness of war. As horrible as Fred's death was, if you think about it, he was the age (about 19 or 20 I'd say) most young soldiers are in war. So, that death had a purpose.

[Revelry]

Originally Posted by halfbreedlover

I used to think, when I first finished DH that JKR did get a little trigger-happy.

I too am guilty of saying JK was a little trigger-happy and didn't pay enough respects to our favourite characters, but then I just forget it and become grateful JK didn't go SMeyer on the ending. That would have been worse.

[BurrowGhoul]

Originally Posted by Yoana

There are always casualties in war. There's even a saying, I can't remember who said it originally, that the first victim of war is innocence. It's only realistic that people/creatures like Dobby and Colin would be lost in such a war.

Also, Voldemort dies too, it wasn't just Bella.

I googled the quote, and came up with the movie "Platoon." I don't know if that is the first instance in history, however.

[LoonyForMoony]

Hey people!!! Let's stay on topic....

[LordThingy]

Hermione being tortured by Bellatrix was most shocking to me. I just couldn't get over how absolutely horrible it was, I really wasn't sure if Hermione would be the same or even live afterwards.

[Lorena]

Originally Posted by cardinalguy

Reading DH, turning to Chapter 3 and seeing this:

Call me dumb, but when I saw that picture, I thought it was Mad eye :S
It took me a while to realize it was Dudley. I was stranged by that, but not shocked.

And hedwig's death did not shock me at all, because I didnt even realiz it had happened, I had to re read that part a couple of times to undertand what had happened.

[JJFinch]

For me, I think the unexpected deaths in DH - Hedwig and Dobby, because it had just never occurred to me that they were mortal, too; Mad-Eye, because it was so sudden; Fred, because it's just too horrible; Colin Creevey, because it was so sudden and he was so young.

Dumbledore's death was also a huge shocker.

Ron leaving in DH.

Molly killing Bellatrix.

Harry walking to his "death". That bit still makes my heart thud.

Hermione being tortured.

I can't really remember my reaction to anything prior to HBP, because I was quite young and it was several years ago. But I suppose that when I'm re-reading it, Quirrel unraveling his turban and Voldemort's rebirth are two very chilling scenes.

[CandyCane23049]

Sirius dying, Percy turing his back on his family,Snape killing Dumbledore, Hedwig dying, and Fred dying.