I mentioned here that I’m listening to the last Harry Potter book on CD. I read it when it came out, but I always enjoy listening to Jim Dale read them too me later. If you haven’t read it - stop reading NOW. I’m about to discuss a key element that you may not want to know about. (I’m looking at you, MrZ.)
I just listened to the part after Dobby died and when Harry dug his grave by hand. And Luna said the sweet words at his funeral. And I cried and cried and cried. Hell, I’m still crying. I forgot how horribly sad that was and how horribly upset it made me. I loved Dobby so, but I felt that his death was the only fitting one a soul as noble as his could have had. I don’t think I realized how much I had invested in Dobby until he died. I cried when I read those pages in July and here I am crying again listening to Jim Dale tell me about Harry digging the grave by hand. And Ron and Dean joining him. No magic. No questions. Three people indebted to Dobby, manually forming his grave. Poignant.
Anyway - just wanted to mention it. Maybe see if that part made any of you all cry too.
When I read the book, that part just made me sob and sob. And the second time I read the book, same thing happened. So you’re not alone.
Reading your post yesterday(?) about listening to it on CD, made me pick up the book again for the 4th (I think) time.
That part definitely made me cry. Not as hard as when Dumbledore died in the previous book, but I definitely shed some tears
Oh man, I cried like a baby when Dobby died!
I am right there with you! I am currently rereading book seven for the first time since it came out. I am where they just got the locket out of the ministry. I had really forgotten how wonderful this book is…or maybe I just hadn’t been able to take it in the first time. I am sure Dobby will make me cry again when I get there!
I actually think that was the hardest of all the deaths for me to take. It was just heartbreaking.
that’s what made me cry the most in the book…..for a very, very long time.
Yes… tears were shed here for Dobby.
That was the part that most affected me of the whole series. Worse than any other of the many deaths, even more than Dumbledore, and I had even been accidentally spoiled that Dobby would die. It just broke my heart and yes, thanks, now I’m crying at work remembering it. I hated how he was so scared to be back in that house he was shaking and couldn’t talk, but I loved that he did exactly what Harry asked him, because he loved Harry Potter, and he saved all those people that were stuck there. I know he would have quite willingly given his life to save Harry, and that’s just what he did. And I honestly don’t know if I can re-read that part, though I am currently re-reading the book. When I get to that point I don’t know what I’ll do.
Oh absolutely. Cried my eyes out.
I actually started rereading Book 6 a few weeks ago, and just started rereading Book 7 in it’s entirety (I reread the last 100 pages almost immediately after I finished, just because I knew I was skipping stuff).
I just got to the part where they got the locket out of the Ministry, and it wasn’t until this post that I remembered about Dobby dying. I haven’t started tearing up at the office (yet), but I’m sure I will when I get to it this weekend.
well heck -
now I’m crying.
I think I cried through most of book 7 in the first place. The last book! Actually the scene with Snape at the end made me cry the most. Someone hand me the tissues quick.
You know, I didn’t cry so much when Dobby died the first time. Moreso for the bazillion other tragic things that happened. *sob* But I’m currently rereading the series (I’m mired in Book 5) so we’ll see what happens when I hit it the second time.
Oh, and I’m sure the fact that I’m pregnant this time (though I think I was technically pregnant the first time too) will count for extra tears too. I cry at EVERYTHING right now.
Bawled like a baby.
I can’t remember if I cried at that part. I just know I cried a lot in that book. I do know I was very sad about Dobby. Such a good elf!
I thought about getting the book on CD after you mentioned it the other day. I figured that would be perfect to listen to on my commute. But I didn’t think of the crying. I can just picture myself showing up at work with mascara running down my face.
Maybe I’ll get it and just listen to it on the way home.
I didn’t cry, but I definitely ached.
I sobbed when I read that part. It was probably one of the most moving passages of the whole series!
It was the one death that upset me the most as well. It was just so heartbreaking!!
Honestly? I always thought Dobby was kind of annoying, but I really like Rowling’s message throughout the book about how the house elves needed to be treated with respect. I also thought he had a fitting end.
(I don’t think I cried, though. I’m sorry! Does it help that I cried for Snape?)
I definitely didn’t see Dobby’s death coming. I think I re-read that part twice (his burial), it was so powerful and sad, and I just BAWLED.
My roommates kept coming in and throwing things at me to see how long it would take before I put the book down and chased after them.
It finally happened when I finished reading that scene, and boy did I make them pay for it.
Dude! Did I cry at that part? I think I cried for, like, 45 minutes. And I just teared up thinking about it again.
Yes I cried at that part too. Poor Dobby. I love him.
Ohhhhh I remember that part. I cried for over an hour. At one point I was so upset…Drew…my little guy came up and began hugging me tell me it’s ok mommy don’t cry. lol And of course he wanted to know why I was crying…lol and then promptly asked… , “Who’s Dobby?” LOL
You know…I’ve never read any of the books and have only seen the first two movies. I’ve (well we all do) wanted to watch the rest of them. And I’ve heard the books are fabulous.
It was a moving and well-written scene, but I wasn’t upset by Dobby’s death.
Snape on the other hand …. I’m still not over *that.* Don’t think I will be
I totally cried at that part….and got yelled at by friends who were behind me in pages for alerting them to upcoming drama. If Jim Dale reading that part is even more difficult, I can only imagine how sad it will be with Harry walking into the forest to face Voldemort with his family and Sirius, begging his mother “stay close to me.” (Sob).
I cried for quite a long time during this part.
i came very close to crying, just reading you writing about hearing it.
sweet damn, i love those books.
Jeez louise….I have done everything in my power not to read these books because I hate reading stuff like that. If I start reading them I blame you !!
Like a little girl.
Dobby.
I read all the books aloud to to my 8-year old son, and probably more than anything else in all the books, the death of Dobby is what really got to him; he sobbed, I sobbed.
I cried and cried. I definitely cried more with Dobby than even Dumbledore, because with Dumbledore, I was in such shock. I was reading it on the plane to Peru and my husband got a little embarassed by it.
I hardly ever cry while reading a book, but like some of your other commentors - I cried during Snape’s last scene, that moment of realisation by Harry that he really was on the good side, sniff.
Speaking of crying …… missy ……. those damn Onstar commercials suck ass …. I was crying so hard about the one when the woman and her son get into a wreck that when I got to Target I had to sit there for a minute to get rid of my red face.
And yes, you don’t really realize how instrumental and inportant Dobby is until he dies and you remember everything …. them digging his grave …. priceless
I love Jim Dale and want him as my grandfather. The HP experience is not complete without listening to the audiobooks, too. Also, the week Book 7 came out was very strange, I passed so many people walking down the street with their nose in the book, weeping aloud.
I didn’t cry, but Dobby’s death devastated me. I had kinda steeled myself for more humans to die- I just didn’t think it was even POSSIBLE for Hedwig and Dobby to die! Well- that was my mistake.
I was horrified and shocked by those deaths- I couldn’t believe it at first, esp. with Dobby. I re-read that part where he got stabbed right away, thinking “wait wait, did she miss? couldn’t he have survived?” but then read on and had to face the truth….yeah. It really got me.
Another intense scene that didn’t involve death but that really affected me was the scene with Ron and the locket. That was SO crazy. I definitely held my breath during that one.
Blubbered like an idiot.
Is it odd to miss fictional characters so?
Hubby just got to Dobby’s death last night. I was kinda bugged by Dobby at times, but got very choked up when he died. The only reason I didn’t full out cry was because I was reading the book while we were on vacation, and if I had started crying, Hubby would have given me sooo much crap about it. So, I choked back my tears about every death in Book 7.