Harry: I do not like him as much when he dithers. Although I sympathise with his reaction to Ron and Hermione's desire to go over and debate his earlier decision-by-epiphany.

His tactics with regard to Griphook and the sword bother me a little. It is nonsense, of course: he cannot guarantee that Griphook will get it once they are done with it. He is heading of to quite possibly be killed, and I doubt Voldemort is going to hand it over to a goblin who claims Harry Potter said he could have it.

I also find it strange how easily he slips into using the Imperius Curse. The Greater Good idea keeps turning up, explicitly or implicitly, and I see this as one of those times.

He also turns reckless. He heard Voldemort think that there would be alarms if he showed up in Hogsmeade, yet he does not think twice about apparating there.

Fleur: Her annoyance at being sent with a message by Griphook is not her best trait. I keep getting confused about Fleur. She seems like a very contradictory character.

Ron: He is back to being stupid in his interaction with Griphook, suggesting that he steal from the Lestranges &c. Both feet firmly planted in the salad. And trying to get Harry to lie. I sometimes think it is a little unfair on Ron to make him the character who must display all the prejudices of wizarding society. Yes, he is the wizardborn of the trio, and so the natural candidate, but you are never entirely a product of society as a whole, and there is something which jarrs here.

Griphook: I like that he is not an annoying saint like Dobby. The point is that you should respect other sentient beings because that is what you should do, not because they are nice.

Lupin: I like to see him happy. And I like that he made Harry godfather. And I like that in between his insane mythical/Latin wolf-names he is called John. And I like that he checks who is present before he flows over with joy. I have always been a great fan of the paranoid side of Lupin.

The Dragon: I feel so sorry for it. It is horribly how it has been tortured. Damned capitalists. It is also interesting that here another mistreated magical creature again helps Harry. However unaware.

Bellatrix and Lucius: As Voldemort starts killing people indiscriminately, how much do they understand? They cannot know the true value of the cup, although it sounds as if he has told them somthing with his talk of trusting too much.

Voldemort: His arrogance is apparent again in his belief that he alone has plumbed the deepest darkest secrets of the place.