Aberforth and Dumbledore: I like him. He is grumbly and bitter, but lovely and surprisingly competent. His comment that "brains like that, you could be a Death Eater, son" gives him +1,000 points. It is clear that he has issues, however, although that is perhaps not surprising. Again, I do not think what is being said about Dumbledore can be taken at face value. It is the opinion of an anything but objective character, who clearly does not understand the concept of a cause as a valid motivation for action. I can see how that would develop, as he saw his brother seduced by the idea of the Greater Good, and then his sister died.

But the Dumbledore we see in the books is not blindly going for Greater Good -- as seen, for example, in his teaching manners to Death Eaters as he is about to be killed, or in his urging Harry and Hermione to save Sirius. While there is still the attempt to orchestrate a movement and create a successful tactic to defeat what is wrong, that is very different from the Greater Good dreams of his youth. He is no longer trying to control others for their betterment. It has moved from a totalitarian ideal to one which attempts to do right in the particulars, the details and in everyday life, but which as part of that will stand up and work with what means are available against an evil attempt to instate that control which he has rejected.

So, to Aberforth's question, "You don't think I understood my own brother", I think I'll answer a polite, but firm, "no". To be fair, Aberforth cannot know the pivotal part of Harry in defeating Voldemort, and so his assumption makes sense.

I really like his description of the young Dumbledore, however. It makes Albus sound like Percy (only competent). It would seem that Dumbledore had a massive personality shift, or at least gained a new perspective from his sister's death. It seems to me that much of what he had written to Grindewald was in response to the torture of Ariana, and it only makes sense to me as an attempt to make sure that that does not happen again. But I do not think you could argue that the Dumbledore we have met would ever ignore the smaller and powerless in favour of the grand plan again. Not surprisingly.

But the speech says as much about Aberforth. His insistence that he was closer to Ariana than Albus, it is the voice of a younger brother who lives in the shadow of his older. He reminds me a little of Ron, only bitter instead of insecure. It has the anger of Ron's attitude to Percy, but because Percy is not someone generally admired, that lacks an important dimension, I think.

Yes. That may have gotten a little defensive, but there it is.

Neville: I like battle-scarred Neville. He wears them with pride, and I love how he explains what he did to deserve them. I also think it is quite funny that he has taken one of Harry's bad traits (his inability to control his temper) and modelled himself on it. He is the centre of the resistance. And I love his Gran now.

I also like the general insistence that they will help. And Neville is right, all those in the room have proven themselves by now. In part by having entered at all, as Neville's sensible requirement that no one affiliated with the Carrows can enter.

Ginny: I like her insistence that Luna, not Cho, show Harry the Ravenclaw common room. I also sympathise with her wish not to be sent away from the final showdown. Not least because her whole family, as well as her boyfriend, are all likely to die any minute.

Luna: I like her reaction to the Ravenclaw first-years standing around the stunned body of Alecto: "Oh, look. They're pleased!"

McGonagall: So cool. And for some reason her using the Imperius Curse validates Harry's using it in my mind. And I love how she does it. After all, it is not a matter of making them do something that breakes with their integrity -- she just makes him lie down without a fuss.

I also like her reaction to Harry's assurance that he is acting on Dumbledore's orders. And her comment that "We teachers are rather good at magic, you know". I also like her altercation with Snape, and how she raises the statues to defend the school.

Harry: I can't believe he used the Cruciatus curse. This is rather shocking. Or it would be if his reasons were not so endearing.

Snape: Is he as good a legilimens as an occlumens? Do the two go together? He used a spell when he broke into Harry's mind in book 5, but I could swear he was trying to read McGonagall's mind just before she attacked.

Percy: about bloody time. I suppose he is right that he could not easily have broken rank as soon as Voldemort took over, but… What am I saying? Of course he could. He could have gone to the Burrow and asked to be let in.

Fleur: I like her attempt to break the tension.

Lupin: I like how he goes along with it. With a picture.

Fred and George: One of our last chances to take stock of the differences between the two. I am not sure I can see them. Fred is the one to reach out after a jab. George mocks him, but in a friendly way. If there is a difference it is subtle.