APWBD

That's what I mean. She layed down some halfheartedly followed "laws" and things people can NOT do - but no principles. Nothing you can derive anything from. A sort of alternate science building on certain fictional basics is what's missing - but maybe that would be asking for too much.

Probably the weakest spot in the Harry Potter books is, that there are, IMHO, no consistent principles in spells, enchantment, potions, transfigurations and the way and contexts they're being used in. I think JKR just dreams up whatever is required by the story at the moment without thinking about whether it could fit anything like an underlying principle or not. I'd be surprised if she'd try to come up with such an attempt in the final book.

Just my 2ct after having just finished HBP. I believe that Snape really is to be trusted now. When he answers Bellatrix's questions in one of the first chapters, he does not explain why members of the order showed up at the ministry. Wasn't that only because he alerted them? And Dumbledore claims that after he found Slitherin's ring, Snape saved him. The argument Snape had with Dumpledore in the forest could point towars Dubledore urging Snape to fulfill the unbreakable. Whether he really killed Dubledore in the end? No idea - but so far all the killing curse victims just died and didn't rise in the air (and out of sight). I also supected the "Harry is a horcrux" thing the moment I read what they are. It could explain, why Voldemoort killed Harry's mother first and his father second (as we learned at the end of book 4). It would make up a thrilling end of book 7 when they kill Voldemoort and find out that his final piece of soul resides within Harry, imprisoned in agony forever.