Getting Serious Tarot Reading

Today was the second reading I've tried with my new Jane Austen Tarot deck. I tried a new spread suggested by tizianaj (thanks!), the Getting Serious Spread.

( The Spread )

( The cards )

( Interpretation )

I've got a theory . . .

Or rather, I'm enamored with some other people's theories. psychic_serpent has been wondering about Florean Fortescue. Why did he get dragged off by the Deatheaters? psychic_serpent points out that there is a portrait in Dumbledore's office called "Fortescue," who is repeatedly mentioned as using an ear trumpet. Might this be an ancestor of the present Mr. Fortescue? And if the present Mr. Fortescue has a portrait of that same ancestor, perhaps this is a connection between Dumbledore' s office and Diagon Alley? And if the Deatheaters now have control of that portrait, perhaps they are spying on Dumbledore's office?

But the theory I'm most enchanted with at the moment is the Stoppered Death theory, which John Granger (Hogwarts Professor) explains at length in his new book Unlocking Harry Potter: Five Keys for the Serious Reader (which I am in the middle of reading and HUGELY enjoying.) Who killed Dumbledore? Hint: ( It wasn't Professor Snape )

I love, love, LOVE this theory. Snape is no longer guilty of murder, and his actions and Dumbledore's actions through Half-Blood Prince now make both rational and ethical sense.

As I said, I'm enjoying John Granger's book so much that I would certainly recommend that the HP fans on my list go out and get a copy and read it. I remain unconvinced by his characterization of Horace Slughorn as a prime mover behind the scenes, but other than that, I am amazed and delighted by the way he has fit so much together. The alchemy sections have intrigued me, and I have been fascinated by his discussions of how Rowling is both a postmodernist writer and simultaneously subverts postmodernism (I'm just getting to that part now, but am eager to read more). He writes in a very clear, lively and accessible style.

As I've been reading it, I've been reflecting sadly on the fact that we have so little time left to spin out our theories! I would actually love to hear what people have to say about Professor Granger's book, but the window of time of we-don't-know-what's-going-to-happen is about to close, and all criticism and theorizing about the books is about to change enormously. As a long-time fan of the Lord of the Rings I am perfectly well aware that when the canon is closed, that certainly won't mean that we will run out of things to say. But it will certainly be different. An era--a particularly fun and exciting era--is coming to an end.