In the past, this book has always been my favorite, and it's usually my go-to book when I want to randomly re-read part of the series.

I still really enjoyed this one, but upon this re-reading, I understand why others hate this book, calling it dark, dreary, depressing.

Harry is both very whiny and very angry throughout this book, and I honestly don't like him very much. I still LOVE him, but I don't like him very much (don't tell me you've never felt that way about your partner or a parent!) Especially the bit at the end where he's so obsessed with saving Sirius, seriously, he's a KID on how EARTH is he going to save him? And then letting all the others join him in saving Sirius and then getting upset when they get injured, come on? What did you THINK was going to happen? Idiots!!

Of course, all of this happens in the book for a reason, as we soon find out in the following two books, but it just drove me nuts reading it. And Harry being so upset to find out his father isn't perfect and that Snape was really correct in calling his father arrogant; why was that such a surprise? It's been hinted at all along throughout all of the books, Harry IS arrogant himself, where did he think that arrogance came from? Of course it's easy for me to knit pick Harry's actions through out the books; if it had been me, I would've hid in the attic cowering with fear, so who am I to talk?

I was a little surprised that the DA parts wasn't MORE; I remember it seemed like most of the book was about the DA. I think I'm getting my movie & my book version a bit mixed up about the DA.