It has been over ten years since I first read this book and it's even better now than it was then. Back in 2007 I would have given this four, maybe even three, stars. Now I'm better able to see it as the masterpiece I think it is, rather than as I've called it many times before, "Harry Potter and the Extended Camping Trip."

Now I can see the foreshadowing Rowling put into this entire series. There are still a few loose ends at the end of the book, but whose life wraps up neatly anyway? Without spoiling anything in the book, I'd say this one does the second best job at revealing character, and it does an excellent job with the character of Dumbledore. This book left me wanting more but at peace with what I got. Each journey begins with the train ride to Hogwarts and we do see that for an already beloved new character in the Epilogue. I feel like the story isn't really over, isn't ever really over, for that matter. (Even if I do refuse to acknowledge the existence of that horrible piece of somehow canonical fanfiction - The Cursed Child. Fight me on it if you want.)

Were there things that could have been a bit better in this book? Sure. But I think this book has to be viewed in the scope of the entire series, and that could not have been any more excellent.