The Gernumbli Gardensi award

My buddy and fellow New Jersey resident, Annie handed me out a blog award, and I'm going to post that sucker up here later this week. She's the sweetest thing - really she is.

For now, though, I most humbly accept this award of the Gernumbli Gardensi, or, as it is more widely known, the Favorite Gnome Approved Blog Award. It's all down to Mireyah. What ever would I do without this young lady from down in Loooziana.

Here are the rules, and I must follow them, lest I wind up in blog jail with a bunch of angry garden gnomes. All of you folks reading this, please go ahead and post a bunch of "What is your favorite ___" questions. Post them as comments right here on the faulty brain. I'll be taking questions right up until New Year's Eve, and will post answers throughout the week up through New Year's Day, at which time I'll nominate some folks for this most excellent award.

And now, so as to keep the Gernumbli happy...

The Infamous Harry Potter Questions

Favorite Book?
I was going to say Half Blood Prince because of Tom Riddle's backstory, Harry & Ginny's budding romance and Hermione winning out over Lavender Brown. But then I realized my favorite chapters and scenes were actually in Deathly Hallows, and it's the book I've reread most. It's sprawling. It ties up a million loose ends. It's emotional.

Favorite Chapter?
I have two, both from Deathly Hallows.
Chapter Nineteen - The Silver Doe. Ron returns. That whole chapter is just chock full of stuff.
Chapter Thirty-one - The Battle of Hogwarts. Ron & Hermione kiss (I mentioned it before). The diadem is destroyed - thanks to Crabbe, who dies. Fred dies. *sniff*

Favorite Scene?
The final battle - Molly Weasley shoves Harry out of the way and stands between the girls and Bellatrix. "Not my daughter, you bitch!" There. I just got goosebumps again. The woman was a lioness.

For laughs, though, when Kreacher brings Mundungus back to Grimmauld place and whacks him with a frying pan... Physical humor. :-)

Favorite Muggle?
Dudley. He was a product of his parents -- not a good one -- but in the end, he completely came around. Leaving Harry tea outside his bedroom, wondering where Harry would go, and admitting Harry saved his life. In the end, I liked Big D, and hoped that "nineteen years later", he was Uncle D to Harry & Ginny's kids.

Favorite Teacher?
Minerva McGonagall - She was tough but fair, and who couldn't love how she stood up to Umbridg?. Who wasn't outraged when she took all those stunners to the chest in Order of the Phoenix?

Favorite Class?
For one year, I think potions with Horace Slughorn might have been cool. I could do with a shot at Felix Felicis. Over the long run, though, Defense Against the Dark Arts, except for the year with Umbridge. I like hands-on type stuff.

Favorite Gryffindor?
Ron Weasley - the dude is just too funny. He's like Ben Stiller in all the "awkward guy" Ben Stiller movies.

Favorite Hufflepuff?
Ernie Macmillan - He's hilariously pompous.

Favorite Ravenclaw?
Luna Lovegood! - “Luna, my love, if you feel the need to burst into opera or speak in Mermish or any other unique talents, do not suppress it! You may have been gifted by the Gernumblies!”

Favorite Slytherin?
Horace Slughorn. Oh, does it need to be a student? Hmm. Snape. Courage like that doesn't come cheap.

Favorite Defense Against the Dark Arts Prof?
It's a toss up between Remus Lupin for his overall goodness, and Alastor Moody (Barty Crouch Jr.) for his sheer nuttiness.

Favorite Quidditch Match?
The one that Harry wasn't in - in Half Blood Prince. Ginny is the seeker. They win and she and Harry have their first moment of snogging at the party.

Favorite Quidditch Player?
Harry - because he is human and does make mistakes and does lose.

Favorite Wand Ingredient?
Phoenix feather. But only from Fawkes

Favorite Wizard Band?
The Weird Sisters. Because, well... yeah. Probably not Celestina Warbeck, the singing sorceress.

Favorite Library Book?
Moste Potente Potions - if Hermione hadn't figured out how to brew polyjuice potion, how would they have managed to get the locket in Deathly Hallows?

Favorite Text Book?
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore. Because.... well the author's name is just so perfect.

Favorite Hogsmeade Store?
The Three Broomsticks - Yeah, that was such a typical answer, but I don't like to drink with goats wandering about the place. That leaves out the Hog's Head.

Favorite Diagon Alley Shop?
Tie between:
Ollivander's wand shop - I'd love me a wand.
Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour - I love me some ice cream!
Flourish and Blotts - I love me a book store.

Favorite Weasley Twin?
This is impossible for me to say. They were both hilarious. George lived. Fred died. And I still feel bad about it.

Favorite Fight?
Mrs. Weasley killing Bellatrix Lestrange

Favorite Couple?
I had a back and forth with Mireyah about this one. I was heavily leaning toward Harry & Ginny because the build up and actual romance all occurred in one book. And I like Ginny because Harry does and for all the same reasons. Talk about bringing us into the character's POV!. But in the end, I'm going with Ron & Hermione, because it took much longer to build, had many fits and starts. The hospital bed scene when an unconscious Ron makes his choice of Hermione over Lavender was great. The whole Ron reading about how to interest witches was fun and all, but it was Ron being artificial. The real thing - the culmination occurred when Ron said they needed to get the house elves out of Hogwarts during the battle. Hermione dumping the basilisk fangs and jumping him then... that was way cool.

Favorite Scene in a Graveyard?
For sheer creepiness, the first true creepiness - in Goblet of Fire when Voldemort is brought back to life. For sweetness, in Deathly Hallows when Harry & Hermione walk the graveyard in Godric's Hollow.

Favorite Villain?
Voldemort - honestly, he had the most depth. He was the most three dimensional. Bellatrix was incredibly over the top and was a lot of fun, but pretty one dimensional.

Honorable mention goes to Umbridge.

Favorite Trewlany Prophecy?
Hmm. THE prophecy, or the one in Prisoner of Azkaban? THE prophecy is surely the linchpin of the whole thing, so it's key. But I like the little details more sometimes. Consider the tarot card reading in Half Blood Prince, where she's wandering Hogwarts and muttering, "A dark young man, possibly troubled, one who dislikes the questioner." She got it right!

Favorite Ron Line?
At the end of Deathly Hallows, after Peeves has just finished his victory song, "... And Voldy's gone moldy, so let's all have fun." Ron utters - Really gives a feeling for the scope and tragedy of the thing, doesn't it?

Of course, in Order of the Phoenix, there is this chestnut - Accio Brain!

Favorite Dumbledorism?
For goosebumps (Order of the Phoenix) Don't be silly, Dawlish. I'm sure you are an excellent Auror, I seem to remember you achieved 'Outstanding' in all your N.E.W.T.s, but if you attempt to — er — 'bring me in' by force, I will have to hurt you.

For simple amusement (Half Blood Prince - referencing the Gaunts) The shock of her desertion may have contributed to his early death – or perhaps he had simply never learned to feed himself.

For shedding a tear - (Half Blood Prince, upon their return from the cave) "I am not worried, Harry," said Dumbledore, his voice a little stronger despite the freezing water. "I am with you."
I love that line because Harry had told Hermione & Ron that he had nothing to worry about because he would be with Dumbledore.

Favorite Beast?
Dobby - I loved Dobby. My son loved Dobby. He wanted to know who died before he read the book, and I remember being sad when I had to tell him Dobby had died.

Favorite Movie?
For staying close to the spirit of the books - Sorcerer's Stone.
Overall - Goblet of Fire.

Favorite Scene in the Hospital Wing?
Half Blood Prince - Bill recovering from his werewolf bite, and Fleur standing up to Molly, asking if she thought Bill would no longer want to marry her. She then declared she was beautiful enough for both of them. I did get chills during this moment.

Half Blood Prince - Honorable mention to Ron recovering from the poisoning, and muttering Hermione's name in his sleep. The film did this justice.

Favorite Method of Getting to Hogwarts?
The Hogwarts Express, of course.

Favorite Patil Twin?
Tricky. Padma was a prefect, good student and very quiet. Parvati was outgoing and loved divination, but... she really stood up for her friends (she did so for Neville when Draco took his remembrall). I'll go with Parvati as she was a Gryffindor.