In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , JK Rowling explicitly introduces the theme that had merely been im plicit in earlier books: people disregarding, to their detriment, such things as games, toys, “blood-traitors” or those with so-called “dirty” blood (including house-elves), and (ironically) fairy tales. All will play a role in defeating Voldemort. (See Quantum Harry, the Podcast, Episode 1: The Kids’ Table .) The best weapons or skills Harry has are those that he acquires to play games; a children’s story teaches him a lesson about death; and Harry, a half-blood, with another half-blood (Snape), plus Snape’s abiding love for the Muggle-born Lily and the aid Harry receives from his Muggle-born and blood-traitor best friends, along with his consummate game-playing skills, combine to defeat someone who disregards all of these things: Voldemort. The first time in Deathly Hallows that Harry, Ron and Hermione go “camping”, a fun pastime for many people now that began as a pa...
