Harry Potter Moment of the Week #21

This is a meme started by Uncorked Thoughts which aims to share with fellow bloggers a weekly slice of HP awesomeness. It is an awesomeness that only increases with time and number of reads. Once a week we will share a character, spell, chapter, object, quote etc. from the books/films/J. K. Rowling (or anything Potter related)! Each topic will be posted on Uncorked Thoughts HERE. There will also be  free weeks where everyone can share whatever topic they want! Be sure to share your link on the main site for all other HP MOTW fans to enjoy!

This Week’s Theme: Scariest moment in the series

So it took me a couple of minutes to process this before my scariest moment/scene popped out at me with all the creepiness that I first experienced when reading about it (and when seeing it on screen). That moment is, hands down:when Nagini pops out of the Bathilda Bagshot in Deathly Hallows. (*SHUDDERS* Ugh, it awful, I still can’t watch it.)

He broke off. A heavily muffled figure was hobbling up the lane toward them, silhouetted by the bright lights in the distant square. … (pg 333).

Nevertheless, Harry had the strangest feeling that she knew that they were there, and also who they were. Just as he had reached this uneasy conclusion, she raised a gloved hand and beckoned. … (pg 334).

It was pitch-black and smelled horrible: Harry had just made out a chamber pot protruding from under the bed before Bathilda closed the door and even that was swallowed by the darkness.
“Lumos,” said Harry, and his wand ignited. He gave a start: Bathilda had moved close to him in those few seconds of darkness, and he had not heard her approach.
“You are Potter?” she whispered.  …(pg 339).

And in the instant that he looked away, his eyes raking the tangled mess for a sword hilt, a ruby, she moved weirdly. He saw it out of the corner of his eye; panic made him turn and horror paralyzed him as he saw the old body collapsing and the great snake pouring from the place where her neck had been. (pg 340).

(*SHUDDERS* again.) I don’t really remember the first time reading this scene (I may have blocked it out of my memory) except a general sense of horror and disbelief. I hate snakes. I always have. They are creepy and dangerous (for the most part) and I can’t abide them. It’s a gut instinct, and I can’t control it. I would really just like to pretend the whole species doesn’t exist. So already, I’m not a fan of any of the scenes that include Nagini. But then this scene happened. And it’s pretty much one of the worst things I can imagine witnessing happening that involves a snake. Thinking about it kind of makes me want to throw up. 

I have to give it to the people who made the HP films though. Because they absolutely got this part right. I was so disturbed watching it (ahem, through my fingers) the first time and then every time after I just couldn’t make myself see it, so I hide behind my hands, or a blanket or something and just listen until it’s over. I just can’t believe they make me go from such a poignant moment with Harry and Hermione seeing his home for the first time to this horror show.

Who wants to see that? It’s horrible. The only thing that’s good about it is that Hermione basically saves the day. I know there’s the whole bit that she screwed up with his wand, but I love that once again, she’s the one saving his life. (Girl power and all that jazz!) That aside, this scene wins Scariest/Most Disturbing Scene of the Whole Series. It wins by a landslide.

Well, that’s really all I’ve got for ya! Just a small moment of sweet HP goodness! I hope you enjoyed it, and please, feel free to share your own thoughts on what you think the scariest moment/scene was in the comments below!