Harry Potter's growing up. SPOILER ALERT Lacey, WA

Having read the entire "Harry Potter" series, I, along with millions of others, eagerly awaited the next chapter in the movie saga. I wanted to be transported back to the world of magic and mayhem and all the delites that R.K.Rowling has treated us to over the years.

I must say, I was uterly surprised at the grumblings that reached my ears on July 15th, the morning of midnight release of the summer's most expected movie. Many said that the movie was not as true to form as the other's had been. Some said that gratuitous fire bombings took away from the story. "Fire bombings?", says I. This I must see.

As my family, daughter age Mikki 8, son Ky age 13, and my husband and I sat in the near empty theater this Friday evening, no less, an eerie silence settled over the back half of the theater as the previews ended and the story of the Half Blood Prince picked up exactly where Order of the Pheonix left us wanting. I didn't really expect this but was pleasantly pleased, so I settled in to watch.

As most already know, the book of HBP is mighty long and much trimming ensued to create a movie that was less a slog fest than one believes a 2 and a half hour movie might be. One must pay attention to the small things in this one if they are going to watch the rumored two-part Deathly Hallows. Much of HBP deals only with Harry Potter and the parts of the book that pertain only to him with a little Malfoy, Ron and Herminone thrown in for good measure.

Many new to the screen characters make appearances. I had to explain to my spouse just who Lavendar Brown was and why she was snogging (kissing, not blowing her nose) on Ron WeasleyRon Weasley. Lavendar was such a minor character in the other books that she was missed and now leaps onto the scene with a lovelorn vengeance.

What about Harry and Cho, you ask? Well, Cho is hardly seen at all and 'lo and behold! Ginny Weasley now has our hero's eye! How did that happen? The book delves into it much more than the "oh Ginny has nice skin" comment that is supposed to leave one believing this is how teens talk. Rubbish. The relationship in the book took time to make and I was disappointed in the leap the movie took. The first kiss was not supposed to be in the room of requirement, but accidentally at an after Quidditch party.

I was also disappointed in the rigorous burning down of the Weasley burrow. I mean please. we got the point and now the poor family is homeless to boot? It was unnecessary to progress the story.

All in all, those are my only complaints. The rest of the movie flowed and was interesting enough to keep an 8 year old in her seat and chatterless through out. Even my 13 year old made no comments on the snoggin scenes and at the end said we needed to get the DVD when it comes out.

I give a A for effort and a B for gratutitous destruction.