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An average summer zone 1 walkabout, complete with rain. More non-shopping on Oxford street and haphazardly-shot architectural snaps. The long walk back to Waterloo.

Since when do they close the museum at 6 pm?

Yes, its here. Perez-Fox.com has been given a facelift and I am calling it version 4.5.

I decided to redesign the site for two reasons. First, it had to match my CV and portfolio which have also been given facelifts in the past few months. And second because it was just time for a change, I was getting sick of the old template, etc.

The reason I am calling it only a half version update is because the changes are still somewhat superficial – all cosmetic changes. The architecture of the site is still the same and is the colour scheme, navigation, style sheets and the entries and photos themselves! But, it looks different enough to ‘feel’ different and so I’ll let it be that way.

There may be some glitches and I am still trying to sort out the body text style on the category and date-based archive pages (which no one looks at anyway). And hopefully I will be adding the portfolio page sooner rather than later.

Harry Potter 6 is officially out there for public consumption, and consumed it will be.

Farnham may have been relatively small-scale compared to Oxford St or 5th Ave. release events – not to mention JKR and her coronation-like festivities at Edinburgh Castle, but the phenomena of Harry Potter is no less potent.

I didn’t buy the book for £10.99 nor will I buy it for £8.99 from Woolworth’s, this weekend only, but instead I am waiting for the week when I will, hopefully, be able to find it available for download as audiobooks, my preferred media for consumption of literature. (Jay, stop rolling your eyes).

I have to admit that is saddens me slightly that my capacity to anticipate has been destroyed by George Lucas and his three successive let-downs. Remember when Episode I came out – I could barely sleep. Then came the Lord of the Rings and Matrix sequels and of course all the Harry Potter books and movies. I think the last book/movie/video game I actually got excited for was the film version of Prisoner of Azkaban back in June 04, but even then I didn’t catch the midnight show. I have never been a patient man so I think that I am becoming more cynical in my age instead of more patient.

I have to admit that I am pretty excited for the Goblet of Fire film, which will prolly drop sometime around Thanksgiving 05.

And before you all finish the book, here are my official predictions about what will be unveiled in “The Half-Blood Prince”

_ There will be very conspicuous security measures put into place at the Dursley house. The Dursley’s speak very little to Harry.

_ Harry passes all his OWLs, even potions, and is therefore well on his way to becoming an Auror. Hermione gets top marks in almost everything but Harry and Ron seem to outperform her in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

_ Bill Weasley quits his job working for Gringot’s and takes up a post within the Ministry to be closer to his father. Arthur Weasley gets a promotion, upon the recommendation of Kingsley Shacklebolt and Dumbledore. Percy Weasley gets reshuffled to some exceptionally boring department, but still doesn’t formally apologise.

_ Aurors are given “License to Kill” from the Ministry regarding escaped Death Eaters and Dementors. There is a Martial-like state in the Wizarding world, very tense.

_ Sirius Black is officially pardoned by the Ministry as those events are brought to light. Better late than never.

_ Draco Malfoy grows some balls and steps up as Junior Death Eater, now that his father has been thrown in jail. Very Anakin Skywalker.

_ We find out that James and Lily Potter worked on some sort of Wizarding R&D. They knew a lot of very powerful and very unconventional magic. James never told Lily he was an animagus, but she figured it out.

_ Hagrid continues to do “secret missions” for the Order.

_ There is no new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Instead, someone from the existing faculty is given the role. I think Dumbledore himself will take the position.

_ Harry is allowed back on the Quidditch team, but chooses not to play because he wants to dedicated more time to studying and doing well, especially working towards becoming an Auror. He says he’d play again if he is needed to win the Cup or if something should happen to Ginny.

_ Prof. Snape or Harry will save one another’s life. Maybe even both. Their relationship will change as Harry realises they have more in common than he first thought and Snape realises how important Harry truly is.

_ Ginny Weasley becomes really hot and Ron becomes very protective, as he is now the senior Weasley in the school. Similarly, Neville grows up quite a lot and is now regarded as somewhat popular in school.

_ Ron and Hermione show distinct signs of affection, but only in private. Perhaps an awkward kiss which neither of them ever speaks of again. I can forsee Harry given bonehead comments like “What’s going on with you two?”

_ Prof. Macgonnagal dies somewhat unexpectedly. Perhaps killed while assuming cat form and chasing Peter Pettigrew in rat form. Her death is a significant bad omen. She is replaces by some rookie teacher who is talented, but clueless all the same.

_ Prof. Lupin earns public acclaim for bringing in a handful of Death Eaters and his lifetime of public scorn is somewhat remedied. Unfortunately, he becomes a target for Voldermort.

_ Harry and Voldermort cross wands again, but Dumbledore again intervenes and all three escape, barely alive. The link between Harry and Lord V. is made more clear. Dumbledore knows that he is too old to continue fighting Voldermort, and that even he is no match for Lord V. He makes it his life’s work to teach Harry everything he knows.