Woahhh so many posts since last night...
I agree with a lot of what Nebuchanezzar (I'm sorry but your name is a mouthful haha) said - the "The ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming" made shivers go down my spine - especially since it was in the middle of the reception.
Slytherin and how they were the only house who didn't join in the Battle of Hogwarts - I thought about this, and I think it was Phineus Nigellus who said that though Slytherins are brave, they know when to go and save their own skins... and I guess that's what they were doing? I mean, besides Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and maybe Parkinson, JKR never really focused on any of the other Slytherins so it would've been a little weird having them suddenly join in the fight... especially when some of their parents would've been Death Eaters.
Severus' death - I'm not particularly pleased about the way he died either. It was unfair - but then again, his entire life had been unfair. Having dodgy parents, being mistreated at school, losing Lily, being a double-agent... as someone said earlier, yes he could've died jumping in front of Harry or whatever, but in my eyes he completely redeemed himself (to Harry and the "good" side) when he gave Harry the memories in his dying moments.
I thought his death was really poetic. Voldy killing him was like emphasizing how he doesnt care about killing people if it will further his ends. Then he had one last act, giving harry all the info he needed to complete the job, as well as all of his most sensitive memories which exonerated him. Then right at the end he asks harry to look at him. So he can die looking into lilly's eyes....very touching.
agreed
As for everyone else's deaths - I do wish she could've elaborated on some of them, but then again it would've just made me cry more
the thing is, they were in battle - she couldn't very well stop every time somebody died and explained it.
Okay sorry everyone if none of the above made sense or is extremely badly worded... my neck is still killing after stupidly sitting in the same position for 7 hours and I am not in my right mind