I think there were just a few too many meaningless deaths in DH. Overall, actually, most of the deaths in the series have been meaningless. James and Lily's deaths had a purpose, of course. Dumbledore's did, sort of, as did Mad-Eye's and Dobby's. But the big three (for me) in DH - Fred, Lupin and Tonks - had no meaning whatsoever. I think I needed at least one of these to have a purpose.
I think perhaps JKR thinks of Lupin and Tonks as smaller characters than I do. I was just thinking of I wrote this that it would be appropriate if some of the named extras were seen among the body count - Hannah Abbott, for example - but then I realized that this was how Lupin and Tonks were being presented. I can see Tonks being a named extra - I don't think of her that way because I think she's cool, but I can see that interepretation - but I think Lupin is more important and his death, at least, deserves an explanation.
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In terms of 'named extras', I thought that Creevey's body satisfied that. In that he wasn't a huge character but hearing his name as a casualty resonated with me. I felt that Lupin and Tonks dying did feel like they were being regarded as major characters, dying meaningless deaths as does happen in a war.
I meant to say in my initial post but somehow neglected to: I do think there's room for some meaningless deaths beause that is the reality of war. It would just have been more emotionally satisfying if at least one of the three had achieved something significant in the battle. Like killed a death eater or died saving someone. Rocks fall, Fred dies is just disappointing.
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