Harry Potter Seventh Book Pre-Sales Speculations and Discussions

[Carica]

Re love: it's no good going around killing other people to save other people you love (well, obviously in self-defence but Harry's situation is something more grand and representative). The point about love that I would hope Dumbledore is making is that you have to love those who are not necessarily lovable, and those who might hate you, and you have to somehow put an end to what they are doing, without turning yourself into a murderer.

Re death and Voldemort - Voldemort certainly thinks death is the worst thing but Dumbledore says not. In Order of the Phoenix Dumbledore states that Voldemort's greatest weakness is his inability to understand that:

there are things much worse than death [OP pg36].

Hence my guess at Muggledom being a possibility there.

Percy - yes, he is *so* wrong, but so is the family's behaviour towards him - not a lot of love there (yes, Mrs Weasley did knit him a jumper that was returned, I think but it shouldn't stop you trying all the time to help him return to the family). Throwing food at him on Christmas Day? I dislike the twins intently for lots of reasons but I think they have played an active part in helping Percy to continue on the line he's on. He's so wrong but I would like to see some redemption for him, and a son returning home, whereas the twins don't even realise how at fault they are because no-one ever says anything bad about them. I think Percy has at least heard (if not taken to heart) that he is doing something wrong and stupid.

I'm trying to think of Ron's foreshadowing - certainly that Christmas dinner when he and Harry stay at Hogwarts and they sit down to dinner as 13 - Trelawney comments on it and frets that "the first one to rise from the table" will be doomed. I gather it is Ron who gets up first.

Also the chess-board is held as a foreshadowing metaphor for what will happen in the last battle - Ron sacrificing himself in order to let Harry move forward to take the Queen (Bellatrix) and checkmate the King (Voldemort) - ie. Bellatrix will kill him.
Also, Ron jokes during Divination that the thing he's meant to interpret are telling him "Die, Ron, die." Ron's predictions have an uncanny way of coming true (though not in the way predicted).

Also, asked about Ron's future career JKR said in interview "Well, assuming he lives to leave school... I'm not going to tell you "

The first person that Harry sees as Mrs Weasley's boggart is Ron lying dead on the floor - it sends a cold chill through him. (Obviously we know it goes on to his siblings but the first that Harry, our prism for the stories, sees, is Ron.)

 

[Vespertilio91]

Understandable on the love part. I was just wondering why Dumbledore would preach about love to Harry then try to kill Voldemort. Two complete opposites.

I still don't see the muggledom being a thing in Voldemort's future. I think that death is all that's going to stop Voldemort in his tracks.

I agree that Percy has been pushed to where he is now, but he is smart, and should have realized that his family (while maybe not his younger brothers, but most certainly his parents and older brothers) will re-accept him into their home if he would just apologize for leaving. But I believe that the family should apologize too, so that it is a more even compromise.

Those are some good reasons to think Ron dies, except for Trelawney. When has she been right except when she has a real vision where her voice goes hoarse and her eyes roll in her head? I like the metaphor, but I don't think it will be Bellatrix who kills Ron. I don't know why, but I have a feeling that Ron isn't going to die, at least by her hand.

 

[Carica]

Yes, if Harry keeps being told it's all about love, it's not going to make much sense or look very good if the story ends with Harry a) still hating Snape and b) killing Voldemort (rather than giving him a merciful release).

 

[jaynebosco]

I think it will be somebody who is a main character, but who we least expect who will end up dying at the end of the book.

Harry might die, but it could be somebody we could least expect it. When I get it, I am going to read the last few chapters just to know who dies.

 

[Vespertilio91]

YOU'RE GOING TO READ THE LAST CHAPTERS AND SPOIL THE BOOK!!!!!!

 

[jaynebosco]

YOU'RE GOING TO READ THE LAST CHAPTERS AND SPOIL THE BOOK!!!!!!

Not really, I am going to find out who dies in the end, not how they die. Honestly I really don't know what I am going to do when I get the book.

And even though I haven't read "The Half-Blood Prince", I know Dumbledore dies in the book; I overheard my sister talking about it with a friend when they were discussing it over on the phone last summer.

 

[lady.cordelia]

i also don't believe dumbledore is dead

i believe he is actually an unregistered animagus and is actually transfigures himself into a phoenix.

i believe in a lot of the theory and foreshadowing noted on dumbledoreisnotdead.com

but i also believe that when harry sees the flame envelope the body and then thinks he sees the form of a phoenix that this is actually dumbledore emerging from the flames as his "phoenix" self.

there is more to go on about this and some quotes if you are interested. it is just my theory of course.

 

[lady.cordelia]

Who do you think will die in #7?

Obviously, I think Voldemort will die.

I also believe Neville Longbottom might die. I believe Professors McGonagall and Snape will die. I think Hermione will be the one to go on to teach (in McGonagall's place).

There are hints that Ron may die, but I hope not. I hope Ron and Hermione and Harry and Ginny marry and live happily ever after!

 

[spikeyli]

I think Harry and Voldemort. Remember in one of the books she wrote those two lives are intertwined because of the spell Voldemort put on Harry, that one cannot live without the other but they can't live when the other one is alive either. The reason they've "coexisted" so far is because Voldemort was half dead, in another pane of existence, but once he was flesh again Harry's fate was sealed that he either must kill or be killed by Voldemort.

 

[lady.cordelia]

I think Harry and Voldemort. Remember in one of the books she wrote those two lives are intertwined because of the spell Voldemort put on Harry, that one cannot live without the other but they can't live when the other one is alive either. The reason they've "coexisted" so far is because Voldemort was half dead, in another pane of existence, but once he was flesh again Harry's fate was sealed that he either must kill or be killed by Voldemort.

yes, but that is just it - he must either kill or be killed. it doesn't say he to do both, but i do worry a bit about it. when dumbledore says that he thinks a part of voldemort was transferred to harry during the curse, i wonder if perhaps that is a horcrux of some sort. then, harry must kill voldemort and die in the process to vanquish him once and for all. but i hope not. i want a good hero book where the hero wins and all live happily ever after! i can't wait until next summer!

 

[lady.cordelia]

whoops! i didn't mean to start a new thread and i forgot to put *spoiler* in mine!

i am pretty certain voldemort will die (i'm about 50/50 on harry, but i pray not). i think mcgonagall will die, as well as snape. and i think hermione will be the one that will come to hogwarts as a teacher (in place of mcgonagall). i am curious about ron - i think there is some foreshadowing that he may die, although as he is based on jo's best friend, i am hoping that is a sign she won't kill him off. i at least want one of the supercouples to survive, if not both! "hinny" (harry and ginny) and "hon" (hermione and ron) lol

 

[spikeyli]

Well the author talked about killing off Harry so other authors can't later write about him. So I wouldn't put it past her, it's kinda her way of permanently trademarking the franchise.

Did you know there are other HP books out there written by different authors? You can find them in European and Asian markets, mostly Asian since they don't really honor trademarks. I know of one Chinese version that's equally as popular as the real HP books.

 

[spikeyli]

Here's a thought, Ginny Weasley? To teach Harry a lesson about pain of losing someone he loves and she's not a major character. By the way, I thought the romance thing between Ginny and Harry in the last book was pretty sloppily written.

 

[lady.cordelia]

i agree about the writing - i think she could have brought more of the romance out in that one.

however, you really think harry needs to be taught a lesson about the pain of losing someone he loves? or are you just joking? were his parents not enough? sirius? and then dumbledore? you have to be kidding me!

 

[lady.cordelia]

no, i didn't know about the others.

however, she hints about all kinds of things. killing him off wouldn't stop people infringing on trademarking and writing prequels or even bringing him back to live or side stories to follow along with what happened at school or whatever. there are plenty of great books that didn't have people writing extra stories all over the place after the series ended. i personally think that reasoning is selfish and in her market and in the US market the original HP books would stand out alone anyways, as we do honor trademarks, copywriting, etc.

 

[spikeyli]

no, i didn't know about the others.

however, she hints about all kinds of things. killing him off wouldn't stop people infringing on trademarking and writing prequels or even bringing him back to live or side stories to follow along with what happened at school or whatever. there are plenty of great books that didn't have people writing extra stories all over the place after the series ended. i personally think that reasoning is selfish and in her market and in the US market the original HP books would stand out alone anyways, as we do honor trademarks, copywriting, etc.

Well, sometimes it's hard to argue with the almighty dollar. But I kind of see her side too, if I was a creator, I wouldn't want other people to make mockery of my creation with things that potentially would ruin my work. But yes, it is selfish.

 

[Fabi]

I must said, Rowling is a bad authoress. Here books are very small to book 5, she had no more desire to writing more.

To book 7: I think Harry will die. The most people said this, and Rowling adheres to the opinions of other people... I hope you understand it

 

[spikeyli]

i agree about the writing - i think she could have brought more of the romance out in that one.

however, you really think harry needs to be taught a lesson about the pain of losing someone he loves? or are you just joking? were his parents not enough? sirius? and then dumbledore? you have to be kidding me!

well the pattern of the last few books is Harry keep losing someone close to him so I'm going with the pattern. Also they were all family type loved ones, but losing romantic love is a different type of pain that Harry hadn't experience yet. Yeah he pined after Cho Chang, but he didn't exactly lose her. Maybe if Ginny died, it'll push him to finally put an end to Voldemort? At one point, Harry questioned himself if he can be a murderer. Maybe this will push him over.

 

[lady.cordelia]

i see what you are saying. it is a sad thought. i am still not over sirius' death and i totally think dumbledore is alive (i have many theories on this, and some of them, if i do say so myself, are very plausible )

i think if voldemort killed any of his innercircle, it would be enough to kill. but i am not sure if it will be true murder. he will kill to save, so maybe he won't have to find it within himself to commit murder. to me, there is a big difference. and to murder would mean he would have to split his soul. i just don't see it. evidently dumbledore defeated the great dark wizard prior to LV, and i am assuming he killed him, but murder?

 

[spikeyli]

Yeah, I liked Serius a lot. I can say Harry really pissed me off in that book bc he had the mirror where he can talk to Serius the whole time and he never looked at it. It could have saved Serius' life.