Harry Potter Book 7 Theories
OK, I only have one more day before the final Harry Potter book comes out, so I had better get my theories up quick. Obviously this contains spoilers through book 6.
Harry: Lives. If JKR followed the normal heroic tradition he would have to die (Achilles), or at least not have a place in the world for himself (Frodo), but he will make it through, with a little help from his friends (and a lot of help from his enemies) and a strengthened relationship to boot. (He and Ginny will have trouble because he is out Horcrux Hunting but get through it for the better.)
Snape: Lives, or maybe that’s just because I want him to. He probably needs to die to vindicate himself, I just have this crazy dream that Harry will finally be able to see past the obvious conclusion and realize that he is good and be able to do something to save him at the last minute. Unfortunately Harry will probably remain clueless until it is too late.
Horcrux: RAB was Regulus, Mundungus stole it from Kreature along with hopefully some others that RAB got already, but I’m not holding my breath. (I really don’t want the book to be a treasure hunt.) Harry is one, but Voldemort broke it by using his (Harry’s) blood in bringing himself back to life. That would explain why Dumbledore was happy when he heard about how Voldemort came back. That’s my crazy prediction.
Slash: Harry/Ginny, Hermione/Ron, Tonks/Lupin (Dead), Bill/Fleur. Watching harry ginny and hermione ron be set up from the beginning has been one of my favorite things about reading this series.
Growing Up: Harry will finally realize that controlling his anger is the only way he can win, and that what Snape was teaching him the most important lessons of all: Close your mind and your mouth, occlumency and silent spells will be key, and don’t do the unforgivable curses. Leave that to Snape who will finish the job. The only question is how fast Harry will figure this out.
Deaths: Voldy, Wormtail (owes harry a life debt after all), Lupin (expendable and tragic, also only remaining father figure?). Not sure about the Weasleys, but I could easily see any of the non slashed hogwarts kids getting the axe. Cost of war and all that.
Now all I need to do is find the time to read the final book BEFORE SOMEONE SPOILS ME. I am warming up my brain to melt people with hate if they spoil me.
Update: Growing Up: I forgot one chunk of growing up that Harry has already done, at the beginning of OotP he is caught on the train with Luna and Neville by Cho and wishes that he wasn’t with them because they aren’t cool enough. At the beginning of HBP he defends them in front of others because he realizes that true friendship isn’t about being cool. They were willing to fight and die for him. I think that transition is one of my favorite moments in the book, and I hope that JKR will follow up on that in the next book, so harry doesn’t have to go it alone.
July 19th, 2007 at 12:21
Harry: Agree he will not croak. He may somehow “die” symbolically or temporarily (in keeping with the Campellian heroic archetype), but he’ll end the book non-dead.
Snape: I really don’t want him to die, but I think his odds of survival are low–less than 1/3. My loony dream is for him to end up the new headmaster of Hogwarts, but he will most likely die in a way that forces Harry to acknowledge that he was wrong all along.
Horcrux: I had not made the mental connection between Mundungus’ burglary and the horcrux(es), but it makes sense now that you point it out. I don’t remember, ’cause I wasn’t paying attention: was Mundungus still on the loose at the end of Book 6, or was he in custody?
Slash: I still have no idea where Tonks/Lupin came from. None. What about Draco/Myrtle?
Growth: nothing to say here
Death: I fully expect at least one of the myriad Weasleys to buy the farm. There’s too many of them for them *all* to survive. Bill’s safe because he already suffered a horrible, debilitating injury. Charlie’s the most expendable, since he hasn’t really shown up much at all in the series. Percy’s got to live so he can redeem himself/learn a Valuable Lesson. Ron and Ginny are safe. One of the twins would be the most shocking for the reader (barring Ron or Ginny). Mrs. Weasley would be the most devastating for the Weasley family, but I don’t think JRK has the space/time to devote to mourning Mrs. Weasley as she’d deserve, and we already did that with Dumbledore. My money’s on Mr. Weasley as the best balance between “expendable” and “affecting.”
Spoilers: This is why I am all intent on reading it this weekend, so I can avoid spoiling. I will be making a spoiler post, but I will take extra care to post warnings and protections so nobody is inadvertently spoiled.
July 19th, 2007 at 12:29
Oddly, I’m not up to this yet — although I’ve read 1-5 in the past week or so. Just starting book 6 while waiting for code to run.
I fear Harry won’t die, and that Snape will.
I agree with Pam’s comment on Mr. Weasley. I hadn’t thought of it that way, but you’re totally right.
In response to your previous post, about leaving too much in movie #5, Jen said there was a rumor that they were taking Kreacher out of it, and JKR said, “Umm, you probably don’t want to do that…” Definitely something about Horcruxes there if true.
I need to finish book 6 before I can do Horcrux-math again. I remember thinking it was Harry, but wow, your theory about Harry’s blood & Dumbledore is an excellent one.
July 19th, 2007 at 13:02
Pam,
Snape: …most likely die in a way that forces Harry to acknowledge that he was wrong all along.
Yeah I am totally afraid of this. I hope that Harry’s growth curve will let him figure it out before then, and if so love really will win the day (since he is able to overcome his hate of the person he hates the most). Unfortunately, given the past six books that seems unlikely.
…was Mundungus still on the loose at the end of Book 6, or was he in custody?
Nope, he was still on the run.
Slash: I still have no idea where Tonks/Lupin came from. None. What about Draco/Myrtle?
Tonks/Lupin was just extending the racism thread to encompass mixed relationships.
Death: I fully expect at least one of the myriad Weasleys to buy the farm. There’s too many of them for them *all* to survive. Bill’s safe because he already suffered a horrible, debilitating injury. … My money’s on Mr. Weasley as the best balance between “expendable” and “affecting.”
But Mr. Weasley already got whacked once. If one of the Weasley’s has to go, my money is on Charlie.
July 19th, 2007 at 13:08
Mike,
I heard that about JKR and this movie as well. In fact I came away from the movie wondering a number of times if she told them “oh no, that has to be in there.” If she did that would be too bad, because the best movie (IMO) was more worried about being a good movie, and less about following the book. (PoA).
Mostly I’m trying to forget everything I have heard JKR say for right now though. Except the thing about her being bad at math. (She’s let slip a lot of stuff, including numbers of characters that die in the last book, but I’m counting on her being bad at math to make those number go away.)
Interestingly once you know she is bad at math, you start noticing all sorts of little errors in the books. Like Ginny doing things before she is born. Well she IS the most powerful witch of her age.
July 31st, 2007 at 15:49
Hey, you (and Pam) totally called some of those! Good job