# Damn you J.K. Rowling (potentially) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 27, 2006, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414 "2006-06-27T23:43:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2006, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/81 "2006-06-28T22:40:02Z")
[QUOTE=Sattua] Apology accepted, jjimm. I jumped down your throat. I’ve been sitting on a rant about dialectic snobbery for a long time, and that just set me off. [/QUOTE] No offense taken anymore. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/82 "2006-06-28T22:44:21Z")
The very first ‘Peanuts’ strip (Here comes Charlie Brown…Good Ol’ Charlie Brown, yes, sir…There goes Charlie Brown…How I hate him!) got Schulz hate mail for the same reasons as the OP. Real conflict, real costs, real hate… are part of life - sheltering kids from it is pointless and makes for poorer arts. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2006, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/83 "2006-06-28T22:58:45Z")
[QUOTE=Morgyn] Neat trick, that. [/QUOTE] :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/84 "2006-06-28T23:13:15Z")
[QUOTE=Morgyn] Neat trick, that. 😉 [/QUOTE] A wizard did it. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/85 "2006-06-29T00:25:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Her characters, her story, her plot- and she can do whatever the hell she wants with them. I want the final book to be the book she always wanted to write, not some half-arsed, half-hearted compromise because she doesn’t want to risk upsetting the poor kiddiwinkles. > > So, I don’t care who lives and who dies in the books, as long as it’s a good story and it works as an ending to the series. I’m with **irishgirl**. It’s Rowling’s story and she should do with it as she pleases. There isn’t really any way she could end the thing that would truly piss me off – well, maybe the it’s-all-a-dream scenario. But even that she could probably pull off. Which isn’t to say I don’t speculate – I do, of course. I’m another who thought the spoiler in the linked article was pretty lame. That a _least_ two characters will die is pretty much a given. Myself, as I’ve said before, I don’t expect any of the Big Three to be on the casualty list. But pretty much anyone else could go. If we were doing a poll and I _had_ to vote, I’d say that Snape will die (probably in the final battle with Voldy; and possibly saving Harry’s life) and Charley Weasley (because a Weasley’s gotta go and I don’t want it to be one of the twins). But Rowling could (and probably will) fool me. She’s done it before. And can’t she write _faster_? ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/86 "2006-06-29T01:11:32Z")
I agree that the story is Rowling’s to do what she likes with it–to an extent. She must stay true to her characters or have them _volte face_ in a believable way. She cannot literarily say, nyah, nyah-jokes on you! to her readers. She cannot cop out and make the wrapping up a shallow one (the only a dream is one example of this). I doubt she’ll do any of the above. I hope that Harry lives, as well as Neville et al. But I can accept any one of their deaths, if they are written well and obey the exigencies of plot and character. Anything else is unacceptable. I think the OP may have meant something similiar. I am 43 and I find myself desiring happiness more and more. At times I want to scream along the lines of, “is it too much to ask for one ray of hope? A bit of cheer? something?” Life does shitty things to people and wishing for a bit of vicarious joy in HP is no crime. Re Disney–there are dark spots in Disney (nevermind that the whole concept of Disney to me is a black hole, never mind dark spot!)–but the emphasis is definetly on “wholesome”-whatever that may mean… ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/87 "2006-06-29T02:00:01Z")
[QUOTE=Jess] I’d say that Snape will die (probably in the final battle with Voldy; and possibly saving Harry’s life) and Charley Weasley (because a Weasley’s gotta go and I don’t want it to be one of the twins). [/QUOTE] How about the weaselly Weasley? Percy? He could become a non-nitwit and then die heroically. I’m hopeful. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/88 "2006-06-29T03:03:27Z")
That would be nice, **jsgoddess** – he’s certainly the Weasley I could most spare. But I think Rowling will keep ol’ Percy around, and I don’t think she’s going to rehabilitate him either. I think she’s using him as an illustration of what Sirius said to Harry – that the world isn’t just made up of nice people and Death Eaters. Percy is a sycophantic little toady, out for what he can get. And he’ll remain a sycophantic little toady, out for what he can get. If Voldemort won the war, then Percy would be first in line to be a Death Eater. Until then, he’ll be circling the Minister of Magic. I have a pet theory that being a member of the Order of the Phoenix will help Arthur Weasley in his career – I think, after the war, he’ll be a good deal higher in the government than he is now. Maybe even in line for Minister someday. That’s when Percy will come back to the family. Arthur and the rest of the kids won’t trust or believe him, but will tolerate him for Molly’s sake… I _do_ think one of the Weasley’s will have to die. I don’t think it will be Molly or Arthur or Ginny, and, as I said in my previous post, I don’t think it will be Ron. So, eliminating Percy, that leaves Bill, the twins, or Charlie. Bill’s already lost his face, so I tend to think he’s off the hook. The twins are a definate possibility – the loss of one or both would be a Maximum Emotional Impact. I wouldn’t put it past Rowling, frankly, but they’re favorites of mine, so I’m hoping agianst hope that they’ll be spared. That leaves Charlie, whose death would be a Medium Emotional Impact. We readers haven’t seen him enough to get too attached to him, but we’d see his loss through his family’s eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/89 "2006-06-29T04:10:04Z")
[QUOTE=Idlewild] If Harry Potter dying would upset you, never, ever, ever read Guy Gavriel Kay’s Fionavar Tapestry. Sob. [/QUOTE] That was an excellent, well-written book, and it grabbed my emotions to the extent that I don’t think I can ever read it a second time. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/90 "2006-06-29T12:38:50Z")
**Excalibre** you forgot the last line\*\* Harry felt his forehead and it was gone. It had all been a dream. He had no scar. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/91 "2006-06-29T12:43:08Z")
[QUOTE=Jess] And can’t she write _faster_? [/QUOTE] I think we should send her a case of RedBull, expresso and some cold meds. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/92 "2006-06-29T14:47:40Z")
[QUOTE=Shirley Ujest] **Excalibre** you forgot the last line\*\* Harry felt his forehead and it was gone. It had all been a dream. He had no scar. [/QUOTE] 😕 It was clear from what I wrote that it was a dream. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/93 "2006-06-29T16:46:37Z")
No, JK has revealed earlier that the last word in the Harry Potter series is going to be “scar”. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/94 "2006-06-29T16:58:31Z")
[QUOTE=Lemur866] No, JK has revealed earlier that the last word in the Harry Potter series is going to be “scar”. [/QUOTE] “Harry kissed Ron full on the lips, letting his fingertips graze the lanky redhead’s jaw. Then they both climbed into hi scar.” - from _Harry Potter and the Broomstick of Flesh_ ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/95 "2006-06-29T17:17:50Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] “Harry kissed Ron full on the lips, letting his fingertips graze the lanky redhead’s jaw. Then they both climbed into hi scar.” - from _Harry Potter and the Broomstick of Flesh_ [/QUOTE] 😃 ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/96 "2006-06-29T17:54:51Z")
[QUOTE=Excalibre] 😃 [/QUOTE] I’m SURE there’s some HP slash fic among all the fanfic out there. I’m just, quite frankly, afraid to look. ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/97 "2006-06-29T18:05:27Z")
[QUOTE=Jess] The twins are a definate possibility – the loss of one or both would be a Maximum Emotional Impact. I wouldn’t put it past Rowling, frankly, but they’re favorites of mine, so I’m hoping agianst hope that they’ll be spared. [/QUOTE] I think the twins have become much more likely, because she’s said that she’s had to kill off two characters that she intended to spare, while another got a reprieve. I think this means that she changed her mind on which Weasley to kill off, and that it’s going to be both twins instead of one of the others. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/98 "2006-06-29T18:32:52Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] I’m SURE there’s some HP slash fic among all the fanfic out there. I’m just, quite frankly, afraid to look. [/QUOTE] I looked once. Yeah, it’s there. It’s _ample_. If we could find a way to convert Harry Potter slash into energy, no one would bother drilling for oil ever again. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/99 "2006-06-29T18:37:20Z")
[QUOTE=Excalibre] I looked once. Yeah, it’s there. It’s _ample_. If we could find a way to convert Harry Potter slash into energy, no one would bother drilling for oil ever again. [/QUOTE] Nope, we could leave all the “drilling for oil” up to…ah, I can’t even say it. Further horrible jokes enclosed in spoiler box for your protection. Of course, we could put a whole other meaning on Ollivander saying “Mmm…yes…thirteen inches, a little on the whippy side…” ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414/100 "2006-06-29T19:35:37Z")
[QUOTE=pudytat72] I’m tired of all the violence in life. I know this is fantasy, but why not make it a positive thing, since there is a choice to be made? [/QUOTE] Read the other six Harry Potter books. She kills off major characters in every single one of them. [QUOTE=pudytat72] Maybe it is all a publicity stunt. [/QUOTE] J.K. Rowling needs more publicity? I doubt that. You seem to be forgetting that it’s _her book_, not yours. She invented Harry Potter, and she’s free to do what she wishes with him. I think **irishgirl** said it very well in post #57. [QUOTE=Plynck] …shoot them both between the head. [/QUOTE] 😕 And here, for your spoiling pleasure, is the _real_ ending to the Harry Potter septology: > [@](#): > > Harry stood shaking, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. His arm dropped to his side and his wand fell from his limp fingers. He looked up into Ginny’s eyes as she held the empty water bucket. Voldemort managed to gasp out, “I’m meltinnnnnnng,” as he died. Harry embraced Ginny. “You’ve done it,” he said. Harry didn’t look behind him, where Hermione stood over the smouldering body of Severus Snape. “You’ve avenged Ron’s death.” Despite the rumors (sorry, “rumours”), Ginny does not say, “Is that your wand in your pocket or are you just happy to see me.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-j-k-rowling-potentially/362414.md?page=6)