# Harry Potter : A Warning Shot Across the Bow **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 19, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011 "2003-06-19T21:54:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/1 "2003-06-19T21:54:16Z")
Yes, the new Harry potter book comes out on Saturday. Yes, there are rumors that a major character is going to be killed off. Yes, there are those who would want to reveal the name of said character and yea, verily, would do such e’en in a thread title. I have three words for such people. Don’t fucking do it. (Wait … one, two, three … oh, never mind.) It will be understood that any threads discussing the new book after it comes out _and mentioning the title implicity in the thread title_ are almost by necessity going to have spoilers in it. So I’m not going to listen to complaints for people who said that the book was spoiled for them since they read the thread about it. Therefore, let us say now that any threads where the title of the book is stated will most likely have spoilers and people who like surprises should stay away. However, spoiler tags should still be used if one is discussing Harry potter _in general_. But let it also be known that anyone who reveals any spoilers in the thread title itself will be in danger of losing their eternal souls, as well as their posting priviledges. I think this policy should satisfy everyone. Thank you. And may all your Christmasses be white. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/2 "2003-06-19T22:52:19Z")
Can we extend the policy to not giving away plot points in the book in the0 thread title at all please? Before **Goblet of Fire** came out in PB, someone worded a thread like this " Character death: I can’t believe it made me cry! (Harry Potter- Goblet of Fire)" since many of us hadn’t read it yet… I know, we could have bought the HC, but many people wait until paperbacks come out to read books. Thanks 😃 ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/3 "2003-06-19T23:26:14Z")
Yeah, I remember that GOF thread that said “I can’t believe Rowling killed so-and-so” right in the fucking title. I hadn’t read it yet, thanks a lot you bitch. :mad: Normally I “wait for the paperback” but I have a feeling that I’ll have to buy this one on h/c (or borrow someone’s copy) because avoiding spoilers for TWO YEARS will be impossible!!! ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/4 "2003-06-19T23:31:23Z")
I’m content with avoiding spoilers in the thread titles. Anyone who doesn’t want to be spoiled can stay out of the threads themselves. How many minutes after the books releases do you think it’ll be before someone breaks the rule? We could start a pool… ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/5 "2003-06-19T23:33:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eutychus \* > \*\*And may all your Christmasses be white. \*\* **REPORTED** for racism! ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/6 "2003-06-19T23:52:39Z")
And may all your Christmasses be white. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tars Tarkas \* > \*\ ***REPORTED** for racism! \*\* And religiousism and Northern Hemispherism It was a serious shock finding out Harry Potter was gay though, wasn’t it. ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/7 "2003-06-20T00:09:32Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a _pre-emptive_ anti-spoiler thread, geared towards a specific thing, here. Yeah, Harry Potter’s big. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cajela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cajela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cajela)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/8 "2003-06-20T00:11:39Z")
Tee hee. Northern hemispherism. Go Bippy. Hey, can we have totally unfounded speculation here? I reckon: Most likely: Hagrid, Ron Medium likely: Dumbledore, Sirius Least likely but still possible: Hermione, Ginny Not likely at all, but it would rock: Any Dursley, Malfoy ---
**Author:** ![Kallessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@Kallessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kallessa)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/9 "2003-06-20T00:12:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bippy the Beardless \* > \*\* > It was a serious shock finding out Harry Potter was gay though, wasn’t it. \*\* I had no problem with him being gay, but the whole “vegan, eco-terrorist” sub-plot (especially when they turned all those SUV owners into elephants), was a bit to far out for me. Oh shucks, was that a spoiler? ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/10 "2003-06-20T00:15:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cajela \* > \*\*Hey, can we have totally unfounded speculation here? \*\* Not in this thread, no. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/11 "2003-06-20T01:12:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eutychus \* > > Yes, there are rumors that a major character is going to be killed off. I don’t keep up on Harry Potter rumors, so I hadn’t heard this until reading this thread. The Harry Potter books aren’t a really huge deal to me, but they might be to others, and I wonder if it wouldn’t be nicer to put this info in spoiler brackets? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/12 "2003-06-20T01:44:44Z")
Well, now you’ve heard it. 🙂 It’s just a rumor, not a substantiated fact. I also heard a rumor there’s a big orgy scene in Chapter 4. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_of\_the\_CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Earl\_of\_the\_CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_of_the_CC)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/13 "2003-06-20T02:04:19Z")
Actually, Dantheman, it’s fact. Not just a rumor. Rowling has stated it many times and even talked about how she wouldn’t even tell her husband who it was. It’s definitely not just a rumor. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/14 "2003-06-20T02:29:00Z")
Is there a thread for “unfounded speculation”? Kept out of the title, and in a spoiler box of course. I had a weird idea who might be the one to go. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/15 "2003-06-20T02:34:26Z")
It’s a rumor, because **Euty** said it was, and he’s always right. ---
**Author:** ![cajela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cajela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cajela)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/16 "2003-06-20T03:12:21Z")
Thanks, dantheman. I like this board, everyone is so polite to newbies! For those looking for the right place, try this one [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=154479](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=154479) ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/17 "2003-06-20T03:14:04Z")
I hope you’re referring to the character death, **Earl** , and not the “big orgy scene” **dantheman** referred to in the post directly above yours. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/18 "2003-06-20T03:23:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Earl of the CC \* > \*\*Actually, Dantheman, it’s fact. Not just a rumor. Rowling has stated it many times and even talked about how she wouldn’t even tell her husband who it was. It’s definitely not just a rumor. \*\* Yes, I even heard that she was in tears after killing off the character… her husband told her not to do it if it affected her so badly. Her response: “When you’re a children’s book author, you have to be a ruthless killer.” That said, the Harry Potter books aren’t a big deal to me… but definitely are to other people. Hey, did anybody hear about the Montreal-area woman who bought a copy of _Goblet of Fire_ at Wal-Mart last week, after the book was mistakenly put on shelves? F\_X ---
**Author:** ![Wearia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Wearia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wearia)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/19 "2003-06-20T03:59:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Flamsterette\_X \* > \*\* > > Hey, did anybody hear about the Montreal-area woman who bought a copy of _Goblet of Fire_ at Wal-Mart last week, after the book was mistakenly put on shelves? > > F\_X \*\* Yeap. Some girl named Mellisa. It also happened somewhere in the states where a health store put the book out early. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011/20 "2003-06-20T05:25:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wearia \* > \*\* Yeap. Some girl named Mellisa. It also happened somewhere in the states where a health store put the book out early. \*\* New York? At least it’s a NYC newspaper that printed spoilers from the book itself. Supposedly they got the book at whatever store it was. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-a-warning-shot-across-the-bow/183011.md?page=2)