# How will the Harry Potter series end? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 2, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486 "2004-11-02T03:18:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/21 "2004-11-02T20:48:52Z")
I’m betting Penelope Clearwater will be one of the first Muggle-borns to die after the war breaks out, bringing Percy firmly back into the fold. I also think either Harry or Ron will die in the final battle, but my money’s on Ron, because that chess game in Book One looks like massive foreshadowing. However, I could also see Harry buying it (taking Voldemort down with him, of course) and Ron and Hermione riding off into the sunset. I don’t think there will be any more major couples among the kiddies _besides_ Ron and Hermione. It would seem far and away too pat if everybody paired up at seventeen. Oh yeah, and Peter Pettigrew will go out in some massively redeeming and self-sacrificing way. At least, I will be very disappointed if he doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/22 "2004-11-02T21:08:06Z")
> [@](#): > > I do love Luna, and Rowling has said that she really enjoys Luna’s character. That being said, however, I’m not too sure I’m eager to see her hook up with Harry. What about Neville? They seem oddly appropriate for each other. Nah, I don’t think that he’s Harry’s type ;). But seriously, I’ll be most upset if Luna and Harry end up romantically affiliated. For the first four books, every single Ravenclaw we met existed primarily as a love interest for someone or another. Percy’s girlfriend was a Ravenclaw. Cho Chang: Ravenclaw. Padma Patil, who did nothing in the series but go to the dance with (Ron or Harry, can’t remember): Ravenclaw. The unimportant dude who ends up going to the dance with Fleur: Ravenclaw. The only other folks who are even mentioned as Ravenclaws up to that point are Sorted in _Philosopher’s Stone_ and never heard from since. It was refreshing, in _Order of the Phoenix_, to finally see a significant Ravenclaw character who isn’t a love interest, and she ought to stay that way. I’ll agree that Ron and Hermione are becoming an item, and it’s not even a secret to them any more. Unless British culture is a lot more different than I realize, a teenage guy doesn’t give a girl perfume for Christmas unless there’s some interest there. I also think that ultimately, Harry and Ginny will end up together: Ginny has never failed to accomplish anything, once she’s set her mind to it, and in _Chamber of Secrets_, she set her mind to Harry. She’s willing to bide her time, but sooner or later, Harry will be hers, and I’m not sure he’s going to have much say in the matter. Neville does fancy Ginny, but there’s no indication it’s mutual. I do suspect, though, that if/when Neville’s heroic sacrifice does come, it’ll be protecting Ginny in some way. My guess is that he intercepts an Avada Kedavra from Bellatrix, in much the same way that Harry’s mom did for him. It’s a dramatic necessity that Dumbledore will die, sometime before the final battle, but I think it’ll be in book 7, not 6. My take is that Harry finally realizes he should get Dumbledore involved at the beginning of a problem, not the end, and goes rushing to his office, just in time to discover him dead on the carpet. ---
**Author:** ![JerH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@JerH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerH)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/23 "2004-11-02T21:56:35Z")
> [@Kythereia](#): > > > [@JerH](#): > > > > Tonks is a traitor - but that won’t come out 'til Book 7. > > No! You take that back!!! It’s mostly that I believe that someone in the Order will be a traitor, and she seems the most likely. She just seems a little too flighty, and not particularly suited to the cause. The way she was written in #5, she seemed like a character that JKR introduced with the intention of doing something specific with her in #6 or 7; since she’s already got plenty of beloved characters that could easily be killed and cause more anguish, I figured she was put in for some nefarious purpose. Also - I forgot earlier, but I think Draco Malfoy ends up as a Snape-like character; that is, he starts out evil but ends up on the side of good, probably because of some big disillusionment, like his father being capriciously killed by Voldemort. (I suspect something similar happened years earlier to cause Snape to turn away from being a Death Eater.) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/24 "2004-11-02T22:56:38Z")
I’m taking my theories from [Mugglenet.com](http://www.mugglenet.com) and [The Harry Potter Lexicon](http://www.hp-lexicon.org/index-2.html). According to the Lexicon, Dumbledore defeated a dark wizard named Grindelwald in 1945. > [@](#): > > Because of the year of Grindelwald’s defeat, which is stated on the Chocolate Frog card about Dumbledore, some have speculated that Grindelwald and Hitler were the same person or that Grindelwald was somehow related to the events of World War II. My theory on couples comes from [Mugglenet](http://www.mugglenet.com/books/hpcouples.shtml). ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/25 "2004-11-02T23:26:59Z")
I’m hoping that the Weasley twins come in, kick ass, take names and leave good-looking corpses - their enemy’s corpses, of course. Is that too much to ask? I LOVED the scene where they leave school - one of the best written parts of all the Harry Potter books, but I was so sad to see them go! ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/26 "2004-11-03T00:48:57Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s mostly that I believe that someone in the Order will be a traitor, and she seems the most likely. She just seems a little too flighty, and not particularly suited to the cause. The way she was written in #5, she seemed like a character that JKR introduced with the intention of doing something specific with her in #6 or 7; since she’s already got plenty of beloved characters that could easily be killed and cause more anguish, I figured she was put in for some nefarious purpose. Well, I can think of two not-so-nefarious purposes that Tonks already serves: – Fun, non-parental grown-up friend – in the career Harry aspires to, no less. (Possibly Bill or Charlie could step into this role, but they’re not Aurors and therefore can’t do as much mentoring.) – Metamorphagus; and more to the point, nonthreatening character who casually introduces Harry to the _concept_ of Metamorphagi, much as McGonagall does for Animagi. How much do you want to bet we see an evil one in the next couple of books? (My money’s on Narcissa Malfoy; she’s a close relative of Tonks, and it’s interesting that she _doesn’t_ look anything like her other Black relatives.) ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/27 "2004-11-03T01:46:27Z")
Hmmmm. It would be tidy if, in book 7, Snape finally gets the DAtDA job–and then dies. In a heroic way, for once. Lupin has been the best of the Dark Arts bunch, and his appointment caused an awful lot of controversy. Perhaps, if Snape dies a heroic death while at the job, it will break the DAtDA curse–leaving it clear for Harry. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@Mr\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/28 "2004-11-03T02:03:33Z")
I guess I’m in the minority but I don’t see any of them having careers right after leaving Hogwarts. Auror training takes 3 yrs (if I remember correctly) and I imagine Hermione will go on to higher education. If any of them did want to become teachers I would imagine they would need some sort of certification. I do see romance blossoming ( Ron/Hermione and Harry/Ginny) but no marriage or engagements at such young ages. Personally I wouldn’t want things to be tied up _too_ neatly. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/29 "2004-11-03T04:10:17Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > Hmmmm. It would be tidy if, in book 7, Snape finally gets the DAtDA job–and then dies. In a heroic way, for once. Lupin has been the best of the Dark Arts bunch, and his appointment caused an awful lot of controversy. Perhaps, if Snape dies a heroic death while at the job, it will break the DAtDA curse–leaving it clear for Harry. Rowling has said in an interview that one of Harry’s classmates will become a teacher at Hogwarts, but it _won’t_ be Harry himself (and she’s strongly hinted that it won’t be Hermione, either). I have a completely batty idea that the token redeemed Slytherin – whoever it may be – will take over the History of Magic job from Binns, but it’s a likelier bet that it’s Neville Longbottom and Herbology. Anyway, Lupin SO needs to get the DADA job back at the end of the series. I will be greatly annoyed with Rowling if he doesn’t get a decently happy ending. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/30 "2004-11-03T10:24:03Z")
He marries you and you live happily ever after together. OK? Is that what you wanted to hear? {OK, I’m wildly misquoting J K Rowling on The Simpsons from memory, but you get the idea} ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/31 "2004-11-03T22:26:07Z")
Snape getting the DADA job in book 7 would be sweet. Along with Arthur Weasely becoming Minister of Magic. ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/32 "2004-11-03T22:40:18Z")
> [@Fretful Porpentine](#): > > I’m betting Penelope Clearwater will be one of the first Muggle-borns to die after the war breaks out, bringing Percy firmly back into the fold. **Or** traumatizing and twisting him into Voldy’s right hand man (like Metatron in _The Amber Spyglass_). ---
**Author:** ![Hamish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Hamish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamish)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/33 "2004-11-03T22:41:29Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > Harry has said that he’d like to be an Auror. Hm. If Voldemort’s dead, what’s the point? Mopping up? His real love is Quidditch. Maybe he’ll go on to be a professional player. Maybe not. I can’t see him being happy doing that. He’ll be too young to be the Headmaster after Dumbledore dies (which I think will happen at the end of Book Six). I have an idea that he’ll become a Professor at Hogwarts. I doubt Voldemort’s defeat will bring an end to Dark Wizards always and everywhere. Remember, he’s only “the most powerful dark wizard in a century.” that means there have been worse than Voldemort. Rowling’s nixed the idea of Harry becoming a teacher. She says she only sees him in an “action-oriented” career, not academia. I only predict that all my predictions will be wrong. Rowling’s too fast for me, and I’ve never predicted one of her twist endings. I’m hoping for some kind of a happy ending – or at least a job – for my favourite character Lupin, but who knows? ---
**Author:** ![Hamish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Hamish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamish)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/34 "2004-11-03T22:46:40Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > What about the Dursleys? Some wizards get a late start. (Neville, for example, showed no magical aptitude until he was accidentally dropped out of a window.) Might be interesting if Dudley suddenly showed signs of magical ability. Rowling has said there are no surprises coming about Dudley – “Dudley is just Dudley.” We already know everything about him. _However_, she has hinted that there’s something up with Petunia. When someone asked her if Petunia was a squib, she said no (because both of their parents were Muggles), but suggested that we were right to wonder about Petunia. She also said recently on her website that Petunia got letters from Dumbledore _before_ Harry’s parents were killed, leading many to speculate that Petunia is a witch who refused to go to Hogwarts, and always regretted the decision. ---
**Author:** ![Hamish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Hamish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamish)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/35 "2004-11-03T22:48:55Z")
> [@Mr Jim](#): > > I guess I’m in the minority but I don’t see any of them having careers right after leaving Hogwarts. Auror training takes 3 yrs (if I remember correctly) and I imagine Hermione will go on to higher education. True, but she has said the last book will be the longest, and so maybe she’ll leave behind her previous pattern, and give a glimpse of future years. ---
**Author:** ![Hamish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Hamish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamish)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/36 "2004-11-03T23:37:28Z")
Since this is the only active HP thread, I’ll mention this here. Rowling’s revealed 3 chapter titles from the _Half-Blood Prince_ on her website: Chapter 2: Spinner’s End Chapter 6: Draco’s Detour Chapter 14: Felix Felicis ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/37 "2004-11-03T23:41:03Z")
> [@Hamish](#): > > _However_, she has hinted that there’s something up with Petunia. When someone asked her if Petunia was a squib, she said no (because both of their parents were Muggles), but suggested that we were right to wonder about Petunia. Did she really say that? 🆒 > [@Hamish](#): > > She also said recently on her website that Petunia got letters from Dumbledore _before_ Harry’s parents were killed, leading many to speculate that Petunia is a witch who refused to go to Hogwarts, and always regretted the decision. Are they really speculating that? 🆒🆒 [Lookit what I posted in June, 2003 (see my paragraph two).](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3611572&postcount=112) 🆒🆒🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Hamish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Hamish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamish)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/38 "2004-11-03T23:53:01Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Did she really say that? 🆒 Are they really speculating that? 🆒🆒 Yup. Go to the first headline of the newspaper at her website (not the tabloid), and it’s somewhere in there, about 1/4 of the way down – the brief mention that there’s something about Petunia. For the stuff about the letters from Dumbledore, go to FAQ (the paper clips), and click on “FAQ polls.” She mentions it in the text about the recent winner. For the chapter titles, you have to go to the Room of Requirement (the black hairband – the circle in the middle), and go to the locked door. Turn out the light, and wait. If you wait long enough, something willhappen, and that’s all I’m saying 😉 > [@](#): > > [Lookit what I posted in June, 2003 (see my paragraph two).](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3611572&postcount=112) > > 🆒🆒🆒 Well, you don’t have to gloat 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/39 "2004-11-03T23:55:53Z")
> [@](#): > > Chapter 14: Felix Felicis Which translates to “lucky cat”. I would imagine that that would be Crookshanks, but considering that Godric Griffindor or a decendant of his is suspected to be significant in this one, it might well also be a lion. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486/40 "2004-11-04T01:44:10Z")
> [@Hamish](#): > > Yup. Go to the first headline of the newspaper at her website (not the tabloid), and it’s somewhere in there, about 1/4 of the way down – the brief mention that there’s something about Petunia. > > For the stuff about the letters from Dumbledore, go to FAQ (the paper clips), and click on “FAQ polls.” She mentions it in the text about the recent winner. > > For the chapter titles, you have to go to the Room of Requirement (the black hairband – the circle in the middle), and go to the locked door. Turn out the light, and wait. If you wait long enough, something willhappen, and that’s all I’m saying 😉 > > Well, you don’t have to gloat 😛 Actually, on a day like today, I really do have to gloat about SOMETHING. ☹ Let’s not go there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-harry-potter-series-end/272486.md?page=3)