So…what you’re saying is…there’s continuity errors in the Harry Potter series?
You know what that means…
In 25 years, they’ll go back and digitally remove any errors from the films.
Hagrid will say “most of the wizards who went bad were Slytherin”
and
In CoS, Malfoy will shoot first in the dueling scene…oh wait…
No, just that Hagrid, like any REAL person, overgeneralizes and exaggerates.
VERY good point! In order to know every nook and cranny to write the Maurader’s Map, the four would have to know where all the houses were located. If they were ALL Gryffindor there would be no chance (Harry, Ron, and Hermione have no clue where other houses are located). This seems to weigh in favor of each of the four being in a different house. Thus, all of them together could create the map in full detail.
Besides, doesn’t the Sorting Hat speak of previous times where all four houses kind of came together instead of where at each other’s throats? Could when James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were attending be one of those times?
Then again, it could be just continuity errors explained later by Rowling ;).
There’s no reason at all why they couldn’t have come up with some enchantment that would do it for them (create the full map), or to discover the houses on their own. Harry and Ron have discovered where two of the houses are already without needing the help of other house members.
Yeah, but believing Harry to be a pure-blood explains why Malfoy wanted him in Slytherin and why he never insulted Harry’s family like Hermione’s
Good point. Percy’s girlfriend is from another house, isn’t she? And Harry’s crush, Cho Chang, was a Ravenclaw.
As for the head of Ravenclaw House, I’d guess Flitwick, just because he’s a more prominent character than Sinestra or any of the other “Ravenclaw-esque” teachers. Binns was probably a Ravenclaw, but I don’t imagine that they’d let a ghost be the head of a house.
This comment got me thinking for possible reasons for Sirius dying:
Also, which Weasley do people think will die? I think a Weasley death is extremely likely (given all the death fakeouts/foreshadowings). My picks in the Weasley death pool are:
Actually, they needed the help of Draco to find the second house (‘help’ of another house member). Even after drinking the Polyjuice potion (how many students do you think would do that?) they were totally lost until Draco showed up.
I don’t think any of the Weaselys or Hermione will die. The Weasely family is just too strong, happy, and loving to insert a death into the family.
My predictions (no spoilers since they’re just guesses):
The Durseleys will change for the better. They may not become the Weaselys, but they’ll become more accepting when they find out Mrs. Durseley has magical abilities she’s suppressed. She might even need to die saving Harry’s life, or come close. The relationship with Harry will change to something approaching respect, or at least politeness.
Dumbledore will die, for the reasons outlined above (he’s the deus ex machina Harry will need to stop relying on, and he’s the father/grandfather figure Harry must avenge).
Snape and Harry will come to an understanding, especially when Snape finally realizes Harry isn’t James. He’s been very immature on this matter, blaming a kid for the actions of his father, and in general treating him like shit.
Harry will realize Snape has saved his life more times than anyone, even Dumbledore has. I’ve wanted to slap Harry more than a few times for his attitude toward Snape, even when the man saves his life. Not even a thanks. I really hope Snape doesn’t die, though. I think his death, even if it’s to save Harry’s life, will create unresolvable issues. His story needs to be wrapped up with his life, not death.
Draco ends up saving Harry’s life, or vice-versa. It creates a sort of love-hate relationship (sort of Buffy-Cordelia or Buffy-Spike). Draco starts to realize his family’s way isn’t the right way. Draco is smart and has great leadership abilities, but he’s a coward and gets off on being mean. Still, he’s young and could change; maybe he’ll turn his back on his family’s Voldemort connection. I also think he has a crush on Hermione, and he’s jealous of her relationship with Ron.
Hermione and Ron will actually get together. OK, that one almost seems inevitable. I also like the Neville-Ginny relationship better than Harry-Ginny. I just don’t think Harry needs a serious relationship until Voldemort’s dead.
The verdict’s still out on whether Harry will need to die to kill Voldemort. On the one hand, a bit of meta-gaming would imply that Rowlings wouldn’t do something so serious in a children’s book. On the other hand, I’ve read plenty of stories where the main character(s) died as sacrifice, (or should’ve; sorry, but I think Sam and Frodo should’ve died). It’s a dangerous chance, but if it fits the story, it should be done.
I’m re-reading OotP, and one of the scenes has Hermione passing out fake Galleons, so the other participants of the Defense of the Dark Arts practical training sessions can be notified when there’s a change of time or date.
It’s mentioned that it would seem odd for students from other houses crossing rooms to speak to each other, hence the Protean charm on the fake Galleons to notify of changes.
Now, one or two students (like Percy and his girlfriend, or Harry and Cho) from different houses may not seem odd, but since there’s 25 students in Harry’s training classes, that could cause a raised eyebrow.
So, I would guess that would mean that wholesale mingling amongst the students simply isn’t done (outside of mealtimes and mixed classes, of course.)
Yes, although this might have been different before the civil war (is there a proper name for the Voldemort/Death Eater uprising?) If there has always been such a deep rift between the houses, the whole concept of the school looks a bit odd.
From OotP p 842:
“He chose the boy he thought most likely to be a danger to him,” said Dumbledore. “And notice this, Harry. He chose, not the pureblood (which according to his creed, is the only kind of wizard worth being or knowing), but the half-blood, like himself.” (Referring to Harry, of course. So at the very least Dumbledore himself doesn’t consider Harry a pureblood.)
I’ve heard a theory that Petunia is a Squib, and that made her so bitter that she completely shuns the wizarding world. She does seem to know things that most Muggles wouldn’t know, escpecially one who has such a distaste for magic. (She knows what dementors are, she is cowed by Dumbledore’s message to her-- why does she even know who he is?)
But that theory wouldn’t jibe with that statement… unless Dumbledore wanted to conceal Lily’s true parentage from him. I can’t think why he would, though.
To tell you the truth Diver I have just finished that very section. I decided to revise my Potter knowledge over the weekend and I can now see I was quite wrong. And I also have to admit that I think Sirius is dead now. 
I do have an idea for the ending but it probably sounds quite a bit lame. They’ll have been a big war by then, a few regulars dying like Dumbledore, maybe Longbottom but only after he’s killed Bellatrix(?) as revenge. Herm and Ron get together. Ginny will have been with Longbottom but he’s dead so she’ll be all forlorn. Percy will either redeem himself and join Order or die with Fudge and the rest of the ministry. Oh the minstry is going to be obliterated as well.
So end of the war draws near. Massive battle. Giants split between the sides, Goblins will join the wizards as Dumbledore promises them their freedom. They’ll be dragons brought over by Ron’s brother. Dementors as well on V’s side. So huge battle. Bish Bash Bosh. And it’s Harry and Voldemort head to head. There’s an intense battle but Harry isn’t strong enough and ZZZZAP! he’s dead. But wait…what’s going on. A strange force leaves Harry and enters Voldemort. Voldemort is given a conscience, little Jiminy Cricket’s sitting on his shoulder saying, “Well, who’s been a naughty boy.” Remember the prophecy:
…neither can live, while the other survives.
Voldemort is now very much alive with a brand new Harry-soul burning away inside him. He can’t handle it, the remorse, the guilt, the anguish and in one almighty blast he destroys himself and every one of his supporters. Then it’s left to the survivors to pick up the pieces. McGonagall will become Headmaster of Hogwarts, some new character (maybe one of the Wizengamot) will become Minister. And at the very end some new students will be ushered off the train by a call of “Firs’ Years!” where they will be brought into the entrance hall, where there will stand tall statues of previous students and member of the Order, with Potter at the very front and someone will say “That’s Harry Potter” and McGonagall will say something like “I’ll have to tell you the story of Harry Potter some day.”
But if we take Rawling’s word about the envelope, it’ll be more like…
“I’ll have to tell you the story of Harry Potter some day. Ow! Damn you Mrs. Norris! Scat! Hmmm…that’ll leave a scar.”
According to Mugglenet (http://www.mugglenet.com/books/booksix/facts.shtml):
Rowling has said that Fudge will be replaced as Minister of Magic in Book 6.
That’s because he’ll be a-sploded with the rest of the ministry.
Quoth DeadlyAccurate:
I think that a lot of Snape’s animosity towards Harry is an act. Look at the Occlumency lessons, where there’s no audience, and Snape’s almost polite to Harry. Well, at least until he catches him snooping around in the Pensieve. That will do some damage to the relationship.
And the fight with Voldemort et al was the Dark War, for what it’s worth. Or the First Dark War, more likely.
Incidentally, Voldemort himself is the counterexample that proves that Mudbloods can join Slytherin House, post-Founders.
I predict that book 7 will be longer than Lord Of The Rings, but only half as tedious.
And only half as original.