Of course he’ll somehow defeat the evil Voldemort in the end. But I mean any plot developments or twists that you have a strong suspicion about?
I could be completely wrong, and yet the following just somehow fits: The reason Snape turned traitor against Voldemort? Snape had a wife and child, once. Then Voldemort ordered Snape to kill them to prove his loyalty- and knowing they were doomed anyway, Snape had to kill his own family. He then vowed he would see Voldemort dead and in Hell, and became Dumbledoor’s spy.
I’m pretty sure that Harry is going to die in the end. The way Rowling writes the book just screams out pyrrhic victory to me, and it would fit in with the inherent tragedy of the character of Harry. This will of course be after watching the people he has come to consider family dying off in interesting ways. Ron, Hermione, Sirius, Dumbledore… got to motivate the boy somehow.
Harry will not listen when told he is forbidden to do something.
Harry, Hermoine and Ron will risk their lives to save Hogsworth/Harry/witches in general.
Harry’s foster family will be really mean to him.
Hermoine will dissapear during the middle of the school year to have Ron’s baby and not tell him.
I don’t think Harry will move in with Sirus, although it is possible Sirius or his pals may have a role in the book. The Dursleys provide too much for the series, it’s one of the most basic parts of it.
Once again, I must join the legions proclaiming Dumbeldore’s demise. The character is one for whom a heroic death, sort of like Star Wars seems inevitable, and it’d send the book down a majorly dark path, with characters that aren’t quite so wise making decisions, and placing more of the stress on Harry. I do not see any of the true power struggles beginning while he continues ruling.
I have a question about Dumbledore in the first place… WHY isn’t he already dead? He MUST be about the same age as Nicholas Flammel–his alchemy partner–and Nicholas was so old that the only thing keeping him alive was the Sorcerer’s Stone. No stone, no Nicholas. So WHAT in the world is causing old Albus to hang around so long?
Wait, why would he have to be the same age? Nicholas lived for something like 600 years- couldn’t he have just worked with Dumbledore during the later years of his life? Although Dumbledore must be fairly old anyway- it’s mentioned somewhere in the books that back in the 40’s he defeated an evil wizard named…Grindelwald? (Something like that- books too far away.) Even if he were a young man at the time, he’d have to be close to 80 years old, if not older.
I agree that killing off Dumbledore is likely; Harry never truly has to rely on himself while he’s around. But more than likely there will be other deaths. I doubt Ron or Hermione will go, but Hagrid might.(Why are we using spolier tags? No one knows how it’s going to turn out, so it’s not like anything will actually be spoiled if one of us happens to guess correctly.)
I’m also unsure about Rowling killing off Harry. I like the idea of it all being a Pyrrhic victory, but let’s not forget, these are children’s books. Would an author dare something so dark in this genre? Also, wouldn’t that be just a little too Lord of the Rings? Main character succeeds at ultimate goal, but is left a cringing burnt-out, thereby setting stage to teach readers a Valuable Life Lesson that great accomplishments demand sacrifice, the truly heroic are those willing to give up those things they love in the name of the greater good, blah, blah, sniffle.
I think we’ll probably learn more about Snape’s background, most likely something along the lines of his amazing transformation from evil henchman to one of the good guys due to some inspiring tale of love and loyalty. Maybe it turns out that [SPOILER}Snape at some point got himself into trouble with Voldemort, and Dumbledore saved him, thus his enduring fealty. Or maybe Snape realized that all the other Death-Eaters were actually not very nice people and he’d really rather not be part of a plan to rid the world of Muggles and rule all wizards with a cruel iron fist, thus making him (the first) truly dynamic character in the series.[/SPOILER]
Of course, I’m also seeing some major Last Battle between the Forces of Good & Evil, in which many fall, true intentions are revealed, love blossoms, and everything learns some more Valuable Life Lessons. Maybe a token Muggle character will be introduced in order to display more heroism or evil, plus set up a running comedy based on the differences between Muggle and Wizarding lifetsyles, since we lost that in Harry after the first book.
Sirius Black will also return, although it may be him who actually ends up getting killed. It would sort of fit with the god-awful life he’s had, although Rowling may try to turn it around and give him a happy ending. Although she may go LotR with this one, too, and make Sirius a cringing burn-out after his Last Battle with Voldemort, in which he will fall aiding Harry.
But no Hermione for Harry. Here’s why: Harry is to pure a character, like Galahad in the Arthurian tales. Making him subject to basic human stuff like dating and crushes might reduce his other-wordly heroism, which is what I think Rowling’s really going for. She may end up with Ron, in the cliched “opposites attract” fashion, though.
Hermione and Ron will hook up, for sure. There’s already too much tension between them.
Gotta agree – Dumbledore will die. When I heard that a character was going to die in book 4 (before I read it), I was guessing Dumbledore. If Dumbledore is gone, the danger of Voldemort to the current wizarding world becomes so much more real and dangerous.
Dumbledore dying is very much a possibility. While I don’t think Rowling would kill of Harry at the end, it would be a very good ending I think (and would prevent others from trying to write ‘unofficial’ sequals). After all, she does know that kids read her books, and she doesn’t want to become the wicked witch of the west, or whathaveyou. After all, if Harry dies, it’ll get in the public (which ruins the surprise for most) and a bunch of angry parents not ready to tell their kids that good people die too would stop Casa Rowling and do bad things to her. So, doubtful.
Ron & Hermione getting together? Chances are very likely on this one, but it’ll be very interesting, and they may try to keep it a secret from Harry.
Yup, there should definitely be more Harry/Cho tension in the next book. He may not wind up with her in the end, though. Jenny Weasley as a future romantic interest maybe? She’s only a year younger than Harry, and we know she is infatuated with him.
I, too, think Dumbledore will die at some point. I don’t think Hagrid will be killed off because he is too much of a lovable doofus–there for comic relief more than anything else and almost more like one of the kids. Snape could be the one to die, saving Harry in the process. That sounds like something Rowling would do.
Lucius Malfoy is being built up as a bigger and bigger villain. He will probably play an important role in the series climax.
Deaths - Hagrid, end of book 5 or somewhere in book 6; one of the two Creevey brothers, book 6 or book 7; Dumbledore, end of book 6; one of the older Weasley brothers (I think it’s going to be George, but I hope not), book 7; Peter Pettigrew, book 7. Snape, Lupin, and Sirius Black are all definite possibilities for book 7 deaths, although I think they’ll all make it that far. If Rowling decides to have Draco Malfoy redeem himself, he’s probably a goner in book 7 as well.
I don’t think Harry dies, nor is his memory erased and he sent back to the Muggle world, nor does he discover it’s all a dream.
A Frodo-style Pyrrhic victory is definately a possibility, though.
Harry will not end up with Cho, as her heart’s in the grave. He might end up with Ginny in the end; Hermione is a more distant possibility, as Harry hasn’t shown any interest in her that way at all. I think his ending partnerless is more likely, though. Ron will make a clumsy, vaguely insulting, but well-meaning play for Hermione and will probably get her, despite her better judgement.
Draco Malfoy will face a choice to either become Lucius Malfoy II or Severus Snape II, probably during book 6.
Crabbe and Goyle will finally get speaking lines in book 7.
Did anyone ever read Lloyd Alexander’s ‘Chronicles of Prydain’? This speculation reminds me of those books. In them, the story got steadily darker as it progressed (as the Harry Potter books seem to be doing), and several heartbreaking situations were set up, including the death of some of those characters everybody would have thought unkillable in a children’s book. Lots of betrayals too; do you think anyone in the Harry Potter universe might turn traitor before the end?
