I can’t wait to find out more about Petunia. Going along with your theory, maybe she even spent some brief time at Hogwarts if “that awful boy” was someone other than James, else how would she have come into contact with or overheard conversations with others from the wizarding world? I seem to recall somewhere in the files Rowling denying Petunia having powers, but maybe she just denied Petunia having active involvement in the wizarding world in future installments?
Same here. I think he’s yummy whatever he’s in. 
Sorry to burst your bubbles, but from JK Rowlings site in answer to the rumour that Petunia would show magical tendancies…
Well, yes, but in this case we’re talking - or rather, the author of that essay is talking - about something said by the author herself, on the lines of “If you know what I believe then you’ll know how the story goes”, which is what makes me think of a lame “He sacrificed himself for us like the JAYYYYZUZ!!!” kind of ending.
Draco will die saving Harry. Draco has seen the light and turns on his father, the true evil.
I just had another thought. In HBP it is revealed that Ollivander’s has been boarded up and the proprieter gone missing. Neville mentions how he was one of Ollivander’s last customers. I wonder if Neville may now be in possession of Ravenclaw’s wand and a horcrux. His wand is cherry wood and unicorn hair, is there any mention in the books of what the wand that is in the front of the store in the first book was made of or what type of wand Ravenclaw had?
We know that ALL heroes, by being heroes, make sacrifices. For the last several months the main question my friends and I have been debating has been: “what will Harry have to sacrifice to bring down the Dark Lord, his life or his wizarding powers?” This is not because any of us see Harry as a Christ figure, but because we all understand that the nature of a hero is to sacrifice for the greater good.
I don’t think you are going to have to worry about any in you face comparisons from Rowling. I make no such promise about the people writing about the Harry Potter serise, your essayist included.
I just want the mystery of where the frock Harry’s dad’s parents and side of family have been for the past 6 books to be cleared up! We get these tantalising details-they were pureblood (and all pureblood families are related to one another so Harry should be related to the Weaselys, Malfoys etc.), they took in Sirius Black when he ran away from home so they must be among the “nice” purebloods.
But we don’t know anything about them! Were they all wiped out by Voldemort? Wouldn’t they care somewhat about James’s child and the only person who has ever withstood a killing curse??? Why is he stuck with his mom’s side of the family-his dad’s side has to be out there somewhere.
GAHHHHHHHH, this has been bothering me for the last six books, I hope we get it tied up in book 7.
Here is a website devoted to Harry’s relatives that covers grandparents.
Eh. In my high school group of eight good friends we had two Joes, two Jakes, and four people all with the same initials.
Poor writing or Verisimilitude?
-Joe
Eh, I still wouldn’t worry. If nothing else, we already had Dumbledore do it.
Fact of the matter is, that statement could mean a hundred things - “I believe in the triumph of good over evil” or “I believe that nerdy girls will save the universe”.
-Joesus
Only 5 days now.
So, Harry loses his wizarding powers, and then he gets them back again three days later?
Thanks for that Reepicheep-it seems that most of the information in that bit about the Potters is made up of the few details we’ve received in the series (Pureblood, took in Sirius etc.), with a few thrown in by J.K. Rowling (only pampered son of late-life parents) but most seem to be without citation in either the texts or Rowling interviews. Where do people get those details from?
And even if James didn’t have siblings-what about his parents? Both were without relatives of any sort? I’m still curious as to whether it’s a complete Rowling lapse in covering all the details or something to be revealed on Friday (hells yeah I’m going to purchase at midnight and read through the night).
Either way, I really hope something is said explicitly about his father’s side in Book 7.
I hope we get more info, but if I recall correctly, JKR has said in interviews that Harry’s grandparents don’t come into play in the story at all. 
Pretty much. In JK’s own words…
Petunia and Lily’s parents, normal Muggle death. James’s parents were elderly, were getting on a little when he was born, which explains the only child, very pampered, had-him-late-in-life-so-he’s-an-extra-treasure, as often happens, I think. They were old in wizarding terms, and they died. They succumbed to a wizarding illness.
Okay: Saturday is almost here, so this is my gloriously optimistic list of stupid predictions.
The four remaining Horcruxes are based on the suits of the Tarot: we know of Hufflepuff’s cup, and Slytherin’s amulet/pentacle, but the other will be Ravenclaw’s wand and Gryffindor’s sword. Yes, I know Dumbledore thinks it isn’t.
The broken statue at the Ministry of Magic showed four races: wizards, centaurs, goblins, and house-elves. Harry will need the assistance of each race, for each Horcrux.
One Horcrux, possibly Slytherin’s, will have been stowed in Gringotts Bank, possibly by Kreacher. Harry will retrieve it with the help of Gringott’s curse-breaker Bill Weasley. The very first book contained a rumor that there were dragons below Gringotts, and I think it’s true; so Harry may need Charlie Weasley as well. Goblins may help Harry here, since they run Gringotts. Harry can get into the Black family vaults because he’s the heir.
One Horcrux will be in the Dark Wood, where the centaurs will help, and possibly the spiders, the Ford Anglia, and the flying motorcycle. This will probably be where the giants will come into play as well.
One Horcrux will be in Hogwarts itself. Fred and George, and the Marauder’s Map, will be useful here. Somehow one of Fred’s and George’s fake rubber-chicken wands will be used at a critical moment. The house-elves all appear to be here in Hogwarts, so that’s where they will be of use.
One Horcrux will be in some location we haven’t seen before.
Since “love will save you” is a theme of the series, the couples are off the table. I’m thinking the ones who die will be Draco, Neville, and possibly Snape.
Dudley Dursley will do magic, which is about the only thing that will get the Dursleys to accept magic, because it’s unthinkable they’d reject their only son.
Voldemort won’t die, but instead become a powerless spirit or ghost or something.
Killing Fenris will cure Lupin and Bill.
Snape will sacrifice himself to save Harry.
I really like this idea.
Well, no bubble burst – as I said, I’m not particularly wedded to any of my ideas, being perfectly satisfied to allow Rowling to unfold her story as she pleases. I didn’t know that she had said that about Petunia, though – I haven’t read many of the interview or prediction sites (other than the threads on this board). I guess we’ll Know All in 5 days…
Delurking…
Emphasis mine.
Performed implies intent or active use… 
But even if that isn’t a way around it…
Just because something is never used, that doesn’t mean it’s not present.