Soccer Dad

I have never read any of the Harry Potter books, but your headline, "I asked her for some happy news", resulted in my singing "American Pie"!

I believe Harry will die...and I, too, think Voldemort will be killed, or at least, betrayed by Wormtail. I think Rowling's already squashed the idea that Harry will become the DADA teacher. Even if Harry lives, I can't see him becoming something so mundane as a teacher...an auror perhaps but not a teacher. Then again, maybe he and Jenny will get married and write their memoirs!

Voldemort will die by the hands of Snape, who will die from his wounds.

Harry will live, but not ot be the DADA teacher, but instead an Auror.

Once Voldemort's gone, there won't be much need for Aurors, though, will there?

Rita Skeeter changes into a lady-bug like beetle, not a mosquito.

I think your thought that Wormtail is in any way connected to Wormtongue is way off-base. I do agree that there's a very good chance that Wormtail will play a signficant role in book 7, but I'm not certain he'll be the Hero, unless it's in Gollum-like fashion, if you insist on a Tolkien connection. I prefer to keep my Potter characters as simple as possible, and that means I don't look for hidden literary connections behind every letter in every name;)

Interesting speculation, though.

Draco Malfoy (name means "bad" -mal- and "faith" foy is faith in French) dies, possibly after repenting, but probably not. Good riddance. Perhaps Voldemort kills him in front of his father.

And Snape who defends Harry at the end
... and of course, Voldemort after Harry chases down all the horcruxes and the Dark Lord is left with nothing.

The central trio will surive. Their growth and education is the central theme of the books. The story would not be complete if we didn't see what kind of adults they become.

However, there will be some painful deaths. At least one and possibly two out of Fred, George, Luna, Neville and Ginny will go.

Hagrid is a marked man. Snape's chances of survival are poor.

The odds on Draco living are 50/50. He may get killed helping Harry or I may be wrong about the trio and it will be Draco who lives to pick up the pieces.

I don't think Harry will die either. Rowling said that two charaters die that she didn't intend to die. If She's had the whole thing planned from the begining, I think she would have know how Harry would turn out from the begining.

I think there are so many similarities between Tolkien and the Potter series that I think the ending will be similar. I don't want Harry to die because it IS a childrens series. Yet, I don't want him to end up behind "the veil" with a useless ending like Frodo sailing off into the sunset. I think Snape and Wormtail will die and hopefully children will be left with a feeling of hope and satisfaction at the end of these books, and all that Harry stood for: good versus evil will prevail.
I am a mother of children that love the books and know they will be heartbroken if Harry, Ron or Hermione die.

I feel Harry is NOT going to die.

You have to look at the Harry Potter series in general. Rowling constantly stresses the importance of love and friendship and the archetype of Good VS. Evil. I just don't see Rowling killing off Harry because it contradicts everything her books have conveyed. If Voldemort wins and kills Harry, this sends a message to kids that Evil prevails over Good. Now, I suppose Harry could die, not at the hands of Voldemort, but perhaps saving Ron or Hermione or something.

Don't get me wrong. To be honest, I am not a fan of happy endings. lol Noir is more my style. But let's face it, this is a children's series. I would be very surprised if Rowling kills off The Boy Who Lived...

I think Harry is destined to become something bigger than either the DADA teacher or an auror - he could take over for Dumbledore as Headmaster of Hogwarts. Can't you picture Harry taking advice from Dumbledore's portrait on his office wall? I could also see the other key people as teachers - certainly Hermione, Neville and Ginny. Fred and George though? Probably not! Hermione's personality, manner, etc. is A LOT like Professor McGonagal.

I think Harry will die but protecting his friends not by voldemort though... I think harry will kill voldemort and then his death eaters will be mad and start shooting hexs and curses off every where I think it might be belletrix who kills harry in the end...... but we'll have to wait and see

I don't believe Harry will die, either. I believe that Remus Lupin will, as will Hagrid. I don't know how, but I am sure it will be protecting Harry in some fashion. I do believe that the Trio and most of their friends will survive. I however see possibly Neville dying. A last heroic stand for a true Gryffindor.

I think Snape will die protecting Harry. I also
think Wormtail will pay his debt to Harry. Harry
will survive. Also I have a few questions about
Dumbledores funeral. Like which character that
should have been there wasn't.

Snape is good, Dumbledore alive. Neville will kill Voldemort, he's the one who the thing is really about! (Maybe.) Not sure who's dying yet... I have to think about this one a bit.

I really hope Harry doesn't die, it would leave, I think, every one feeling very flat and empty. I know there are times when good has to be sacrificed to destroy evil, but just this once couldn't good survive and go on to be there to protect and fight evil in any form. I know that might seem a little naive, but I just want to believe there is always good that survives.

Great comments everyone! I only want to add that I would like Harry to take over the "History of Magic" class sometime in the future. I'm sure he would be much better that Professor Binns.

Who is one of the nicest, most good-hearted people in the book? I fear greatly for Mrs. Weasley. I am also quite worried for Remus Lupin.

I hope Harry won't have to pay the ultimate price for Voldemort's demise. It is possible if you look at classic hero journeys, but this IS a children's series. [At least it started out as one]

The Weasleys will almost certainly lose a family member; the odds are in favor of it.

Snape may "buy the farm" defending Harry, who I think will believe him to be evil up to the end. His great regret will be that he never got to tell Snape.

For all we know, the "reprieve" may be that she will not kill Harry in the end.

Hopefully, in some interview after all the books are written, JKR will discuss all of this - the speculation is killing me.

I agree that Wormtail must have a role, though I don't think it will necessarily be as major as killing HWMNBN. Perhaps something like giving a helpless Harry back his wand. I also see a role for Neville. That has been foreshadowed in book six when he says his gran got him a new wand--Cherry and Unicorn hair. Isn't that one that Olivander originally showed Harry? Could the Unicorn hair tie into the "cursed life" of one who drinks unicorn blood? Finally, I also lean towards the Harry/Hermione becoming Dumbledore/McGonnagol theory. I think JKR has forshadowed the Harry/DD part: 1. When DD and Harry go to get Slughorn, DD says not to be afraid because "you are with me." When they return from the Horcrux, he says that he is not afraid because "I am with you." Role reversal. Harry is becoming DD. 2. DD says that he did go out, have a drink, and return AFTER A FASHION. Has there been some form of transference? When he was "killed," was his "soul/katra" already in Harry? 3. Harry to Rufus S.: DD won't be gone until no one here is loyal to him. More of the same? If I had to guess who'd die, it would be Neville and Snape.

couple things -- kudos for putting your thoughts out there ...
1st -- Harry Potter is not a children's book ... it may be billed as such (I think Scholastic has book 1 and book 6 listed as the same reading level) ... it's actually more like Young Adult literature (at least book 3 or so on) ... and it's absolutely possible for the hero to die ...
2nd -- re-read book 2 thinking of Horcruxes ... lots of talk of putting one's soul into another person ... possibility of Harry being the last Horcrux, in which case he would die ... possible ...
thanks for starting up this discussion ...
-A

this is nothing to do with the subject and yet it does, have you ever think that maybe Rowling also participates in the comentaries and tells the real true but with a fake name to us to think that is a idea of someone else but could in fact be her revealing what is going to happen or maybe not

Wow, this must be your record for comments! You should write about HP more often!

I agree with your analysis to a point; I think Wormtail will definitely do something important to save Harry before the end. But I don't see him killing Voldemort; that's too climactic an role in the scope of the epic to give to anyone but one of the main two or three characters. Also I don't see Rowling wanting to copy Tolkien that directly.

I was thinking Harry would might be the DADA teacher in book seven itself, rather than after graduation. That's only a small leap from the informal teaching role he already had in book five.

Finally, in terms of who dies, I agree with the consensus here that it won't be Harry, Ron, or Hermione, and I hope not Ginny either (I want to see her with Harry at the end!). But it will be someone beloved and who has been around since the start; Hagrid and Neville were the best guesses above.

Has there been any word on a publication date and/or a title for book seven?

Personally... I think that it is quite possible that Harry will die. We all know the one of the horcrux is "something of Gryffindor" and we can all pretty much speculate that Harry is the "Heir of Gryffindor" so, Harry is something of Gryffindor's. Do you think that Harry could possibly be the last Horcrux? That would also explain what happened to the Dark Lord. Harry didn't die, because the killing curse was never used. He used the Horcrux curse thus having the seventh horcrux, thus ripping him from his body. Nobody knew what would happen if he actually achieved his goal, not even the Dark Lord. Do you think that could be what happened? Hmmm... something to think about...

in my opinion i definitely think voldemort will die but in one place where rowling says " We are dealing with pure evil here. They don’t target extras do they? They go for the main characters. Well, I do.” she definitely means that she might kill the main characters whether it is 1 or 2. i would also like to point out that in the 6th book dumbledore got killed and he was as most would agree with me a major main character. so we cannot rule out that ron or hermione might not be killed because she pointed out that the 2 people who she had chosen to kill now , she hadnt intended to kill them before but now she was so it could be ron or hermione. i myself think that this is impossible because i remember about 1-2 years ago on BBC i had watched an interview of rowling by the people at the BBC. she had mentioned that at the end of the book she would write what happens to the 3 main characters' lives so this perhaps might mean that ron and hermione might not die at the end ,but as all of us know , rowling will kill those people who we never expected would die in the 7th book

Lets broaden our minds...
The prophecy. Only those people can hold prophecy who are concerned with it. others would become insane. Neville held the prophecy without losing his mind. harry held the prophecy on voldemort's behalf(voldemort put a bit of his power in harry which he didn't inted to do). Voldemort is too lordly to hold it.

Think about it Neville held the prophecy without going mad because it concerned HIM.

I dont think that Harry will die but i do think that Voldemot will die. And i think that Harry will become an Auror, but Hermione will become a teacher at Hogwarts.And anyone who thinks that Harry and Hermione are goiing to get together is crazy because Harry and Ginny are in love and Hermion and Ron are in love.

I agree that we haven't yet seen the fullness of Neville's role (I was sure that the "half-blood prince" was going to be him, before the last book was released). There is something about Harry's and Neville's fates that is intertwined, it's just that Harry's gotten all the "good parts" until now.

She said that two people die that she didn't expect. She didn't say that only two die - just two more than she expected when she initially wrote the chapter.
Based on what happened in the last few books I wouldn't be surprised if 3 or 4 characters died.

Part of me thinks that Hagrid and Snape will die along with Voldemort in some kind of sacrafice for Harry although unintentional--Snape may kill himself due to shame and guilt if he truely killed Dumbledor. I think Harry will live...after all he is "the boy who lived". I read somewhere that the last word in the last book will be, "scar." So I think the last sentence in the book will read something like.... " and that's the story about the boy with the scar." .....OR... Ron and Hermione will die because of a pickle that Harry got himself in but he marries Ginny so the Weasley famiy still loves him inspite of the death of their son Ron. But what about the Goblet of Fire??? I got a lot of vibes that some of the kids from the other schools may be back for protection or to help fight L.V. DD stressed that all were welcome if they needed help--kind of a stick together to fight evil deal..?? Will we see the last of Victor Krum?? Or have we already??? Draco, I feel, is also a considered doomed character--mainly to hurt his father Lucius. Who really knows... I can't wait for the next book. I don't think there will ever be another series this good in my lifetime!!!!Oh yea, what about Mrs. Dursley?? Did I hear she plays a bigger role in the last book. Maybe she is one of the original characters who is killed off to save Harry --after all she is Lilly's sister and true blood to Harry. I could guess all day long!

it is just oobivous that remus and wormtail die. don't u see padfoot and prongs are dead so i am sure that moony and wormtail will die helping harry either killing voldemort or helping harry destroy the last horcrux which voldemort keeps the safest

i think that remus and pettigrew die! they have to!
i also kind of want harry to die! hes a bit of a prick! I want Neville to kill voldemort coz i dont think any1 really is even considering that!
the ppl she cant kill off are ron and hagrid! yer kill hermione! woteva! nobody lyks the anoyin bitch anyway! but u cant kill hagrid, thats just goin 2 far!

If you read the interview with JKR by Melissa and Emerson you will find out that there is no "heir of Griffindor" JKR totally shot down the idea.

i think at the end hagrid will die trying to save harry and that neveille will kill snape because of all the years snape tortured him i also think that ron and hermonie will end up i dont think harry and ginny will be together until the end of the book when they realsie they love each other and i dont think harry ron and hermonie will return to the school this year i think they will decide that voldemort is more important and try to find him i think mrs figg will play an important role as well as kretcher and dobby i believe malfoy will come back to the good side after killing his father and petegrew will play an important role but i think it will be a huge death ,atch between harry and voldemort but harry will come out victorious i also think sirius will be apart of the book even though hes dead as for people who die im gonna go with mcgonnagal hagrid percy and voldemort and other smaller amin characters

I agree that those who die will probably be smaller characters. JKR said that the two deaths in book 7 were not planned. I'm sure she knew what was going to happen to to her main characters long before now.

i think that voldemort and snape will die as i think in book 6 dumbledore make harry think about the propheys and would he still want revenge on voldemort if he hadnt heard the prophey. harry answered yes and as snape has had dealing with not only his parents deaths but dumbledore and a little in sirius's death i think the hatred between those to are equal to the hatred between him and voldemort.

She said two characters will die that she originally didn't intend to die. To me, that means we can't count Voldemort. I'm pretty sure she's not going to V live. I think Snape will die, and Mrs W will die - Hermione is the character that was going to die but now won't. Remember her low marks in the DADA section of the exam?

rab is regulis ----------- black (siriuses )brother

about the whole "harry being a horcrux" thing...

at first i thought "woa. no way. that is VERY possible..." but after i pondered about it for a moment a few things didn't seem to fit.

harry must try to find all of the horcruxes and destroy them in order to have any hope of defeating voldemort, correct? well if harry was indeed a horcrux, this means he would eventually have to destroy himself, right? WELL THINK ABOUT IT. why would voldemort spend all these years trying to destroy one of his horcruxes (aka: Harry)?? well most people would respond "because of the prophecy! neither-can-live-while-the-other-survives thing" but if we remember, voldemort only heard the FIRST part of the prophecy. all he heard was that a boy born from parents who defied him 3 times will have the power to vanquish him. if you were voldemort, and thats all you heard, why would u go to the Potters abode and make that boy one of your horcruxes? naturally you would go there to kill the boy so he doesn't kill you.

right? =/ i could be totally off and i've only read the 6th book once through, so i don't remember everything about horcruxes.... but its just something to think about yea?

Oi, megan! Even e e cummings used more punctuation. You might also consider effective spacing and capitalization. Without these bare basics, one might find it difficult to take you seriously, especially considering that you are attempting to discuss literature.

Oi, megan! Even e e cummings used more punctuation. You might also consider effective spacing and capitalization. Without these bare basics, one might find it difficult to take you seriously, especially considering that you are attempting to discuss literature.

Oi, megan! Even e e cummings used more punctuation. You might also consider effective spacing and capitalization. Without these bare basics, one might find it difficult to take you seriously, especially considering that you are attempting to discuss literature.

As to who I think will die, that's a hard question. If I had to offer a suggestion, I think it would be Lupin (unfortunality) and Wormtail (hopefully), that last two remaining links to his parents. As to the possibility of someone like Neville getting killed, I think that even though he hasn't had a real big part in the books, has anyone thought that maybe he would kill bellatrix, to avenge what she did to his parents. Also I think that Neville may have a very important part in the prophecy. Alot of talk is about the prophecy and who will die, but I would rather someone like Snape of Draco or for that matter Percy be killed rather than Lupin. And as to the possibility that Harry might become a teacher, that's an idea that I admit that I never thought of, I always assumed that Hermione would become a teacher, but as we already know according to www.mugglenet.com, if you look at what we know about book 7, they trio don't return to school. So as to the prospects of either Harry or Hermione becoming a teacher...that's a little shaky. And as for Ron, while still an important character, I don't expect much from Ron in the last book. I think the person that will rattle the balance for good VS evil in the final book will either be Neville or Ginny. I know Ginny is a little of a stretch, but what's the quickest way to get to Harry? Go after the people that matter the most to him, and according to the end of book 6, Ginny is as important to him as Dumbledore was. And Dumbledore is diffently dead, as to Harry having conversations with his portrait, I think that is a diffenit possibility.

i think harry may not die b'coz the whole private
lesson thing in his sixth year is based on helping harry to survive. i suppose dumbledore is alive,lupin is goin to kill greyback,neville is goin to kill bellatrix.i think percy is goin to die.

just to let you know Rita Skeeter doesn't turn into a mosquito she turns into a water beetle
and I like your guess's about the way the books could turn out. pretty good.

it may be true that two of the characters of the seventh book of the harry potter series may die. one of them surely has to be voldemort! and i dont know why,but iam sure that J.K. will not kill harry.so many people,including dumbledore,have taken so much trouble to save harry and now if he dies,all the exitement would vanish out of the readers mind.harry can never die.and also,i think snape is going to die. because looking at the clues at www.dumbledoreisnotdead.com,iam convinced that dumbledore is still alive.if it is so,snape has betrayed voldemort.and we all know what is the gift for hoodwinking voldemort!death!!!so as for me,snape's death is confirmed.

My son is an avid reader of all of the books out so far. He has read them all at least three times. I my self have read them all through twice in two weeks. If she kills anyone that she did not intend to kill it could be both Arthor and Molly. They are Harry's second parents. If they were to die it would push the trio to expesially Ron into going for LV. It could also be Bill or Fluer on their honeymoon. Harry will not return to the school. He will find more of his family after going to Godric's Hollow. Ron And Hermione will end up toghether because it is inevedable. Neville will be at Harry side all the way to the end, whether that means that he will die I am not sure but he will be with Harry when LV dies. Wormtail will be something that LV does not expect at the end and Snape will have to make a very serious choice ahead. Malfoy will be another one who has to make a very serious choice in the end.

I think that the idea of Snape dying to protect Harry is a good one. If you recall, Snape hated Harry's father so much because he saved his life and did not want to feel in debt to him. This is the biggest thing Snape could do to clear his debt so to speak.

In the seventh book I think Remus Lupin and Wormtail will die. I just have this feeling they will. Snape and Draco will have to make a very hard discision and who knows? Dumbledore may not be dead after all! If he's not he probably faked it because he knew he couldn't help Harry in the foreshadowed final battle against Voldemort.

uh, rita actually turns into a waterbeatle. I had to say that, it was bugging me.

and also, I don't think we should be basing JKs story on other stories, I think she's done enough to prove that she's different from the usually fantasy fiction and she's going to surprise us probably.

you make some good points though. I myself have absolutely no idea what's going to happen in the final book, but whatever does I'm sure JKR is going out with a boom.

and Kay, if dumbledore wasn't dead, then Snape would already be dead because he did the promise with Draco's mother. He would have died. I think Dumbledore is definatly passed on, in body at least. He was ready for that. And when you think about it. Dumbledore treasured nothing more then his students, and he knew that if he was to stay alive, both Snape and Draco would die, so if he, and aged man, could die to keep two others alive, one being a misguilded (I used that word because I beleive Draco is going to have a revalation and help harry in some way. childish dream, but one of my very few for the books) student, then I think he would die to keep them alive.
My opinion anyway :D

The main issue I have is this.
Who has someting at stake other than doing the right thing?
Harry -- Parents and godfather dead.
Ron -- Two uncles he never has talked about?
Hermonie -- NONE they are all Muggles!
Neville -- Parents driven insane.
To bring Ron and Hermonie to the level of Harry and Neville, maybe the two new deaths are A Weasley and a Granger?
I'm voting Mr. Granger in a random Muggle killing and Percy as a D.O.M. rising star.

wow. I love reading Harry Potter analysis. And, whenever I read analysis, it makes me have to go and read all the books again so I can see everything from that point of view. If you haven't yet- check out www.dumbledoreisnotdead.com I'm starting to believe...maybe it's because I hope!

Agree with your theory about Worm Tail. I believe he is the one that will kill Voldermolt. I've seen so many similar reference in Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter books.

However, I don't see it as much as it releates to Worm Tongue but more like Gollum. At the end it was Gollum who took the ring down to his death.

As for the "Harry is a Horcrux" theory - a Horcrux is made by killing someone. If, as Dumbledore suspected, Voldemort had planned to use Harry's death as the catalyst to create his 7th Horcrux, he obviously never manged it, because there was no death... meaning he did not use Lily's or James' death to make the Horcrux becaues he was planning on using Harry's, but Harry's never happened. Therefore, I think that the 7th Horcrux ws made after Voldemort's rebirth.

Actually, Voldemort had committed two murders (James and Lily Potter) right before he turned his wand to baby Harry. As Slughorn explained to Tom Riddle, you tear your soul when you commit murder - THEN you cast the spell to create the Horcrux. If the curse rebounded off baby Harry, there certainly could be a Horcrux.

I am in the Harry is a Horcrux school of thought J.K. Rowling has given us too many clues for it to be otherwise. When Harry first hears Tom Riddle's name, it sounds familiar to him, as if it were someone he'd known since he was a small boy. Harry can cast of the Imperius curse because a little voice in his head says "No, I don't think so!" Harry feels great pain in his scar when LV is near him. And, there's the obvious connection to LV's thoughts and emotion. Too many coincidences when you couple it with the Horcrux knowledge we got in HBP.

Of course, I can't bear to think about what it REALLY means. If it's true, Harry will have to destroy the Horcrux within himself. Or - Neville will do it. "Neither can live while the other survives." Wow - that'd be pretty dark for a kid's series.

Naaahhhh...

Actually, Voldemort had committed two murders (James and Lily Potter) right before he turned his wand to baby Harry. As Slughorn explained to Tom Riddle, you tear your soul when you commit murder - THEN you cast the spell to create the Horcrux. If the curse rebounded off baby Harry, there certainly could be a Horcrux.

I am in the Harry is a Horcrux school of thought J.K. Rowling has given us too many clues for it to be otherwise. When Harry first hears Tom Riddle's name, it sounds familiar to him, as if it were someone he'd known since he was a small boy. Harry can cast of the Imperius curse because a little voice in his head says "No, I don't think so!" Harry feels great pain in his scar when LV is near him. And, there's the obvious connection to LV's thoughts and emotion. Too many coincidences when you couple it with the Horcrux knowledge we got in HBP.

Of course, I can't bear to think about what it REALLY means. If it's true, Harry will have to destroy the Horcrux within himself. Or - Neville will do it. "Neither can live while the other survives." Wow - that'd be pretty dark for a kid's series.

Naaahhhh...

Am I the only one who thinks Dumbledore, owner of a phoenix, is not permanently dead and will, like the phoenix, be revived? I think she intended him to die in the finale but decided a double death would not work, since after the first time, we'd know it wasn't permanent.

I think Snape knows Dumbledore will be back, and Snape will be shown in the final book to be on the right side after all. Then he and Hagrid will die in the final book, and the big three students will survive. Harry will go on to not merely be a teacher at the school, but to run it after Dumbledore retires, with Hermoine teaching at his side.

Not sure how the big hubbub started anyway. If you read what she said in the interview carefully, she said she could understand authors who wanted to kill off their main character-- that's not nearly the same as saying she would do the same. In fact, I think that by saying she coud understand that point of view, she was saying it was not her own plan, just one she could sympathize with.

ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT DIE IS GONNA BE SNAPE. there. i said it. i think the other will be wormmtail. but he will not kill vordemort. that will be harry. not neville either. that is fact, not a theory. JK Rowling said so herself. we are just getting carried away with the fantasy. i dont think harry will use the avada kadevra curse on voldemort. i think it will be another backfire curse. harry has too big of heart to use an unforgivable curse. harry is not a horcrux. it says in book one that the only thing that harry remembers about that night is seeing a green flash. not the horcrux curse. also. he doesnt rip the 7th part of his soul there. he only has 5 horcruxes. the 6th one was made from the caretaker of the riddles mansion. the 7th never left his body. he needed it so he could live. there was still 7 pieces of his soul. but 6 horcruxes.
again its just people getting carried away with the fantasy. email me if you want to have a heated argument. trevordown626@hotmail.com

If JK Rowling really wants to end the Harry Potter series, and prevent other writers from 'reviving the main character', my guess is that she will have Harry Potter himself killed in the end of thee story but in a clever way...

Realise that the very 1st chapter of the first book itself is like a 'prologue', set 10 yrs before the rest of the story? According to some, JK Rowling has also written the final chapter of the 7th book, with the last word as 'scar'.

My hypothesis is such a scenario: Harry potter actually defeats Voldemort, killing Snape along the way and there seems to have a 'happily-ever after ending' in the 2nd last chapter... and then in an epilogue-like last chapter which is set 10+ yrs later, he, probably married (to Ginny Weasley) and having a son, would be killed by a new and powerful dark lord, but then the dark wizard would not be able to kill the son, and leaves behind a scar.

The whole story can just repeats itself if it ends that way, can't it?

I'm going to shock everyone. I quite honestly don't care who dies, although I'll read the final book in the series. I've found the series to be riddled with cliches and rather obvious foreshadowings, and sadly predictable once you pause and consider where the names are coming from and what "magic" JKR has used.

I'm not surprised that the books are wildly popular. There was a definite need for this kind of story, and this style of writing, and JKR managed to get the first book out and satisfy this need, but it doesn't mean that her writing isn't predictable, formuliac and disappointing.

Her saying now that 2 people will die can be seen much like statements she made before both book 5 and book 6 were published. Its merely a publicity stunt to generate discussion and increae interest in the books without paying for advertising. If her books were truly excellent, she wouldn't need to use such tricks to increase sales, but since book 3 the later books haven't been as well received as the first books. The story has mostly muddled along without much in the way of real character development or plot line advancement, and its because of how formuliac her writing is. I expect this final book to be a wild ride as she attempts to tie together a bunch of hanging plot lines and explain everything as we lead up to a final climactic battle. In all honesty, she's kind of set herself up to have to write just that.

I really think harry should die. most of you will hate me for this. but, im not too keen on happy endings. somehow snape will end up the good guy and die trying to protect harry. harry will kill Lord Voldemort but not be able to survive and his spirit will go and join his parents (I think it would be nice to see harry reunited with parents, that would be a touching ending). hes got to die heroically and in a very creative way that doesnt make it too extremely sad and not make us all feel empty in the end. hermione and ron will have to carry on his memory in a special way. somebody else will die in the process but i'm not sure who and how. I would like a bittersweet ending.

What a fascinating post and discussion (and nice link from Le Anchoress). I have seen enough of the movies--very engaging--to kind of understand what's going on.

Department of Nitpicking: I believe Tolkien spelled it Saruman. Besides, one was enough.

It is possible 4 harry 2 die. I myself dont think he will intend to go back to school for book 7 but he will be driven back to warn his friens about some danger....if ron & hermione and ron will go back to hogwarts i dont know, but if harry isnt, they will(especially ron)want to go with him. also, i know about the horcrux dumbledore died for. The fake locked had R.A.B in signed in it. we all know that sirius's bro was called regulus black...R.- B. (his middle name probably started with a). After sirius died every thing in his house became harry's possecion. At the start of book six they were clearing out sirius's house and came across an old aincent locket that wouldnt open. Would this be one of voldermorts horcruxes? would R.A.B have hidden the REAL locket in his own home, safe from the dark lord????????????
We can only wait till book 7 to know.

i dont think harry is going to die beacuse it would just not make sence its like if he was going to die in the end y bother writing 7 series.i also think that dumbledoe is not really dead for some reason i think it was some one alse who took harry to the horexe maybe a death eater drank the polyjuce potion and helped harry get that far. i also think the story is going to end up with wormtail because it started with wormtail if he did not betray harrys parents this would never happen. also i think snape is going to play a major role in book 7 because i think something was between dumbedore and snape dumbledore would never trust snape for no reason. the book is going to end up with a happy ending and probebly hagrid and mrs.weasly or someone in the weaslys gonna die.:((

Before I post anything, I would like to firmly establish that I think that it is very silly to think that only two characters will die in the final book. J.K. says that "two die that I didn't intend to die," and I find it almost impossible that she wasn't planning on killing anyone. I think that this means there will be AT LEAST three casualties, and thats just on the good guys side

Here's my entire list of characters that I think may die, and why, with my most plausible candidates at the top, and becoming progressively less likely...
__________________________________________________

***Voldemort-I'm really not even couting this one, because I really don't see how J.K. can let him survive. It just wouldn't work. For a children's OR an adult's series, it just doesn't seem like something that she would do.
***The Death Eaters-I think most of the death eaters that were mentioned in OotP and HBP(Bellatrix, Dolohov, Amycus, Amestris, LUCIUS MALFOY) are beyond the point of redemption, and so none of them will survive. Malfoy may die at the hands of his son or Severus Snape. I hope Harry or Lupin does away with Ms. Lestrange.

1. Severus Snape-No matter what side he's on, I think he's pretty much doomed. If he's good, he will die in some incredible tragic hero style death and save Harry's life, finally proving to him that his intentions were pure...and if he's really evil, well of course, he'll get whats coming to him! Most likely a character other than Harry will kill him, though, perhaps Ron or Neville, someone else who really had a vendetta built up against him

2. Harry Potter-This one is more wishful thinking...I think the emotional impact of Harry's death would be astounding, but only if done the right way. In my eyes, as long as Voldemort is dead and the evil is vanquished, Harry could still be a casualty without the theme of good triumphing over evil being thrown out the window. Especially if Harry died protecting someone-Ginny, Ron, Hermione or Neville. Also, as someone else brilliantly mentioned, it has been mentioned that when Harry looked into the mirror of erised, he saw himself with his parents. Also, Dumbledore said at the end of OotP that the person that Harry would do anything for, and must have cared a great deal for, was Sirius Black. All three of the people he loves most are dead, and those who are closest to him that remain might also perish in the course of book seven. Wouldn't it be a bittersweet-but beautiful-ending if Harry finally ended up where he always longed to be? I am also a supporter of the ever-popular "Harry is a horcrux" theory. The prophecy says "Neither can live while the other survives." Well, if we look at it from Voldemort's point of view (I know, terrifying!), what better way to ensure his safety then to make it so that Harry had to die to kill him? According to the prophecy, this would make it impossible for Harry to kill Voldemort. Of course, someone else could do it, of course, but Voldemort wouldn't have thought of that-he's far too vain to think that some nobody could kill him. I also think its quite possible that Neville is actually the boy refered to in the prophecy-someone else brought up a very interesting point that had never occured to me-Neville could hold the prophecy. That means that it must have had some tie to him. Hmmm... Also, the nickname "The Boy Who Lived," which was given to Harry in the very beginning of the first novel, could be foreshadowing, either his death or survival.

3. Peter Pettigrew-I feel that Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs will all end up together in the end. I rank Peter Pettigrew ahead of Lupin because he is CERTAINLY a less likeable character, and its possible that he will remain evil to the very end. These are also my main theories for the character who got a "repreive."

4. Remus Lupin-Once again, I think that the four friends will all meet the same end, but I think they would want it that way =) I also think that Lupin is one of the most loved characters in the series, and I believe J.K. had also mentioned him being one of her favorites. This could either be a good thing or a bad thing for Remus. I think he would be a good character to kill, because it would tug at reader's heartstrings, but it wouldn't absolutely outrage fans the way a member of the trio's would.

5. Ron Weasley-Ron was always a character that we were given mixed feelings for. Obviously readers were supposed to love all three members of the trio, but Ron was a bit more brash and tactless than Hermione, and he did do some stupid things that might have lessened the degree of some fan's love for him. This, I feel, makes him another prime candidate to sacrifice his life for Harry. I don't think this is incredibly probable, though, because (since I think that Harry will die) I think Ron and Hermione will survive. Personally I think there would be more of a backlash over breaking up these two than killing the title character, no? But I think this would be the ultimate heroic redemption for Ron, much like it would be for Snape, only he is not as hated and due for redemption as the potions master. Also, his death would give Harry the final push he needed to have the strength to kill Voldemort.

Ginny Weasley-Ginny is another very popular character that fans have had a chance to develop strong feelings for. I think we have all rooted for her romance with Harry, and she has become a much more prominent and popular character, with readers AND with Harry. As foreshadowed at the end of HBP, Ginny and Harry's close relationship could put her in great danger. Like Ron, her death would also be the ultimate fuel to drive Harry to finally destory the dark lord. I think she is a less likely candidate, because she has already been victimized in CoS.

Neville Longbottom-In my theories, Neville is the dark horse; the underdog who comes out of nowhere to ultimately end the war. Ever since we found out that Neville could also be connected to the prophecy, I have felt strongly that he will play a MUCH bigger part than we could have previously anticipated. I interpret this as meaning that Neville will actually be the one to kill Voldemort, possibly ending up dead himself but once again providing the sort of heroic death he deserves. I think that if he does end up killing Voldemort, he will survive. I also support the theory of Neville killing Bellatrix, if Harry doesn't get to her first-someone has to avenge my favorite character!!!! I prefer that Harry would kill Bellatrix, sacrifice himself to allow the death of Voldemort, and then Neville would finish the job.

Draco Malfoy-Another candidate for the ever popular "heroic redeeming death." Readers have somehow found a way to love this secondary villain - he has the biggest fanbase that I'm aware of. I always felt that he was a character who couldn't be all bad, but at the end of HBP, I finally KNEW that he was not destined to follow in his father's footsteps. I do not think that JKR would give him a defining moment like that and have it mean nothing. I think Draco may also be the one to strike the final blow to Voldemort.

Hermione Granger-I think it is very probable that one of the trio will die. However Hermione is the least likely to me because, quite simply, she seems too smart not to survive. Also as previously mentioned, I think fans would be more distraught over Ron and Hermione being broken up than anyone's death. I hope most of all out of all of the characters that THEY get the happily ever after.

Rubeus Hagrid-In my opinion, it is not necessary to kill any of the other teachers (excluding Snape, who plays such a huge role in the events that are sure to come), but out of all of them, Hagrid is probably the one who wouldn't survive. If thats how it goes, I think Hagrid may go into the final battle a little too eager to avenge Dumbledore, and be taken out by one of the death eaters.

Other characters that I don't have theories for: Any other member of the order(Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Moody), hogwarts faculty, and pretty much all the students are vulnerable.

-I don't think that any muggles will get involved to a point that they risk their lives, at least not any that we know particularly well.

~~~~~~~~The Reprieve~~~~~~~~~
(No order-I'm not as passionate about these ones^^;)

Harry Potter-I feel that, whether he lives or dies, Harry Potter's fate has been set in stone since the idea entered her head, and it is VERY unlikely that JKR would change her mind about the most pivitol plot point in the entire series at the last minute.

Draco Malfoy-I just feel like he is the most probable character that she would have considered killing, and then rethought.

Peter Pettigrew-she may have written the character off at first, and then decided that she could make a point by keeping him alive, or give him a larger, nobler purpose to serve.

Remus Lupin-She just might love him too much =)

Luna Lovegood-Since she was one of the characters we were more recently introduced to, it seems like that JKR hadn't quite written her fate in stone.

Sirius Black/Albus Dumbledore!?!?!-While reading this collection of theories, it somehow occured to me that the character who was given a reprieve may not have been one that is alive now. She could decide that Sirius/Dumbledore had not actually died. I must add that I think this is HIGHLY unlikely, and is actually not wishful thinking, because the tragic characters are my favorite =)

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