Books
jtr - 09:39 pm Pacific Time - Jul 7, 2006 - #554 of 573
Hmm. I guess I'm just not a really "in touch with the characters' feelings" kind of reader. While I realize that the character Lupin would be upset about the death of Tonks, I don't think that's enough to cause me a "oh, no she didn't!" kind of reaction. I don't really get into the level of feeling stuff about what the characters are/could be feeling themselves. I think about it intellectually, and can see clearly when actions do (or don't) make sense based on the emotions that should have been engendered.
I was upset when Wash was killed in "Serenity," for instance, but not because Zoe loved him and it would crush her, but because I liked Wash. I completely understood Zoe's actions afterwards, and even explained to my DH why she did and said what she did.
I wonder how many people who identify as "fans" (as opposed to casual readers) really get deeply into the characters-as-people aspect of things? I identify as a fan -- I pre-order the books, CDs, and DVDs, there's a huge fight in my house as to who gets to read them first, etc. But I can't imagine myself getting upset because an action would upset a character (really, truly feeling the emotion myself, not just intellectually understanding why the character would be upset).
I pretty sure that I'm in the minority of the fans on this thread, but I think this in itself is somewhat self-selecting. I can't imagine my sons or my DH, for instance, participating in a discussion group about the books.
Mrs Prunesquallor - 05:47 am Pacific Time - Jul 8, 2006 - #555 of 573
-- IMO both Lupin and Tonks are safe. Purely because I think that surely someone from Harry's parents' generation must have a happily ever after. James and Lily are dead, Sirius is dead and I expect both Snape and Pettigrew to cop it before the end. And how cruel would it be to snatch Lupin's chance of personal happiness as soon as the poor guy got it?
-- I very much doubt that Harry will die in his final confrontation with Voldemort. Partly because I can't see the point of having a character develop, grow, mature and learn painful lessons throughout the series, only to die at the age of seventeen in the final. JKR could of course kill Harry off in the epilogue and simply have him die of old age or something like that.
-- I have a strong feeling that Nagini is not a Horcrux and that Dumbledore's guess was wrong and that there'll be some sort of curveball thrown in. I however don't subscribe to the Harry-is-the-Horcrux theory.
-- My prediction regarding the person who performs magic late in life is Filch.
Wonder Dog - 06:42 am Pacific Time - Jul 8, 2006 - #556 of 573
I'm wondering what happens to Fawkes. Will he join Harry at some unexpected moment?
Also, why is Harry going to the remains of his parents' home. Does he somehow suspect or know a Horcrux is there, just as V. left the Slytherin ring in its Gaunt home?
I also keep thinking the Sorting Hat has some sort of role to play in the finale, just as it did at the end of book 2. There hasn't been any reflection on the meaning of the Sorting Hat rushing to Harry's aid with the sword. I picture the final battle taking place in Hogwarts.
Another thing I've been puzzling over: Trelawney's fortune-telling, with 2 exceptions, were hogwash. In the HBP however, Harry overhears her consulting the cards as he hides, and saying "a dark young man who doesn't like the reader? That can't be right" and she keeps seeing the tower in her cards, too, where the denouement of book 6 happens. How come the cards seem to be telling real prophecies? The towers have had significance now in book 6, Sirius' escape, and the location of Dumbledore's office.
Did Dumbledore leave a will, as Sirius did? Bequeathing Harry bottles of memories or of something as yet unknown?
Nola - 09:01 pm Pacific Time - Jul 10, 2006 - #560 of 573
I've always thought that Neville is the true hero and all of his misadventures at Hogwarts have been due to such an abundance of magical power that he couldn't control it well. His grandparents probably have charmed him to forget witnessing his parents' deaths, and that's why he's so befuddled. The only circumstance where I can imagine Harry being killed is if Voldemort kills Harry, then Neville kills Voldemort, proving that he was the one in the prophecy all along.
I don't really think she'll do it though. Snape's a goner, possibly Hagrid too, but I think the triad will live to make cameos in future books.
Luna Moth - 11:56 pm Pacific Time - Jul 11, 2006 - #565 of 573
I'd sure like it better if Fawkes shows up in time to save Snape's life (better yet, to save him from a Dark Mark poison or some other magic that he's unleashed on all the DE's including himself). Especially since I'm not unconvinced that DD isn't alive in that tomb, having worked out some way to fake the death with Snape and then drink Dreamless Sleep ... not sure about this, but wouldn't be surprised.
Shirley - 06:00 am Pacific Time - Jul 12, 2006 - #567 of 573
I have to say I'd be really irritated if Dumbledore isn't really dead. For one thing, it would be a little too deus ex machina for me -- seems like it would be a cheap trick. (And unnecessary, since the portrait of Dumbledore can speak, etc., and offer advice, at least to the new Hogwarts headmaster.)
For another, in a children's book, even a children's book about magic, they've (the characters) made it pretty clear that death is death, and no one comes back from it (unless in a limited form, like the ghosts). I think a common concern that I've heard (and not just on this thread) is that people don't want Harry to die because it would upset all the kid fans of the books. I think if they brought Dumbledore back to life, it would do a greater disservice by somehow implying that sometimes people can come back, if they really want to/have a good reason/are good enough.
In that same vein, although I know I'm in the minority, it wouldn't bother me tremendously if Harry were to die, because well ... sometimes people you love best do actually die, no matter how good they are, or brave, or any other fill-in-the-blank good quality.
Anglophile - 08:21 am Pacific Time - Jul 12, 2006 - #571 of 573 "
Theories, theories, theories. I have SO many freaking theories, which tells you what a loser I am, that I have so much time on my hands to think about this stuff.
Me, I think Peter is going to kill Greyback, which subsequently saves Lupin's life. This has the handy result of paying off Peter's life debt to Harry (which Peter owes as much to Lupin, anyway, since Lupin didn't have to obey Harry when Harry begged Lupin not to kill Peter), redeeming Peter somewhat (this would be especially true if Peter dies in the process), and my favorite outcome, keeping Remus alive.
It all goes back to that silver hand for me: JKR has said that Peter won't kill Lupin with the hand, but she didn't say Peter wouldn't kill ANYONE with it. I find it particularly telling that Wormtail disappeared for OotP but reappeared in HBP and in the same book, Greyback -- the most fearsome and savage werewolf to ever terrorize Great Britain -- was introduced.
I do think Peter and Neville are meant to be seen as similar, not in terms, obviously, of personality so much as their reputations. Everyone thought Peter was a bumbler and a follower, and most think the same of Neville, and yet Peter did something extraordinary -- granted, it was extraordinarily evil but still extraordinary -- and I think Neville will do the same, only on the "good" side of things.
I agree, too, that Neville is not going to kill Voldemort or that the prophecy has anything to do with him -- this is another theory that refuses to die in the larger fandom, for some reason. But I do think Neville's journey is a kind of parallel to Harry, and that Neville has a mortal enemy in Bellatrix.
After reading HBP I decided that bringing Krum back to "settle" the R/Hr issue doesn't work: if Ron and Hermione aren't already together at the end of HBP they are about to be there, and if Krum has ANY bearing on that relationship at all, it won't be to teach Ron a lesson about jealousy -- I think he's learned that well enough on his own and has grown up a lot -- but perhaps to shed some light on just what DID go on with him and Hermione (as of now I think they probably did have a little romance going on and that their romance was meant to be a kind of mirror of Ron/Lavender, albeit obviously not with the all that public snogging) and to offer firm confirmation that Hermione is now with Ron.
But without the Hermione connection, how DOES he come back into play logically? I think the answer actually lies with Charlie Weasley, in fact. Where has the guy BEEN for the past two books, after all? In Romania, "recruiting" for the Order. Bulgaria is Romania's neighbor; Krum is a famous Seeker, and Charlie was a "famous" Seeker himself. The two of them are close in age. I think, in point of fact, that it is likely they developed a friendship at some point, and Charlie is going to bring Krum back to England with him for Bill's wedding.
I think, too, that it makes sense for both of them to STAY in England, considering that's where the "action" is. In this way Charlie is in the thick of things (which, alas, puts him at risk as being the Weasley Who Snuffs It) but it also makes Krum readily available to the Trio. Rather than having to travel all the way to Bulgaria to find him, he's right there in England, perhaps working for the Ministry or otherwise assisting the Order. Krum might also have some valuable information to pass along, anyway, considering his old Headmaster was a DE and Krum was Karkaroff's favorite student.
I definitely want Viktor to show up again. I would really love it, in fact, if he and Ron developed a grudging friendship.
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