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Harry Potter And the Deathly Hallows - Speculation and SPOILERS Thread

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Our Lady Has Left the Building

14:26 / 21.12.06

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Sounds like a Fighting Fantasy book to me. Hallows.

Opinions? Speculation?

14:49 / 21.12.06

Well, with a title like that, they're certainly not pretending there's gonna be a tidy happy ending.

The use of "hallows" as a noun is irregular; by obvious extension, a hallow = someone or something that has been rendered sacred or holy; archaic term for saints, or so I surmise from "All Hallow's Eve."

Speculations: the story may start off following the school calendar, or it might not—I've a feeling it's going to come to a climax on Halloween, rather than the traditional late spring. But Rowling likes to pace her stories leisurely, so it will unfold over months; the coming summer has been set up to be an important one.

The invocation of holiness / sacredness might introduce a new note to the books, something that I've found glaring by its omission; the idea of God. The Potterverse, as I've noted elsewhere, has been portrayed (at least within the canon) as essentially secular, and the barest of lip-service is given to religious observance—there was a priest of some kind at Dumbledore's funeral, but just what he was saying or doing remained obscure, and nobody ever went to church over Christmas break, or prayed, or even said "Oh my God."

It would be interesting to see that gap at least partially filled—to grapple with what faith might look like in a world where magic is real and the miraculous is the everyday.

20:38 / 21.12.06

The title reminds me of Sleepy Hollow, so hopefully Snape will arrange for some beheadings. Rowling said there´ll be two deaths, but with such a large number of characters and hopefully a lot of battles to come, that´s not a high death toll. But that´s to be expected, as in the last two books, children survived fighting against experienced death eaters.

Since Voldemort has screwed up so often in the last books, he will be defeated again this time. Snape will be vindicated and become headmaster of that ruddy school. Maybe Rowling will even "officially" reveal the wizadry world to the muggles, so they can join in or watch the fight.

06:17 / 23.12.06

God Rest Ye Merry, Jack Fear: And here all I could think of when I heard "Deathly Hallows" was that it sounded like it should be the name of a particularly nasty horse disease.

I stopped reading the books at number 3 or 4 (I can't remember, I only know that I stopped 1/4 of the way in on one of them) but I'm still somewhat familiar with the events of all the rest through internet-nerd osmosis. So while I'm not emotionally attached to Harry Potter, I'm oddly curious about the last one in the sense that I want to know where the torrents of posts, arguments, crying, fanfic, angry letters, media attention loving letters, etc...over the ending of Harry Potter will be directed.

And I admit I'm curious about how the Final Battle will go down, Voldemort being the major reason for conflict in the entire series and all.

I also want to know where all the people who said that they didn't care for reading before they picked up Harry Potter will go to next. Did they simply really like Harry Potter or will they, as a whole, go out and try something new? And will Rowling write a new series in the same vein, or will she try a different genre and audience?

Once it comes to a close, I'm also interested in seeing what thoughts on the marketing and "Harry Potter as popular entertainment phenomenon rather than literature" will be. I wonder what its pop culture longevity will be.

06:28 / 23.12.06

Is it still a good idea to buy shares in Bloomsbury, does anyone think?

Over the last ten years they'd have been a first rate earner for me, had I actioned my investment strategy beyond the 'talking about it after a couple of drinks' stage. But is it too late now? Or will the goose lay one final, golden egg?

08:26 / 23.12.06

You might get lucky with your investment, they´ve very recently had a drop of 17 %, so now might be a good time to invest.

On the other hand, you would have lost 17%, had you bought shares in november.

Our Lady Has Left the Building

08:29 / 23.12.06

This article in The Sun apparently gives away the location of one of the Horcruxes.

10:44 / 23.12.06

On the other hand, you would have lost 17%, had you bought shares in november.

On balance, that would have been a difficult thing to come back from, in terms of the portfolio.

11:32 / 01.02.07

Deathly Hallows to be released on 21 July.

07:38 / 02.02.07

It would be interesting to see that gap at least partially filled—to grapple with what faith might look like in a world where magic is real and the miraculous is the everyday

It would indeed be interesting, but I wouldn't put any money on J.K Rowling doing it.

Mist, she has said in the past that she isn't going to write more stories in the same vein but already has plans to turn to a totally different genre, although still, I think, focussing on children's books.

20:15 / 28.03.07

It seems to me that the big mysteries/turning points/plot points everyone is wondering about are:

1) Is Snape truly eeeeevil or a double-agent? Did Dumbledore ask him to kill him so that his cover would not be broken?
2) Will Dumbledore show up as a ghost to advise Harry a la 'Force ghost Obi-Wan Kenobi'?
3) Who does Harry end up with, romantically -- if anyone?
4) Does Harry die?
5) Does Voldemort finally die?
6) Does Harry ever say to Snape 'you know, I have to admit that I saw the visions in the pensieve and my dad was kind of a real jerk to you, so I'd like to apologize on his behalf for his relentless bullying.' I know *I* sure want him to, esp. after Rowling made such a big deal about this plot point.
7) Does Hermione get together with Ron?
8) If Harry lives, how many years will go by 'til J.K. Rowling goes the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle route and writes another H.P. book?
9) Will Emma Watson try to get out of her 7-movie contract again? Oh wait, looks like that's already been sorted out...

22:00 / 28.03.07

8) If Harry lives, how many years will go by 'til J.K. Rowling goes the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle route and writes another H.P. book?

A couple of days ago, there was an article, that said, Rowling might write another HP novel in a couple of years, with adult Harry doing grown up wizardry things. If those rumours (someone from Bloomsbury supposedly told the newspaper) are true, Harry will obviously survive. And how could Rowling let him die, risking the wrath of millions of disappointed readers? Being Britain´s wealthiest author wouldn´t be much fun anymore, getting two tons of hate mail every day.

22:40 / 28.03.07

She has promised that he doesn't die I think. But she has also said there won't be a "Harry Potter: The Cappucino Years" or anything like that.

03:00 / 29.03.07

1) Is Snape truly eeeeevil or a double-agent? Did Dumbledore ask him to kill him so that his cover would not be broken?

That was a secondary benefit. All wizards are evil, of course, but Snape is confusingly evil, which can only lead to sadness in the end.

2) Will Dumbledore show up as a ghost to advise Harry a la 'Force ghost Obi-Wan Kenobi'?

The former Hogwarts headmasters all reside in portraits in the Head's Office, with connections to elsewhere.

This is an integral part of Dumbledore's dire plot, and the reason why he felt he had to die. Or "die," more like.

This is also why God hates wizards, which is why we so-called "Muggles" must burn and destroy them on sight, as we've done for generations. They are profoundly unnatural and an affront to morality and the laws of nature. We don't suffer witches to live precisely because they often don't die properly.

This is also why Rowling so deftly avoids any mention of religion.

3) Who does Harry end up with, romantically -- if anyone?

A Burmese python named Cymbelline. He can still hear Luna Lovegood deep inside her, begging to be cut free.

4) Does Harry die?

Not permanently. Philosopher's stone possibly comes back.

5) Does Voldemort finally die?

Not really, no. Banished into outer darkness, maybe. I think a Darth Vader-style "He really needed wuz LUV" moment isn't out of the question. Also, of course, he already stands as proof that wizards do not die properly, and so must be "cleansed."

6) Does Harry ever say to Snape 'you know, I have to admit that I saw the visions in the pensieve and my dad was kind of a real jerk to you, so I'd like to apologize on his behalf for his relentless bullying.'?

Yes, but possibly only after or while killing him.

After they make passionate love.

7) Does Hermione get together with Ron?

Yes.
But chastely.
Then one dies.

Or "dies."

8) If Harry lives, how many years will go by 'til J.K. Rowling goes the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle route and writes another H.P. book?

I can't seem to find Paddy Powers' odds on that, which frustrates me. I'd guess 4 years of hemming and hawing, possibly with another book or two that don't do as well. Then a mysterious cameo by a man with a strange scar on his forehead....

09:56 / 29.03.07

Cover art for all three editions—American, British children's, British adults'—has been released.

13:11 / 17.05.07

A thought occurred to me this morning: Has the thought ever been floated that Snape may, in fact, be Harry's real father?

IIRC, he had a bit of a thing for Lily, didn't he? At least she was the only one who every treated him decently...

15:32 / 17.05.07

That's an interesting idea. I think that since so much has been made of Harry's resemblance to James (he even mistakes himself for his dad once), it'd be a long shot.

Our Lady Has Left the Building

14:03 / 18.05.07

Maybe Snape is Harry's mother? Come on, it's magijkcycjckckck! Hands up those who thinks Harry opens his mind, see's behind the false duality of the good/evil, Harry/Voldermort conflict and absorbs Voldy into himself?

Oh, and I seem to recall a couple of books ago that Rowling had said that sequels in the Potterverse with a different cast were possibilities though now she's richer than Jeebus and writing for her own amusement there is the question of whether she should be allowed...

14:06 / 18.05.07

By all means, she should be allowed to write whatever she wants. We, however, are free of any obligation to read it.

Hallo, Paper Spaceboy

16:05 / 18.05.07

(he even mistakes himself for his dad once)

Thanks for reminding me of that! Now I want Voldemort to win.

Organic Resident

21:00 / 05.06.07

I've only read the first 3 books but what struck me straight away that one possible ending is that voldemort turns out to be harry's real father.

ONLY NICE THINGS

07:37 / 06.06.07

That would be the most startling twist since exactly the same twist in The Empire Strikes Back. Not even Rowling, surely, is that inept.

09:13 / 06.06.07

But do they have muggle films at Hogwarts? The chums might never have seen Empire and be really surprised when harry lets go and falls off the divination tower rather than listen to Snape, only his plucky sidekicks to catch him on the firebolt/falcon (Hermione=Leia, Ron=Han, Hagrid=Chewie, Lando?). 'I can't believe he cut off his hand!' the wizkids might say, and all the mudblood kids would laugh at them and make Darth Snape jokes and try to freeze Ron in carbonite.

21:16 / 06.06.07

Can mods remove or edit the hate-speach from the above post?

For God's sake, Quantum. Why not just stick the kebab skewers right into my eyes?

21:22 / 06.06.07

muggle?

mudblood?

11:52 / 07.06.07

According to the Harry Potter Books;

Muggle - non magic user

Mudblood - Someone who's parents are not both magic users. Ie witch mother and non-magic dad or vica versa...

Our Lady Has Left the Building

12:35 / 07.06.07

Muggle isn't hate-speech, mudblood is.

ONLY NICE THINGS

12:41 / 07.06.07

I assumed Princess was joking. If not, we probably ought to have a talk.

Elijah, Freelance Rabbi

13:44 / 07.06.07

Ron is Dumbledore is home to one of my favorite wacky HP theories.

No one mentioned the possibility that Snape and Dumbledore switched places with the shape changing potion, so, in fact, Dumbledore killed Snape.

Or, if Dumbledore is in fact, dead, that could explain why he wanted to be on the Frog cards so badly, maybe he can use them the way other wizards use their portraits.

14:49 / 07.06.07

Muggle - non magic user

Mudblood - Someone who's parents are not both magic users. Ie witch mother and non-magic dad or vica versa...

It's terminology like this that illustrates so clearly why these "wizards" cannot be considered deserving of any mercy.

14:59 / 07.06.07

Well, yes, I was up on the meanings, and while mudblood might be hate-speech in the context of Harry Potter, and muggle might just about be when applied to real people, I sort of hoped Princess was joking, but it wasn't clear.

Or as grant suggests they might just be inherently hateful words.

15:07 / 07.06.07

Mudblood - Someone who's parents are not both magic users. Ie witch mother and non-magic dad or vica versa...

Or if neither parent is a wizard/witch. Hermione´s parents both are muggles, and Malfoy called her a mudblood.
And a non magic user is not necessarily a muggle. There are persons with wizards/witches as parents that are unable to do magic (for example the creepy Hogwarts guy with the cat [forgot the name] is such a person).

Is or will anyone be rereading books before reading book seven? I did with the last one, but plan to reread only book six this time, so I can make sense of what´s happening in the last book.

12:17 / 08.06.07

Or if neither parent is a wizard/witch. Hermione´s parents both are muggles, and Malfoy called her a mudblood.

I forgot about that, thanks for clearing it up.

09:24 / 03.07.07

I just got an email from amazon. They ask me to check, if my bank account informations and my address are still correct to "ensure a smooth payment and delivery". I´ve never before got such an email. Looks, as if amazon is logistically challenged by this novel task.

They also asked me to check my door bell and my mail box! When was the last time a Potter book fit into an average mail box anyway?!

I´ve checked their site to figure out why they bother to send such a strange email and discovered that the book is free of charge if you don´t get it on july 21st! Looks as if the poor postman will have a busy day.

Our Lady Has Left the Building

07:13 / 04.07.07

Are you sure it was Amazon and not a phisher?

I've not decided about whether to get it from Amazon or a bookshop. Amazon's special offer isn't that great considering I don't want any of the other tat that they'll give a small discount on if you buy the book. Has anyone compared and contarsted the various special offers out there for what's best?

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