by Rafa D » Wed Jul 19, 2006 10:16 pm
For those of us in the Harry Potter fandom, the standard one to two (or even three, in the case of Order of the Phoenix) year waiting period between installments is typically marked by an increasing hunger for everything Harry Potter, and a never-ending search for any and all information related to the next book. This is especially true now as we await the final installment in the series. While there are many questions to be answered, and even more loose ends to be tied up, there are some details we actually do know, and others that we can infer.
We'll start with what is likely to happen based on statements made by Harry and routines established in previous books.
According to Harry, he will return to the Dursley's one last time for a "short visit" (p. 650 HBP, American Edition).
After the visit, Harry plans on returning to Godric's Hollow and visiting his parents' graves (p. 651).
Harry plans to begin tracking down the remaining Horcruxes after his visit to Godric's Hollow (p. 651).
Ron and Hermione plan on accompanying Harry to the Dursley's and going with him wherever he goes from there (p. 651 HBP). What cool friends!
Harry will turn 17 on July 31, becoming an adult in the wizarding world. This means that he will be able to perform magic outside of school and Apparate...legally. Unfortunately, coming of age also means that the protection left by his mother will wear off, but Voldemort was finding a number of ways around this enchantment anyhow, so Harry probably won't be in tears over it.
Thankfully, Harry himself isn't the only source of information regarding what is to happen in book seven. J.K. Rowling has been doing interviews for years in which she often references events to come in the Harry Potter world. Likewise, we've been obsessively tracking them for years trying to figure out which quotes pertain to which books. Sometimes, she comes right out and tells us "this will be in book four" or "this will be in book six," and other times she's far more ambiguous, but now that there is only one book left, it's pretty clear that some of her quotations (those that did not apply to any of the six previous books) must be concerning book 7.
Here is a list of things we know, things that are likely to happen, and things that are not likely or won't happen based on statements by J.K. Rowling.
What we know will happen:
We will find out what Dudley saw in Order of the Phoenix when he was attacked by the dementor.
We will find out the true identity of R.A.B., though most fans are quite sure it's Sirius's brother, Regulus.
We will see Viktor Krum again.
We will find out a little bit more about Harry's Grandparents.
We will find out what happened to Sirius' flying motorcycle, "but the real sleuths among us might be able to guess." Care to hazard a guess?
Wormtail's life debt to Harry will come into play, somehow.
We will find out what Lily and James did for a living. This piece of information is "important to a later plot." Possibly something Harry finds out during his visit to Godric's Hollow?
The shroud that surrounds Snape will fall and we will see where his loyalties truly lie.
One of Harry's classmates will go on to become a teacher, but it isn't "maybe the one you think, hint, hint, hint," and it isn't Ron, either. Our guess is Neville, but we'll see!
We will find out something extremely important about Lily and James and it will have a direct effect on what Harry has to do. And no, conspiracy theorists, it's not that they were actually both working for Voldemort, an idea that sickened Ms. Rowling (see below).
We will see Dolores Umbridge again.
We will see Rita Skeeter again. At the Edinburgh Book Festival, Rowling had this to say: "I actually quite like Rita. She is loathsome - morally, she's horrible - but I can't help admiring her toughness. She is very determined to do the job and there is something quite engaging about that. There is more to come on Rita."
The last word of the book is "scar," though that may change with future edits.
We will find out something "incredibly important" about Lily Potter.
Harry's eye color will come into play. Also, JKR said that "he has his mother's eyes and that's very important in a future book."
There is "more to the Sorting Hat" than what was presented in the first six books; we will "find out what it becomes" in book seven.
Although Aunt Petunia is neither a witch nor a Squib, "there is a little bit more to her than meets the eye," and we will find out what that is.
According to Jo, "one character got a reprieve, but I have to say two die that I didn't intend to die. A price has to be paid. We are dealing with pure evil. They don't target the extras, do they? They go for the main characters, or I do."
What we know might be true, or is likely to happen:
It is likely we will see the two-way mirror again.
We may see Sirius again, but we do not know what form it will be in.
"There is a character who does manage in desperate circumstances to do magic quite late in life, may perform magic in desperate circumstances." We know it's not Petunia (see below)...so, who is it?
Book seven is predicted to be smaller than Order of the Phoenix. (JKRowling.com Feb. 28, 2006 diary entry)
If Hogwarts reopens, yet another new teacher will take up the Defense Against the Dark Arts post; perhaps for as long as Professor Merrythought, assuming Harry vanquishes Voldemort.
Fawkes will likely play a vital role in book 7.
Harry "might get a different pet."
What we know is not likely to happen:
Harry will not become a Hogwarts Headmaster.
What will not happen:
Snape will not be revealed to be a vampire.
Voldemort will not be revealed to be Harry's, or any other character's, father. That's just sadistic.
Draco and Hermione will not end up together, nor will they ever, in their wildest, most twisted dreams, even consider it.
Aunt Petunia will not perform magic, because she is not a witch, nor will she ever be.
Lupin will not reoccupy his role as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Wormtail will not use his silver hand to kill Lupin.
The Sorting Hat is not a Horcrux.
Neither Crookshanks nor Mrs. Norris is an Animagus.
Harry is not a Metamorphmagus.
Neither Dumbledore, nor any other character in the series, is another character who has come back from the future. If you remember, JKR cleverly wrote in Half-Blood Prince that in the Department of Mysteries skirmish in book five, all of the Ministry's Time Turners were destroyed, proving wrong the ridiculously complicated time-travel theories out there.
Luna is not Snape's daughter.
Nicolas Flamel will not teach potions at Hogwarts. He died, remember?
Luna and Neville will not become a couple...what a shame!
Harry is not related to Dumbledore.
Lily Potter is not alive, and she never was a Death Eater.
Neville is not Peter Pettigrew's son. Just because neither of them have won Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award five times in a row doesn't mean they're related! Really, now...
Lupin is not a twin.
Sammy Lee wears Liverpool undies
