|
 |
|
|
|
|
Musings #15: Final Deathly Hallows Predictions
by Matthew Vines
July 20, 2007
I don't know how I've made it this long without getting a word of Deathly Hallows spoiled for me.
Well, I suppose I do.
I have stopped reading e-mail, stopped checking Facebook, stopped reading almost all news, stopped texting and taking phone calls (except from a few people who I know won't spoil it), and have ceased virtually all communication with the outside world.
I didn't plan to take quite such drastic steps to protect myself against spoilers, but my discovery last Saturday that the entire book had already been leaked on the Internet triggered them. It greatly saddens me that despite the tens of millions of dollars that were poured into keeping the contents of this book secret until July 21, some sadists illegally obtained a copy of it and spread its contents far and wide. (I am particularly enraged about the New York Times' early review, in case you couldn't already tell from my earlier posts.)
But I am determined to keep Veritaserum spoiler-free, which is pretty easy to do considering I don't know any spoilers myself. In the meantime before the book is released (at midnight tonight!), I figure I should finally do what I've been planning on doing for many months now.
Below, in no particular order, are my final predictions on what's going to happen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. They are based solely upon the first six books and interviews that have been conducted with JK Rowling over the past ten years. I don't think any of them are too outlandish, but there are a few that I very rarely - or never - here discussed.
On July 15, 2005, a day before the release of Half-Blood Prince, I jotted down all of my theories about the book in this posting. And while I was right about a few things, like the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and the now-obvious relationships, I didn't feel all that confident in most of my predictions. On the whole, they were simply semi-educated guesses.
This time, however, we only have one piece of the puzzle left to put in place, and in my view, at least, a whole host of things are much clearer now than they were then. I feel much more confident in the majority of my theories than I ever have with any of the previous books, which is why I wanted to write this before the book is released. Here they are:
Harry (who is NOT a Horcrux) will stimulate Lord Voldemort's death and will make it out alive.
The fundamental problem that I have with the Harry-is-a-Horcrux theory is that it explains how the book ends. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, it goes something like this: On the night Lord Voldemort entered the Potters' home, he was planning to use Harry's murder to make his sixth and final Horcrux. However, after killing James and Lily, the Killing Curse he directed at Harry backfired and his body was destroyed. In the midst of all this madness, Voldemort accidentally made Harry a Horcrux.
In the seventh book, Harry will find and destroy all of the other Horcruxes and will then confront Voldemort, at which point he will realize that he himself contains the last piece of Voldemort's soul. He will then heroically sacrifice himself to save the rest of the world and the book will end.
Or so the theory goes. But, as I said, the main issue I have with this idea is that it explains the ending. JK Rowling has said that no one has guessed the ending (although a few people have come close), so that simply can't be true. Now, the Harry's-scar-is-a-Horcrux theory is an entirely different matter. That may well be true and would provide a nice explanation for the connection between Voldemort and Harry, but I'm not ready to throw my full weight behind it just yet.
Now, onto the issue of Harry's fate: Harry will, of course, survive his final encounter with Lord Voldemort and live a long, prosperous life. How could he not? I've heard far too many fans say that Harry's death would be the perfect, most conclusive ending to the series, as it would show that sacrifices must be made for the greater good and that Harry has the courage to make them, no matter what the cost. Those are both true, but I seriously doubt Harry will have to make that ultimate sacrifice.
My thought is that, at some point in Deathly Hallows, Harry will find himself in a position in which he thinks he must die to destroy Voldemort. He will be willing to do so. Then, right before it happens (however it might happen), Snape will take the bullet for Harry and he will live.
There are a few reasons why Harry cannot die, other than the oft-repeated "it would traumatize millions" and "no one would ever let their children read the series again." (Which, by the way, are not valid reasons for JK Rowling letting Harry live. She has known his fate from the start and would not even consider changing it to appease fans.) The foremost reason is that JK Rowling has simply tried too hard to make fans think Harry's death is even a possibility. She has not been remotely subtle about how it could easily happen, how she understands the mentality of an author who would kill off their main character so as not to let anyone else write a sequel, etc., etc.
When has she ever hinted so hugely at something that has actually happened? Did she ever say in any pre-HBP interview, "Oh, you know, Dumbledore could die in the sixth one. It's a very real possibility." Or when asked about Sirius's future plans in any pre-OOTP interview, "What if Sirius dies in book five? Then he wouldn't have a future, would he? So maybe you should reconsider your question."
No! Of course not. If she hadn't been alluding so obviously to Harry's potential death for years, then I would be scared for his life. If she were actually going to kill him off, she would treat his death as an unrealistic occurrence beforehand, and then when she did it, everyone would be completely shell-shocked - just how she'd want it.
So I am completely ruling out the possibility of his death. There is really no way it could happen, at least in my view.
And lastly, Harry will not actually kill Lord Voldemort. That would be entirely unsatisfying. A seven-book series all about the power of love cannot end with the protagonist screaming "Avada Kedavra!" and murdering the antagonist. That would be…well, it's not going to happen, so I suppose I don't need to go there. Rather than killing Voldemort, Harry will do something (in addition to destroying the Horcruxes) that will directly stimulate his destruction. Once Harry has destroyed all of his Horcruxes, I think it would be fitting for one of Voldemort's Killing Curses to backfire again and kill him, but we'll see how it actually unfolds.
Snape is good and only killed Dumbledore on his orders.
When I read Half-Blood Prince for the first time, I was incensed at Snape for killing one of my all-time favorite characters, but upon re-reading the book a few days later, I realized I may have judged too quickly. And now, after a two-year debate, the evidence can only lead me to believe that Snape is good and that he begrudgingly killed Dumbledore on his orders.
First, let's go back to a scene in Umbridge's office toward the end of Order of the Phoenix. Harry and Hermione had broken in to use her fireplace and Umbridge had caught them red-handed. When Snape stops by Umbridge's office upon her request, Harry shouts, "He's got Padfoot! He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!" Snape pretends like he has no clue what Harry just told him, leaving Harry and his friends feeling helpless. But Snape, having read Harry's mind, alerts the Order of the Phoenix, which then shows up at the Department of Mysteries and saves all of the students' lives.
If Snape were actually evil, this would've been the perfect opportunity for him to let Harry die without anyone noticing it was his fault. None of Harry's friends thought that Snape understood him, nor did Umbridge or any of the Inquisitorial Squad. Snape could've easily just let Harry die at the Ministry of Magic rather than tipping off the Order. If he were working for Voldemort, he had no reason whatsoever to save the day.
But now, let's jump ahead a year to Half-Blood Prince. There are countless hints embedded throughout the book that make it inextricably clear that Dumbledore ordered Snape to kill him. I won't list them all here, but I'll touch on some of the key ones:
- "Well?" Harry urged him, as Hagrid shuffled his enormous feet uneasily.
"Well - I jus' heard Snape sayin' Dumbledore took too much fer granted an' maybe he - Snape - didn' wan' ter do it anymore - "
"Do what?"
"I dunno, Harry, it sounded like Snape was feelin' a bit overworked, tha's all - anyway, Dumbledore told him flat out he'd agreed ter do it an' that was all there was to it. Pretty firm with him."
(HBP, p. 405-406, American edition)
This argument was clearly intended to be interpreted as it was by Harry - that Dumbledore was angry with Snape because Snape either didn't want to investigate the necklace incident or didn't want to keep working as a double agent for the Order. Either way, it's pretty implausible to think that Snape would just come out and say that to Dumbledore.
Once you've read the book twice, this conversation begins to sound much more like an argument over whether or not Snape has to go through with his agreement to kill Dumbledore. Snape has the deepest respect for Dumbledore and, I am sure, feels very anxious about going through with their plan, even if it is what Dumbledore thinks is best.
- Dumbledore was pleading. Those were the words JK Rowling used to describe Dumbledore's final words to Snape on page 595 of the American edition of HBP. As has been voiced countless times by countless fans, Dumbledore would never plead for anything, much less something as trivial (to him, at least) as his own life.
Why would the man for whom death is but the next great adventure be at all worried about dying, so much so that he would sacrifice his dignity in his final moments?
The potion that Dumbledore drank in the cave would have killed him within a few hours had Snape not expedited the process, so there are very few rational reasons that could explain away Dumbledore pleading to Snape for mercy. It's quite clear, I think, that he was pleading to Snape to go through with their agreement and kill him, despite Snape's second thoughts on the matter.
- When Harry - on Dumbledore's orders - is force-feeding him the potion in the cave, Dumbledore is in a state of intense pain, but Harry continues in spite of this because he was ordered to do so. On page 571, JKR writes, " Hating himself, repulsed by what he was doing, Harry forced the goblet back toward Dumbledore's mouth and tipped it, so that Dumbledore drank the remainder of the potion inside."
Fast-forward 24 pages, just before Snape murders Dumbledore: "Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face."
In case you didn't catch it: Harry was "hating himself" and "repulsed by what he was doing," just as Snape's face was marked with "revulsion and hatred." This is my favorite parallel in the entire series.
First off, if Snape were killing Dumbledore on Voldemort's orders, he would be doing it for personal gain, not because he hated Dumbledore. No one could genuinely hate Dumbledore - especially not Snape, who he has afforded so much trust over the years. Anyone could want him killed, if only to clear Voldemort's path of destruction, but not because they loathe him as a person.
Secondly, though, I think these quotes make it very clear that Harry and Snape were in the same boat that fateful night. They both were forced to irreparably harm a man they profoundly admired. Another significant part of the latter quote is that Snape "gazed for a moment at Dumbledore." They are both accomplished Legilimens, as we all know, so in this gaze, he was merely confirming what they had planned for months - that he would now kill him.
- "Coward, did you call me, Potter?" shouted Snape… "Blocked again and again and again until you learn to keep your mouth shut and your mind closed, Potter!" sneered Snape, deflecting the curse once more…
"Kill me then," panted Harry, who felt no fear at all, but only rage and contempt. "Kill me like you killed him, you coward -"
"DON'T -" screamed Snape, and his face was suddenly demented, inhuman, as though he was in as much pain as the yelping, howling dog stuck in the burning house behind them - "CALL ME COWARD!"
(HBP, p. 603-604, American edition)
I feel as though this passage needs no explanation. It would not have taken a remarkable amount of courage for Snape to kill Dumbledore on Voldemort's orders or just for personal gain. What did take such courage, however, was killing the man he most admired and respected for the eventual betterment of the world.
Murdering Dumbledore was likely the most difficult thing Snape ever had to do in his entire life, which explains his fury over being considered a coward for that action. Little else could have triggered a "demented, inhuman" reaction from Snape.
This passage is also significant because in it, Snape gives Harry some of the best advice he needs for his final battle with Voldemort: He must master both his emotions and non-verbal spells in order to successfully cast any curse or jinx against an accomplished opponent. Snape masks this advice as a taunt, but his true intent couldn't be clearer.
It makes complete sense for Dumbledore to have Snape kill him. Not only did Dumbledore know that he was bound to die at some point along the line anyway, but he knew that once Harry was armed with the crucial information about Voldemort's Horcruxes, he would be able to handle himself (and should) without his assistance. He knew that Harry would have to be the one who, in some way, destroys Voldemort in the end, and he didn't want Harry to think of him as a crutch in that moment.
Not only that, but after killing Dumbledore, Snape has won the complete trust of everyone on Voldemort's side and has gained unfettered access to Voldemort himself. No one - not even Voldemort - has any reason to doubt him now. That will allow Snape to place himself in the best possible position from which to exploit Voldemort for Harry's gain, which I'm sure he will do at some point in Deathly Hallows.
Snape will die by sacrificing himself to save Harry.
This is what I expect will be the big plot twist near the end of the book. At some point, once Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Hagrid, Norbert, Grawp, Fawkes, Wormtail, and Nagini have made their contributions, Harry will find himself alone and utterly helpless against Voldemort. Voldemort will then attempt to kill Harry, but Snape will step in and sacrifice himself to save Harry.
There will probably be a little more to it than that, but that's the general idea I have for Snape's role in the book.
Snape loved Lily.
If Snape is indeed good, as I steadfastly believe he is, we will find out in Deathly Hallows the real reason that Dumbledore trusted him over all these years. That Snape "spun him a tale of deepest remorse" just doesn't cut it at all.
Snape is correct in stating that Dumbledore believes the best of people, but Dumbledore is not an idiot. This trait is well demonstrated at the end of the fifth book, when Harry throws a massive tantrum in his office, but Dumbledore remains calm, collected, and polite. Although Harry is acting wildly, Dumbledore knows that he is not a bad person and clearly believes the best of him.
But that is a far, far cry from greeting a Death Eater with open arms and granting him such close, personal access. Dumbledore is an even greater Legilimens than Snape (or Voldemort, for that matter), and he would have no trouble spotting a bogus apology. So clearly, there is a much more significant reason behind Dumbledore's trust in Snape that we have yet to discover.
I, like many others, believe this reason is that Snape loved Lily Potter.
In an October 1999 interview, JK Rowling said, "You'll find out a lot more about her (Lily) in Book 5, or you'll find out something very significant about her in Book 5, then you'll find out something incredibly important about her in Book 7. But I can't tell you what those things are, so I'm sorry, but yes, you will find out more about her because both of them are very important in what Harry ends up having to do."
The only thing that we actually find out about Lily in book five is in Snape's worst memory. Not only did Lily stick up for Snape when James and Sirius were bullying him, but Snape then turned around and called her a Mudblood. Even though being publicly humiliated was certainly embarrassing for Snape, this was probably one of countless times James bullied him at Hogwarts. What made this memory worse than any of his others was the way he treated Lily after she defended him.
It is also highly significant that although Snape has told Harry many a time what an insufferable, arrogant jerk his father was, he has never said a word against Lily. That is no mere coincidence. I firmly believe that because he loved Lily, he hated James with an unmatched fervor, which explains why he has shown such unrestrained disdain for Harry from the start, as Harry is the product of James and Lily.
Snape loving Lily would also tie in beautifully to the theme of love triumphing over evil. It would also explain why Dumbledore, who has a greater knowledge of the ancient magic associated with love than anyone, was able to confidently believe Snape, and why Snape defected from Voldemort's crew.
R.A.B. is Regulus Black…obviously.
The identity of R.A.B. - the mystery person who stole the real locket Horcrux and left the fake one in its place - is the single most obvious thing about book seven. It's about as hard as knowing what J.K.R. stands for.
For those of you who haven't been following the discussion that closely, 99.9% of fans think that R.A.B. is Regulus Black, Sirius's brother who died after deserting the Death Eaters many moons ago. In chapter six of Order of the Phoenix, Harry and his friends are cleaning up Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. JKR writes:
There was a musical box that emitted a faintly sinister, tinkling tune when wound, and they all found themselves becoming curiously weak and sleepy until Ginny had the sense to slam the lid shut; also a heavy locket that none of them could open, a number of ancient seals and, in a dusty box, an Order of Merlin, First Class, that had been awarded to Sirius's grandfather for "Services to the Ministry."
Again, the high majority of close readers are convinced (and rightly so, in my opinion) that this locket is the real Horcrux. However, chances are good that Mundungus Fletcher pawned off the locket to someone else during Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. I have no idea how Harry will remember that he saw that locket at the Blacks', but once he does, and once he realizes that it is no longer there, I think he will try to use Kreacher to help locate it.
This would be a grave mistake, as I don't believe that Kreacher is actually under Harry's command (see below). Kreacher would then be in an excellent position to take advantage of Harry, perhaps even endangering one of his friends' lives.
I probably took that theory way too far, but I am at least 100% confident in the identity of R.A.B. and that the real Horcrux was once in the Black home.
Nagini is the same snake that Harry set loose from the zoo in the first book.
This is one of my pet theories that I have actually never heard from anyone else. It first came to me two or three years ago and I am delighted to be able to find out tomorrow whether or not it's accurate.
Nagini, Voldemort's servant snake, seems to pop out of nowhere in book four. All of a sudden, Voldemort has a pet snake, but there is no explanation of where this snake came from, what kind of a snake it is, or what particular purpose it serves aside from keeping Voldemort alive through its venom.
In book six, Dumbledore tells Harry that he believes Nagini to be Voldemort's sixth and final Horcrux. Even though it is generally inadvisable to turn a living being into a Horcrux, Voldemort was somewhat desperate at the time he killed Frank Bryce (when he likely made Nagini a Horcrux), and desperate times call for desperate measures.
One of Voldemort's other servants, Wormtail, already owes his life to Harry, which I'm sure will come into play in this book. Wouldn't it be fantastic if Voldemort's other servant, who also happens to be a seventh of his soul, owed his freedom to Harry?
I am of the belief that the boa constrictor that Harry let loose from the zoo in Sorcerer's Stone is Nagini. There is no reason why this couldn't have happened, as the snake had four years from her escape to the point at which she reappears in the series, and pretty much anything could have happened to her in that timeframe.
If my theory is right, the implications will be fascinating.
Narcissa Malfoy will pull a Lily Potter.
Draco proves in book six that he is not an evil person - he is simply an arrogant, spoiled twit who was brought up by a dreadful father. Even though his life and his parents' lives are at stake, he cannot bring himself to kill Dumbledore, and even if he had tried, he would have failed, as he wouldn't have meant it. That, as JK Rowling has said, is highly significant.
Since Draco is not actually evil, something in Deathly Hallows will have to trigger his switch from Voldemort's to Harry's side. My prediction is that Voldemort will attempt to murder Draco, but Narcissa will stand in his way and be killed for it. That alone would cause Draco to run like the wind from Voldemort, and it might even cause Lucius to do so as well.
There are, of course, a million other ways Draco could desert Voldemort, but I particularly like this one for one main reason. Narcissa Malfoy is the only character on Voldemort's side with whom we are supposed to sympathize at all. Most Death Eaters are Bellatrix/Fenrir types, for whom we have no compassion whatsoever. But in the second chapter of book six, Narcissa displayed a quality that no other Death Eater has shown: love.
Narcissa cared so deeply for her son that she was willing to go to any length to protect him, regardless of what the consequences may have been for her personally. Although she was expressly instructed by Voldemort not to divulge Draco's task to anyone, she was more than ready to tell Snape on the off-chance that he might be able to help him. She broke down in tears in front of Snape when considering the possibility of Draco's death, an act which causes the reader to sympathize with her.
Even though we may loathe the Malfoys, it is undeniable that Narcissa loves Draco, just as Draco loves Narcissa. She is, perhaps, the only character on Voldemort's side whose death would actually trigger grief from readers, which is why I think she'll be the one to go.
Wormtail will be killed for protecting Harry or Ron in some way.
Wormtail's life debt to Harry has to come back in some form in Deathly Hallows. I am pretty clueless on the details, but I feel confident that Wormtail will be instructed to harm either Harry or Ron, but will find himself unable to carry out the task. This would then result in Wormtail's murder.
Bellatrix is Kreacher's true master.
When I first read Half-Blood Prince, I was entirely unconvinced that Harry was actually Kreacher's master. The test that Dumbledore had Harry use - give him a command and see if he obeys - was hardly foolproof. Kreacher could have easily faked it. Harry gave Kreacher three orders throughout the book, none of which were all that painful to follow.
The first, the test order, was to shut up. The second was to go to Hogwarts to work in the kitchens. The third was to tail Draco Malfoy. Just because Kreacher followed these orders by no means means that he is actually under Harry's command.
My theory is that Bellatrix is Kreacher's true master, and that she has instructed Kreacher to pretend to Harry as though he is under his command. This will allow Kreacher to have the sort of inside access to the Horcrux search that no one else on Voldemort's side will have. I am afraid that Kreacher will find himself in a wonderful position to exploit Harry and that, by doing so, serious harm will be inflicted upon one of Harry's friends.
We will finally properly meet Aberforth Dumbledore.
JK Rowling said in 2005 that in book seven, we will finally "properly meet" a member of the Order of the Phoenix who we know of, but don't really know yet. Considering she also said that Dumbledore's lineage will be important to the plot, I am going to have to guess that this character is Aberforth Dumbledore, Albus's brother and the barman at the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade.
Hagrid will die in combat.
Someone we love dearly has to die. It can't be Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, or Luna - it just can't. It can't be McGonagall, because it'd be a little awkward to have two new Headmasters in two years. It can't be any of the Weasleys - not even Percy - because then Mrs. Weasley would be utterly distraught, and the book could not end happily if she were in that state.
It could be Lupin, as the Marauders seem to be dying in backwards order, but I doubt it. (Probably only because I very much want to doubt it, though.) Apart from that, what characters do we really love?
Hagrid. Not only has Hagrid been with us from the very, very beginning, but he is one of the most loyal and courageous characters in the entire series. Unfortunately, these characteristics also mean that Hagrid is more than willing to put himself on the front line, just as he did at the end of book six. He didn't care what might've happened to him; he just wanted to protect Harry and the rest of the students at Hogwarts.
I think that Hagrid will make an important contribution to the cause in book seven - probably related to the giants - but will ultimately die in combat. A depressing theory, I know.
Hogwarts will remain open and Neville will eventually become the new Herbology professor.
Hogwarts has to remain open. JKR accidentally let slip in 2005 that there will be a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in book seven, and I don't know who they would be teaching if the school weren't open. But also, just think about it - what kind of a response is that to terror? Stopping teaching students how to defend themselves?
Also, in a 1999 interview, JK Rowling said that one of Harry's friends will become a teacher at Hogwarts after book seven, but that it's not who we think it is (a.k.a. Hermione). In that case, it simply has to be Neville, who I am sure will succeed Professor Sprout as the Herbology professor.
Harry will revisit the Chamber of Secrets.
After all, it is the plural, and so far, we only know of one secret. I'm sure there is a lot that Harry could learn about Hogwarts' founders were he to venture into the Chamber once more.
Norbert will return in all his fully-grown glory.
Just like Nagini, I think Norbert's inclusion in book one was more significant than we realized at the time. By now, Norbert should be fully-grown, and judging by the looks of the deluxe edition cover of the book, he'll be making a reappearance in seven.
Percy will redeem himself and his family will welcome him back with open arms.
I don't even know if this counts as a theory, just because it seems to obvious. What will be interesting is to see what triggers his change of heart.
Viktor Krum, Rita Skeeter, Dolores Umbridge, Norbert, Nagini, Fawkes, and Grawp will reappear.
Alright, so the first three aren't theories - they're facts, straight from JK Rowling. And I've already covered the next two. But I do expect to see all of these characters in some capacity in Deathly Hallows.
We'll end up with one, big, happy Weasley family.
In the epilogue, we'll find out that Harry and Ginny get married, as will Ron and Hermione, which will mean that they are all related. These relationships are the primary reason why none of them can die in the book.
And lastly, a few (of many more) unanswered questions I'm dying to know the answers to:
- What did Dumbledore see in the Mirror of Erised?
- What would've happened had Ginny died and Tom Riddle escaped from the diary in Chamber of Secrets?
- What did Dudley see when attacked by Dementors in Order of the Phoenix?
- What is Aunt Petunia's connection to the magical realm and what letters did Dumbledore send to her before he left Harry on her doorstep?
- Why did Sirius loathe Snape?
Alright, I'm done theorizing. I realize that this is absurdly long, but I very much wanted to have my thoughts written down before I'll never wonder again.
Back to HP Musings
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
