i searched but couldnt find anything on this yet..but the cover art for the US version and the UK version of deathly hallows have been realsed

us version http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/book...llows/index.htm

uk version http://mugglenet.com/viewer/?image_locatio.../hp7childuk.jpg

what is harry and voldy reaching for in the cover of the Us versions?

i think the UK version shows alot more..where is the trio? and is that dobby on harrys back why does he have a sword with him and whys harrys arm scratched (must have been in a fight)? note the armor on the ground with the snake imprint on it and wats with all the gold? and whats the symbol on the spin all about? lol just to name a few things going on in the cover.!

really cant wait for this book now

Om my goodness!!! I love the UK cover, which is the one us South Africans get. It's wonderful to see Ron and Hermione on the cover - it certainly suggests that the three are in it together! I hope that is a scene from later in the book. If Ron or Hermione don't survive this book, hopefully we'll be able to read about them for most of it. The white Hogwarts is also rather eerie, I must say. And those dodgy trees. Very deathly... Please don't tell me that's what happens to it! Voldemort looks dang scary on the US cover...

I'm so excited now! I pre-ordered my copy from our local bookstore over the weekend, and seeing the cover is just too cool!

Ok, the picture. I think that's Kreacher trying to stab Harry, judging from the looks on the trio's faces. Boy will it suck if Kreacher was the one who killed him. That must be in one of the tombs, following the theory that the Deathly Hallows are the tombs of the founders. The stone archway seems to fit in with that too. And btw, I love their robes. I always tend to imagine the kids with muggle clothes on, but their wizard robes look really nice!

The crystal ball! Woot! That means that Trelawney will feature again, perhaps to make a third and final prediction. I think she holds the key to Dumbledore's death at the hands of Snape, but I don't think she knows it. That creature on the helmet looks like a dragon to me. It seems to suggest Gryffindor somehow. Dumbledore discovered the 12 uses of dragon blood, dragons breathe fire, phoenixes and fire, Dumbledore was a Gryffindor, red and gold... And if he had more armour it would mean that the sword Harry pulled from his hat is part of a set. So I'm guessing that's Godric Gryffindor's tomb. Oh what fun! I can't wait!!!

Thanks so much for the links! Those are some awesome covers!

They neither have their wands, so maybe they've "ACCIO, WAND!" (I'm sure that's not it, but it came to mind!)

The curtains. . .not how I imagined the veil, but I'm sure it makes some people very jittery! I still think it's not. . . not the right color, or did it give us a color in OotP? Can't remember. Maybe I'm just in denial!

What's the arena they're in? The DoM? The Coliseum? (hehe) Somewhere else?

The UK cover is better detailed. To me, it looks like Ron's other hand is holding the sword, which I also assume is Gryffindor's. Maybe they're in Gryffindor's tomb because that's where another Horcrux is. . .ooh. What's that green egg thingy? It looks like Harry's reaching for it. Probably just circumstantial. I agree, Laurette, the white Hogwarts does look very eerie! And it looks like the return of Prong! (Or, at least, Harry's patronus of him!)

Very fun!

OH MY GOSH!!!!!
I love the UK edition. I read that one so I ordered it on amazon UK. I wonder where the trio is, though...... perhaps looking for horcruxes, because voldemort uses precious things.
Hm?

The cover art for Deathly Hallows has been released here

There isn't much on the US cover... just LV and Harry and a guess as to where they are. My guess is that they are both trying to "Accio" something and hoping that it will come to them. Have no idea where they are. but there I have to go back and examine it... the photos at the link are expandable to HUGE size so we can examine them.

Take a look at the UK cover, though, it's FULL of clues!!!!
Helmets with dragons, gold, potions (that look like "Holy Hand Grenades.")
Looks like Gringotts maybe. The 3 kids are there, and the back looks like Hogwarts.
Anyone know if a black dog has always been the sign of Bloomsberry or if that's a Sirius hint????

I am speechless. There are so many clues on the cover designs.

Why is the Slytherin Locket cover-worthy? Is it the last horcrux Harry has to search for?

Why are there people watching Harry and Voldemort seeking to ... reach/gain/access/control/get something in the air? Where is the coloseum shown? Hogwarts is shown, too, is that the Whomping Willow?

Why is Prongs shown on the inside front UK flap? What is on shown on the backflap...I couldn't figure it out?

Okay, I guess I'm not speechless afterall.

The thing on the back of the UK cover looks like a snake seen in a crystal ball... maybe Trelawney comes in handy.

I have to go back and look at the people watching LV and Harry on the US ed. they look almost hooded like DEs, but perhaps are nondescript on purpose.

I tried to link to the actual pictures so that we could see them here, but it wasn't allowed.

It looks like 3 helmets and maybe 3 shields, the sword (Gryffindor's???) and the cup may be on the UK ed.

Is Harry wearing the locket on the US ed.????? Or is it something else?????

On the US cover, they have NO WANDS!!!!!!!! And then they're are curtains on either side of the cover. Could they be behind the veil? Also, Harry's scar is not visible. On every other cover, the scar is plainly visible, but not here. It doesn't look like it's there at all!!!! What does all of this mean????

Also, on the UK version, look like Ron is holding Godric Gryffindor's sword. Could he be Gryffindor's heir? And then, on the back cover, they have a black dog running towards Hogwarts. Sirius anybody?

Wow! I, like most of you, think the UK edition gives us more info. What I noticed straight away was the logo on the spine of the book. What could that be about! I also want to know more about the writing on the back of the book (the blurb or something I think its called), because I thought Hermione and Ron would go with Harry to Privet Drive, but it says "Harry's waiting at Privet Drive," it doesn't mention them.

Im so excited!!

I'm sorry, guys, we already have a topic on this. For now it's in the news section, so I'll merge this one with it. Might move it back to the book forum when it's not 'news' anymore.

I just love the covers, though, and I'm really excited about the book's release again now! July seems so far away!!

The UK front cover has a goblin holding a sword, because its' other hand is on Harry's shoulder!! Are they at Gringott's Bank?!

Although another look it could be a house-elf instead of a goblin...?

The UK cover has all the kids injured, though...

The Slytherin locket seems to be extremely important in this story. It appears on the adult version cover and the US version has Harry wearing it around his neck while gesticulating at something and it seems that Tom is trying to stop him from doing something. Wandless magic anyone?

Does it also mean that Harry attempts to destroy the horcrux while still wearing it and thereby ending his and Tom's life in the process.

Also it seems to suggest that Slytherin's locket would be the last one to be destroyed by Harry, since he's facing Tom (figuratively) and maybe both will die in the end. It would be awful if that happens, but then no one even complimented JKR on her sensitivity.

Be prepared for some major disappointments people, doesn't look too good for Harry out there.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Wow wee. Uk. Version where i live wow that is so good. I love it all the jewles and the castle persumably Hogwarts but then it is white. Maybe Dumbledore - White castle??

And prongs does this means James will come back??

Oh wow thesse are great. I love the colours on the U.K version. I don't no if i like the us version!

And on the Uk version is that Dobbby thanks to K.Lupin_Werewolf for pointing on this to me it lokks liker he is holding Godric Gryfinndors sowrd!

And why is there trasure all of tesse questions.

Harry looks as if he has been burnt there i think.

And erm you know that peice of treasure with the reptile on it.. That could be a horcrux!! Maybe..

And that triangle symbol what does that mean?? On U.K cover.

In US cover it looks like Harrys in a colussium.

Seriouslysirius --- hey you got here first and i gave you the link

( Half-Blood-Prince) thank you so very much for these links!! wow!! so cool! i'll only focus on the UK version as that's the one i'll be geting!!

Is it Dobby?? and is the sword Godrics sword?? it has a red jewel at the bottom...
What's with al the gold and stuff?? wow....
finally the whole of the trio is on a front cover!!
Crystal ball?? Treawleny!!
Prongs?? is that him?? james...
Hogwarts looks so eeire with the full moon and white colour .... looks kind of egnimatic too

i'll sum up in one word.... wow!!

The crystal ball with a snake? Is it possible that it's a way of confirming that Dumbledore was correct and Nagini is actually a horcrux?

Is that actually a sword in hand? Looks more like a dagger and since an elf (Dobby or Kreacher) or a goblin is holding it, it appears much larger in a small hand.

It does appear that they are stumbling into some treasure tomb.

I’m so excited by these pictures!

The UK version is possibly Voldemort’s own vault at Gringots. LV liked to take souvenirs from his victims. So somewhere in this mess of treasure there’s probably a Horcrux to find.

The US version is unusual. There are curtains, the veil?, revealing the scene. They aren’t fighting each other but focused on something above while spectators watch. Plus Harry is wearing a large locket.

I'm sooooo excited!!!1 I've said this in other posts, but I think that the US cover is a depiction of the final battle. I do wonder what Lord Voldemort and Harry are fixated on. They're kinda shrinking away or shielding themselves perhaps. Maybe they're reaching for something. Perhaps the weapon that could kill either one of them--we know their wands don't work with each other. I'm sooo excited!!!!! I can't wait for the book to be released!!!! I'm glad the cover art is finally here so we all can have something else to theorize about!!

Wow! I'm really intrigued as to where Harry, Ron and Hermione are on the UK cover. Is that the arch (the veil) behind them? And the US edition does seem to have the veil on it, that was the first thing that I noticed about the cover.
And is that Dobby or possibly Kreacher on Harry's back? I would assume it's Kreacher as it looks quite sinister, and Dobby was pretty much in love with Harry! lol!
It kind of looks as though they're all being dragged back towards the arch...

I haven't noticed any pictures of the adult UK cover on here. Anyway thsi is it here on Bloomsbury Presses site, complete with picture of Slytherins locket just how I'd envisaged it.

I agree, that there's allsorts of things that can be read into the UK cover, although the US cover does tell a different part of the story....I'm so exited!!!!

Ok, I was going to quote people, but I decided that perhaps making a list would be more helpful.

As a note, I have adopted these abreviations:
Bloomsbury (UK) Children's edition- UKC
Bloomsbury (UK) Adult edition- UKA
Scholastic (US) edition- US

Anyway, this seems to be the most important things people have noticed (thus far) about the book covers:

1) the snake in the crystal ball (UKC)
2) the "nondescript" people (US)
3) the locket (UKA)
4) the locket (US)
5) harry's scar (US)
6) no wands (US)
7) prongs (UKC)
8) sword (UKC)
9) house elf (UKC)
10) thorny forest/hogwarts (UKC)
11) the trio's injuries (UKC)
12) The helm/breastplate (UKC)
13) The location of the treasure room (UKC)
14) curtains/ampitheater/etc. (US)

Ok, I'll address these all in turn. By the way, I think that the dog at the bottom of the UKC is just bloomsbury's symbol.

1) This could either be a preserved object (a snake preseved in a glass sphere) or be viewed in a crystal ball. I would be surprised by the latter, because of the little importance rowling has put in divination thus far. However, with the sucess of the playing cards in HBP, that could be changing. It could also be that Nagini died and her body was preserved in a glass sphere for protection. Or it could be another snake alltogether, preserved in a sphere. A horcrux?

2) I would say that they are proboboly deatheaters. Would the order of the phoenix let harry face voldemort alone? I doubt it, though I guess it's possible. The other possibility is that it could be the Deathly Hallows, if they were a society or group of people. Good or bad, though?

3) I would say that this seems to indicate that the RAB plot may play a fairly large role. however, I also would say that no other object in the books would probobly be able to be shown. You couldn't show the object of gryffindor/ravenclaw, could you? And the locket will play a bigger part than the cup, probobly. Showing the locket tells about the plot, but also tells us nothing about the plot. We already knew there was a locket and what it looked like. It's genious. Did anyone else think that the jewels shown on it were non-cannon?

4) I would say that this locket might be the fake locket. remember that harry started carrying it around at the end of HBP as a talisment and a reminder of his task. Perhaps this develops into a full-flegded neurosis. Or the locket could be the destroyed slytherin locket. Perhaps harry put it around his neck to taunt voldemort. It's a very simply, nonverbal way of saying "I destroyed your horcruxes." That would be very cool.

5) If you look closely, there is just a small "<" that might be the bottom of the scar, though it could also be a hair. The other possibility is that the scar really was a horcrux, and that harry has destroyed it.

6) I like the idea that harry and voldemort were forced to use wandless magic. That would be very interesting. Is voldemort reaching for what harry is reaching for, or is he trying to get harry, and harry trying to get/do whatever before voldemort reaches him?

7) that looks to be harry's patronus. Dementors in the book? dementors are the ones watching in the US version?

8) I doubt that is gryffindor's sword. There is a helm and a breastplate there. A sword being there too would make sense. Plus, it has a jewel at the bottom and is very small and ornate. It looks different than the way gryffindor's sword was described.

9) I think that's dobby. Kreacher wouldn't go with harry unless ordered, and harry wouldn't take him (unless he's showing harry where to go...), and even then, he wouldn't hid behind him with a sword like that. It definitely looks like the house-elf is joining in with the others defending against an out of frame enemy, though the house elf is hiding, as much as defending. That seems a very dobby-ish thing to do. bravery and fear in the same breath.

10) I looks like harry will return to hogwarts in some fashion. What's with the thorny forest? will it play a part, as a key scene or anything? Does anyone remember if there was a bramble patch in the PoA movie? If there was, then perhaps that was the thing that was added that was a clue to book 7. Notice that there is no graveyard in that scene.

11) they have obviously been through some rough trials to get to this place. Harry and hermione have easy to spot injuries. Notice, though, that ron has scratches on his face too. The bramble patch, perhaps?

12) the helm obviously has a dragon on it. Perhaps the creature on the breastplate is a dragon as well, although I admit that it looks like a snake. It's not in the shape of an S, though. It if it was supposed to be slytherin's wouldn't it be in the shape of an S?

13) I'm going with the theory that the treasure room is hidden in hogwarts somewhere. I don't know that it is hidden in the bramble patch, though. But that is a possibility, given the scratches.

14) I have no clue on the location of the US cover. Probobly something we couldn't guess. I've never been too enamored with the veil, so I am not jumping on the "It's behind the veil" theory. I say that it's somewhere new.

-fish

*EDIT*

I just figured out what's going on in the UKC! They are being thrown out of a shoot! look at it again. The golden coins are flying. The trio is reaching out, and harry is horizontal, not touching the ground. Hermione seems to be as well. Ron, on the other hand, seems to have been sliding on his front, not his back, so he's coming out feet-first. Dobby, then, isn't hiding, but rather is riding on harry's back (probobly not intentionally). If you look at the cover with that in mind, it makes so much more sense. I rock.

Well today the 7th Harry Potter cover came out ( Britain and American) . Finally!!!!!!! I want to know some theories people have. Some starting theories would be: it looks almost like LV is helping Harry! I don't think so though. Maybe he is about to grab him. Oh well, this is for you all to reply to. So give me your views!

I think the cover gives a little information. I think that this rubbled coliseum they show are The Deathly Hallows. Voldemort is definately not helping Harry. It looks like they are both trying to grab for something that can't be seen on the cover. Is it one of the Horcruxes? Maybe the last one, that is why Voldemort is there, to protect it.

Who are the shadowed figures in the background. Are they Death Eaters, Order members, or just random people?

Only time will tell

Thanks savingharry! For a moment there I thought I was going blind as I couldn't see the scar, I'm with you on the theory about Harry destroying it.

i think that the "curtains" on either side of the cover show that they are possibly behind the veil and that the people in the background are the ones that Harry hears when he goes near the veil. and that is why they are obscured and dark. they don't look like they are either helping or hurting harry or voldemort. looks as though they are simply watching. also, it doesn't look like harry has his scar. and neither harry or voldemort have wands. yikes!!!

I agree, i think that the curtains and the pillars behind show that harry might have somehow figured out how to open the veil and return all of the people behind it (like sirius!!!!!!). hopefully! that would be great!

Now that I've had undistracted time to look at the covers, I'm back to make more comments!!

1. Harry's Scar: Definitely visible on the UKC cover (thanks, fish, for the abbreviations!). I think you can see the bottom of the scar, as fish said, in the US cover as well, as that part is going the opposite direction of his hair.

2. The Sword: Here's the description of Gryffindor's sword:

"silver" with a handle "gleaming with rubies the size of eggs", and has Gryffindor's name engraved on it just below the hilt

So, I'm guessing that it's not Gryffindor's sword, though for some reason that would make sense to me.

3. The Elf: Now that I can see him! Has to be Dobby. I doubt they'd have let Kreacher have a sword while behind them, and they don't look worried enough about him for him to be anyone other than Dobby.

4. The Locket: UKA looks cool, but not really anything too out of the ordinary. I think it just shows the importance of the Horcruxes in this book, and as this is one we know for certain, it's the most likely candidate to put on the cover. On the US version, it probably is the locket, but it looks more like a pouch of something to me. Looks like it's tied at the top. Maybe I'm getting too desperate for something, but it just doesn't look like a locket.

5. The Deer: I still think it's the patronus and not Prongs. Notice he's kind of smiling. . .

6. The crystal ball snake: Also has a window in the reflection of the crystal ball. Don't know if that means anything or not, maybe it points to being up in Trelawney's classroom. . .Don't know.

7. Hogwarts and brambles: I think the brambles are new, perhaps sent to guard something (or I could have just watched sleeping beauty way too many times). (The dog, definitely Bloombury's symbol, having nothing to do with HP.) Whether it means anything or not, there seems to be a full moon. Looks like most of the lights in the castle are on.

8. The armor, helmet, etc on the UKC front: Looks like a dragon on the armor to me, too. The beak-like face points more to a dragon than a snake.

9. Trio: Aside from them being all beaten up, don't Ron's and Hermione's faces look like there's something there, waiting for them? Something unpleasant? I'm trying to figure out if there's any significance on what's reflected in Harry's glasses, but so far I'm drawing a blank.

10. The curtains, US. Definitely not the veil or the death chamber. Here's the description of the Death Chamber and the veil (I'll bold the clues that it's not the veil):



Aside from that, it looks like they're outside (clouds in the sky). Could be magic, but I think, like fish, that they're someplace new.

11. Whatever it is they're reaching for on the US cover, Voldemort's eyes are definitely not on whatever Harry's looking at. Voldemort's eyes are looking toward Harry while Harry is focused out of frame.

12. I'm not wholly convinced that the lumps in the background are actually people, but if they are people; they're the Death Eaters. They're not floating like Dementors.


It really wouldn't surprise me, though, because though, on the whole, we have gotten very little positive commentary on Divination; Rowling has used it for a few important plot pieces: The prophecy and Peter's return to Voldemort as well as the cards in HBP.

I agree with this. I mean, if there'd been that many emeralds on it, would Merope have been swindled as badly as she was as far as its worth? I doubt it. HBP ch. 10 gives us that it was "a heavy gold locket." From ch. 13 "it had [Slytherin's] mark all right" again from ch. 20 "a heavy gold locket" and "'Slytherin's mark,' he said quietly, as the light played upon an ornate, serpentine S." Nothing about jewels . . .

I agree with this, as well. Since it most probably is the locket around his neck; I'm sure it would be the fake one as the other one needed to be destroyed. Dumbledore didn't have the ring after he destroyed that Horcrux, so I'm thinking there'd be naught left of it when he was through

Oh, one last thing, and then I'll stop, I promise! Notice in the treasure that the only gemstone is the ruby. Still makes me thing of Gryffindor. Rubies are flying about. Rubies are in the treasures. Gold and rubies, plus the silver of the armor; plus the helmet also has a ruby in it. Hmmm. . .

(Sorry I didn't follow any kind of nice concise order!)

curtains? i didn't notice this...
maybe somehow he gets through the veil *hugs Sirius* and then they fight there. I could imagine beyond the veil being ancient ( kinda like a coleseum ), so maybe that's where he and Voldy have the final battle?! Once again- an audience? i really ought to look more carefully, well these could be the other people who fell through the veil and are trapped betweeen life and death (as i doubt it is actually death, maybe it's the way to death ? )
Locket is Slytherin's locket, but maybe he finds the real one ( it is mentioned that a large gold locket is found in Grimauld Place that none of them can open ), and it might lead him to RAB or something...
.X.

I totally agree that the trio (UKC) is been dragged out of the room with the treasure.
If it really were Gringott´s though, people would be supposed to be sucked INTO the vault, not sucked out of it. Weird.
Do you guys remember how Harry sees something on his way to his vault that he thinks to be a dragon?And if the scene on the UKC really does take place at Gringott´s, maybe Harry´s observation at this point is foreshawdowing things?

Hagrid also told Harry, that the safest place exept for Hogwarts were Gringott´s. As Voldemort cannot (or can he?) store one of his horcruxes at Hogwarts, wouldn´t it be a smart move to lock at least one away at the wizarding bank?

And why do the kids wear these funny coloured cloaks? (UKC) Those are no school robes.

On the US-Cover there seem to be burned wooden remains of something - a stage maybe? Wouldn´t it be very Voldemort-like to kinda "stage" his encounter with Harry (as he already did in GoF)?
Sorry, I am rambling. But I am soooo exited about those covers.

First I have to begin by saying that when I received the email from borders, I shrieked haha. I'm soo excited and I must also say that I'm absolutely pleased with the cover art. Moving on, I agree with all of you; it seems as though they have gone through the veil which is good because harry would have an oppurtunity to see sirius. I noticed they do not have wands as well but I also noticed harry is wearing some sort of locket. Which on the american cover is very obscure but on the others it is definitely slytherin's locket...any thoughts?

ok did anyone else see shadows in the u.s. version behind Harry and Tom theres like shadows of peoples heads....maybe I'm just imaging it... I don't know does any one see it?

I absolutely LOVE the US cover art!!! It is completely beautiful and just seems poweful. And Harry himself looks so brave and powerful.

Yeah, I think that Harry and Voldemort are beyond the Veil. However, I disagree with the fact that the place is called the Deathly Hallows; rather I think that the people who dwell beyond the veil are called hallows. Just as people who leave an imprint of themselves on earth are called ghosts, I think that people who do not do that are called halows and go to the place beyond the veil. Therefore, this would not only include Sirius, but James, Lily & Dumbledore as well. (!) I think that the heads of 'shadowy figures' we see on the cover in the background are hallows.

Furthermore, I think that the place where Harry & LV are is a terminal or central point of sorts of numerous different veils around the world, (or perhaps even from other worlds?) The reason I think this is because of the numerous different archways surrounding them which could all be seperate veils.
I think that the cover is the perspetive of looking though the veil in the DoM, because ofthe the tattered curtains on the sides which is how the Veil was described.

It looks as if Harry is either trying to close the veil and LV is trying to open it or vice versa. I'm not sure exactly which one it would be. I'm almost inclined to think that it looks like Harry's trying to pull it closed & LV is trying to push it shut. It seems like Harry would want it opened so all the people he loves who have died could get out, but perhaps this would actually be a bad thing for reasons we don't yet know. I don't know exactly; anyone else have any ideas on this?


Now concerning the UK Children's cover: Some people have said elsewhere that they think it's the RoR or in Gringotts, but I personally think that it is somewhere totally new and different. There's also an archway behind them in this one as well, and it almost looks like they're being sucked in to it. Perhaps if Harry and the others made it beyond the veil, they could also travel to the places where different veils are located in Harry's pursuit of the different Horcruxes (which I think they were definitely doing here, due to all the treasure surrouding them, which could very well be potential horacruxes.)
I'm also a little perplexed about what appears to be a house elf or goblin on Harry's back. Is it riding on his back or trying to grab/attack him? Is it Dobby or Kreacher or someone else? And is that Godric Gryffindor's sword (as I'm assuming)? I also don't get why Ron & Hermione are wearing such elaborate robes.

The back of the UK cover also gives us some information. It looks like Hogwarts is being overgrown and overtaken, with the thorns and black storm clouds that appear to be approaching it. So apparently we will still be returning to Hogwarts in some manner, but we still don't know if that means the school itself will be opened or not.

And what is that snake in the sphere beneath Jo's bio? It almost looks like a prophesy or something. Also, on the other flap is a picture of Harry's patronus taking the form of Prongs. Could this be a sign that he will get to see his parents again?!?!?!

Well, I think that about covers it (haha, no pun intended. ) That's pretty much my analysis of it all. Sorry it's so insanely long. Any other comments or ideas anyone?

Oh, and swhitney536: Interesting comment about them not having wands. I didn't think about that before. I wonder what that's supposed to mean? And are they somehow able to use magic without them, because it kind of looks like they are still using it somehow with just their hands. Afterall, they can't use their wands on each other at the same time as we found out in GoF with Prior Incantum. Hmm... weird. Also, Harry does still have his scar. Just zoom in really close and you can see it.

According to Scholastic's news brief, the shadows are, indeed, people.



So, this also brings up another question: why the "evident descruction?" Simply because it is an old place, or is it the result of a battle? hmmm...

ok good there are other people I think its because of a battle and maybe when Tom got there everyone just sorta backed off to see what would happen?

This is a good observation. I looked at it more thoroughly, and to me it looks as if it is some sort of corridor. The main floor is white, and there seems to be red on the outer portion of the floor. The rest of the corridor looks like it is all gold.

Of course the red on the outer portion could be some kind of lava....hmm maybe not though. Heh.

These covers just add to the immense anticipation that I have for this book. July 21 seems way too long away!

I think the 'evident destruction' is in the foreground, because those walls look quite OK to me. It looks like pieces of broken wood in the front of Harry and Voldemort, though I wouldn't exactly call it 'evident destruction'. The people look like their watching the two wizards, which is weird, because they do look like they're standing in an arena of sorts - it has a gladiator feel.

I still think the elf is Kreacher, though he won't be riding on Harry's back if that's the case. Hermione looks completely frantic, and my first impression was that Kreacher surprised the trio by jumping on Harry unexpectedly with that dagger. Maybe I've watched Lord of the Rings once too many...

That has to be the patronus, too. It makes sense, seeing as Harry will finally be facing his worst fear - which is fear, of course. From the blurb it sure sounds like he's going to face some tough decisions about his journey. That's not surprising, I know, but somehow I just think his patronus is more relevant to his quest than his dad's animagus.

And I'm moving this to the DH forum.

so, i haven't fully read what everybody else has said, but from what i see on the uk and us covers, this is what i can surmise:

I think the snake in the clear orb pretty much confirms that Voldemort's snake, Nagini, is a horcrux.

The castle on the back cover is obviously Hogwarts, so that says that it will be open during the seventh year. Now whether that means students will be there, i don't know, but i think it is clear that the trio will return to hogwarts in some form. When they do come back, I don't believe it will be as students. Also on the back cover, there is a full moon, so i think we are going to see more werewolves in this one, maybe attacking Hogwarts.

The prongs patronus on the right sleeve says to me that there will be more dementor attacks or there are dementors guarding one of the horcruxes and harry must "banish" them.

the armor says battle to me, old school battle, maybe in the deathly hallows.

Actually i am not sure that the Deathly Hallows is a place, I think it may be a group of people.
Hallows is also a noun meaning "Saints or Holy People". Just something to think about.

On the US Cover, the big question is what voldemort and harry are reaching for? a horcrux maybe?

i've heard a few thoughts about the thing around harry's next on the us cover. I think it is a pouch with something important and currently unknown to us in it. The feux-horcrux locket is probably a better guess thou.

Dudes, sorry for the short message before i say it lol.

On the uk cover doesnt it look as if hermione is throwing something perhaps, i mean, in most other perilous situations when she is not incapacitated (thinking of the department of mysteries), she is usually either prepared, or the first one to act intelligently.

I also dont think that the curtains represent the veil on the us cover as they are definitely described as being "black". Yeah am really interested in the archway behind the trio on the uk cover, and the chute theory presented before, whereby they have all slid down a chute to get there... looks quite plausible, judging by their postures. Am suggesting either hmmm... gringotts, or perhaps the even place we are constantly reminded of being safer than gringotts (ie. hogwarts) and chamber of secrets springs to mind, only because its the only place we know to have a chute lol, or even the tombs of the founders in the fabled graveyard... also thinking department of mysteries even... LV likes it there, and its pretty secretive.
Red walls around the arch do suggest a gryffindor connection though, coupled with the gold and rubies of course... oh and dobby's sword (being gryffindors).
Please post lots of replies, i really want opinions.
Thanks a lot.

Oh my gosh! I am beyond excited! All day at school I kept smiling . People in my class were screaming they were so excited! I think both covers look really great. Before the cover came out, I thought orange would be a really ugly color, but it looks great on the US version. I think that the UK version might tell us more about what will happen though.

I agree, It looks like the trio might be in Godric Gryfindor's tomb. The walls in the backround are red and the little arch thing is gold, so maybe that's symbolic to Gryfindor. Or maybe I am just looking too into the cover. hah

I can't tell if the elf in the back is Kreacher or Dobby, but I think the sword that he is holding is Gryfindor's sword. If it's Dobby, then maybe Dobby is coming to help. If it's Kreacher, then I think Kreacher may either be helping the trio because he know's some info about R.A.B, or Kreacher is trying to stab Harry. I'm not quite sure.

In the UK version, it looks like Harry is looking at that Dragon thing. I'm not sure if it is a cup or goblet or something, but maybe it's a horcrux. Now that i look at it again, it kind of looks like a gladiator helemet. And the US edition looks kind of like a collosium or gladiator type thing. Hmmm....

I have no idea what so ever of why Harry's protonus is on the cover. I guess there might be some dementors the trio will have to go through or something.

So Hogwarts is on the back. I think this means that a battle or something significant will happen at Hogwarts. It doens't look like the final battle will take place there though, because it seems like the US version shows where the final battle takes place.

Wow, the US edition looks great. I was confused about where they were at first, but then someone told me it could be inside the veil, which would be really cool. It's interesting how they don't have wands. Maybe when they were fighting, both their wands flew into the air, and now they are trying to catch them. In the 4th book we see they can't really duel with there wands because there the from the same family of phoenix's, so maybe there trying to fight a different way. I couldn't see Voldy and Harry in a mug fight, so I don't know how they could fight without their wands....

I am soo excited!!!

In the UKC cover, why does it look like they're going through the Stargate? i keep thinking i should be looking for Tealc or someone...

Anyway, yeah, i'm really excited about it now. Like uberly so I wasn't before, but now? eeee! I like all the the stuff in the UKC one, which implies that they'll have to sift through a lot of fake items before they get to the real one, which i like the idea of.

Hogwarts look weird though.... it's actually creeping me out a bit.

And what with the stargate? OK, it's annoying me now! I think I like the American one better i must say, it's so simple, just the final battle, with Russel Crowe in the background... ahem... that weird roman.... yeah that thing

EDIT: Ok, am I blind? But I've looked and looked, but i can't see a deer nor Harry's protonus... all i see is the eerie mmoonlight, could someone tell me where it is? It's driving me crazy

It almost looks like the two covers are depicting the same place. The reason I say this (could be coincidence) is because of the background. They both show the same orange/yellow colors. Or, inside the arch has the same color at the area on the US edition. Perhaps Harry went to get a Horcrux and had to leap through something and it took he and the others to Voldemort, whether on accident or on purpose? I would say that they are leaving a place in the UK edition because Harry is already cut up (you can see blood on his arms and his clothes are tattered). Along with that, their clothes are somewhat odd, unless thats just wizard/witch clothing (at least Ron's and Hermione's).

While Ron and Hermione look worried, Harry looks determined in the UK one. Its as if their are a bunch of things they're about to get into and Harry has his eye on the prize, so to speak...or doesn't realize what the others see.

On Voldemort's left side, close to the curtains, it looks like he's disappearing. Does anyone else see that? What if he's reaching in from another "dimension". What if he followed Harry from wherever he came from? Just some ideas...

I just saw the covers about fifteen minutes ago and they are sooo awsome! Now it's way easier to picture me getting HPDH adn reading it.
El Barto I think you're right about Voldemort. He looks kind of shadowy around the edges.
I like the US cover better but I'm used to seeing them in that style. It looks like they're in that circular room in the Department od Mysteries to me.
Wonder where they are in the UK one. Maybe a dragon lair or something?

I noticed in the U.K version of the cover that there are alot of rubies in the picture, rubies seem to be on everything, cups, sword, armor and more. So I think that they are somewhere related to Godric Gryffindor.

On the U.S version, to me it looks like we are seeing the battle from the veil, and Harry and Voldemort are outside of it. And all of the shadowy people, I think, are all of the people that have been trapped in the veil.

Arthur Levine, the US Potter editor, spoke this morning on the TODAY show about the American cover:

"We're seeing Harry in a very interesting situation. Readers will find out exactly what the situation is.

"When I was reading it, I had both the excitement and the power of the book, and the plot, driving me forward. But I was also feeling a little sad. It's the last time."

When Levine admitted he "sobbed and sobbed" while reading Deathly Hallows, he was asked the following:

"That means someone we like dies, doesn't it?"

"Well, it means it is a very, very emotional book," he responded.


also if you look more closely on the Us cover at whats around has neck it doesnt seem to be the locket it looks more like a little bag!

OMG wow how amazing I love both of the covers. I also like the locket in the UKA version too. I think people have already said most of the things i agree with. I think who ever said that the colors in the gate behind the trio in the UKC looks almost like the US coloring is right. I don't think the hous-elf is Kreacher, i think its Dobby like someone said earlier fear and bravery in the same breath. He isn't holding the sword in a threatening manner towards Harry. It looks like he is holding it up in a "Foward ho," knight on a white stead type of fashion. Anyway i just wanted to say that I love all three version very nice and it furthers my deepening fascisnation with the series.

wow. im quite dissapointed. sorry if i make anyone mad, but the u.s. edition just...way off.

the u.k. version is so much better and desciptive.

isnt that an elf holding the sword?
they all look waay grown up.
what are they being...sucked? into?

u.s.

why are they in like, a collasium?? that was my first thought. and clearly others thought that as well.
is that the veil? not what i thought it to be.
and the patronus\prongs? its smiling??

i dont even know.

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I think that thoses curtains are the veil. Harry and Volddi are useing wandless magic. The people around them are the people Volddi killed or people who are dear to Harry a.k.a. Sirius, James, Lilly, Potters/Evans.They are beyond death BOTH of them are.

Me again, because I just can't stay away! The release of the cover art has bolstered me a bit and, like Ygraine, I'm MUCH more excited now!

The sword: I've changed my mind, again. I orginially thought it was Gryffindor's. Then I thought it wasn't. Now I think it is again. Reason being, It is almost as described (Silver with rubies as large as eggs on it), and though it's not quite right. . .the sword is silver, and it does have a very large ruby on it. I don't know why they'd bother to put a meaningless dagger so prominently on the front; so I think it is Gryffindor's sword. Maybe Dobby's his armor bearer!!

The elf: I'm sticking by the Dobby thought because if it were Kreacher, I think we'd see the white tufts of hair that are so often described as sticking out of his ears.

The Coliseum. I still think those are Death Eaters just standing back and watching. As Snape said, (paraphrase) Voldemort wants to deal with Harry himself. This is definately gladiator-esque, mano a mano, and though we don't really know where they are; I'm 100% confident it has nothing to do with the veil (which, incidentally, those curtains do not match the description of the veil). If they were people near and dear to Harry, I really don't think they'd be standing back there doing nothing . . . they'd be moving forward, wanting to help, not slouching in the background. There'd be an anticipation.

I don't think so. Harry's robes are sort of fading away as well, so I take it to be mist, which makes the area around them a little harder to make out. Or just that they were drawn that way. . . I don't think they were Disapparating anywhere because it's not described as a gradual disentigration, but an instand crack. You know?

Yeah. Ron looks afraid of something. Hermione looks like she's just lost something. Harry looks strangely confident and focused, even with an elf with a sword hanging onto his back! HA!

NOW I'm ready for July!!

Since reading that post about the editor talking about the american cover on the today show something has been bothering me. I am convinced that both covers are discribing the same scene. I think it is a halucination brought on by a potion. Remember that JKR described in great detail that day dream potion in Fred and George's shop. I think in the US version Harry is envsioning one on one seeker game that is why they are both reaching for something that is out of scope. (I know this sounds crazy.) The curtains look like they are presenting a show and a roman coloseum is a very random setting for behind the veil as so many believe. Now the UKC is showing their ejection from said halucination. Harry looks determined because he beat the Dark Lord to retrive said seeker object. Hey if I am wrong atleast it was fun to speculate.

oh my gosh. this is soooo awesome. o wow. there are so many theories to speculate!!

i think that in the UK version the trio is being thrown out of the place where harry maybe faced LV in the US version. Notice the arch and the sky color is the same. harry doesnt seem to be frightened but he other two are. Harry is probably focused on the one thing that he wants the most?? and he doesnt notice the danger comig toward him. the other two maybe see it and are frightened by it. I think that Dobby is the thing on Harry's back and he is possibly helping him.

i also think that harry is wearing the locket around his neck in the US version. He and LV maybe are doing a nonverbal spell for something that they both want and need for survival. i dont know. this is just fun to theorize about lol.

I've had another thought since my last post here. Deathly Hallows could be a group of people instead of a place. A "Hallow" can also be a saint or holy person. I'm going to draw on the things that swhitney536 said a little bit back. He said that the curtains could mean that Harry and Voldemort are behind the veil. I think this is extremely possible and very likely. I think that Harry finds a way to get beyond the veil without dying (or having died he finds a way back to the living later). The Coliseum is filled with those who have died by travelling through the veil. I believe the shadowy figures in the background of the US cover to be what I call "The Deathly Hallows", those holy and saintly souls who reside beyond the veil, the ones that Harry and Luna can hear in Book Five while in the death chamber.

I think the final battle is going to go down here. Maybe what Harry and Voldemort are reaching for is Lord Voldemort's final horcrux, which he has hidden on the other side of the veil.

Another point, i'm not sure if it belongs in this topic, but it goes with my theory here. DUring Goblet of Fire Chapter Thirty-Three, page 653, Voldemort says the famous utterence to his deaht eaters.

"I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality. You know my goal -- to conquer death."

If Voldemort wants to conquer death, wouldn't it follow that he understand and study the Veil, The Death Chamber, as that is the purpose of the room in the Department of Mysteries; for the Unspeakables to study Death and the Afterlife.

I believe Voldemort understands the veil and how to pass through it safely, thus allowing him to hide a horcrux there. What safer place than a place where one must kill themselves to enter, seemingly impossible to return alive.

Thoughts?