What surprises does JK Rowling have up her sleeve for Harry Potter Book Seven?

Question

We all already know Ron and Hermione are finally going to admit they love each other, that somehow Snape's action at the end of book six will turn out to be other than it appeared, and that Harry has to find the four Horocruxes. . . what other surprises do you think are in store?

Most original, yet convincing/possible answer wins. If you explain why you think it might happen with evidence from the previous books, I'll give you more consideration. Yes, I've read all six books. Out of consideration, you might want to put spoiler warnings in your answers for those who may not have.

Answer 1

SPOILER WARNING!!!

Yes, Ron and Hermione love each other. But we all know Ron sometimes has issues being on the sidelines, as it were. His jealousy/insecurity has caused problems in the past, and I think book seven will be no exception. Don't get me wrong, I love Ron, but I do think that in book seven he may be tricked/lured into doing something terrible, and it will be because of perceived notions about Harry and Hermione. I've only read the name 'Hermione' in one other place: Shakespeare's play, "The Winter's Tale" . . . in it, a jealous husband is convinced that his wife is having an affair with one of his friends (both are innocent) and arranges to have her and her baby killed. Oddly enough, there's a happy ending which takes place some 15 or so years later. So, yeah, Ron's going to do something bad in book seven, but he'll probably come to regret it and try to make things right again.

Of course Snape's action at the end of book six isn't what it appeared to be. Rowling made such a big deal about Snape trying to teach Harry to cast spells without speaking aloud, and then that bit sort of disappeared and she didn't mention it again. It's not her style to go so into depth about something like that and not have it show up later. Snape has the chance as Harry's chasing him off the grounds to kill Harry, but he doesn't; instead, he seems to be trying to tell him something, he's still instructing him, still acting the professor. If Snape had wanted to kill Harry, he would have done so when he had that chance. Speaking of casting spells without speaking them aloud . . .

I don't think Dumbledore is dead. Rowling herself has admitted that she's been influenced by other authors, including Tolkien. There are a lot of similarities between Gandalf and Dumbledore. In book six, Harry never sees Dumbledore's dead body. At the funeral, the casket is closed. Fawks is still alive, and disappears to who knows where after the funeral. I think Snape and Dumbledore had prepared for the situation, and, like I mentioned above, Snape casts a spell in his mind that Looks like Avada Kedavra. This convinces everyone that Dumbledore is dead, and proves beyond a doubt to the Death Eaters that Snape is loyal to their cause. Like Gandalf, Dumbledore will come back, stronger than before.

And, I just have to put this bit in . . . although there is some good evidence that Harry's scar might hold the last horcrux, I just don't think that's true. Voldemort was trying to kill Harry, not make him a vessel for part of his soul. The books say again and again that Harry's scar is the result of Voldemort's attempt on his life, so I just can't believe he's a horcrux.

Answer 2

SPOILER

I agree with the opinion that Harry is probably the last Horcrux. I also agree that Dumbledore is not dead. After all, it was obvious that the most probable person to die at the 5th book was Serious and the most probable at the 6th was Dumbledore. The fact that Dumbledore is alive seems quite probable too. However, Rowling has talked about two more deaths. Those may be Ron's and Hermione's as a couple, but Snape’s death looks very probable too. Moreover, Rowling may decide a more traditional ending, where the protagonist has to take the girl. According to this Ron and Ginny's death would be very helpfull! It is very easy for the writer to produce a good reason for kiling every one of the main characters of a story.

Something else about Snape. As Harry said at the end of the 6th book, Snape’s similarities with V are obvious. This is why Snape may hates V and feels jealous because he is not at his position, being the real peer of Slytherin and the one who will clean the wizard race from the mud–bloods. This is why he is acting like being in both sides; however he originally is at his own side, trying to destroy the leaders of the other two (Dumbledore, Harry and V). Dumbledore may have understood this and may have tried to use it. This may be the reason that he was very trustful to Snape in order to detach him important missions, but not trustful enough to allow him to teach the defense against dark arts lesson.

I also believe that Rowling (like most writers), has a few alternative endings for the last book and has not decide which one to chose. Although, imagine the most unacceptable: Harry is the last Horcrux and when he kills V, the second actually survives through him and then Harry is becoming the new Dark Lord. He maybe kills Ron and Hermione who may try to stop him. In real life good guys do not always win. Rowling may likes to produce this issue at her fictional world. We are looking forward….

Answer 3

Spoiler!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Righto - first of all, Snape. He had to take an Unbreakable Vow to convince two other Death Eaters that he was on their side, which is the reason for him killing Dumbledore in Book 6. He was magically obliged, as it were, and I think will turn out to be one of the good guys in the end.

I agree that Harry's scar is possibly a horcrux, but it is possible that Voldemort didn't intend this.

Also, I think that the person to kill Voldemort will NOT be Harry. In Book 5, Dumbledore explains the nature of the prophecy and Voldemort's reaction to it, how he himself 'created' the legend of Harry Potter and the fight between them, but Dumbledore also mentions that Neville Longbottom was born around the same time, so Neville might be the one to actually do the deed. Someone else who might be driven to it is Draco Malfoy, as he is so frightened of what he has gotten himself into, and the fact that he couldn't actually kill Dumbledore when the time came says something about what he might be like underneath his swagger. And he seems to really love his Mum.

Yes, Ron and Hermione are going to realise they're mad about each other, Neville and Luna Lovegood are also going to hit it off, and Harry and Ron's sister Ginny are a match too - and Harry will make his peace with Cho Chang also, as that was never properly resolved.

Answer 4

Spoiler warning, then!


Okay, let me see. Dumbledore most likely survived the mishap in the tower. Snape looked at him and cried "Avada Kedavra," but if he was focusing on something else, he could have said the words but just created a bolt of green light. If Dumbeldore did die, the portrait in the Headmaster's office can explain things to us. Ron and Hermione have been more than fond of each other since book three, or the second movie, if you prefer. So if they don't actually admit it, and one of them ends up dying... It's quite likely Kreature will have stolen the locket from cleaning day in the Black's home, and said locket will be a missing piece of the Horcruxes of Voldemort's soul. Unless, of course, Mundungus Fletcher stole it, in which case, it will be harder to find. It's also more than fairly likely the bartender from the Hog's Head is Dumbledore's brother. Harry thought he recognized him, at any rate, and Dumbledore did admit to having a brother, who used certain charms on a goat. Snape, most likely, is not evil. Since Harry loathes Snape so much, I think Rowling will make him live with the fact that Snape really did not mean to turn in the Potters to Voldemort. Also, Peter Pettigrew will prove an unlikely source of help for Harry, as he said he owes him. Neville and Luna will be of use, too. I think that's all. Best of wishes to Fred and George.

Answer 5

I think the idea that Harry is the final horcrux is quite good actually. However, it could be that in order to destroy Voldemort, Harry has to be killed, and it could be Ron or Hermione or even Neville that has to kill Harry to retore the peace.

As for Dumbledore, I don't know. Rowling could shock us all and keep him dead, rather than having yet another twist in the story. Everyone expects him to come back to life, so she could just keep him dead instead, which would be a shame.

I don't want Ron and Hermione to get together!! Only if Harry and Hermione are in love or something, and then Harry dies. Hermione turns to Ron for emotional support and then something happens between them. But they just seem such an unlikely couple. Magic isn't Rons strong point, yet Hermione lives for it. Ron goes for more practical jokes with his brothers, and Hermione lives in the library

Answer 6

I havent read the sixth book for a while, but i think Dumbledore and Snape had agreed in advance that Snape would kill Dumbledore if necessary. Think back to when Hagrid overheard an argument between the two of them - Dumbledore was urging Snape to do something that Snape didnt want to do. Dumbledore is trying to protect Draco Malfoy, as we see when Malfoy is about to kill him. Snape has made the unbreakable vow, which Dumbledore knows about, and Dumbledore is imploring Snape to step in and kill him instead of Malfoy. They may have even agreed it before, which is why Snape is willing to make the vow. He is ultimately a headmaster who cares for his pupils, and doesnt want Malfoy to become a killer. Dumbledore even urges him to do it when they are on the top of the tower - Snape hesitates and Dumbledore says 'Severus' as if he is imploring him - Harry mistakenly thinks he is begging him NOT to do it, but actually Dumbledore is telling Snape he must kill him. As someone else said, Snape has had many oppurtunites to harm Harry and doesnt, in fact he looks out for him, suggesting that he is still on the side of the order.
He protects Harry because he was in love with Lily, Harry's mother, is another possibility. There are a number of hints at this, such as when Harry see's the memory of James hanging Snape upside down at school and Lily rescues him.
I think Harry being the Horcrux is very possible, though it is such a well known theory that JK may have implanted it deliberately in the plot as a decoy? She is very good at twists and turns.... Finally, i have a strange feeling that Petunia may well have more to do in the next one. JK has been building up to it with the letter from Dumbledore etc and Petunia paling when she hears about azkaban. I think she must play a role, but am not sure what.

Answer 7

*** spoiler for anyone who hasn't read book 6 ***

ever since book 1, i have been a huge supporter of snape; he is probably my favorite charcter, next to harry. i was SO sad at the end of book 6. i kept telling my daughter that i didn't believe he was bad...there had to be an explanation. and she just kept saying "he made the unbreakable vow". and i just said "i know...but i just can't believe it!"

i hope you are right about snape. i don't know where you heard that, but i hope it's true. i try not to listen to or read any of the gossip because i don't want to know until i read it for myself!

my daughter finished book 6 first, and just as i started reading it she goes "oh, by the way...dumbledore dies", and i was like "aww man...why did you tell me that? well, i figured it was about time." and then she goes "yeah, snape kills him". and it was killing me the whole time i was reading the book.

so i'm not gonna read any of these other answers because i don't really want any inside information.

however...to finally get to answering your question:
i too believe that snape will indeed prove to be a good guy. i don't know how, but i just really really want to believe that. plus that seems to be rowling's style.

i have also heard that harry will die. i hope this isn't true only because i don't want to know that before i read the frickin book! on a personal note, i rather think that harry might become bad. remember...in the goblet of fire, he was branded with the dark mark. it flows through his veins. granted it does so with snape too, so it can be resisted, but harry's mind is very vulnerable to voldemort...this is why he was able to feel voldemort's feelings as though they were his own.

so that's my prediction...snape is actually good and harry turns bad.

***

DAMN ME!!! i just read all these answers because i have no self control. jack makes an EXCELLENT point about harry's scar and the prophecy. so maybe harry does bite it.

but i still think snape will turn out to be good.

Answer 8

In book six, Dumbledore tells Harry he believes that the night V went to Harry's house, he intended to make his final Horcrux. Rowling simply throws this out and then moves on.

It will be shown that V actually DID accidentally create his final horcrux, and that it is Harry's scar (which is the only way to make sense of the fact that Harry's scar always hurts in V's presence. Additionally, in book two, Dumbledore explains to harry why he can speak "parsel-tongue" by telling Harry that when V tried to kill him, a part of V was transfered to Harry. Indeed, it was -- the final horcrux).

V was looking for something from each founder of Hogwarts, and it will be determined that he found it in Harry, who we will discover, is actually the Heir of Gryffindor. The great looming question is, can you destroy the horcrux without killing Harry?

I can see Rowling going either way on this. On the one hand, Having V kill Harry fulfills the prophesy (neither can live while the other survives). "Neither" (none) can live... It implies that the two are linked -- both by the horcrux/scar, and by the fact that V now has Harry's blood. This implies that the death of one means the death of the other. This is one way of looking at it.

On the other hand, we have to remember, this is a book aimed mainly at young people, and Rowling has got to be aware that killing off the main character is going to have a traumatizing effect on a great many young readers. She HAS to know this, and I just don't think she wants to be responsible for doing that.

So as I say, I can see her going either way on this. But the logic of the books clearly implies that Harry and V have to destroy each other.

Answer 9

I think Peter Pettigrew's silver hand spells trouble for a werewolf. And I'm hoping it's Greyback.
My proof that silver is bad news for werewolves in the Potterverse:
When they go to collect Harry in OotP, Lupin is very much in charge of the mission, but it's Moody who uses the silver putter-outer when the get to Grimmauld Place. I think he also avoids the doorknocker when they open it.
Reason why I think Fenrir gets it:
Peter is still in Harry's debt. This has to play out somewhere and I don't think we've seen the last of the big meanie.
Don't know what to make of Snape and Voldie. I'm still in denial about the whole thing up the tower.

Answer 10

It does not be approximately Harry Potter, as Rowling has reported that his tale arc is finished with. Over. i don't be attentive to what Rowling could write approximately if she wrote yet another tale based in the Wizarding worldwide. i will't examine the ideas of somebody who lives on yet another continent. the comparable is going for the identify.