HP Death Watch

[filkertom]

J. K. Rowling says that at least two characters will die in the final Harry Potter book.

Who do you think they might be? Who do you want not to die? For myself, I think it'll be Snape and Hagrid, with a side of Malfoy. Maybe one of the Patils, possibly one of the Creeveys. Maybe even Lavender. (Offing Flitwick would just be mean.) It would distress me greatly if Luna or one or both of the twins bought it. And I'm a big ol' Harry/Hermione 'shipper, so obviously I hope they both make it.

Comments

[pyrephox.livejournal.com]

I'm betting Snape and Ron, myself.

[hughcasey.livejournal.com]

I think that Snape will be one of the ones who buys it, saving either Harry or Draco, and either Ron or Hermione. Or perhaps Neville, in an appropriately dramatic way. I think that Draco will be redeemed, and Snape is working as Dumbledore's "inside man". I also think that Harry is the one who got the "reprieve" that she talked about... I think she meant for him to die, and changed her mind.

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

I'm one of those folks who thinks JKR is following an alchemical storyline. So there need to be three significant deaths (red, white and black) that lead to Harry's enlightenment. She's already killed off Sirius BLACK and Albus ("white") Dumbledore, so the red death will probably be RUBEUS ("red") Hagrid and/or at least one of the Weasleys. It would be highly ironic if that was Molly, since her boggart was her family members dead.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Unless it's Neville, which is another death that would distress me. But it's really possible, as you say, in an appropriately dramatic way.

[batyatoon]

Just about the only death I think I wouldn't be able to take?

Is one but not both of the Weasley twins.

[hughcasey.livejournal.com]

Ooooo... neat theory!

[tnatj.livejournal.com]

My hunch is Snape and Voldemort are the two characters, most likely.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Interesting. It would almost be a cheat to have a Weasley go at this point, given that there are so many -- but I do think Ginny, Charlie, and Molly are vulnerable. I suspect that Arthur will end up as the new Minister of Magic when it's all over.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Well, yeah, Voldie's goin' down. :) I think she means two other characters. Because if it is just Snape and HWMNBN, that's really wussing out.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Man, the angst if Ron bought it... especially if he threw himself in front of something aimed at either Harry or Hermione. hee hee hee!

[scruffycritter.livejournal.com]

Harry and Voldemort. :-)

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

I tell ya. They're two of the best characters in both the books and the movies.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Harry's possible death is a subject for much discussion. I hope JKR doesn't do it, if only because that's really a shitty way for the series to end. I mean, that poor kid has been jacked around in every possible manner, and that's in canon....

[zibblsnrt.livejournal.com]

Watch "at least" turn into killing one of them three times or something...

[scruffycritter.livejournal.com]

Ok. Dobby then.

Steps in front of an Avdra Kevardra aimed for HP and that does it, hiyeeeaa.

Harry might as well be named Annakin.

:-)

[druidsfire.livejournal.com]

I will respectfully disagree with the 'Snape is actually good' crew with the Freudian statement... sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. JKR's said we shouldn't have much sympathy for the guy.

Therefore, it's my belief that the two who will die are going to be Peter (the one who could actually be redeemed by using his silver hand on Fenrir Greyback) and... hmm.

Killing Snape is too easy. Much like Dr. Yueh in Dune, a million deaths are not enough for him. My vindictive streak says the guy should live a wizard's lifetime but somehow completely stripped of his wizarding powers. Live like his filthy Muggle father. And honestly, I don't think she'd kill off a character that about half of the readership WANTS dead and would actually /cheer/. Character deaths of this epic sort of style always seem to have to /mean/ something. She's always so sorry to tell us that someone has to die, and whenever it's a big deal, it's always someone we /care/ about. And given how acrimonious the fandom is on the subject of Snape at times... it doesn't make sense to mention a death she's sorry about that half her readers will shout YAY! about.

Soooooo, who can we use to make the readers weep? Peter is the one that simply makes sense from the epic cycle of things (betrayer redeeming himself to save the one person left he can apologize to - Lupin, also in danger from Greyback and the silver hand). It's gotta be one of the kids. Ron makes sense because that would completely unhinge Molly and practically shatter the Weasley family. Ginny for the same reason (and the added bonus of making Harry 'all alone' at the end). Hermione's death wouldn't serve to tug on the heart strings quite so much, because she's not as tied to all the other characters as Ron or Ginny is. So. It'll be a Weasley. My money's on Ginny simply because she was the first female Weasley born in however long... and Voldemort possessed her. Yep.

I don't see Harry dying, but I also don't see him sticking around afterwards. Sorta like Arthur and the three queens, going to Avalon to 'rest' after his ordeal. Perhaps to return again someday when he's needed.

Then again, JKR's turned epics on their ears before. I can't wait to find out! :)

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Harry. I think he's a horcrux and has to die.

And either Ron or Neville, although Neville, especially, would break my heart.

Say WHAT?

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

I can see a lot of this (athough I respectfully disagree on the Snape thing; Anne showed me several good reasons why Snape is, while hardly a good guy, working against Voldemort)... but...

... "Hermione's death wouldn't serve to tug on the heart strings quite so much, because she's not as tied to all the other characters as Ron or Ginny is"?!?

Without getting into the merits of Ginny v. Hermione in Harry's love life... Ginny is fluff. Hermione is one of the three central characters of the books. And the shy nerd bookworm, at that -- certainly the character I most identify with.

No, if it's Hermione there'll be blood on the walls of HP fandom.

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

Dumbledore, but for real this time (y'know, you've never seen Dumbledore and You-Know-Who together at the same time in recent years; only in the Pensieve...and how trustworthy is that?)

And the other will be Rita Skeeter, who will die while trying to get close to a story. See, the whole noxious gossip columnist thing is just a joke, she really IS a crack investigative journalist, and does a lot of undercover work for the Ministry.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Hope not. Especially since it's already been done (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Curse_of_Chalion)....

[zibblsnrt.livejournal.com]

(y'know, you've never seen Dumbledore and You-Know-Who together at the same time in recent years; only in the Pensieve...and how trustworthy is that?)

Er, the two of them fought in OOTP...

[chaosdancer.livejournal.com]

I think it will be Snape, for sure. He's done the bad thing (like King Arthur sleeping with his sister, all unknowing) and will have to pay for it, even though it's probably just what Dumbledore told him to do.

As for Neville, I too hope it isn't him, but there would be maximum pathos if it was. I did write a bit of fanfiction once which shipped GhostNeville/Moaning Myrtle, and in it he didn't mind being dead all that much, as he stayed to keep watch over Hogwarts.

Percy Weasley would also be a good choice to die. Good fellow doing bad things believing they're right - that's also part of the formula.

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

So you think...

[pyrephox.livejournal.com]

It would be BEAUTIFUL.

And, if your think about it, Ron is kinda the perfect sacrificial lamb, from a story point of view. He's the least remarkable of the Trio, /but/ he's always been the one with the most 'heart', in a way. More emotional, forgiving, and always yearning for a way to stand out.

I could definitely see him taking a major hit for Hermione or Harry, perhaps stepping in front of a Killing Curse, or something. Just look all the way back at Book One, and the wizard chess game.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I'd hate to see Ron, Harry, or Hermione die. I'd REALLY hate it if Harry dies.

So my bets are Snape and Percy. About this point, the only way Percy can redeem himself is to die nobly saving the others ("The Passion of the Percy" theory.)