What do we know about Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows?

[Carol]

Julie wrote:
> I hope you are wrong! That is a big part of the plot, Snape loving Lily and protecting Harry because of that love. <snip> Certainly there needs to be some reason for Snape to have switched and protected  Harry despite his hatred for Harry's father <snip>

Carol responds:
I agree completely, for reasons I explained in an earlier post.

Julie: 
> I know the two DH movies are being filmed simultaneously, but I'm sure the scenes are being grouped by what actors are in them. That is usually the case, especially with smaller roles, so the actor only has to take time to be available for the several weeks his part is being filmed rather than through the entire shoot. It's quite possible
> the younger Snape and Lily roles simply haven't been cast yet as they won't be filmed until next year <snip>

Carol:
Exactly.

Julie: 
> I fully expect the young Snape and Lily scenes to be cut, just as young Tom's scenes were cut down to only the two.

Carol:
Not "cut" as in omitted altogether but curtailed, with some scenes cut and others shortened, right? I think the swingset scene in which Severus tells Lily she's a witch is crucial, but they'll probably cut (eliminate) the tree branch, the Hogwarts Express, and all that. And they may use the full version of SWM, which has already been filmed, to cover the teen years. That would leave only the key adult scenes (as I said, I think they'll ignore Snape's age since they've done the same for James and Lily), with his remorse, his promise to protect Harry, his reluctant promise to kill DD, his demonstration of his doe Patronus, and, of course, the Harry - must - let - himself - be - killed - by - Voldemort scene. None of those scenes, in my view, is expendable, though I expect they'll all be condensed. (Remember how they combined the Barty Jr. and Karkaroff scenes in GoF, cutting out Ludo Bagman altogether. I think they'll do something similar in DH2.)

Carol, who thinks that the whole segment will probably take no more than five minutes but ought to be a heart-wrenching and eye-opening interlude

Julie:
> But I can't see how the filmmakers would get by with no young Snape loving young Lily scenes at all. And that was such a major plot point and reveal in the books that I can't see JKR being okay with the Snape loved Lily angle being dropped from the movie. 

Carol:
Exactly. Remember the hype before the DH book came out? It was all about Snape and Snape's motives. (Some betting syndicate even laid odds that Snape would kill Harry, IIRC!) The doe Patronus will require explanation, if nothing else, and that means bringing in Lily.

Carol, noting that although the epilogue will definitely be filmed, Albus Severus hasn't been cast yet, either, and his name will make no sense without "The Prince's Tale"