Various ships / who'll die?

[SKTHOMPSON_1 at msn.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 7681

Hi all--

I'm a bit behind, only fifty posts or so, but have been enjoying all 
the relationships discussion.  I have to say, I'm not an ardent 
shipper for any of the pairings.  But, by the end of PoA, I had the 
thought that it would end up: Ha/G and He/R, despite Harry's crush on 
Cho.  My reasons were that JKR was already setting up a He/R pairing, 
at least for during the HW years, so I think that at least a teen 
relationship between the two is pretty much a given.  I figured the 
same may be true for Harry and Cho, (at least until GoF), but that 
Harry would 'end up' with Ginny.  I don't have any strong arguments 
for this, but just thought Harry will end up with a redhead like his 
mom; Ginny's had the ever-popular crush on H that will need ~some~ 
resolution (and, isn't that a useful hook for JKR to fall back on?); 
the Weasleys only have one daughter, who better for her to 
marry?; Harry will finally be part of a real family (I know he was in 
a real family with J & L, but that was only for the first year and a 
half of his life), and a wizarding family at that.  Plus, often guys 
marry a friend's sister-- "I never noticed you before, you were 
always just Ron's little sister, but you're all grown up now, blah, 
blah, blah."  With all the Ginny stuff in CoS, it seemed that might 
be where it was all heading.  No, she hasn't had much 'screen time' 
since then, but all it would take is one book to really get that all 
going.  Plus, only since GoF has all the real romantic-attraction 
stuff really begun.  I don't know how JKR'll handle the Harry/Cho 
thing since Cedric, but I wouldn't expect anything more there except 
maybe friendship.  Maybe they'll talk about him or something.  As for 
He/R, she's been setting them up, I think we'd all agree, and that 
way Hermione could be part of the Weasley clan as well.  Aw, they're 
all 'family' now.  MAYBE JKR will pull the twist and have H/H end up 
together.  I don't really think so, though.  The main reason I think 
this is that we seem to be reading much more into everything than JKR 
is.  I would expect that all the big surprise stuff in the canon will 
be with the main storyline, and pairing the characters off will be 
the 'happily ever after' epilogue.  I absolutely think the 'romantic 
pairings' thread will be an ongoing subplot, and it may definitely 
have bearing on the main plot.  But, when all is said and done, the 
easiest route for the pairings to take would be Ha/G and He/R, IMO.  
And, I would expect JKR to take the easy route with this thread; not 
really sure why.  It may have to do with all the recent info we've 
gotten:  the wand order was wrong, Lily (and Hagrid) were in 
Gryff. "naturally", etc.  The plot theories we've all conceived seem 
to be much more complex than what JKR is planning.  Of course, my 
whole theory is blown if she kills off Ron.  I don't really think she 
will, but admittedly there's a chance.  Do we all agree that Dumble 
is a goner?  Aside from him, I'm thinking we may lose Hagrid and 
maybe Lupin.  And Sirius may be a marked man as well.  I truly hope 
not, Harry needs to have someone all to himself, especially the best 
friend of his parents, so he can learn more about them as he's 
ready.  I don't want to lose any of them, I love them all, but these 
seem the most likely to me.  Maybe one of the Weasleys, not sure.  
So, the upshot?  JKR'll take the easy way out with the relationships, 
that's my tentative opinion.  (Subject to change at any time...)

Wow, didn't think I had this much to say...

Kelley--happy to rise from recent lurkdom and offer some knuts to the 
conversation...