Shippers, Happy Endings & Related Topics / Merchandise

[SKTHOMPSON_1 at msn.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 7945

An aside to Carole to start:  I bought myself the trivia game, 
thought 
the board was torn, <g>, but sadly I have no fellow fans to play 
with... <:o(  I suppose there will be a version for each book?

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer 
<pennylin at s...> wrote:
>>>Hmmm ..... I'm not so sure that even if R & H date in Book 5 that 
it can> be assumed that they are "right" & the H/H contingent 
is "wrong."  We> won't know anything at all until the series is 
over ... and maybe not> even then, eh?  Personally, I hope it's left 
ambiguous at the end ("Will> Hermione get back together with Ron 
(they had a spat & split up in Book> 6)?"  "Will Hermione instead 
declare her true love for Harry?"  "Will> Harry finally see Ginny as 
a woman?") -- then all the shippers can> happily create fanfic to 
suit their preference for eternity!  <g> <<<<<

I half-think JKR will leave things ambiguous.  It's part of my 
thinking that she won't go too in-depth with the relationhips.
 
>>>I'm with Cassie on this one (as she well knows).  In the case of 
R/H, I> think the fact that Ron's interest is so over-the-top, you'd 
have to be> really thick to miss it -- people *assume* that Hermione 
is likewise> interested.  When I read the books, I think it's much 
clearer that> Hermione has her cap set on Harry, not Ron.  And, like 
Cassie, I hate> the "consolation prize" arguments.<<<<<

Actually, I don't see any evidence how Herm feels.  I don't assume 
she returns Ron's feelings, but I don't know that she doesn't 
either.  With Harry, I see Herm as just very compassionate and 
empathic towards what Harry has been through and is going through.  
She empathizes with Ron, too; at least she sees his side and what his 
demons are.  But, I don't see the evidence that the H/H shippers do 
that says she fancies Harry.  (It's been too long, Penny; remind me 
of your points again...)
 
>>Bravo!  I think that's an excellent point.  Agreed -- Molly wasn't 
upset> because Hermione had chosen Harry over her son Ron -- she was 
upset> because she thought Hermione wasn't treating Harry properly.<<<

Did someone really think that?  I always saw Mrs. W's cold 
shoulder/snubbing of Herm as no more than point of evidence that 
*people* (at least Mrs. W) were believing Skeeter's story.  Never 
occurred to me that some could see this as Mrs. W displaying pique 
that Herm liked Harry instead of her ickle Ronnikins.

> Susan wrote:
> 
> > After Ron pitches a jealous fit (indicating her interest), she
> > suggests that he ask her out first next time. They become oddly
> > formal with each other; JKR says something is going on between 
them.  It seems fairly conclusive to me, and I continue to be 
mystified that> > there is all this hoopla about it.
> >
>>>Maybe it's just me -- but it seems entirely *too* obvious & pat to 
me.  > Besides, my sister & I had a fight earlier in the year & 
were "oddly> formal" with each other for several weeks thereafter.  I 
don't think> that's at all an argument in support of Hermione sharing 
romantic> feelings for Ron.  In my mind, all the R/H evidence is just 
mainly> evidence of Ron's obvious crush -- I have yet to see any 
points made> that suggest clearly that Hermione has any interest in 
return.  There> are certainly plenty of people who would agree that 
it sure seems that> Hermione's cap is set on her other best 
friend!  :--) <<<<<<<<<

Pat & obvious?  Who're they again? <g>  I would have agreed with this 
BEFORE "Lily was in Gryff., naturally..." and PI was just a mistake, 
etc.  I am so disappointed that these weren't tricks JKR had up her 
sleeve.  Leads me to think we're paying more attention, and thinking 
more complexly about the books than she is.  Not that she's making 
light of her creation, not at all.  But she did let a few things 
slip.  Hopefully, this was just due to pressure to get #4 out, and 
won't come up again.  

 
>>>HAPPY ENDINGS -- Kimberly, Kelley & others have posited the idea 
that> JKR will go for a neat & tidy ending, with everything all tied 
up in a> bow & everyone blissfully happy.  I'm a die-hard romantic -- 
really I> am.  But, I just don't see this "everyone is happy & paired 
off> perfectly to make one big happy family" theory squaring very 
well with> JKR's stated pronouncements that the series will get 
darker as it> progresses.<<<<<<<

Okay, well 'happily ever after' is a bit glib.  Let's say I see the 
surviving good guys getting some semblance of happiness in their 
lives at the end of the series.  I can't see JKR leaving everyone in 
total misery when all is said and done (and I know that's not what 
you mean).  As far as her pronouncements of things getting darker, 
I'm taking this with a grain of salt.  I expect JKR to, if not 
conclusively pair people off, then to at least give us her patented 
loaded-sentence, a la The Kiss.  She may not go so far as to say this 
one married that one, etc., but she will likely lead us one way or 
another.  And I still think the Ha/G and R/He pairings are the most 
likely way she'll go--all my ship theories are based on what I think 
JKR'll do, not who I most want to end up together.  (As to that, I 
really don't have any strong feelings; whatever JKr does, she does.  
I might be surprised at the road she takes, but I won't be 
disappointed, because 'I wanted Herm to go with Ron...'  It doesn't 
matter all that much to me, really.)

> I agree that Cedric's death was a bit of a .... what's the word I'm
> looking for ... "set-up"?  The pre-release interviews sort of gave 
us> all the impression that someone *important* would die.  Not that 
many of> us didn't care about Cedric to some degree by the end of the 
book, but> he wasn't an important character at *all* prior to GoF.  
But, I really> do believe that there will be deaths that will hit us 
all much more> heavily in the next 3 books.  The tone & where she's 
headed with this> series according to her interviews just doesn't 
jive with the "everyone> lives & ends up happy ever after" ending 
that some are envisioning.  IMO> anyway.

Well, I think it'll be more "hap. ev. aft." than not.  If JKR gets to 
the end and doesn't give some sort of hint about what became of the 
group, and that they weren't somewhat happy, I'll be truly 
surprised.  She may say 'dark', but really how dark do you think 
she'll go?  There will be more deaths, but how many?  Frank Bryce and 
Cedric are the only on-camera deaths so far, and when I wonder who 
else we'll lose by the end, the ones concerning me are the 'good 
guys'.  I'd be very surprised if more than three or so are killed.  
So far, nothing in the books has been that 'scary' to me (of course, 
my usual reading is Stephen King).  I believe Neil(?) mentioned so 
long ago, that a couple parts were disturbing; this is more my 
feeling--the DEs having fun levitating the muggle family at the QWC, 
Pettigrew cutting into Harry's arm on Vold's orders; not exactly 
frightening to me, but maybe my nine year-old self would think so.  I 
have to admit I'm feverishly curious how JKR will make the story 
darker... 
 
>>>I do *not* subscribe to the "Harry will die at the end of Book 7" 
school> of thought, but I do think he'll be war-weary & battle-
scarred at the> end (I love Dadgrid's fanfic along those lines --
 "The Granger> Interview").  Ron & Hermione?  Well .... perhaps it is 
because *she* is> my favorite character but I do have a hard time 
believing that JKR will> kill Hermione off.  If she did, as Lori 
noted to me once, you'd have 2> male main characters left, which you 
just don't see much.  Of the Trio,> I see Ron as the most likely to 
die.  But, I'm not convinced that he> will die by any means.<<<<<

Completely agree.
 
>>>The other main characters are fair game in my mind.  Dumbledore 
seems an> obvious choice -- the mentor of our hero will die by ... 
probably Book 6> is my prediction.  Sirius or Lupin seems a prime 
target.  I hate the> thought but Sirius' death would have a far 
greater affect on Harry than> the death of Lupin.  Because she's said 
Hagrid is one of her top> favorite characters, he might very well be 
the "death that> half-crucifies JKR to write about" as she said in an 
interview awhile> back.<<<<<<<<<

Yep, Dumble may be obvious, but I believe that's deliberate.  
Seriously, who will be shocked when it happens?  She's warning us.  I 
agree with your assessment of the effect of Sirius' death on Harry.  
For this reason, I hope she lets him live.  He's the only person 
Harry has 'all to himself', plus he will be the one to tell Harry 
about J & L.  JKR may not write with an audience in mind, but she 
knows half her audience are children.  I would think she might be 
concerned how upsetting it could be to kids, for Harry to lose 
Sirius, after he's already lost his parents.  Losing one or both 
parents must be a big fear to kids; Harry's lost both, and now that 
he has this surrogate father, he'll lose him too?  Seems pretty cruel 
to me.  Of course, she may deliberately go for this pathos, who 
knows?  My strongest guesses for the death that will 'half-crucify' 
her?  Dumble, Lupin, Hagrid.  I worry we may lose others as well, but 
these three seem the strongest contenders to me.  I also think if any 
more students go, it won't be the trio, Neville, Ginny, or Draco.  
The rest are fair game.  Maybe we'll lose one of the Weasleys, hope 
not though...   
 
> But, a happy ending with most all the good guys alive & a festive
> Christmas at the Burrow with Mr. & Mrs. Harry Potter & Mr. and Mrs. 
Ron> Weasley?  Sorry -- I just don't buy it.

I don't see it like this, either.  I do expect rays of hope for the 
surviving good guys (and for us as well), and, as of now, I'm still 
putting my money on R/He, Ha/G.  I in no way see the ending as 
maudlin or schmaltzy.  By the same token, I don't see the end being 
gloomily, depressingly dark, either.  Somber, but hopeful...?  More 
like that...
 
This concludes my own opus...

Bet you guys wish I had stayed lurking, right?

Kelley ;o]