Predictions for OoP/foreshadowings in CoS

[asandhp]

No: HPFGUIDX 53595

First of all, to whoever wrote me offlist asking for all the narrative
functionality of PS/SS: I'll happily do it, or some of it, but it 
might have to wait a few months.

Second, to whoever pointed out that Dobby never promised not to save 
Harry's life, thank you. That's a relief. However, I am still 100% 
convinced that all the effort that went into weaving Dobby into CoS, 
where he was completely unnecessary, was done for some extremely plot-
critical purpose later on. I still think that the scene "Harry Potter 
told Dobby never to save his life again," is going to happen. But 
there may be more. When I first read CoS I believed that Dobby would 
eventually lead a whole regiment of house-elves against V, and I 
still think it's possible, especially with 100 house-elves at 
Hogwarts.

Third, I'm still interested in hearing from the Mods or anyone else 
about what one should do with an idea that seems very likely and also 
a complete spoiler if it's true. Post it? Sit on it? Post it with a 
warning?

Fourth, re: the bezoar and other Snape's Welcome Speech items: What 
they all have in common is that they all appear in ordinary Muggle 
dictionaries with very similar meanings to those given by Snape.

Finally, fifth, here are my speculations on OoP:

I believe that OoP will not just include romance, but will have a 
major romantic aspect to the plot - just as the former books were 
equally fantasy/mystery/ and school story plots, this one will work 
as a romance plot, as well. Also, I suspect that JKR will do her 
unique kind of take on the traditional fantasy-romances: Sleeping 
Beauty, Rapunzel, the Frog Prince, etc, turning them on their sides 
and letting us see the "inside story."

This is the twist I'm betting on:
Fleur will end up kidnapped by the DE team and locked in some high 
tower, where she must be rescued by Our Heroes, joined by Neville, 
who ends up being the "prince," except that just as Fleur is about to 
kiss him, Trevor gets in the way and gets the kiss instead. Suddenly, 
the transfiguration is broken and we seee the "real" Trevor. The 
problem is that just as Fleur is 1/4 veela, Trevor is only the 
grandson (grandspawn) of an enchanted prince. The resulting one-
quarter-detransfiguration of both of them should be a real treat, and 
lead on to the "real" ending of the book - just as PoA had a double 
ending.

But I don't presume to guess what that real ending might be.

Why do I suspect all this? Well, the logic goes like this:
There are only so many standard mystery and fantasy plots, and JK has
already used four each in the first four books. Figure like this:

Mystery:
PP/SS: bank robbery/ burglery
CoS: attempted murder
PoA: jail break
GoF: secret agent/ attempted murder

Fantasy:
PP/SS: keeping a magic object away from the Dark Lord (a la LOTR)
CoS: slaying the dragon
PoA: rescuing the innocent from a high tower (prepubescently not a 
princess)
GoF: accomplishing heroic tasks (a la Greek mythology)

>From this, one can begin to extrapolate which plots are left and 
which she might use in the next three books. Book 7 is reserved for 
the destruction of Evil by Good. So my guess is:

OoP: Mystery - kidnapping; Fantasy - saving a real princess from a 
high tower,etc (see above)
Book 6: Mystery - information espionage; Fantasy - reaching the secret
source of magical wisdom

Of course, you veterans on this list might think up more likely plots 
for 5 & 6, but the method of extrapolating is, I think, valid.

So go for it, guys! I'm waiting happily to see all your talented 
embroidery on these ideas. And if any of you are familiar with the 
stock collection of school-story plots and Bildungsroman plots, you 
might be able to chart the probable plots for 5 and 6 along those 
lines, too.

The Admiring Skeptic