HBP Clues

[tjbailey24]

No: HPFGUIDX 107945

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "MamiBunny" <luzzatto at v...> wrote:
> MamiBunny:
> I want to remind everyone of what JKR wrote on her website about the relationship between HBP and CoS, which I have transcribed below:
> 
> 
> JKR:
> <<'The Half-Blood Prince' might be described as a strand of the overall plot. That strand could be used in a whole variety of ways and back in 1997   ***I considered weaving it into the story of 'Chamber'. It really didn't fit there, though;***   it was not part of the story of the basilisk and Riddle's diary, and before long I accepted that  ***it would be better to do it justice in book six.***   I clung to the title for a while, even though   ***all trace of the 'Prince' storyline had disappeared***,   because I liked it so much (yes, I really like this title!). I re-christened book two 'Chamber of Secrets' when I started the second draft.">>
> 
> (end of transcription, emphasis is mine).
> 
> 
> MamiBunny:
> Also on the website is information about Dean Thomas's background.
> 
> JKR:
> <<"Dean is from what he always thought was a pure Muggle background. He has been raised by his mother and his stepfather; his father walked out on the family when Dean was very young.    ***He has a very happy home life, with a number of half-brothers and sisters.***    Naturally when the letter came from Hogwarts Dean's mother wondered whether his father might have been a wizard, but nobody has ever discovered the truth: that Dean's father, who had never told his wife what he was because he wanted to protect her, got himself killed by Death Eaters when he refused to join them. The projected story had Dean discovering all this during his school career. I suppose in some ways   ***I sacrificed Dean's voyage of discovery***   for Neville's, which is more important to the central plot.">>
> (end of second transcription, emphasis is mine).
> 
> MamiBunny:
> I think it is possible that in book 6, Jo will bring Dean's story to the plot, and that the HBP could be Dean Thomas.
> 
> My guess for the new Ministry of Magic is Dumbledore.  He refused the office once, but now it is imperative to be able to count on the support of the MoM. So, no one would be better than him for the head of the Ministry.
> 
> And for Harry's discovery in the Chamber, I'm guessing it's parseltongue.  This power of Harry's that he shares with LV might be better used now, deliberately.
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> MamiBunny
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Tara replies:
  
Isn't the section on Dean Thomas under "edits" on Jo's website?  Why would she list all that under "edits" and then make the title of book 6 about him?  I'm not ruling out anything, I'm just adding an opinion or two.  Also, she said that she GAVE UP Dean's voyage, for Neville's which was much more important to the central plot... so wouldn't we then think Neville might be in the running for HBP?  We don't know exactly where all the answers come from, but if he has a bigger part to play than his story in OoP, book 6 would be a good place to show it.  Plus the term "gave up" Dean's voyage hints that it is in the past and not introduced into the series.