Will Viktor Krum be one of the deaths? (SHIP-ish)

[alshainofthenorth]

No: HPFGUIDX 115500


Summary of post: Rambling essay-let on reasons for Viktor Krum to a) 
return to Great Britain for the fight against Voldemort, and b) die.

The fight against Lord Voldemort is an internal British affair (at 
least the general idea is to stop him before he gets the chance to 
launch his international career). Fudge in particular is going to be 
much too proud to be seen as begging for help through official 
channels. Other countries may choose an isolationist position as well.

This doesn't rule out volunteers, however. Consider the Spanish Civil 
War and the many illustrious volunteers on the losing side: 
Hemingway, André Malraux, my favourite philosopher Simone Weil, and 
(here it comes) JKR's personal heroine Jessica Mitford. (Apologies to 
any nationality that feels slighted -- those were the only one I 
could come up with on short notice.) While Fudge speaks for the 
government, Dumbledore doesn't. If he wants to travel somewhere (or 
send emissaries to speak on his behalf) and speak privately with 
people, well, it isn't forbidden. If people want to go to Britain and 
take up the fight against a Dark Lord on their own time, well, that 
isn't forbidden either. It's even possible that Dumbly can call some 
personal favours as well, having defeated Grindelwald. Perhaps 
witches and wizards in Central Europe still see him as some kind of 
saviour, despite the mud-throwing in book 5. 

And I suddenly get a bad feeling about Vicky. He feels very strongly 
for Hogwarts and seems to have great respect for Dumbledore, has 
experience of Dark Magic, got a lot of good press during the QWC 
(including Hermione's "He was very brave, wasn't he?") Some people 
seem to think that his only place in the two last books is to be the 
phantom penpal of Hermione, but I think there's more in store for 
him -- in fact, that he is created to volunteer for the fight against 
Voldemort. And perhaps to die.

(Has anyone ever made a list about the people who Harry has shaken 
hands with? I have this little pet hypothesis that the handshakes are 
code for "Don't forget this person, you'll see them again." I hope 
Galadriel Waters didn't forget it in her attempts to prove that James 
and Lupin switched bodies.)

Here it gets kind of shippy, so from this point onwars, assume Ron + 
Hermione = <3. 

The thing is that Viktor stands between Ron and Hermione and as such 
has the potential of causing discord on a personal level in the trio. 
His return to the scene could make Ron confront his feelings about 
Hermione and would become a point of character growth for him: 
through hero-worship, jealousy and grudging respect to -- what?

R/H shippers have been drumming their fingers at the table to see 
them kiss already, and I agree that it's about time. But I think JKR 
will drag it out to the seventh book, so she needs another obstacle. 
Viktor dying would be just the thing that could make Ron hesitate -- 
I wouldn't say he's the kind of character that would cheerfully woo 
the love of his life over a rival's dead body. Even if Hermione sees 
Viktor as just a friend, Ron obviously doesn't. Much though I liked 
Viktor and don't want to see him die, anything that keeps both of 
them alive reminds me too much about Casablanca.    

Against this speaks the fact that it's incredibly cliché even for a 
love triangle. Two men vies for the attention of a woman, one a 
famous, dark, mysterious foreigner and the other a poor, painfully 
honest, red-headed English oaf with large ears.

Then, it'd be rather clumsy manipulation for JKR to try and create 
tension by picking off the Tri-Wizard champions. Are we supposed to 
go, Oh Lord, she killed another Tri-Wizard champion, what if Harry is 
next? (But after the miracle growth of Ginny, I've come to accept a 
certain level of clumsiness.)

I'm not putting any money on Viktor to be the death of book six yet, 
but I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Alshain