Another death? (in HBP)

[shallowdwell]

No: HPFGUIDX 115766




> >> Carol responds:
> > I just had a thought based on your last sentence. Suppose she 
> removes
> > his (adult) support group one person at a time: first Lupin, then
> > McGonagall, then Dumbledore--and his support group is reduced to 
> one
> > person, Snape, as it was in OoP, only this time the others are 
all 
> dead?

This is a brilliant extension of an opinion that I have long held, 
which is that some good bit of time before the end of book 7 
Dumbledore must die in order for Harry to truly face Voldemort on his 
own.  But of course to make it truly harrowing, other supportive 
characters must also be put out of commission.

Remember, of course, that this does not require them being *dead*, 
just unavailable.  Actually, I believe that we have seen JK Rowling 
do this in every book to some extent.  Lets see if I can remember 
enough to make a case for it...

Book 1:  Harry thinks Snape is going to steal the stone.  Dumbledore 
is mysteriously called away.  McGonagall does not believe him, nor 
does Hagrid.  Harry and his friends go without adult assistance, but 
first Ron has to sacrifice himself (only to injury, fortunately)and 
then Hermione cannot continue because there is not enough potion for 
both of them to get past the flames.  So at the climactic point of 
the story, Harry faces Quirrel/Volemort *alone*.

Book 2: Ginny is taken, Dumbledore is (once again) gone, and the 
teachers, in despair of finding Ginny, have to close the school.  
Hermione is petrified.  Ron and Harry drag a useless Professor 
Lockheart with them, and he of course causes a rockslide that cuts 
Ron off from Harry.  Once more, Harry must face Riddle/Voldemort 
alone.

Book 3:  With Lupin howling at the moon, Sirius in custody, Snape and 
Fudge ignoring their pleas, Ron wounded in the hospital wing, 
Dumbledore *sends* Harry and Hermione back in time to do some major 
rescue maneuvers.  Conveniently enough, they must *avoid being seen 
at all costs* which means of course they can't ask for help.  
Ultimately, Harry must drive away the dementors himself because 
Hermione doesn't know the spell, and his expected father never shows 
up.

Book 4:  A Portkey whisks Harry away from all potential helpers 
(except Cedric, who is immediately killed) and he has to face 
Voldemort and all his supporters alone.  Well, except for the 
ghost/echoes.  Actually, that doesn't bode well for book 7, either.

Book 5:  Dumbledore is on the run.  Hagrid is sacked and also in 
hiding.  McGonagall is seriously injured.  Harry's Godfather is 
believed (at least by Harry) to be in Voldemort's clutches.  A truly 
twisted woman is controlling Hogwarts, making contact with anyone 
outside impossible.  Harry manages to escape to the MoM with 6 
*students*, who begin to drop like flies once they meet the death 
eaters.  Then come reinforcements from the order who are all kept 
busy with the remaining death eaters.  Sirius dies. In the confusion, 
Harry gives chase to Bellatrix.  Members of the Order are kept busy 
during his confrontation with her and with Voldemort, who would have 
used AK successfully had Dumbledore intervened.  But in spite of all 
his efforts, it is not Dumbledore who saves Harry when he is 
possessed by Voldemort.  Dumbledore dares not attack in any way at 
that point, for fear of hurting Harry... and perhaps JK has hinted 
there were other reasons as well?
 
In any case, it seems to me that Harry's isolation for the climax of 
each book grows more and more pronounced, with more and more serious 
causes-- death being a major one in books 4 and 5.  Injuries also 
appear to escalate in frequency and severity.  And remember, non-
death injuries can be just as severely debilitating and just as 
permanent--as in the case of Neville's parents.

Remembering that Dumbledore's influence has been a lifesaver in at 
least four out of five books, I am the more convinced that his 
permanent departure is imminent by the end of book 7.  

I also believe there will be at least 4 or 5 more deaths among major 
characters before the end.  Not like a Weasley bloodbath-- She'll 
probably spread them out a bit for maximum impact.  But yes, at least 
one Weasley (I hope not Ron, Ginny, or a twin) will likely die, with 
other serious complications/sufferings likely for that tribe.  I 
expect at least one teacher, and probably at least a couple members 
of the Order (notice these categories overlap, making Snape a very 
likely candidate).  

Students... well, its possible.  It seems to me members of the DA are 
vulnerable (a little knowledge is a dangerous thing-- and the Death 
Eaters will likely know better than to underestimate them again).  
And no doubt students will suffer the loss of family members, and the 
impact will be felt at Hogwarts.

Our trio is especially vulnerable.  JK has made it known that Harry 
himself could die-- but not, I trust, before the very end of the last 
book.  And at least one close friend of Harry's must survive to 
become a Hogwarts teacher.  "Not the one you'd expect" says JK, 
effectively ruling out bookworm Hermione.  Ron, she says she cannot 
picture spending his life in academia.  To me that says probably 
Neville will survive.  I'm glad of that.  And I suspect at least one 
member of the trio will live.  If JK is a romantic, at least 2.  And 
given her not-so-subtle relationship hints, I'd say R&H.  Which makes 
Harry a *very* likely martyr.  Sorry, that's just my best guess, 
although it makes me very sad to contemplate.

I hope that JK is more into happy endings than she lets on.  After 
all the regrets she expresses for the awful stuff coming up for 
Harry, maybe she can give him a break and let him live his life once 
the final confrontation is finally over...

Hopefully,

Andrea