JKR's site up-date - Rumours Section-Deaths

[greatelderone]

No: HPFGUIDX 127274


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "antoshachekhonte" 
<antoshachekhonte at y...> wrote:
> I would be surprised if Luna or Tonks gets knocked off in HBP 
because they were just 
> introduced in OotP. Likewise, Arthur, Ginny and Neville would be 
unsatisfying (to me) 
> choices, because each of them has already confronted tragedy, and 
it seems as if having 
> them die at this point would be... cruel. 

GEO: I'd classify her killing of Sirius in that same category as 
just plain cruel especially considerings his tragedies and trials 
were much greater.

> I actually think that Hermione is the MOST likely of the Trio to 
die. Brilliant as she is, she's 
> the least gifted of the three at tactical spell-casting--she has a 
tendency to freeze up at 
> critical moments. Also, she is the character with whom the author 
identifies most strongly. 
> It seems like the sort of thing JKR would do, killing off her 
alter ego. 

GEO: I very much doubt Rowling has any plans to kill off any member 
of the trio, but if she did I'd agree that Hermione's death would 
probably have the greatest impact next to Harry's. As for candidates 
among the counter trio slated to die, I think Neville and Ginny are 
the only plausibles ones. Luna was introduced far too late in the 
series to serve as effective cannon fodder or traitor to the group.