Much obsessed by death

[Hannah]

No: HPFGUIDX 127308


Deborah wrote:
> I wonder if the huge, climactic death of a megaprominent character 
is
> the only way to get to a satisfying series ending. Right now, the 
list
> seems to be measuring one character after another for shrouds!
><snip> 
> There's also the possibility of the same sort of thing on a wider
> screen - let LV be defeated, and then let the WW voluntarily 
disband
> in order to prevent any such disaster from arising again. The 
message
> being: reject supernatural aids, and work at being the best 
version of
> a human that you can achieve. These are children's books, after 
all.

Hannah:  That, for me, would be a very disappointing ending indeed.  
The thing I love about Harry Potter is the glamour and excitement of 
the magical world that JKR has created so near and yet so far from 
our own.  If the series ends with it being destroyed completely, I 
will feel totally let down.  It's one thing for the stories 
themselves to end with book 7, but I'd like to able to imagine the 
WW carrying on, and to read about it in fanfiction.  

This is, as you say, a children's book.  Children deserve a little 
magic in their lives.  How would the destruction of this enjoyable 
fantasy world possibly help children or teach them anything useful?  
People can work at being good humans while they are also wizards - 
magic is a gift and a tool, but it doesn't affect personality any 
more than any ability does.

I know what you mean about measuring the characters up for shrouds 
(I'm definitely guilty of this one)!  It does seem a bit morbid, but 
it is also a very interesting source of speculation.  JKR herself 
has confirmed there will be more deaths, and I suppose it's 
necessary for the war to be plausible.  I hope there's not too many -
 ie. no more than is necessary for the plot and for plausibility, 
but I doubt JKR will put in gratuitous and excessive murders, at 
least of actual known characters.   

There will be a few more deaths, at least two being of major 
characters, but it would be very nice for there to be a resolution 
that doesn't involve a mass killing of the characters we know and 
love.  I suppose we'll have to wait a few years yet to know for sure!

Hannah