Full HBP cover artwork

[Lindsay]

No: HPFGUIDX 126794

Lindsay:

The Leaky Cauldron says that the marketers just released these large
stand-up cover art for HBP.  At the bottom, there are three kids
looking up at Harry and Dumbledore.

Here's a large picture:

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/images/2005/03/scholstanduphbphuge.html

Who do you think each one is?

I definitely think that the right girl is Ginny.  

To the left, the boy's hair is more brown then red, and no freckles
(which Ron normally has when GrandPre draws him), so I don't think
that is Ron, nor really any of the Weasleys.  My first reaction is
Seamus, because the boy's face is too angular to be Neville's...but
since we know we're going to be seeing Zabini coming up, that could be
him!  I *think* that is a green scarve he is wearing.  If we go for
Slytherin, could also be Nott.  Or it could be any number of kids in
the DA, but my money is on Blaise, Seamus, Theodore, in that order.

As for the black haired girl - she COULD be Cho, but she really
doesn't look Asian, and I think Cho is going to be taking a back-seat,
anyway.  She also doesn't look Indian, so I doubt she is one of the
Patil sisters.  She's too cute to be Bulstrode.  Pansy, Luna and
Hannah are blondes.  Susan's hair up until this point is long and kept
in a plait.

Could be Lavender, she is in DA...doubt it is someone outside the DA,
and they all look too young to be out of Hogwarts and in the Order. 
There is the possibility, if the boy is Zabini or Nott, that the girl
is one of our unknown Slytherin girls, Daphne Greengrass or Tracey
Davis.  If JKR is going for House unity, then we're going to have to
meet some nice Slytherins eventually, right?  And not just one...two!

I think the definite Ginny down there at the bottom, looking directly
up at Harry, is going to have the GW/HP shippers squealing, and for
good reason.  If there are two new characters and Ginny on the cover,
then Ginny must play a very important role in HBP, and being Harry's
girlfriend might be it.

Or...it could have something to do with her involvement in that darn diary.  ;)

In retrospect, that could be Lily instead of Ginny, too.

Ah well.

What do you all think?

--Lindsay