HBP prediction contest: comments wanted

[njelliot2003]

No: HPFGUIDX 129569

1. Who will be the most major character to die?
 
Luna Lovegood.
Draco Malfoy will also die though his death may be held over till 
book 7. The canonical evidence for Draco's death is terrifically 
sound – in PS, the first Fat Lady password Harry hears is "Caput 
Draconis" (pg. 96). Caput means dead doesn't it? It did in the Comic 
Book German we used at school. 

> 2. Who is the Half-Blood Prince? 
Dudley Dursley

I base this prediction on the flimsiest of evidence. In OOTP, DD 
explains that Petunia provides the blood connection that keeps Harry 
safe. Dudley shares that blood connection – he has half the
Potter 
family blood through Petunia. Then further down the same page (751) 
DD relates to Harry how he appeared when he turned up at Hogwarts 5 
years ago and he describes it the following way: "You were not a 
pampered little prince..." No Harry wasn't, Dudley fills that role 
in the family! Half-blood prince – what more could you want?

I reject Godric Griffindor, or one of his descendants, as the HBP on 
the grounds that I can't see what he might add to the plot that DD 
doesn't provide already. 

> 3. What is Lily's big secret? (This question will be
> eliminated and full credit given to everyone if no big secret
> is revealed.)
 I'm more interested in Petunia's big secret. I think she's a squib.

> 4. Who will be the new DADA teacher?
Luna's dad. He'll be hopeless.
I wish it were Lupin, or Mad-Eye, or Tonks!
 
> 5. With whom will Harry have a romantic relationship?
 Luna Lovegood. It'll take most of the book for them to get really 
close and then, just when Harry is in the full flush of his first 
true love, she'll be killed by the dark side so that Rowling can 
make Harry suffer even more than he has already. 

> 6. Who will be the new Minister of Magic?
Ludo Bagman. 
Ludo will maintain Rowling's theme that government bureaucracy is at 
best ineffectual and a joke and at worst working against the common 
good, even evil. The goblins will be furious with the Minister at a 
time when their allegiance is desperately needed against LV. Good 
setup for further complications!
 
 > 7. What is that bowl-thing on the green U.S. HBP cover? 
It's a dementor dispersing yo-yo invented by Fred and George 
Weasley. 

> 8. Will Harry take Advanced Potions?
 Yes 
> 9. Will Neville take Advanced Potions?
 Yes
> 10. How many OWLs did Harry get?
 The absolute minimum that allows him to stay on the auror career 
path. He might even have to do a remedial class in one subject to 
get across the line. 

 
> Make 5 predictions not covered in the Compulsory
> Question section.

1. On their trip to Sweden, Luna and her dad will either prove the 
Crumple-Horned Snorkack is real, or (more likely) Luna will lead the 
Scandinavian giants out of the wilderness and across to the light 
side.  
2. Neville will discover that Mimbulus mimbletonia has healing 
properties hitherto unknown and, hopefully, will cure his parents of 
their madness. I base this on the name – it looks a bit like
mimble mumble tonic. (I could do with a dose of it right now.)
3. LV will launch an attack on Muggles. The first third of the book 
will consist of Harry and the Dursleys fighting LV or his minions in 
Muggleland during the summer holidays. 
4. Luna will speak to her mum behind the veil. There will be some 
reason why Harry will be unable to do the same with Sirius because 
it's a lovely opportunity for Rowling to inflict yet more cruelty on 
Harry. 
5. Lupin will remain jobless, penniless, and no one will give him a 
decent wardrobe(sigh). Riddikulus!
6. Hermione's cat's true identity will be revealed. 

"njelliot2003"