War - Taking the School and Students

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 142474

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, zehms at a... wrote:
>
> IMO the primary offensive in the upcoming 'war' will be at 
> Hogwarts.
> 
> All that stood between LV and Hogwarts was Dumbledore, with 
> Dumbledore's death I think that LV will feel confident he 
> can overtake Hogwarts and will devote a great deal of his 
> resources to this endeavor.
> 
> ...edited...
> 
> This is my speculation, it sure would be exciting, but nerve
> wracking as the possibility of beloved characters being murdered
> will increase will full out war.
> 
> Zehms


bboyminn:

I have only a couple of points to add. 

Despite that fact that the story options are now very limited, there
are still a lot of possibilities. We know that standard 'school year'
tale will not be one of them. But, yes, I really can see Voldemort
attacking the school. But again, our story options are limited to one
book and one year of book time, and a lot of story/plot points that
need resolving. I have to wonder if there is enough time for an attack
on Hogwarts to take place? I really don't know. Maybe we have already
seen our 'attack on Hogwarts' in the last book, but then again, that
could just be the warm up.

As to Voldemort's motivation, keep in mind that who ever holds the
school, and more importantly its students, holds the wizard world.

With Voldemort controlling the school and holding all its students
hostage, no one in the wizard world would dare defy him. 

So, I guess what I am saying is that it would certainly be better if
Voldemort attacked the school over the summer when it was undefended
and easy to take. But that gives him no strategic advantage. It's a
lot of work and a lot of risk for a comfortable place to live and a
school that virtually no one will want to go to. However, if Voldemort
take over the school while the children are there, then he has all the
strategic resources he needs to hold the entire wizard world hostage.

It would seem, at least to Voldemort and the DE's, that if they take
the school and students, they have won the war. Though, I seriously
doubt that the wizard world will lay down and take it quite as easily
as Voldemort expects. 

Regardless, its a plot direction with great story potential.

Steve/bboyminn