Subject: Who dies in 7?

[Cheryl]

No: HPFGUIDX 146313

This started on OT Chatter but Katherine's response was too good so I 
pulled it over.

>> Quote from this interview:
>>
>> "In the seventh book there will be deaths of both, goodies and
>> baddies. She was talking to her husband, Neil, the other day, after
>> she has just writing the death of one particular character. He
>> shuddered. "Oh don't do that", he said to me, but of course, I 
>>did."
>>
>> I have a question about this, because I often interpret this kind 
>>of thing wrong.
>> JKR was referring in this quote to the death of Dumbledore or to 
>>the death of another character in the 7 book?.

>Katherine:

>I think this is definitely book 7.  And I think that it's probably 
gonna be Hagrid who bites it.  Also, consider that she's doing 
press, and she WANTS us all to be up in arms.  It could be anyone.  
Seriously, maybe Neil is a big fan of Percy Weasley.   As far as 
deaths go, I'd bet the following:

>1. Hagrid
>2. Hedwig
>3. Flitwick
>4. Charlie Weasley

>Her pattern in creating conflict seems to be:

>1 major shocking death. For this I vote Hagrid; book 6 was DD.  
Hagrid is still a major character but one who has lost his narrative 
neccessity.  Why is he still hanging around?  So she can drop some 
Glaswegian dialect from time to time?  No, because she knew she 
needed him to die in Seven.

Nicky Joe:

For major shocking death I either vote for Hagrid or Hermione.  Let's 
face it, she hasn't been all that helpful in the last couple of 
books.  She can probably help Harry locate the Horcruxes, but after 
that she could easily be disposed of.  It would happen right after 
Ron and Hermione decide they really do like each other.  I do like 
your Hagrid theory, though.


>1 Personally-affecting Harry loss.  For this I vote Hedwig; we 
haven't had such a thing since the Nimbus was decimated.  Instead 
we've had major fights with either Ron or Hermione.  Now that the 
fighting with Ron and/or Hermione is done to death, we're back to 
Hedwig.  She can't structurally give him another broomstick loss 
without looking tired.  So bye-bye Hedwig.

Nicky Joe:

The Hermione thing would take care of this, also.  Harry just doesn't 
seem that attached to Hedwig, not enough for JKR to kill off the 
owl.  Unlike Hermione, who cuddles and fawns all over that cat of 
hers.

>1 Total screwup at Hogwarts.   We've had DADA teachers who were 
crazy, Divination teachers who were useless or obscure, Hagrid's 
many absences and the death of DD.  So now we've got to muck about 
with the school a bit.  Flitwick is the charms teacher.  I predict 
Harry's growing closer to Flitwick as he learns more about his 
mother's prowess in Charms--only to have Flitwick bite it in the end.

Nicky Joe: 

I would vote for Trelawney on this one.  LV might decide to take her 
out to avoid any more of those pesky prophecies she might spit out.

>1 Rocking of the Weasley boat.   The Weasleys are Harry's surrogate 
family.  There needs to be some conflict there.   First it 
was "they're broke."  Then it was "Percy is an Ass."  Then it 
was "Percy is An Ass on the Wrong Side."  Then it was "Bill's been 
bitten by Greyback."   This time someone's gonna die.  Could be 
anyone--how sadistic is Rowling?  If she were smart she'd axe 
Charlie--he's outlived his purpose, since I doubt we'll need any more 
dragons disposed of or dealt with.  If she were middling cruel she'd 
send one (or both) twins to their mortal end.   But that kills her 
biggest tool for comic relief, so I can't see her doing that.   
Besides, the joke shop is a dead-useful source of material.  It'll 
also give the gang a place to serve as their Diagon Alley Safe Haven 
now that the Leaky Cauldron is compromised.  If she wants to be 
really mean as a snake (ha!) she'll kill Arthur.  Harry already has 
one Patron--James.  Arthur is secondary in his psychological 
needs.   But, I'm betting she'll get her big bang from Hagrid, so 
Charlie is her Weasley Sacrifice.

Nicky Joe:

I had a really gruesome thought on this one.  What if it's ONE of the 
twins?  Now that would be horrifying.  Would one twin even be able to 
function without the other?  That would be especially cruel of JKR.  
I don't think Charlie has been in the books enough to be a Weasley 
sacrifice.  What about Molly?  She is an Order member, after all.  I 
can see her charging into battle to protect her family.  That would 
be a bigger blow than Arthur, actually.  Harry has had quite a few 
father-figures - Sirius, Lupin, Dumbledore, even Hagrid on occasion.  
But Molly is Harry's only mother-figure.