Who dies?

[Eustace_Scrubb]

No: HPFGUIDX 154452

dumbledore11214 wrote:
> >
> > Um, I just saw the quote  from JKR's today interview. It could be 
> a 
> > paraphrase, so please don't beat me up. 
> > 
> > But I think the gist is right. She says that in book 7 one 
> > character gets a reprieve, but two that she did nto intend to kill
> > off – die.

> > So, any guesses?

Then Luckdragon wrote:
> 
> I read that she said " At least two characters will die".
> My picks are:
> 1) Bellatrix
> 2) MacNair
> 3) Grawp
> 4) Snape
> 5) Kreacher
>

Now Eustace_Scrubb:

According to the article on this interview published in the Sun
(possibly not the _last_ word on journalistic reliability, but it
seems to cover the same ground as most of the other reports),

"She said: "One character got a reprieve but I have to say that two
die that I didn't want to die."

She added that her husband Dr Neil Murray, 34, "shuddered" when she
told him the identity of one of the pair."
(see http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006290442,00.html)

Whoever dies, they are persons that Rowling "didn't want to die" and
her husband "shuddered" about _one_ of them.  Maybe Snape would
qualify, but I can't see the others on this list being on JKR's "Do
Not Want to Kill" list or her hubby's "Oh my goodness how could you
kill [soon-to-be-deceased character's name here]" list.

Now who _would_ be on these lists?  The trio of course, their families
(even the Dursleys I suspect), Hagrid, Neville, Luna, McGonnagall,
Lupin, Tonks, Moody...who else? There are scads of less important
characters that JKR might not want to kill (Dean, Cho, Flitwick,
Sprout, Filch(?), but their demise might not be worth a shudder from
Dr. Murray.  Of course maybe the shudder was due to a sudden draft in
the room and is a complete misdirection!

On the reprieve front, Snape again could qualify (he's a slippery
double agent even in literary speculation).  Or could it be Malfoy
pere or Malfoy fils? Ollivander the disappeared? Aunt Petunia,Uncle
Vernon or Dudders?  Peter P.?  or maybe Hagrid _has_ been destined for
the chop all along but makes a last minute escape?  Harder to say, as
JKR apparently didn't indicate whether the escapee was someone she
reluctantly saved against her instincts or someone she really wanted
to spare all along.

Cheers,

Eustace_Scrubb