I don't think that Harry will die

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 160168

Renee:
> All the same, I'd prefer him to live, and if the books are structured
> according to the seven stages of alchemy (which I believe they are),
> Harry will live, possibly after having undergone some kind of
> symbolical death. 

Jen: Yes! Well said. I agree the books are structured according to the 
seven stages of alchemy and believe JKR has set up the possibility for 
a symbolic death with the introduction of the DOM. 

I immensely liked the moment when Harry realizes how the adults in his 
life stood before him one by one, protecting him as long as they 
could, but that in the end Harry must face his own fate. That's a 
lonely realization, the moment when childhood ends and adulthood 
begins. He's not the Boy Who Lived now, and no matter how clever the 
phrase, I don't think he'll be the Man Who Died, either (lol). JKR 
specifically points out his *illusions* died in that moment. Unlike 
the typical hero, Harry has been allowed to grow up and have more of a 
life than simply his quest. Like him or not, Dumbledore helped make 
that a possibility. Harry is meant for more of a life than his fateful 
last confrontation with Voldemort. Purity is for children and 
traditional literary heroes and Harry is neither.

One last thought on HBP & alchemy. Harry said: "the last and greatest 
of his protectors had died and he was more alone than he had ever been 
before." (chap. 30, p.601, Bloomsbury). He's wrong though, the last 
and greatest of his protectors, the person Dumbledore would trust with 
his life, the most *unlikely* adult hero of the story, is still alive. 
According to the alchemical structure Hagrid will meet his end in Book 
7, but I'm betting it won't be before he does something crucial to 
help Harry, possibly with Grawp by his side. (Sigh, I could do without 
Grawp.)


Jen R., who always liked Hagrid but never saw his hero potential until 
recently. ;)