Predictions for the End (what I think, hope and know)

[rlace2003]

No: HPFGUIDX 167246

> Carol:
> I agree that Harry is not a Horcrux, but I'm divided on Draco's 
role
> and importance. I think he'll be persuaded by Snape to turn against
> Voldemort, but at the last minute. I don't think, for example, that
> he'll be involved in any Horcrux hunts. (Zacaharias Smith, OTOH, 
will
> probably help HRH to find, but not destroy, the Hufflepuff 
Horcrux).
> 

Ryan:

If Draco has a role to play in Book 7, I'm not sure what it is.  
He's wanted by Voldie & the DE's.  Where's he going to go?  Will he 
& Narcissa go into hiding?  If so, who can they trust?  Perhaps 
Snape, but nobody else.  I mean, Bella seems to be far more loyal to 
Voldemort than to her sister.  On the other hand, what if Draco &/or 
Narcissa are killed?  Will Lucius attempt to break out of Azkiban & 
take revenge on Voldie & DE's?  I could see him doing that.

Zacharias Smith does seem to be brave enough for the task (he 
responded to the commotion in the hallways in HBP,) and he has the 
skills, but he's still untested.  I wonder if he has some 
information that he doesn't even realize is valuable.

> 
> Carol:
> You mean "definitely," not "defiantly," right? If so, I completely
> disagree. Many wizards, including adult wizards, have difficulty
> casting a Patronus, and Harry himself points out that casting a
> Patronus for fun in the RoR is very different from casting one when
> you're facing a Dementor, which even he finds difficult. (TT!Harry 
was
> in no danger from the Dementors that were attacking his other self 
and
> Sirius; casting a Patronus on Magnolia Crescent facing only two
> Dementors was much more difficult.) He wishes that they had a 
Boggart
> to practice on (the problem is, it would have been confused by all 
the
> people or turned into the Boggart of the person facing it instead 
of
> his own). So I think that Hermione (who pays attention in Snape's
> classes) will use Snape's alternate method of fighting a Boggart,
> which will prove very effective indeed, and cause HRH to start
> wondering why the "evil" Snape would have taught them such an
> effective piece of defensive magic. They may start wondering about,
> and testing, other things he taught, find them effective, and 
decide
> to go back to Hogwarts for the HBP's book and/or start wondering 
about
> Snape himself and the events on the tower. I agree, however, that 
the
> reference to Snape's alternate method of fighting Dementors was not
> just tossed in lightly. It will prove to be very important. But I
> doubt very much that it will be ineffective given Snape's 
knowledge of
> both the Dark Arts and Healing.
> > 

Ryan:

Actually, I think TT Harry was indeed potentially in danger from the 
Dementors at the lake.  He just happened to get the jump on them and 
generate a Patronus powerful enough to chase them all off.

Snape's defense against Dementor's may not involve fighting them at 
all.  A master occlumens may actually be able to mask himself so 
completely that he can walk unnoticed through a whole horde of 
Dementors.


> Carol:
 I can see him
> possessing Voldemort, filling him with unendurable Love, and 
forcing
> him through the Veil that way. Voldie with his fragmented soul 
would
> be unable to leave, but Harry could use Sirius's body, now 
separated
> from his soul, to return to his own body outside the Veil.
> Unfortunately for my theory, the U.S. cover seems to suggest some
> alternate solution. But the absence of wands suggests that no AK 
will
> be involved, either.
> > 

Ryan:

Wait.  When did Sirius's body separate from his soul?  As best I can 
recall, we haven't seen any support for that in canon.  Sirius's 
fell through the Veil in his body.  I don't see any reason to think 
that his soul has been separated from his body.

> Carol:
 I like her a lot. Neville will
> survive to teach his beloved Herbology (and his Mimbulus 
Mimbletonia
> will come in handy for something).
> 

Ryan:

I think we've already seen the effects of the Mimbulus Mimbletonia 
in OotP.  It just hasn't been made explicit yet.  Notice that the 
students who got sprayed by it on the train are the ones hearing the 
voices behind the veil.  I think the plant has an important role to 
play in Deathly Hallows.


> 
> Carol, who also thinks that the secrets that Petunia has been
> concealing from both Vernon and Harry for sixteen years will come
> bursting out of her just before Harry's seventeenth birthday
>

Ryan, who agrees and can't wait to (FINALLY!!!) find out what the 
heck it is!