Quick Questionnaire

[Ken Hutchinson]

No: HPFGUIDX 168563

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Zara" <zgirnius at ...> wrote:
>
> Dungrollin:
> > I've kept them brief, lest I be thought to be encouraging one-liner 
> > posts, so explain, embellish, extemporise, and above all extend the 
> > list if you think of other possibilities.
> 
> zgirnius:
> A nice, long list, but does not mention my preferred opinion on the 
> subject.
> 
> k) Sirius will play a role in DH which can only be played by a dead 
> person. Possibly the specific manner of his death will play a part as 
> well (see Carol's theory).
>

Ken:

I agree with k). There is something odd about the prophecy "neither
can survive while the other lives". There is nothing so far that makes
that literally true other than both might feel compelled to kill the
other. That might be all the prophecy means, I suppose, but that would
be unsatisfyingly mundane to me. I suspect that the author will create
a situation where that statement will be literally true. Probably due
to the suggestions of others the most likely situation seems to me to
be that both Harry and LV will find themselves facing each other in
some realm that is in the interface between life and death. Perhaps
that realm is even the Deathly Hallows itself (themselves?). They will
both realize that one of them will have to go forward (to death) and
one will have to go back (to life). It is a realm where the dead like
Sirius and Dumbledore can help Harry. It is a realm where the power of
the love both the dead and the living have for him can help Harry. It
is a realm where LV will be at a fatal disadvantage.

It would echo that scene from PS/SS where Harry and Hermione faced
Snape's defense of the stone. Because of the limited amount of potion
available only one could go forward, the other had to go back. I'm not
suggesting that there will be a row of bottles filled with potions or
anything like that, just that the final confrontation will echo that
situation where for some reason the two have to take different exits.

I guess I hope that all the author's comments about the hero needing
to go it alone in "this kind of story" are just more misdirection on
her part. I hope she is going to *try* to find an original conclusion,
hard as that may be, rather than adopting a formulaic one.

Ken