Hbp - What Did You Think?, Spoilers within Options

[nome]

I seem to remember JKR saying once that if she talked too much about her beliefs in the Chruch of Scotland, she'd give away the last book. Okay, then, the Christian themes already apparent in the books? Redemption (I'm with the Snape-did-it-on-orders side of the fence), Sacrifice... what about Resurrection? The phoenix has always been associated with Dumbledore, and JKR didn't make as big a deal over the death -- she never mentioned crying over it.

Wasn't there something weird at the funeral where Harry thought he saw a phoenix rise out the funeral flames? Plus, the repetition of the line saying that Dumbledore was never gone while people still loyal to him remain...

I'm not suggesting Dumbledore will come back to life, at least not as he was before. But to be changed into something purer and greater?

Thoughts?

[hockeygod]

I don't think that Harry will die in the 7th book. I think that the wizard bond between Harry and Pettigrew will protect Harry and Wormtail will die.

Someone may have already put forth this hypothesis. If its been put forth then disregard it.

[QuickHare]

It is an interesting idea, raised before or not.

I personally think that as each book gets "darker" (others' words), it would make sense. Look at the end of most books which try to make it interesting. Lord of the Rings made Frodo and Gollum, the two most important characters in the path of The One Ring, ended up being thrown over the edge of the ledge in Mount Doom. Ok, one survived, but one did die.

To make it incredibly interesting, I'd say JKR will also cause such a climax, whereby Voldemort and Harry will face each other in an almost deadlock. The two will be so equal in force or ability, that either one of them could win. And, to play with the readers' emotions, both will seemingly die. This will cause others to mourn for a while before revealing that Harry never died. Like Neo almost dying to save the rest of the world in The Matrix, after going head to head with Agent Smith. I can't remember if he actually died, as it was implied but never shown.

Harry almost died while battling the serpent at the end of The Chamber of Secrets. He almost did when battling the pseudo-stuttering Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. I feel the same thing will happen again in Book 7, but worse. Stronger. And much more emotionally.

[hershey]

This may be a stretch and/or wishful thinking. But when the three receive their OWL scores Harry laments on the his lacking the scores needed to proceed in NEWT level Potions and therefore having the correct classes to proceed with Auror training after school. As we all know, McGonagal also touches on Harry's desires to be an Auror and with Slughorn teaching Potions ... well you know the rest. Going on JKR's tendency subtle suggest future events could we ascertain that

1) Harry will complete his 7th year and move onto Auror training

and more importantly

2) Harry survives his 7th year and moves onto becomming an Auror.

Just a thought.

~H~

[Jerry]

Good thoughts Nome, Hershey, HG, and QH. All are good.

I just want to add one more point to my theories. If Snape indeed is on the Dark Side and killed Dumbledore not because Dumbledore requested it, but because he's a death eater, then why does Dumbledore not have a look of shock on his face when Snape says Avada Kedavra?

[hershey]

QUOTE (Jerry @ Aug 10 2005, 09:30 PM)

I just want to add one more point to my theories. If Snape indeed is on the Dark Side and killed Dumbledore not because Dumbledore requested it, but because he's a death eater, then why does Dumbledore not have a look of shock on his face when Snape says Avada Kedavra?

Excellent point Jerry. It lends to a thought I had further supporting the theory that Snape is still one of the "good guys". If Snape were still a death eater and had finally exposed himself as such by killing Dumbledore, why does he not take out Phoenix members and supporters on his flight from Hogwarts with Draco? He is certainly capable of doing battle on the run. In addition, anyone else notice the ferocity in which he responds to Harry calling him a "coward"? This reaction to me sends a strong message that Snape is a good spy who was forced to do something (probably many things) he really didn't want to do.

Off to put more sticky notes in my copy of HBP.

~H~

[Jerry]

Good note, Hershey. Snape's reaction to being called a coward is very, very extreme. JKR didn't put "Don't call me coward!" in All Caps for no reason. In Snape's view, Snape is anything but a coward.

I've got another thought that has randomly popped into my head.

We were all going under the assumption that "R.A.B." means the name of a person (and probably - Regulus Black), but maybe it doesn't. There's no "sincerely", "yours truly", or any other closing formula before "R.A.B." This lead me to think that maybe it stands for something else. Initials that Voldemort would alone recognize, or something as simple as "Read And Beware".

What do you think?

[Drie]

I have a question!!!

What does everyone think the potion that Dumbledore drank was? Did it cause physical pain, or did it bring memories? It seemed to me like he was forced to re-live horrible memories that he'd rather forget. Perhaps blaming himself for Harry's orphaned state? Was it Voldemort's memoires of torturing and killing people? Theories? Suggestions? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

Oh, and did anyone else notice that Harry did wandless magic with Hagrid? They were casting water on Hagrid's burning hut after Snape got away. Moments before, Harry was looking for his wand, and JKR never mentions that Harry picked up his wand. She says he "raised his wand arm" and said the spell with Hagrid. Wonder if Harry even noticed?

This post has been edited by Drie: Aug 16 2005, 03:33 PM

[nome]

I vaguely remember surmising that the potion Dumbledore drank might have been intended to put him under Voldemort's power. It's another reason why Dumbledore would have needed someone to kill him without it having to be the Horcrux (as has been theorized), and it gives an added reason why Snape would have been the one to contact (if I am right and Dumbledore had been to the cave before, and consulted Snape about what the potion could be -- if it was some strong form of Imperius, Dumbledore would then have gotten Snape to promise to kill him if it bacame necessary to drink it).

[Drie]

That's a very cool theory, Nome. Very cool indeed.

[Drie]

Okay, I'm an idiot! Harry didn't do wandless magic. I carefully re-read the passage again, and it seems he did find his wand. I jumped to a conclusion too soon.

Sorry!

[Jerry]

It's not so clear from the context, though, Drie. Why did JKR say he raised his wand arm? Perhaps Harry picked up his wand with his left hand, (when it says "...and sure enough, by the time he had located his wand,...) which prompted JKR to specify "wand arm" (when performing the charm with Hagrid later on) and indeed, as you said, Harry performed wandless magic after all...

[lonelyzephyr83]

Hey, I'm a new comer and just read all the lovely theories on this thread. I had a lot of thoughts (even though it's very old and probably been discussed elsewhere) that I figured couldn't hurt if I put them on here. First, the arguments of Snape and Dumbledore's trust with the whole DADA professor position...The position was cursed and it seems as though the curse is to be believed...therefore, Dumbledore wouldn't want to risk his spy by putting him into a cursed position, and Snape continues to want it because it will keep up his appearance as a dark wizard. I also don't believe Harry/Dumbledore are horcrux's. Harry because Voldemort would hardly want to kill a part of himself, and Dumbledore because I just can't see a potion be the creating factor of a horcrux. Also, I had the thought that maybe when a horcrux is created, the creator then dies once, the horcrux is then naturally destroyed. Maybe, when the curse rebounded on him way-back-when, one of Voldemort's horcrux's was destroyed...therefore Harry has one less to figure out? But this is just a thought

Sarah