Upcoming Deaths
Tragic though it is, Rowling has promised us some hard deaths to come. Noone is entirely safe from eternal demise, as she has even questioned the assumption that, come Finis de book seven, Harry himself will remain standing. Although I think this is pretty likely. Who will be the next to go? Here are some possibilities, based on hintings by Rowling in interviews, clues in the books themselves, and gut instincts. If you've an idea, please e-mail me at dragonfyre52@hotmail.com and let me know. Enjoy! Well, as much as possible. Sorry this is a rather morbid idea for a page. Then again, they are, after all, only fictional characters. So try not to lose it entirely.
CAUTION: BOOK FIVE SPOILERS AHEAD. DO NOT CONTINUE IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED IT.
Ron~ Yes, yes, let's get this one out there. The best friend of the hero is always in danger. As is his love interest, but with Harry we're not yet entirely sure who this is, at the moment anyway. So Ron could, potentially, perish. I think it more likely, though, that if anything he will merely be placed in mortal danger by Voldemort in order to lure Harry into a trap, and then, of course, Harry will ultimately rescue him. But that's just me.
Hermione~ I've seen her suggested as the more likely of Harry's two best friends to die because she's not as central to as many plotlines and Harry doesn't lean on her as much as he does on Ron. But I think this is unlikely. I believe it's important to Rowling to have at least one girl as a key character, and I don't think that she'll get rid of her.
Dumbledore~ I don't think he stands a chance of surviving the final book, although I think he'll make it until then. I don't really have any specific reasons for this belief, but I think it incredibly likely.
Hagrid~ This has been suggested to me as an answer to Rowling's assertion that "a fan" of Harry's will die in the next book. It has also been pointed out that Hagrid has passed his time of usefulness to the trio, and it is now more often they who are helping he than vice versa. But he's very close to Harry, and it would be a hard death to write. He's also obviously going on a dangerous mission in the upcoming book. A distinct possibility, although not as likely, in my opinion, at least, as:
Lupin~ This was suggested to me by Jason, in connection with Wormtail's new silver hand, and the fact that Lupin is a werewolf, who, according to myth, can only be killed by a silver bullet. Very interesting! Thiaga also notes that Rowling really enjoyed writing Lupin, and that she said the person who died was one she really enjoyed writing and was sad to kill. I had gotten myself convinced he was a marked man for book six, but that was because I thought Sirius' presence made him a bit obselete. But I guess I got it backwards. Sirius got a bit annoying in book five anyway, and Lupin just got cooler, so I'm glad it turned out the way it did. And because Sirius did die, I think Lupin's a bit safer for the rest of the books. But you never know, and the Silver Hand does have interesting possibilities...
Snape~ A very tricky possibility on Rowling's part, which is why I think this one so likely. Snape is one of the last people we would think of as "a fan" of Harry. And yet, Snape, mean and nasty as he is, isn't evil, and is probably so mean to Harry in particular because he is impressed by him, and angry that he's impressed by the son of the man he had such emnity for in his Hogwarts days. So he could be, secretly, a fan of Harry, and Rowling, in hinting at who will die, was actually making it so the doomed one is the last on our minds! Doesn't this sound like something she would do? Also, it has been pointed out, Voldemort vows to kill the Death Eater who has deserted, who is, of course, Snape. So Snape is definitely in a lot of danger in book five... A very interesting possibility...
Cho Chang~ She's pretty much outlived her usefullness anyway, now that Harry's had his thing with her like he's always wanted and found, as I at least knew all along, that they were not suited for one another. But I don't think her death would have much purpose or impact now...
Arthur Weasley~ A fan of Harry, for sure, and, as a result of his love of muggles and hatred of the dark lord and arts, as Vicki points out, a likely target of Voldemort's. But I think that would be too cruel, because he's got so many kids to support and everything.
Colin Creevy~ The most obvious who comes to mind as "a fan," although his death wouldn't be as powerful or difficult as some others. He just isn't as central or cool a character. Sorry, Colin!
Dobby~ Also a fan. Basically, though, ditto what I said about Colin. He's cool and everything, but his death just wouldn't be as impactful as that of certain other people. Still, it's a possibility...
Got a theory of your own? Fancy a flutter? (As Ludo would say) E-mail me at dragonfyre52@hotmail.com!
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