I've been thinking that it might be a good idea to get all my predictions and
questions for the rest of the Harry Potter series in a form where I can update it
and check back later. In listening to the Harry Potter books on tape while I'm
waiting (impatiently!) for Book V, I've noticed a comment or two I missed during
all my rereadings.
I have not read Book 5 yet, so there are no
spoilers here past Book 4. (Later update: I have now read Book 5, but will not put
any spoilers for Book 5; there are at least a couple you can now see if I've been
right one. I'm adding in ones I had forgotten here but will be honest about only
putting in predictions I already had, whether or not Book 5 confirmed them.)Given
the fact that these are YA books, I suspect that JKR is not being fiendishly
devious and that the reasonably subtle hints will pan out, rather than being red
herrings to hide other developments. (Also, I suspoect some of these hints are
less obvious to those who don't frequent internet discussions of the HP books. So
yes, I really do think that Ron and Hermione will end up together, and that their
relationship is not a front for an abiding passion between Harry and Hermione (or
Harry and Ron, for that matter). Similarly, I do think Dumbledore will die
somewhere in the rest of the series, based on Rowling's and Dumbledore's own
comments about death. I suspect he'll appear again after that, somewhat in the
fashion of Obi-Wan Kenobi. (Use the Force, Harry!)
I have a theory
for why Dumbledore looked triumphant about Voldemort's having gotten a bit of his
father's bone, Wormtail's flesh, and Harry's blood in Book 4; it goes back to what
Hagrid told Harry way back early in Book 1: "Don't think he had enough human left
in him to die." Maybe now he does?
I do think Percy will end on the
side of the good guys, but possibly not before a more serious flirtation with what
I think of as the Crouch-Ashcroft path of justifying the means with the ends. Or
at least more Fudge style denial. Early comments have said Ron plays Quidditch
keeper in this book, so I'm guessing he'll end up Quidditch Captain by his last
year. Hermione is a cinch for Prefect and possibly Head Girl. I have a feeling
Harry may be Head Boy, though I can't see how that would be justified so maybe
not.
Dumbledore had mentioned Trelawney making at least one other
correct prediction, and I think that will relate to Harry as well. I keep thinking
Snape will show a good side, but that may just be from reading too many fanfics. I
think it's probably safe to bet that *anything* Dumbledore says will turn out to
mean something, so Harry's saving Wormtail's life in Book 3 will have to come into
play at some later point. Also, his comment that "those we love never truly die"
could refer to Lily and James' appearance in Book 4, but I wonder if it also means
we'll see *ahem* the person who dies in Book 5 again?
Quesions: How did Harry turn out so well mannered? Certainly the Dursleys wouldn't
have taken any pains to bring him up to be considerate. What do wizards learn who
don't attend Hogwarts? What happened to Hagrid after his expulsion and before he
was old enough to take the gamekeeper job? He was only 13 when expelled, after
all. Why would a human man want to sleep with a giant (and how could he?) Why are
Harry and Ron still taking Divinations instead of switching to Arithmancy or
Muggle Studies when they think Trelawney is a useless fraud? (Are they not allowed
to sitch once they've decided?)
Inconsistencies: Why in the first book are people given only a point or two at a
time, but later only given (or subtracted) 5 or 10 House points? Why do wizards
know so little about Muggles when so many are Muggle-born? How could someone like
Arthur Weasey, whose actually studied them, be so bad at Muggle-lore?
More later.
Posted by dichroic at June 20, 2003 03:56 PM