Deathly Hallows Reading Group [warning: spoilers!]

[Leslie]

I've been thinking about Ron's self-sacrifice in the chess game in PS (or SS for the Americans). He says to himself "There is no other way" and gives himself up for capture and, within the chess game, death, allowing Harry to checkmate the king and move on to defeat Voldemort. I wonder if this foreshadows a sacrificial death for him in DH.

[Tsuriel]

Leslie, I hope you are 'dead' wrong about Ron. You might also add his brush with death-by-poison & Harry being his salvation.

I'd like to publically thank John (NO relation to Hermione, he says) Granger for getting me to read the books. It was that book of his that convinced me that Christians were doing some great writing a huge disservice by condemning what they didn't know. I'm almost through with re-reading HBP & am now leaning toward Snape being a loyal member of the Order under Dumbledore's orders to the very end.

Dumbledore seemed very concerned about preventing Draco from becoming a killer. Snape has a record already. In the end, Draco's off the hook and Snape's cover is intact.

I'm still curious to see how Mr & Mrs William Weasley (is Bill really a 'William'??) begin their married life...

[Leslie]

Leslie, I hope you are 'dead' wrong about Ron. You might also add his brush with death-by-poison & Harry being his salvation.

I hope so, too, but then, I don't want any of them to die! But we know someone will, so the question is, which one?

[Guest]

If Harry is the sixth horcrux, and as I reread book 6, it seems possible), then his sacrifice of himself in order to kill Voldemort seems likely.

The only problem with this is that ol' Tom Riddle seems to have been trying to kill Harry since book 1. Would he want to kill Harry if he was a horcrux?

- Dan -

[john]

Naw, I don't buy the "Harry is a horcrux" theory. You're quite right...why would Voldemort be trying to kill him? It started long before book one...he's been trying to kill him ever since he found out about the prophecy.

[Tsuriel]

The idea behind the Harry horcrux theory, as I understand it, is that Moldy Volde realized that his killing curse backfired and his last corporal act was to put a bit of his ripped soul into Harry. I'm not really buying it either, but it makes for interesting speculation, yes? If Harry became his last horcrux it would be folly to work so hard to try kill him, but then again, killing the one prophecied to kill you might be worth it!

There was once a brief debate that Neville might still be able to step into the "Chosen One" role. Volde marked Harry, tho...

Nearing the end of book 6 (again) I have an interesting question that book 7 should answer: The substitute locket's note warned that RAB was destroying the real one. Did he manage to do that? Harry must find out before facing Tommy again, don't you think?

[Guest]

Nearing the end of book 6 (again) I have an interesting question that book 7 should answer: The substitute locket's note warned that RAB was destroying the real one. Did he manage to do that? Harry must find out before facing Tommy again, don't you think?

I would think that Remus would show up fairly early in book 7 to provide that fatherly figure lost in the deaths of Sirius and Albus.

- Dan -

[Pilgrim]

Is Regulus Black still alive? I forget.

[Tsuriel]

I believe Sirius told Harry that the Dark Lord himself snuffed Reggie. We have to wait a few more days to learn if RAB is young mister Black. I can't wait!

Daniel Radcliffe says he's shutting off his phone for 3 days when the book comes out- so he can read without anyone spoiling it for him! LOL I wish I could do that.

[john]

Daniel Radcliffe says he's shutting off his phone for 3 days when the book comes out- so he can read without anyone spoiling it for him! LOL I wish I could do that.

Apparently, Daniel believes Harry is going to be whacked at the end. I heard it last night during an interview. He says he has no inside knowledge...just his hunch.

[texascat]

Yes, I think RAB is Regulus Black. From what I remember, Sirius was told second-hand that he died, because he was in Azkaban at the time. I think Regulus is either still alive, or that he was alive long enough after his supposed death to destroy the locket. Either way, I'm convinced Regulus is the RAB and his story will be told in Book 7.

I suppose that Remus Lupin could try to fill in as the father-figure for Harry, but not as strong as Sirius or Dumbledore, although I like Lupin's character a lot. He always had a weaker personality, even as a teenager. I think either Regulus will fill that role, or Harry will have grown up enough that he may not have a father-figure in Book 7.

If Voldemort truly did make Harry an accidental horcrux, I think that Voldemort would rather kill Harry and a fraction of his own soul rather than let Harry live. He lost part of his soul when his diary was destroyed and he was still able to return to power.

[Pilgrim]

So Regulus, at least according to Sirius, is dead. That clears that up.

I have a friend who has a friend who works at a bookstore. Supposedly, when they got in their shipment of the last book, he peeked at the ending. I'm not sure I believe it though, and I'm not going to say what he read (even though I don't really believe it). So, I'm still gonna have to find out on the 21st like everyone else.

[Tsuriel]

From Quidditch.com I found this pondering:

It's a minor plot point but nagging: Why do the Dursleys let Harry stay there at all? My take on it is that in the final book we're going to find that Aunt Petunia know so much about the magical world because she actually WAS magical, but didn't want it and traded Dumbeledore the protection of Harry for the ability to be "normal." Arguably this makes her one of the book's hidden heroes, which would be an appropriate twist for the final installment.

After the howler Auntie Pet got I thought it was clear why they kept Harry. That & Vernon's statement that they meant to put an end to this [magic] nonsense. Can anyone else see Petunia as a latent hero?

On the matter of RAB being Regulus Black:

HP:OotP, Ch. 6, The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black:
Sirius jabbed a finger at the very bottom of the tree, at the name REGULUS BLACK. A date of death (some fifteen years previously) followed the date of birth.
"He was younger than me," said Sirius, "and a much better son, as I was constantly reminded."
"But he died," said Harry.
"Yeah," said Sirius. "Stupid idiot... he joined the Death Eaters."
. . .
"...he was murdered by Voldemort. Or on Voldemort's orders, more likely, I doubt Regulus was ever important enough to be killed by Voldemort in person. From what I found out after he died, he got in so far, then panicked about what he was being asked to do and tried to back out. Well, you don't just hand in your resignation to Voldemort. It's a lifetime of service or death."

Sounds like RB is very dead, but it wouldn't be beyond Jo's passion for red herrings that the news of Reggie's death was exaggerated...

I heard Daniel was hoping for a dramatic death scene in the end. What actor wouldn't? I still believe he won't be disappointed.

[Leslie]

JKR, on her official site, denies that Aunt Petunia is magical, but says that Petunia will have a significant part to play before the end.

Interesting that Regulus's death happened just about the time of Harry's birth -- hmmm -- could the task that he balked at have been to kill Harry, perhaps? As the brother of one of James' best friends, he would have been able to get close to the baby, if no one knew that he was a death eater.

[Guest]

Yes, I think RAB is Regulus Black. From what I remember, Sirius was told second-hand that he died, because he was in Azkaban at the time. I think Regulus is either still alive, or that he was alive long enough after his supposed death to destroy the locket. Either way, I'm convinced Regulus is the RAB and his story will be told in Book 7.

With the changing of the RAB initials in the book's translations to different languages to match Regulus's name, I think your conclusion is sure. However, he need not have found (we don't know if it was destroyed) the locket after his supposed death. He could have found it before. He may even have been a double agent and been playing at being a death eather.

Two mysteries that I'm looking forward to finding the answers:

1. What is the connection between Harry and Voldemort? There's more there than just that some of Voldy's power passed into Harry when he tried to kill him as a baby.

2. What was it that made Albus trust Severis so completely. Harry thinks he had the answer at the end of book 6, but it doesn't really make sense.

Any other things you're looking forward to finding out?

- Dan -