I'm going to read the book , hopefully without any pre hype about what's in it.
There is very little that one can just enjoy and be pleasantly surprised by in popular culture. Especially when it comes to sequels in film. Harry Potter is that rare breed. An actual BOOK that creates more buzz than Star Wars.
I'm looking forward to the next book as much as anyone. I understand the fun in trying to guess what will happen,and exploring the world and the characters, but prefer to avoid the mountain of fan sites, blogs,etc. Do you REALLY want to know what's going to happen?
I'm going to read the book , hopefully without any pre hype about what's in it.
There is very little that one can just enjoy and be pleasantly surprised by in popular culture. Especially when it comes to sequels in film. Harry Potter is that rare breed. An actual BOOK that creates more buzz than Star Wars.
I'm looking forward to the next book as much as anyone. I understand the fun in trying to guess what will happen,and exploring the world and the characters, but prefer to avoid the mountain of fan sites, blogs,etc. Do you REALLY want to know what's going to happen?
Yes and no.
It's interesting to speculate - I enjoy seeing how other people think and what ideas they have that might come up. After the book comes out, I won't go anywhere near a fan site because I want to experience the book for myself first.
It's a very safe bet that no one will guess everything about the last book... I also doubt that all the loose ends will be neatly tied up.
WordWolf writes:
SS has been constrained by owing James Potter his life-which was compounded
when he passed on part of The Prophecy-not realizing he facilitated James' death.
Some other people keep guessing he was sorry to see Lily Potter killed, but I think
it was JAMES, for the reasons I just gave.
SS thus still owes Harry for that.
HOWEVER, James put SS in the line of danger by giving him information about the tunnel under the Wamping Willow - James saved SS to save his own neck because if SS had been hurt because of James' careless prank, it would have been James' hide on the line...
SS has been constrained by owing James Potter his life-which was compounded
when he passed on part of The Prophecy-not realizing he facilitated James' death.
Some other people keep guessing he was sorry to see Lily Potter killed, but I think
it was JAMES, for the reasons I just gave.
SS thus still owes Harry for that.
HOWEVER, James put SS in the line of danger by giving him information about the tunnel under the Whomping Willow - James saved SS to save his own neck because if SS had been hurt because of James' careless prank, it would have been James' hide on the line...
Just my thoughts...
Thing is, James and Severus are constrained to act under the rules in HP as outlined
by JKR, not by how you or I would call it.
(In those cases, SS might owe NOTHING.)
JKR had Dumbledore explain the situation, and HIS conclusion was that SS owed
James for saving his life.
DD may not be perfect, but he's as expert an expert on magic as the series has,
and he often serves as JKR's mouthpiece.
(Him or Hermione reading something in a book, as she's pointed out.)
Furthermore, Wormtail owes Harry a life, as seen in Book 3.
My personal theory:
Voldemort owes Harry a life, based on Book 4 and the use of Harry's blood
to return him to full life (or what passes for it.)
If not, I still have no explanation for the "gleam of triumph" in Dumbledore's eye
when Harry reported what happened.
The stupidest possible explanation was that DD was working for Voldy and wanted
him to win- I heard that one, if you can believe it.
Harry will be asked to become Minister of Magic in book seven
Seventeen is much too young to enter politics."
Professor Lupin does not have a twin, Neville Longbottom was never
Peter Pettigrew's son, Crookshanks is not an animagus-he's a 1/2 Kneazle,
JKR has no prequels or sequels planned after Book 7,
Lily was never a Death Eater, and Lily and James are definitely dead,
neither Voldemort nor Dumbledore are related to Harry,
Luna and Neville don't "hook up",
Nicholas Flamel (alchemist) passed away after Book 1,
"none of the characters in the books has returned from the future"
(and thus Dumbledore is not Ron in the future sent back or anything),
Mrs Norris (Filch's cat) is just a cat,
Wormtail's silver hand will not be used to kill Remus Lupin,
and Stubby Boardman is not Sirius Black.
(Thus one is one I actually floated once, when challenged to come up
with the silliest theory possible. I then realized I made it sound
possible- as in "Sirius goes thru a Veil of TIME, and gets sent back
to the past, assumes an alias and lays low until he's pronounced dead,
then begins working behind the scenes...."
I didn't REALLY think this would be how he returns-I expect him to return,
but with different tools- but I would have gloated if it was correct.)
Her LAST rumor busted....
Section: Rumours
At the end of book seven, Harry and Voldemort will 'merge' to form a single persona who will command both the forces of good and of evil
This is not really a rumour, more a lone theory on the net that the son of a friend of mine pointed out to me. He wants me to repudiate it, so I'm repudiating: Harry will NOT merge with Voldemort to become a single entity, nor would Harry ever wish to command Death Eaters/Dementors/Inferi.
Why did Harry have to forget the mirror he had been given by Sirius in 'Order of the Phoenix'?
I can’t give a full answer to this, because it is relevant to books six and seven. However, the short answer is that Harry was determined never to use the mirror, as is clearly stated in chapter 24: ‘he knew he would never use whatever it was’. For once in Harry’s life, he does not succumb to curiosity, he hides the mirror and the temptation away from himself, and then, when it might have been useful, he has forgotten it.
The mirror might not have helped as much as you think, but on the other hand, will help more than you think. You’ll have to read the final books to understand that!"
"Section: F.A.Q.
Will you write more Harry Potter books after the seventh?
If you mean more novels, then I think it highly unlikely. I’ve got enough story for seven books and I never planned to carry the story beyond the end of book seven. I might do an eighth book for charity, a kind of encyclopaedia of the world so that I could use all the extra material that’s not in the books... we’ll see!"
"Section: F.A.Q.
What did Dumbledore's Howler to Aunt Petunia mean? ('Remember my last'?)
Well, it is a relief to move on after the Mark Evans fiasco. This time, two out of the three poll questions had interesting answers (or so I think) and thank goodness you chose one of them.
So: Dumbledore is referring to his last letter, which means, of course, the letter he left upon the Dursleys' doorstep when Harry was one year old. But why then (you may well ask) did he not just say 'remember my letter?' Why did he say my last letter? Why, obviously because there were letters before that…
Now let the speculation begin, and mind you type clearly, I'll be watching…
P.S. It has been suggested that I am wrong in saying that Dumbledore's last letter was the one he left on the doorstep with baby Harry, and that he has sent a letter since then concerning Harry's illegal flight to school. However, both Dumbledore and I differentiate between letters sent to the Dursleys as a couple, and messages directed to Petunia ALONE. And that's my final word on the subject - though I doubt it will be yours :)"
"Section: F.A.Q.
What is the significance of Neville being the other boy to whom the prophecy might have referred?
Finally, I am answering the poll question! I am sorry it has taken so long, but let me start by saying how glad I am that this was the question that received the most votes, because this was the one that I most wanted to answer. Some of you might not like what I am going to say – but I'll address that issue at the end of my response!
To recap: Neville was born on the 30th of July, the day before Harry, so he too was born 'as the seventh month dies'. His parents, who were both famous Aurors, had 'thrice defied' Voldemort, just as Lily and James had. Voldemort was therefore presented with the choice of two baby boys to whom the prophecy might apply. However, he did not entirely realise what the implications of attacking them might be, because he had not heard the entire prophecy. As Dumbledore says:
'He [the eavesdropper] only heard the beginning, the part foretelling the birth of a boy in July to parents who had thrice defied Voldemort. Consequently, he could not warn his master that to attack you would be to risk transferring power to you.'
In effect, the prophecy gave Voldemort the choice of two candidates for his possible nemesis. In choosing which boy to murder, he was also (without realising it) choosing which boy to anoint as the Chosen One – to give him tools no other wizard possessed – the scar and the ability it conferred, a magical window into Voldemort's mind.
So what would have happened if Voldemort had decided that the pure-blood, not the half-blood, was the bigger threat? What would have happened if he had attacked Neville instead? Harry wonders this during the course of 'Half-Blood Prince' and concludes, rightly, that the answer hinges on whether or not one of Neville's parents would have been able, or prepared, to die for their son in the way that Lily died for Harry. If they hadn't, Neville would have been killed outright. Had Frank or Alice thrown themselves in front of Neville, however, the killing curse would have rebounded just as it did in Harry's case, and Neville would have been the one who survived with the lightning scar. What would this have meant? Would a Neville bearing the lightning scar have been as successful at evading Voldemort as Harry has been? Would Neville have had the qualities that have enabled Harry to remain strong and sane throughout all of his many ordeals? Although Dumbledore does not say as much, he does not believe so: he believes Voldemort did indeed choose the boy most likely to be able to topple him, for Harry's survival has not depended wholly or even mainly upon his scar.
So where does this leave Neville, the boy who was so nearly King? Well, it does not give him either hidden powers or a mysterious destiny. He remains a 'normal' wizarding boy, albeit one with a past, in its way, as tragic as Harry's.
As you saw in 'Order of the Phoenix,' however, Neville is not without his own latent strengths. It remains to be seen how he will feel if he ever finds out how close he came to being the Chosen One.
Some of you, who have been convinced that the prophecy marked Neville, in some mystical fashion, for a fate intertwined with Harry's, may find this answer rather dull.
Yet I was making what I felt was a significant point about Harry and Voldemort, and about prophecies themselves, in showing Neville as the also-ran. If neither boy was 'pre-ordained' before Voldemort's attack to become his possible vanquisher, then the prophecy (like the one the witches make to Macbeth, if anyone has read the play of the same name) becomes the catalyst for a situation that would never have occurred if it had not been made. Harry is propelled into a terrifying position he might never have sought, while Neville remains the tantalising 'might-have-been'. Destiny is a name often given in retrospect to choices that had dramatic consequences.
Of course, none of this should be taken to mean that Neville does not have a significant part to play in the last two novels, or the fight against Voldemort. As for the prophecy itself, it remains ambiguous, not only to readers, but to my characters. Prophecies (think of Nostradamus!) are usually open to many different interpretations. That is both their strength and their weakness."
BTW, the "Extra Stuff" section on the website is worth reviewing,
even if only for some characters and scenes that never "made the cut".
While on the subject of Neville, why did the DE torture his parents into insanity? Would that have had anything to do with covering the prophesy with both babies that the prophesy might have referred to?
Could it be that the reason his folks were tortured was to gain access to where he was?
I know I always assumed, but was it ever said if the torture happened before or after v attacked Lily and James?
One popular theory regarding Snape, is that he was raised in the muggle world and knew Lily and Petunia. When Petunia burst out concerning the dementors at Azkaban, and said that *awfull boy* had told her.....specualtion is that she was referring to a young snape in the muggle world (his Dad was a muggle) instead of James as we all assumed.
I agree the death of DD was contrived between Snape and DD, else why freeze Harry under the invisibility cloak? WHy did DD insist that he needed Snape instead of madame Pomphry when Rosmerta was offering to get help?
I think that among other things, they had to give Draco a chance to save himself, and a way to rescue him from the death eaters. Remember when DD said that it wasn`t Draco`s mercy, but his that was important?
When Harry was chasing Snape after it happened, Snape had ample opportunity to kill him. He didn`try any killing curses as he was fleeing with Draco.
I vote for Snape being a good guy.
According to RK`s web sight as of Dec, she is still writing. I seriously doubt that there is time to get it to the publisher and on the shelves by june.
I once read where she had finally finished her manuscript (I think it was for OTP) and given it to the publishers. We were all eccstatic.... It was an entire year before the publishers had the book ready for distribution.
Sadly, I don`t look for the sequal too soon, I would be delighted to find out that I was wrong.
I was rereading ootp recently and was shagrined to find that she gave a HUGE clue as to who the hbp was going to be in the book that was to follow.
Remember when Harry was in the pensieve and saw snape taking his exam? He said that there was like a foot of *cramped, crabbed script* on his parchment, describing in the exact same words the writing on the young snapes exam, as she used to describe the writing in the potion book in the hpb book that was to follow.
If we had paid attention, we could have figured out early who`s potion book that was...lol
Could the girl that was laughing at him riding the bucking broom have been Petunia? I am wondering if she had more to do with the wizarding world than we first imagined.
While on the subject of Neville, why did the DE torture his parents into insanity? Would that have had anything to do with covering the prophesy with both babies that the prophesy might have referred to?
The Lestranges were sent after Neville to kill him
No, they weren’t, they were very definitely sent after Neville’s parents. I can’t say too much about this because it touches too closely on the prophecy and how many people knew about it, but the Lestranges were not in on the secret.
All rights reserved JK Rowling."]
Could it be that the reason his folks were tortured was to gain access to where he was?
[i forget whether that was specified in Book 4 when discussing crimes performed
by Death Eaters, or in Book 5 when visiting St Mungo's Hospital.
But they were tortured after Voldy's vanishing to find where he went to.]
I know I always assumed, but was it ever said if the torture happened before or after v attacked Lily and James?
One popular theory regarding Snape, is that he was raised in the muggle world and knew Lily and Petunia. When Petunia burst out concerning the dementors at Azkaban, and said that *awfull boy* had told her.....specualtion is that she was referring to a young snape in the muggle world (his Dad was a muggle) instead of James as we all assumed.
[Hm.
Tobias Snape (Muggle) married Eileen Prince ("witch").
Tobias had serious control issues, and inhibited Eileen's abilities to do
magic much the same way as Marvolo Gaunt (Grandpa) inhibited Merope Gaunt (Ma)
by humiliating her and belittling her.
Logically, Tobias WOULD not live in the wizarding world- even if Hogsmeade wasn't
the only all-wizarding community in Britain, even if he COULD.
Therefore, they lived in a Muggle community.
We know how Tobias treated Eileen based entirely on the clips seen in Book 4
during Harry's Occlumency lessons when Harry used "Protego" and reversed
the effect.
We know Eileen STILL taught Severus some things about magic, by definition.
There's nobody else TO teach him, and he entered Hogwarts knowing a considerable
amount of magic, whether or not he really knew more hexes than most 5th years
as Sirius described him in Book 5. I found the description consistent with what little
he learned as a kid and demonstrated later-that OTHERS' fear is a powerful tool, and can give
one the feeling of power and counteract a feeling of helplessness one's SELF has
when facing those who fear you. This is consistent with what Tobias Snape taught
by example, and what SS demonstrated in falling in with the Death Eaters.
Frankly, faced with 4 Marauders, with at least 2 of them harassing one of him,
the sensible approach for him was to get a gang of his own-or at least 1-3 more
people to watch his back. The DEs served this purpose, it seems, if only once Snape
graduated Hogwarts. We do know his circle of friends at the time DID include those
who became DEs- probably Lucius Malfoy, and the elder Crabbe and Goyle. This
would make Draco's offer of friendship to Harry in Book 1 a counterpart to some
similar offer from Lucius Malfoy to SS when HE was a student-or a graduate.
We do know Lucius serves as such to him, since Dolores Umbridge said it outright
in Book 5. ""You are being deliberately unhelpful! I expected better, Lucius Malfoy always speaks most highly of you! Now get out of my office!""
As to whether or not 'that awful boy' was Snape and not James, I don't see any reason
to suspect Severus, Lily or James had met before Hogwarts. The families ARE scattered
all over Britain. So far as we've seen, the only ones that live closer to each other are the
Weasleys and the Diggorys (walking distance to each other and the same Portkey in Book 4
on the way to the Quidditch World Cup), those who work in government
(Percy Weasley moved to London to be closer to the Ministry of Magic, IIRC),
and those in Diagon Alley (we know at least 2 shopkeepers live above their shop, and it
is reasonable to suppose they are not the ONLY ones who live there or at least MOVE
there when trouble starts in Book 6.)
Not to say it isn't POSSIBLE, just not PROBABLE.]
I agree the death of DD was contrived between Snape and DD, else why freeze Harry under the invisibility cloak? WHy did DD insist that he needed Snape instead of madame Pomphry when Rosmerta was offering to get help?
[Madame Pomphrey's specialty is medicine- medical-type stuff.
Snape's specialties are 2: Potions (including poisons),
and Dark Arts/Defense Against the Dark Arts.
IIRC, Snape's the one who saved DD's hand before Book 6,
and it seemed that Snape was more the "go to" after each search.
1) Snape was in on the "missions" to a smaller or greater degree.
2) Snape was able to cure poisons.
3) Snape was able to identify Dark Arts and counteract them.
Doubt his effectiveness in doing so? He did it "on-camera" after Draco was
hit with Sectumsempra. He healed him, then brought him to the infirmary
while rattling off that dittany was what he needed now to avoid even a scar.
That seemed almost reflexive. Snape seems a handy guy to have around
when trying to survive Dark Arts, something like a combat medic when
compared to a hospital.
So, although I agree SS and DD were collaborating on protecting SS's "cover",
I don't think this here was proof of it.]
I think that among other things, they had to give Draco a chance to save himself, and a way to rescue him from the death eaters. Remember when DD said that it wasn`t Draco`s mercy, but his that was important?
When Harry was chasing Snape after it happened, Snape had ample opportunity to kill him. He didn`try any killing curses as he was fleeing with Draco.
[snape owed Harry for James' life, and his OWN, still.
(Snape was saved by James, and Snape ended up responsible for
James dying, and was horrified when James and Lily were killed.
Did he want to save Lily? Possibly- but he NEEDED to save James,
and he got James in peril instead.]
I vote for Snape being a good guy.
[i still say SS is on the OotP's side, but mainly on his OWN side.
He's had BOTH sides watching his back for 6 books- nice maneuver.
Clever, and it saved his neck-both properties admired by Slytherins.]
According to RK`s web sight as of Dec, she is still writing. I seriously doubt that there is time to get it to the publisher and on the shelves by june.
I once read where she had finally finished her manuscript (I think it was for OTP) and given it to the publishers. We were all eccstatic.... It was an entire year before the publishers had the book ready for distribution.
Sadly, I don`t look for the sequal too soon, I would be delighted to find out that I was wrong.
I kind of wondered after I heard that rumor if the reason that Lily was nice/stood up for SS was because she knew him before/outside of school.
Petunia had more than one correspondence with DD, I wonder if she had a chance to be in the witch world and declined.
I guess one of the things Harry will have to do is to hunt down mundungus fletcher. I`ll bet the heavy gold locket that they found while cleaning out the cabinets at the old black house in ottp was the horcrux that Regulus Black (that has to be who rab is and why he was killed) stole from the cave that DD and Harry searched.
Harry caught mundungus stealing silver and stuff in thbp, I`ll bet he finds out that dung took the horcrux, not knowing what it was.
Have you ever wondered what happened to Harry`s grandparents/relatives on James` side? Serius Black said that he was always welcome to sunday dinner. Surely the Potters had relatives, cousins, etc in the witch world. All of the wizarding families had inter married.
Aunt Petunia will start exhibiting magical tendencies
No, she won't. Aunt Petunia has never performed magic, nor will she ever be able to do so."
I also noticed that magic as a concept terrifies her.
She's a clean-freak. She's always trying to disinfect, almost as if she's afraid of a loss
of control, or the contamination of magic might land somewhere.
And she tried to drive the magic out of Harry as a kid-as if that could work.
So, not a "witch", not a Squib, and terrified of magic.
Doesn't spell "interest in the wizarding world" to me.
Argus Filch and Arabella Figg are Squibs, so they already HAVE a connection to it.
Petunia doesn't.
Although there's still something left to discover.
Possibly "what was in those letters."]
I guess one of the things Harry will have to do is to hunt down mundungus fletcher. I`ll bet the heavy gold locket that they found while cleaning out the cabinets at the old black house in ottp was the horcrux that Regulus Black (that has to be who rab is and why he was killed) stole from the cave that DD and Harry searched.
Harry caught mundungus stealing silver and stuff in thbp, I`ll bet he finds out that dung took the horcrux, not knowing what it was.
[some of us are sure the "heavy amulet no one could open" found in the house along with the
music box that put people to sleep, and the biting jewelbox was the Horcrux.
Now, what happened to it SINCE?
Either A) still where they left it, or B) in Kreacher's nest with the broken pictures or
C) Mundungus Fletcher took it.
If Dung took it, either A) he still has it or B) he fenced it, possibly bringing it BACK to
Borgin & Burkes, or C) he sold it to Aberforth Dumbledore, barman of the Hogs Head
bar in Hogmeade. (Aberforth was covering his neck as Dung was leaving, I think.)]
Have you ever wondered what happened to Harry`s grandparents/relatives on James` side? Serius Black said that he was always welcome to sunday dinner. Surely the Potters had relatives, cousins, etc in the witch world. All of the wizarding families had inter married.
[JKR said she needed to get rid of all of Harry's dad's family to move the story where she
wanted. So James Potter was the only son of a couple who had him later in life, after
they expected not to have one, and they've passed away boringly of a disease since the
Marauders were in school. Also, James inherited money and didn't HAVE to work.
(Although wizards don't seem to ever invest or EARN INTEREST, even in Gringotts.]
Since I think you'll find it useful, here's something I posted elsewhere.
August 1, 2006, JKR did a public appearance with John Grisham and Stephen King.
Someone made a transcript of the whole thing, divided into 3 parts.
I took all 3 parts, and stripped out all the lines that related to JKR in any way,
then reposted them together as one document.
I left them labelled as A, B, C rather than parts I, II, III,
so if you want to see if I'm lying, you can go look for all 3 parts and know
which part to check.
This settled a number of nagging questions, IMHO.
So, here's the relevant quotes.
========================
Excerpts from 8-1-06 JKR Press Conference.
From A:
JKR:"I always planned seven books, and I planned this particular ending, and if I get through it and do what I meant to do when I first committed to this story, then I'll be proud.
Audience member question (paraphrased): Why did Dumbledore have to die [asked by TIME for Kids representative]
Rowling: I did an interview last year in which I was asked this question. In the genre in which I'm writing, you usually find that the hero has to go on alone. There comes a point when his support falls away and to be truly heroic he has to act alone. Harry is not completely alone, he still has his two faithful sidekicks. This was summarized for me by the person who asked the question with, you mean the old wizard always gets it, and that fundamentally, that is what I was saying. I was as trying to dress it up a little better than that. So that's why. In these sort of epic sagas, the hero eventually has to fight alone.
Audience member question (paraphrased): Have there been any changes to what you initially planned out?
Rowling: It is different to an extent. The essential plot is what I always planned when working toward the end I've planned toward the beginning. But a couple of characters I expected to survive have died and one character got a reprieve, so there have been some fairly major changes I suppose.
==========================
From B:
Nina: I just wanted to know what Hermione would see if she looked into the Mirror of Erised?
J.K. Rowling: Well -- (crowd laughs and applauds) -- at the moment, as you know, Harry, Ron, and Hermione have just finished their penultimate year at Hogwarts and Hermione and Ron have told Harry that they're going to go with him wherever he goes next. So at the moment I think that Hermione would see most likely the three of them alive and unscathed and Voldemort finished.
But I think that Hermione would also see herself closely entwined with...another...person (crowd roars and applauds loudly). I think you can probably guess. Thank you, very good question. I've never been asked that before. Now we have another.
Unknown (1): Can muggles brew potions if they follow the exact instructions and they have all of the ingredients?
J.K. Rowling: Well, I'd have to say no. Because there is always a magical component in the potion. Not just the ingredients so
at some point they will have to use a wand. I've been asked what would happen if a muggle picked up a magic wand in my world and the answer would probably be something accidental and probably quite violent because the wand in my world is merely a vehicle or a vessel of sorts and there is a very close relationship as you know between the wand that each wizard uses and themselves. And you'll find out more about that in book 7 (crowd applauds).
For a muggle you need the ability, in other words, to make these things work properly but you're right and I think that's an interesting point. As Potions seems on the face of it to be the most muggle-friendly subject. But there's normally a point in which you need to use magic. Thank you, good question.
Unknown (2): First I just want to say happy belated birthday!
J.K. Rowling: Oh thank you!
Unknown (2): You said in a recent interview that Snape --
J.K. Rowling: Snape!
Unknown (2): Uh huh (crowd applauds and screams) -- had a sort of redemptive quality about him, and I was wondering if there was any chance that Draco Malfoy might redeem himself?
J.K. Rowling: All you girls and Draco Malfoy (crowd applauds). You've got to get past this.
Unknown (2): And if any other characters might redeem themselves?
J.K. Rowling: Well, I believe that almost anyone can redeem themselves. However, in some cases, as we know from reality -- if a psychologist were ever able to get Voldemort in a room, tape him down, take his wand away, I think he would be classified as a psychopath (crowd laughs). So there are people for whom redemption is not possible.
So I'd say for my main characters, yes, there's the possibility for redemption for all of them. Draco I think -- Harry's view is that even given unlimited time would not have killed -- I'm assuming you all have read book 6 by now (crowd laughs), because I don't want to here a child cry that he was five pages away from the end -- let's just say that Draco would not have murdered the person in question. What that means for Draco's future, you will have to wait for.
Samantha: In the wizarding world there are many wandmakers, Ollivander's being the one we're most familiar with. How come Ollivander chose the three magical cores for the wands he makes to be phoenix feather, unicorn hair, and dragon heartstring? And how come he decided that these are the three most powerful cores as opposed to others such as veela hair?
J.K. Rowling: Good question. Well, it is true that there are several wandmakers and in my notes about Harry I have many different cores for wands. Essentially I decided Ollivander was going to use my three favorites. So Ollivander has decided that those are the three most powerful substances. Other wandmakers might choose things that are particular to their country because countries as you know in my world have their own particular indigenous magical species so veela hair was kind of obvious for Fleur's wand. But um, yeah, good question. I've never had that one before (crowd applauds).
Todd: You mentioned before in the video that you had written the final chapter, but umm, how do you know when to stop writing an ending?
J.K. Rowling: How do I know when to stop?
Todd: How do you know when to stop, yeah?
J.K. Rowling: Well I think some of the reviews of Phoenix suggest that I didn't know when to stop ha ha (crowd laughs). Well, I decided, you know, sixteen years ago, or thereabouts where I was going. And I will say, I'm quite a long way into writing book seven now. And there's a lot still to explain. I hadn't really realized... There's still a lot to find out, and there's a lot to figure out... and I'll probably leave some loose ends hanging that you'll be able to say, "Oh, well, in book eight, she'll explain why" (crowd screams approval). "You mentioned the toad!" That's not significant, by the way, just to save myself 500 letters. "You mentioned the toad!"
Yes, but I do know where I'm going, I really do know where I'm going. I'm really going to miss writing Harry Potter; I will miss it fiendishly. Twenty-seven? Any thoughts on twenty-seven? (crowd laughs). No, I've plotted it out, and I think you'd start to see that I was running out of plot if I pushed it past this (crowd applauds).
Stephen King: We'd like to take a few more questions and I'd like you to welcome the moderator who's going to [unintelligible] her name is Soledad O'Brien.
=================
From C:
JKR: I notice you like Snape. Just never give up hope you people, do you?
Christina: My name is Christina and I'm 13 years old and from Staten Island, New York. If you could bring one Harry Potter character to life, other than Harry, who would it be?
JK Rowling: If I could bring somebody to life?
Christina: Other than Harry.
JK Rowling: Other than Harry. Umm, personally, although it's a really tricky one, Hagrid. If I could have anyone (crowd applauds). Because I think - I think we'd all like a Hagrid in our life. Liability though he often is. It would be really great if I met a fundamentalist Christian, to say, "Would you like to discuss the matter with Hagrid?" (crowd laughs and applauds).
Unknown (1): I'm 18 years old and I'm from New York. My question is, in Half-Blood Prince, Aunt Petunia is said to be oddly flushed when Dumbledore announces that Harry will be returning only once more to Privet Drive. Does this mean that Aunt Petunia harbors a hidden love or fondness for Harry and the connection he provides her to the wizarding world? (crowd laughs and applauds).
JK Rowling: That's an excellent question (crowd laughs). And like all the best and most penetrating questions, it's difficult to answer. But, I will say this.
There is a little more to Aunt Petunia than meets the eye and you will find out what that is in book seven (crowd roars and applauds).
Cory Mayer: My name's Cory Mayer and I'm 9 years old and I'm from Bordentown, New Jersey. I absolutely love your books. I'm not a big reader but your books make me want to read and that makes my mom happy (crowd and JK Rowling laugh). She loves your books too. In a recent interview you hinted at two main characters dying and possibly Harry Potter too. Was Dumbledore considered one of the main characters or will we have the chance to see him in action once again? Since he is the most powerful wizard of all time and Harry Potter is so loyal to him, how could he really be dead?
JK Rowling: Ohhhhhhhh (Jo puts her head in her arms and crowd cheers and applauds). I feel terrible (crowd laughs). The British writer Graham Green once said that every writer had to have a chip of ice in their heart. Oh no (Jo says half weeping while crowd laughs). I think you may just have ruined my career (crowd laughs). Umm, I really can't answer that question because the answer is in book seven but ...
you shouldn't expect Dumbledore to do a Gandalf. Let me just put it that way. I'm sorry (crowd moans and applauds).
Salman and Milan Rushdie: Hello. We are Salman and Milan Rushdie (crowd applauds). Umm -
JK Rowling: I'm not that sure this is fair (crowd laughs). I think you might be better at guessing plots than most. But anyway, off you go.
Salman and Milan Rushdie: We are 9 and 59. And one of us is good at guessing plots, not me. And this is really Milan's question and it's kind of a follow up to the previous one.
JK Rowling: Alright. Okay.
Salman and Milan Rushdie: Until the events of Volume 6, it was always made plain that Snape might have been an unlikable fellow but he was essentially one of the good guys (crowd screams approval).
JK Rowling: I can see this is the question you all really want answered.
Salman and Milan Rushdie: Dumbledore himself - Dumbledore himself had always vouched for him.
JK Rowling: Yes.
Salman and Milan Rushdie: Now we are suddenly told that Snape is a villain and Dumbledore's killer.
JK Rowling: Un hunh.
Salman and Milan Rushdie: We cannot, or don't want to believe this (crowd laughs). Our theory is that Snape is in fact, still a good guy (crowd applauds). From which it follows that Dumbledore can't really be dead and that the death is a ruse cooked up between Dumbledore and Snape to put Voldemort off his guard so that when Harry and Voldemort come face to face (crowd laughs). Harry may have more allies than he or Voldemort suspects. So, is Snape good or bad? (crowd laughs, applauds and screams and Jo chuckles). In our opinion, everything follows from it.
JK Rowling: Well, Salman, your opinion, I would say is ... right.
But I see that I need to be a little more explicit and say that Dumbledore is definitely ... dead
(crowd gasps). And I do know - I do know that there is an entire website out there that says - that's name is DumbledoreIsNotDead.com so umm, I'd imagine they're not pretty happy right now (crowd laughs). But I think I need - you need -
all of you need to move through the five stages of grief (crowd laughs), and I'm just helping you get past denial.
So, I can't remember what's next. It may be anger so I think we should stop it here. Thank you (crowd applauds).
Stephen King: That's a good idea (crowd laughs and applauds) I'll tell you what. I think our idea of what scares us changes as we get older. As a young person, one of the scariest things I ever read was Lord of the Flies. Because of the idea of those kids turning feral just scared the dickens outta me. Sometimes you get surprised into fright. When I picked up the Harry Potter books, I was not prepared for the depth of some of the frightening passages in there. Frankly, I was surprised by how scary the deatheaters were (crowd applauds) So there was plenty of scary stuff there. You know I've read a range of modern scary stuff. I try to keep up with the competitors (crowd laughs) The deatheaters - deatheaters are good.
JK Rowling: I scared Stephen King! (crowd applauds)
Stephen King: You scared Stephen King. Yeah. I hope you're proud of yourself!
JK Rowling: Oh, I'm very proud of myself! Thank you yes I am! (crowd laughs)
Martha Hoover: Good evening. Thank you. It has been an honor. This evening my question for you is, what is the one question your fans have never asked you, and should have? (crowd laughs and applauds).
JK Rowling: Oh, God (crowd laughs). How can I answer that? I can think of a couple of things that give away the ending of book seven (crowd laughs). Having got this far ... having got 16 years down the line, I kind of feel that would throw it away (crowd laughs). For me, anyway, having put the effort in. I think that I've been asked excellent questions, it's just that the final book contains a couple of pieces of information that I don't think you could guess at. So umm - I would umm - I'm sorry.
You see, people think that it's all so fixed in my head. It's not that obsessively plotted out. For example, this afternoon I believe I changed my mind on the title of book seven (crowd oohhs). Having been quite convinced that I had the title, I suddenly thought, "No, that would be better, wouldn't it?" in the shower just before coming out here, so - (crowd laughs).
But you know what, I'm not going to tell you either version, because I don't - (crowd groans). Oh, come on! Now really! Have I not given you enough? I gave you Aunt Petunia. I told you Dumbledore is really (Jo moves finger across neck). So, I am trying to give something to you. Anyway. I'm sorry. I suppose it's that question. Everyone's really pleased you asked that question. It's me who's let everyone down, not you. sorry (crowd sighs and applauds).
Soledad O'Brien: I'm going to pose the final question to you and I'd like all three of you to take a stab at it. You can do it in any order that you would like.
If you were to have dinner with any five characters from any of your books -- take a moment to think about it -- who would you invite, and why would they be on your list? Any order.
JK Rowling: Well I'd take Harry, to apologize to him (crowd laughs). Um, I'd have to take Harry, Ron and Hermione.
JK Rowling: I would - this is - (crown shouts suggestions).
JK Rowling: See, I know who's actually dead.
JK Rowling: Pretend I can take anyone? Well then I would definitely take Dumbledore. I'd take Dumbledore, Harry, Ron, Hermione...and.. (crowd shouts characters) um, Hagrid. I'd take Hagrid, yeah. And Owen because he wouldn't take up much space (crowd laughs).
======================
A number of us, once I pointed out that closing comment, interpret it as follows.
She was asked to name 5 characters to have dinner with.
She names 3, then pauses, saying she knows who's actually dead.
Then she found out she can invite characters who are dead,
so she names Dumbledore.
What that suggests is that she thought she could only invite characters who survive to the
end of the series, and named Harry, Ron and Hermione.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling, the seventh and final book in the best-selling series, has been scheduled for release at 12:01 a.m. on July 21, 2007, it was announced today by Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education and media company.
In making the announcement, Lisa Holton, President of Scholastic Children's Books said, "We are thrilled to announce the publication date of the seventh installment in this remarkable series. We join J.K. Rowling's millions of readers -- young and old, veterans and newcomers -- in anticipating what lies ahead."
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling's sixth Harry Potter book, was released on July 16, 2005, and was the fastest-selling book in history, selling 6.9 million copies in the first 24 hours. All six Harry Potter books, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince have been number one bestsellers in the United States, the U.K., and around the world. There are currently over 120 million copies of the Harry Potter books in print in the United States alone.
Scholastic will publish Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (ISBN: 0- 545-01022-5 ; Price: $34.99) in hardcover under the Arthur A. Levine imprint with interior and cover art by Mary GrandPre, who has illustrated the previous six books. The deluxe edition (ISBN: 0-545-02937-6; Price: $65.00) and reinforced library edition (ISBN: 0-545-02936-8 ; Price: $39.99 ) will be published simultaneously."
OMG OMG It WILL be published July 21, 07!!!!!
I JUST read it on rk`s sight!!!!! WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
OMG I am SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!
This is SOOOO neat. I know that I checked that site yesterday and it wasn`t there....
Oh MAN to finally get all of the answeres. It is going to be very sad as well, knowing that it is the last to be savored....sigh
Publication Date for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be published on Saturday 21st July 2007 at 00:01 BST in the UK and at 00:01 in the USA. It will also be released at 00:01 BST on Saturday 21st July in other English speaking countries around the world.
Last year several newspaper stories alleged that my husband had given up work, presumably to sit at home and watch me write. This is one of those stories that make me angry, because they hurt my family. We asked the newspapers who had printed the misinformation to correct the story, which they did. However, an article has recently appeared in which Neil is yet again described as not working. So... and hopefully for the last time... Neil has NEVER given up work and continues to practise as a doctor in Edinburgh.
Dunno, wolf. I was reading an interesting discussion about the *missing day* What happened between monday when V killed Lily and and James and tuesday when Harry was retrieved by Hagrid and brought to the Dursleys.
Surely he wasn`t sitting alone in the smoldering ruins of the house for 24 hrs? If there was a lightening shaped scar, the day after, as it never really an open wound?
Who could see him there if it was unplottable. How long was he there? Were there accomplices with V when this happened? One would certainly think that he didn`t go alone to do such a dangerous job as attempting to destroy the child of two highly skilled members of tootp.
Who was there with v, why did they leave Harry after their master was destroyed??
Could the scar possibly have something to do with additional horcruxes to be created with the death of L&J?
If V was destroyed when his spell against Harry rebounded, who then retrieved his wand from the ruins, so that worm tail could have it in the robes that V put on when he returned to his body in tgof? It would indicate that wormtail might have been with him, or visited the house shortly after before the destruction was discovered.
Not many ideas about the scar, but many many questions about that day.
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Siouxzahn
I haven't heard anything! All I know is I can't wait! I adore magic and especially Harry Potter style.
I will guess that Snape stays a good guy. Not evil anyway.
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WordWolf
Can we take it as a given that this entire thread is nothing BUT SPOILERS,
for those who havent read Books 1-6?
I'd like to warn them about that....
ALL OF YOU WHO HAVENT READ HP BOOKS 1-6,
THIS THREAD WILL GIVE AWAY A LOT!!!!!!!
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WordWolf
Some bookstores seem to be using that date as a guideline.
However, that's the anniversary of the London Subway bombings in 2005.
JKR is well aware of that, and change the reading she was going to do from
the not-yet-released Book 6, since she was doing it just after the attack.
She went from reading from Chapter 1, to later with Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.
I doubt she'd change it otherwise.
All the date speculation seems based ENTIRELY on the idea that JKR is obsessed
with 7s. (Which is odd, since 12s show up a lot in the series.)
JKR has previously said never to believe anything about HP whose source was not
JKR HERSELF, Scholastic (for the books) or Warner Brothers (for the films).
I finally heard a speculation that I think may be true.
Based on the discussions in Book 1, Chapter 1,
she may release it on the anniversary of the Godric's Hollow incident in Book 1,
which would be a few months later than 7/7.
Besides, 7/7 makes for a VERY short timetable to write, edit, correct,
print, and distribute the whole thing.
I know. I'm fond of shooting down the majority, using direct quotes from JKR.Here's a quick answer to each question you asked,
all in my opinion, which is not binding on JKR whatsoever.
A) Snape is neither good nor bad. In Macchiavelli's "the Art of War", he mentioned
Septimius Severus, a clever fellow who played one ruler off another, while being
on neither's side. Likewise, I think Severus Snape is on his OWN side.
I believe his actions at the end of Book 6 where specifically arranged between him
and DD earlier in the book, during the obvious scenes. His avoidance of the
Dark Arts-and even the DaDA job- has been likened to keeping an alcoholic from
liquor, where he'd hate being FORCED to take a drink to accomplish some goal.
I believe he's mostly been on the OotP's side, since he is the ONLY person who
could have warned the OotP about the MoM raid in Book 5
(I can eliminate all other possible characters from sending it),
and there is no reason to warn the OotP if he was working for the DEs.
(With no notice, the DEs would have had The Prophecy, Harry, and
hostages. Plus whatever else they could carry off-like that case of Time-Turners
they destroyed instead.)
SS has been constrained by owing James Potter his life-which was compounded
when he passed on part of The Prophecy-not realizing he facilitated James' death.
Some other people keep guessing he was sorry to see Lily Potter killed, but I think
it was JAMES, for the reasons I just gave.
SS thus still owes Harry for that.
B) I believe Harry will win, and Voldy will be EFFECTIVELY killed, becoming a non-character
without literally dying. I believe Harry will be seen raising a family in the last chapter.
C) What news have I heard? That would take some explaining.
JKR accidentally slipped, though, and confirmed Harry, Ron and Hermioned all survive.
Petunia does NOT do magic, but someone else does unexpectedly.
Speculation fingers Argus Filch.
Stuff like that.
D) It's my own personal speculation that Harry, Neville and Luna will enter a
specific location at dusk on April 30, using Neville's mimbulus mimbletonia to activate
the location's 2-way portal to the lands of the dead,
enter it and rescue Sirius Black,
and return by dawn, leaving behind the plant, but using the mirror to retrieve him,
and just maybe trapping Voldemort in the lands of the dead instead.
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hiway29
I'm going to read the book , hopefully without any pre hype about what's in it.
There is very little that one can just enjoy and be pleasantly surprised by in popular culture. Especially when it comes to sequels in film. Harry Potter is that rare breed. An actual BOOK that creates more buzz than Star Wars.
I'm looking forward to the next book as much as anyone. I understand the fun in trying to guess what will happen,and exploring the world and the characters, but prefer to avoid the mountain of fan sites, blogs,etc. Do you REALLY want to know what's going to happen?
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ChasUFarley
Yes and no.
It's interesting to speculate - I enjoy seeing how other people think and what ideas they have that might come up. After the book comes out, I won't go anywhere near a fan site because I want to experience the book for myself first.
It's a very safe bet that no one will guess everything about the last book... I also doubt that all the loose ends will be neatly tied up.
WordWolf writes:
SS has been constrained by owing James Potter his life-which was compounded
when he passed on part of The Prophecy-not realizing he facilitated James' death.
Some other people keep guessing he was sorry to see Lily Potter killed, but I think
it was JAMES, for the reasons I just gave.
SS thus still owes Harry for that.
HOWEVER, James put SS in the line of danger by giving him information about the tunnel under the Wamping Willow - James saved SS to save his own neck because if SS had been hurt because of James' careless prank, it would have been James' hide on the line...
Just my thoughts...
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WordWolf
Thing is, James and Severus are constrained to act under the rules in HP as outlined
by JKR, not by how you or I would call it.
(In those cases, SS might owe NOTHING.)
JKR had Dumbledore explain the situation, and HIS conclusion was that SS owed
James for saving his life.
DD may not be perfect, but he's as expert an expert on magic as the series has,
and he often serves as JKR's mouthpiece.
(Him or Hermione reading something in a book, as she's pointed out.)
Furthermore, Wormtail owes Harry a life, as seen in Book 3.
My personal theory:
Voldemort owes Harry a life, based on Book 4 and the use of Harry's blood
to return him to full life (or what passes for it.)
If not, I still have no explanation for the "gleam of triumph" in Dumbledore's eye
when Harry reported what happened.
The stupidest possible explanation was that DD was working for Voldy and wanted
him to win- I heard that one, if you can believe it.
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WordWolf
For fun, here's a list of ideas JKR debunked on her own website,
complete with links.
Rumors menu: http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/rumours.cfm
"Section: Rumours
Harry will be asked to become Minister of Magic in book seven
Seventeen is much too young to enter politics."
Professor Lupin does not have a twin, Neville Longbottom was never
Peter Pettigrew's son, Crookshanks is not an animagus-he's a 1/2 Kneazle,
JKR has no prequels or sequels planned after Book 7,
Lily was never a Death Eater, and Lily and James are definitely dead,
neither Voldemort nor Dumbledore are related to Harry,
Luna and Neville don't "hook up",
Nicholas Flamel (alchemist) passed away after Book 1,
"none of the characters in the books has returned from the future"
(and thus Dumbledore is not Ron in the future sent back or anything),
Mrs Norris (Filch's cat) is just a cat,
Wormtail's silver hand will not be used to kill Remus Lupin,
and Stubby Boardman is not Sirius Black.
(Thus one is one I actually floated once, when challenged to come up
with the silliest theory possible. I then realized I made it sound
possible- as in "Sirius goes thru a Veil of TIME, and gets sent back
to the past, assumes an alias and lays low until he's pronounced dead,
then begins working behind the scenes...."
I didn't REALLY think this would be how he returns-I expect him to return,
but with different tools- but I would have gloated if it was correct.)
Her LAST rumor busted....
Section: Rumours
At the end of book seven, Harry and Voldemort will 'merge' to form a single persona who will command both the forces of good and of evil
This is not really a rumour, more a lone theory on the net that the son of a friend of mine pointed out to me. He wants me to repudiate it, so I'm repudiating: Harry will NOT merge with Voldemort to become a single entity, nor would Harry ever wish to command Death Eaters/Dementors/Inferi.
"
Meanwhile,
http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/faq.c...f=aboutthebooks
here's the most useful of the FAQ answers...
"Section: F.A.Q.
(SPOILER WARNING)
Why did Harry have to forget the mirror he had been given by Sirius in 'Order of the Phoenix'?
I can’t give a full answer to this, because it is relevant to books six and seven. However, the short answer is that Harry was determined never to use the mirror, as is clearly stated in chapter 24: ‘he knew he would never use whatever it was’. For once in Harry’s life, he does not succumb to curiosity, he hides the mirror and the temptation away from himself, and then, when it might have been useful, he has forgotten it.
The mirror might not have helped as much as you think, but on the other hand, will help more than you think. You’ll have to read the final books to understand that!"
"Section: F.A.Q.
Will you write more Harry Potter books after the seventh?
If you mean more novels, then I think it highly unlikely. I’ve got enough story for seven books and I never planned to carry the story beyond the end of book seven. I might do an eighth book for charity, a kind of encyclopaedia of the world so that I could use all the extra material that’s not in the books... we’ll see!"
"Section: F.A.Q.
What did Dumbledore's Howler to Aunt Petunia mean? ('Remember my last'?)
Well, it is a relief to move on after the Mark Evans fiasco. This time, two out of the three poll questions had interesting answers (or so I think) and thank goodness you chose one of them.
So: Dumbledore is referring to his last letter, which means, of course, the letter he left upon the Dursleys' doorstep when Harry was one year old. But why then (you may well ask) did he not just say 'remember my letter?' Why did he say my last letter? Why, obviously because there were letters before that…
Now let the speculation begin, and mind you type clearly, I'll be watching…
P.S. It has been suggested that I am wrong in saying that Dumbledore's last letter was the one he left on the doorstep with baby Harry, and that he has sent a letter since then concerning Harry's illegal flight to school. However, both Dumbledore and I differentiate between letters sent to the Dursleys as a couple, and messages directed to Petunia ALONE. And that's my final word on the subject - though I doubt it will be yours :)"
"Section: F.A.Q.
What is the significance of Neville being the other boy to whom the prophecy might have referred?
Finally, I am answering the poll question! I am sorry it has taken so long, but let me start by saying how glad I am that this was the question that received the most votes, because this was the one that I most wanted to answer. Some of you might not like what I am going to say – but I'll address that issue at the end of my response!
To recap: Neville was born on the 30th of July, the day before Harry, so he too was born 'as the seventh month dies'. His parents, who were both famous Aurors, had 'thrice defied' Voldemort, just as Lily and James had. Voldemort was therefore presented with the choice of two baby boys to whom the prophecy might apply. However, he did not entirely realise what the implications of attacking them might be, because he had not heard the entire prophecy. As Dumbledore says:
'He [the eavesdropper] only heard the beginning, the part foretelling the birth of a boy in July to parents who had thrice defied Voldemort. Consequently, he could not warn his master that to attack you would be to risk transferring power to you.'
In effect, the prophecy gave Voldemort the choice of two candidates for his possible nemesis. In choosing which boy to murder, he was also (without realising it) choosing which boy to anoint as the Chosen One – to give him tools no other wizard possessed – the scar and the ability it conferred, a magical window into Voldemort's mind.
So what would have happened if Voldemort had decided that the pure-blood, not the half-blood, was the bigger threat? What would have happened if he had attacked Neville instead? Harry wonders this during the course of 'Half-Blood Prince' and concludes, rightly, that the answer hinges on whether or not one of Neville's parents would have been able, or prepared, to die for their son in the way that Lily died for Harry. If they hadn't, Neville would have been killed outright. Had Frank or Alice thrown themselves in front of Neville, however, the killing curse would have rebounded just as it did in Harry's case, and Neville would have been the one who survived with the lightning scar. What would this have meant? Would a Neville bearing the lightning scar have been as successful at evading Voldemort as Harry has been? Would Neville have had the qualities that have enabled Harry to remain strong and sane throughout all of his many ordeals? Although Dumbledore does not say as much, he does not believe so: he believes Voldemort did indeed choose the boy most likely to be able to topple him, for Harry's survival has not depended wholly or even mainly upon his scar.
So where does this leave Neville, the boy who was so nearly King? Well, it does not give him either hidden powers or a mysterious destiny. He remains a 'normal' wizarding boy, albeit one with a past, in its way, as tragic as Harry's.
As you saw in 'Order of the Phoenix,' however, Neville is not without his own latent strengths. It remains to be seen how he will feel if he ever finds out how close he came to being the Chosen One.
Some of you, who have been convinced that the prophecy marked Neville, in some mystical fashion, for a fate intertwined with Harry's, may find this answer rather dull.
Yet I was making what I felt was a significant point about Harry and Voldemort, and about prophecies themselves, in showing Neville as the also-ran. If neither boy was 'pre-ordained' before Voldemort's attack to become his possible vanquisher, then the prophecy (like the one the witches make to Macbeth, if anyone has read the play of the same name) becomes the catalyst for a situation that would never have occurred if it had not been made. Harry is propelled into a terrifying position he might never have sought, while Neville remains the tantalising 'might-have-been'. Destiny is a name often given in retrospect to choices that had dramatic consequences.
Of course, none of this should be taken to mean that Neville does not have a significant part to play in the last two novels, or the fight against Voldemort. As for the prophecy itself, it remains ambiguous, not only to readers, but to my characters. Prophecies (think of Nostradamus!) are usually open to many different interpretations. That is both their strength and their weakness."
BTW, the "Extra Stuff" section on the website is worth reviewing,
even if only for some characters and scenes that never "made the cut".
http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/extrastuff.cfm
Say,
did anyone here take either of the 2 WOMBAT exams?
What was your score?
And are you planning on taking the third?
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rascal
While on the subject of Neville, why did the DE torture his parents into insanity? Would that have had anything to do with covering the prophesy with both babies that the prophesy might have referred to?
Could it be that the reason his folks were tortured was to gain access to where he was?
I know I always assumed, but was it ever said if the torture happened before or after v attacked Lily and James?
One popular theory regarding Snape, is that he was raised in the muggle world and knew Lily and Petunia. When Petunia burst out concerning the dementors at Azkaban, and said that *awfull boy* had told her.....specualtion is that she was referring to a young snape in the muggle world (his Dad was a muggle) instead of James as we all assumed.
I agree the death of DD was contrived between Snape and DD, else why freeze Harry under the invisibility cloak? WHy did DD insist that he needed Snape instead of madame Pomphry when Rosmerta was offering to get help?
I think that among other things, they had to give Draco a chance to save himself, and a way to rescue him from the death eaters. Remember when DD said that it wasn`t Draco`s mercy, but his that was important?
When Harry was chasing Snape after it happened, Snape had ample opportunity to kill him. He didn`try any killing curses as he was fleeing with Draco.
I vote for Snape being a good guy.
According to RK`s web sight as of Dec, she is still writing. I seriously doubt that there is time to get it to the publisher and on the shelves by june.
I once read where she had finally finished her manuscript (I think it was for OTP) and given it to the publishers. We were all eccstatic.... It was an entire year before the publishers had the book ready for distribution.
Sadly, I don`t look for the sequal too soon, I would be delighted to find out that I was wrong.
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rascal
I was rereading ootp recently and was shagrined to find that she gave a HUGE clue as to who the hbp was going to be in the book that was to follow.
Remember when Harry was in the pensieve and saw snape taking his exam? He said that there was like a foot of *cramped, crabbed script* on his parchment, describing in the exact same words the writing on the young snapes exam, as she used to describe the writing in the potion book in the hpb book that was to follow.
If we had paid attention, we could have figured out early who`s potion book that was...lol
Could the girl that was laughing at him riding the bucking broom have been Petunia? I am wondering if she had more to do with the wizarding world than we first imagined.
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WordWolf
[WordWolf in brackets and boldface again.]
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WordWolf
BTW,
this is a digression, but I thought you might want to look this over.
This is a set of links about the "fat" thing.
JKR said this, and it started the discussion.
http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/extra..._view.cfm?id=22
Then suddenly this popped up in her "Rubbish Bin"-
someone claimed JKR was hypocritical in her previous comments!
http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/rubbi..._view.cfm?id=14
We missed something important!
Ok, here is the article-which is what we missed...
in 3 links:
http://www.mugglenet.com/viewer/?image_loc...lscans/MoS1.jpg
http://www.mugglenet.com/viewer/?image_loc...lscans/MoS2.jpg
http://www.mugglenet.com/viewer/?image_loc...s/DailyMail.jpg
All of that prompted a MuggleNet editorial,
seen here:
http://www.mugglenet.com/infosection/opinion/fatfem.shtml
which prompted many responses,
which prompted this followup from MuggleNet...
http://www.mugglenet.com/infosection/opinion/fatfem2.shtml
Which explains what showed up in her Rubbish Bin.
Me,
I think the sloppy newspaper writer was careless enough
to confuse the movie for the book.
When junior high school students do that in a book report, it's bad.
When a professional does this, it's unforgiveable.
That was the Daily Mail, which is supposedly a respectable newspaper,
if not, say, the Wall St Journal or the NY Times.
He's unfamiliar with the books he's criticizing, and based his criticism on the
MOVIES based on the books.
As any HP fan (or LotR fan) can tell him, there can be BIG differences between the two.
JKR has NO control over casting. Says so on her website.
JKR's sole involvement in casting was being asked if she had ANY recommendations before
Movie 1 was cast, and she said "Robbie Coltrane for Hagrid."
"Hollywood" has made the characters pretty or handsome by casting pretty or
handsome actors. The only characters we really know the weights on-
and are either thin or fat- are Harry in Book 1 (who is malnourished),
Hagrid (he's big, and carries extra weight, but well),
Dudley (who's fat but loses weight by Book 5),
Petunia (who's THIN),
and one other.
It's very interesting that Madame Maxime is supposed to be big in every dimension-
but the actress cast is THIN.
So, that one is the OPPOSITE of what JKR did.
Remember Book 4? Maxime told Hagrid that she was "big-boned"?
That's the favourite response of some people who are fat-
"I'm not fat-I'm big-boned." (Cartman's made that a mantra..)
Harry pretty much confirmed she's not thin...
"Only thing with bigger bones than her is a dinosaur."
So, blame the directors, but not JKR.
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rascal
I kind of wondered after I heard that rumor if the reason that Lily was nice/stood up for SS was because she knew him before/outside of school.
Petunia had more than one correspondence with DD, I wonder if she had a chance to be in the witch world and declined.
I guess one of the things Harry will have to do is to hunt down mundungus fletcher. I`ll bet the heavy gold locket that they found while cleaning out the cabinets at the old black house in ottp was the horcrux that Regulus Black (that has to be who rab is and why he was killed) stole from the cave that DD and Harry searched.
Harry caught mundungus stealing silver and stuff in thbp, I`ll bet he finds out that dung took the horcrux, not knowing what it was.
Have you ever wondered what happened to Harry`s grandparents/relatives on James` side? Serius Black said that he was always welcome to sunday dinner. Surely the Potters had relatives, cousins, etc in the witch world. All of the wizarding families had inter married.
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WordWolf
Since I think you'll find it useful, here's something I posted elsewhere.
August 1, 2006, JKR did a public appearance with John Grisham and Stephen King.
Someone made a transcript of the whole thing, divided into 3 parts.
I took all 3 parts, and stripped out all the lines that related to JKR in any way,
then reposted them together as one document.
I left them labelled as A, B, C rather than parts I, II, III,
so if you want to see if I'm lying, you can go look for all 3 parts and know
which part to check.
This settled a number of nagging questions, IMHO.
So, here's the relevant quotes.
========================
Excerpts from 8-1-06 JKR Press Conference.
From A:
JKR:"I always planned seven books, and I planned this particular ending, and if I get through it and do what I meant to do when I first committed to this story, then I'll be proud.
Audience member question (paraphrased): Why did Dumbledore have to die [asked by TIME for Kids representative]
Rowling: I did an interview last year in which I was asked this question. In the genre in which I'm writing, you usually find that the hero has to go on alone. There comes a point when his support falls away and to be truly heroic he has to act alone. Harry is not completely alone, he still has his two faithful sidekicks. This was summarized for me by the person who asked the question with, you mean the old wizard always gets it, and that fundamentally, that is what I was saying. I was as trying to dress it up a little better than that. So that's why. In these sort of epic sagas, the hero eventually has to fight alone.
Audience member question (paraphrased): Have there been any changes to what you initially planned out?
Rowling: It is different to an extent. The essential plot is what I always planned when working toward the end I've planned toward the beginning. But a couple of characters I expected to survive have died and one character got a reprieve, so there have been some fairly major changes I suppose.
==========================
From B:
Nina: I just wanted to know what Hermione would see if she looked into the Mirror of Erised?
J.K. Rowling: Well -- (crowd laughs and applauds) -- at the moment, as you know, Harry, Ron, and Hermione have just finished their penultimate year at Hogwarts and Hermione and Ron have told Harry that they're going to go with him wherever he goes next. So at the moment I think that Hermione would see most likely the three of them alive and unscathed and Voldemort finished.
But I think that Hermione would also see herself closely entwined with...another...person (crowd roars and applauds loudly). I think you can probably guess. Thank you, very good question. I've never been asked that before. Now we have another.
Unknown (1): Can muggles brew potions if they follow the exact instructions and they have all of the ingredients?
J.K. Rowling: Well, I'd have to say no. Because there is always a magical component in the potion. Not just the ingredients so
at some point they will have to use a wand. I've been asked what would happen if a muggle picked up a magic wand in my world and the answer would probably be something accidental and probably quite violent because the wand in my world is merely a vehicle or a vessel of sorts and there is a very close relationship as you know between the wand that each wizard uses and themselves. And you'll find out more about that in book 7 (crowd applauds).
For a muggle you need the ability, in other words, to make these things work properly but you're right and I think that's an interesting point. As Potions seems on the face of it to be the most muggle-friendly subject. But there's normally a point in which you need to use magic. Thank you, good question.
Unknown (2): First I just want to say happy belated birthday!
J.K. Rowling: Oh thank you!
Unknown (2): You said in a recent interview that Snape --
J.K. Rowling: Snape!
Unknown (2): Uh huh (crowd applauds and screams) -- had a sort of redemptive quality about him, and I was wondering if there was any chance that Draco Malfoy might redeem himself?
J.K. Rowling: All you girls and Draco Malfoy (crowd applauds). You've got to get past this.
Unknown (2): And if any other characters might redeem themselves?
J.K. Rowling: Well, I believe that almost anyone can redeem themselves. However, in some cases, as we know from reality -- if a psychologist were ever able to get Voldemort in a room, tape him down, take his wand away, I think he would be classified as a psychopath (crowd laughs). So there are people for whom redemption is not possible.
So I'd say for my main characters, yes, there's the possibility for redemption for all of them. Draco I think -- Harry's view is that even given unlimited time would not have killed -- I'm assuming you all have read book 6 by now (crowd laughs), because I don't want to here a child cry that he was five pages away from the end -- let's just say that Draco would not have murdered the person in question. What that means for Draco's future, you will have to wait for.
Samantha: In the wizarding world there are many wandmakers, Ollivander's being the one we're most familiar with. How come Ollivander chose the three magical cores for the wands he makes to be phoenix feather, unicorn hair, and dragon heartstring? And how come he decided that these are the three most powerful cores as opposed to others such as veela hair?
J.K. Rowling: Good question. Well, it is true that there are several wandmakers and in my notes about Harry I have many different cores for wands. Essentially I decided Ollivander was going to use my three favorites. So Ollivander has decided that those are the three most powerful substances. Other wandmakers might choose things that are particular to their country because countries as you know in my world have their own particular indigenous magical species so veela hair was kind of obvious for Fleur's wand. But um, yeah, good question. I've never had that one before (crowd applauds).
Todd: You mentioned before in the video that you had written the final chapter, but umm, how do you know when to stop writing an ending?
J.K. Rowling: How do I know when to stop?
Todd: How do you know when to stop, yeah?
J.K. Rowling: Well I think some of the reviews of Phoenix suggest that I didn't know when to stop ha ha (crowd laughs). Well, I decided, you know, sixteen years ago, or thereabouts where I was going. And I will say, I'm quite a long way into writing book seven now. And there's a lot still to explain. I hadn't really realized... There's still a lot to find out, and there's a lot to figure out... and I'll probably leave some loose ends hanging that you'll be able to say, "Oh, well, in book eight, she'll explain why" (crowd screams approval). "You mentioned the toad!" That's not significant, by the way, just to save myself 500 letters. "You mentioned the toad!"
Yes, but I do know where I'm going, I really do know where I'm going. I'm really going to miss writing Harry Potter; I will miss it fiendishly. Twenty-seven? Any thoughts on twenty-seven? (crowd laughs). No, I've plotted it out, and I think you'd start to see that I was running out of plot if I pushed it past this (crowd applauds).
Stephen King: We'd like to take a few more questions and I'd like you to welcome the moderator who's going to [unintelligible] her name is Soledad O'Brien.
=================
From C:
JKR: I notice you like Snape. Just never give up hope you people, do you?
Christina: My name is Christina and I'm 13 years old and from Staten Island, New York. If you could bring one Harry Potter character to life, other than Harry, who would it be?
JK Rowling: If I could bring somebody to life?
Christina: Other than Harry.
JK Rowling: Other than Harry. Umm, personally, although it's a really tricky one, Hagrid. If I could have anyone (crowd applauds). Because I think - I think we'd all like a Hagrid in our life. Liability though he often is. It would be really great if I met a fundamentalist Christian, to say, "Would you like to discuss the matter with Hagrid?" (crowd laughs and applauds).
Unknown (1): I'm 18 years old and I'm from New York. My question is, in Half-Blood Prince, Aunt Petunia is said to be oddly flushed when Dumbledore announces that Harry will be returning only once more to Privet Drive. Does this mean that Aunt Petunia harbors a hidden love or fondness for Harry and the connection he provides her to the wizarding world? (crowd laughs and applauds).
JK Rowling: That's an excellent question (crowd laughs). And like all the best and most penetrating questions, it's difficult to answer. But, I will say this.
There is a little more to Aunt Petunia than meets the eye and you will find out what that is in book seven (crowd roars and applauds).
Cory Mayer: My name's Cory Mayer and I'm 9 years old and I'm from Bordentown, New Jersey. I absolutely love your books. I'm not a big reader but your books make me want to read and that makes my mom happy (crowd and JK Rowling laugh). She loves your books too. In a recent interview you hinted at two main characters dying and possibly Harry Potter too. Was Dumbledore considered one of the main characters or will we have the chance to see him in action once again? Since he is the most powerful wizard of all time and Harry Potter is so loyal to him, how could he really be dead?
JK Rowling: Ohhhhhhhh (Jo puts her head in her arms and crowd cheers and applauds). I feel terrible (crowd laughs). The British writer Graham Green once said that every writer had to have a chip of ice in their heart. Oh no (Jo says half weeping while crowd laughs). I think you may just have ruined my career (crowd laughs). Umm, I really can't answer that question because the answer is in book seven but ...
you shouldn't expect Dumbledore to do a Gandalf. Let me just put it that way. I'm sorry (crowd moans and applauds).
Salman and Milan Rushdie: Hello. We are Salman and Milan Rushdie (crowd applauds). Umm -
JK Rowling: I'm not that sure this is fair (crowd laughs). I think you might be better at guessing plots than most. But anyway, off you go.
Salman and Milan Rushdie: We are 9 and 59. And one of us is good at guessing plots, not me. And this is really Milan's question and it's kind of a follow up to the previous one.
JK Rowling: Alright. Okay.
Salman and Milan Rushdie: Until the events of Volume 6, it was always made plain that Snape might have been an unlikable fellow but he was essentially one of the good guys (crowd screams approval).
JK Rowling: I can see this is the question you all really want answered.
Salman and Milan Rushdie: Dumbledore himself - Dumbledore himself had always vouched for him.
JK Rowling: Yes.
Salman and Milan Rushdie: Now we are suddenly told that Snape is a villain and Dumbledore's killer.
JK Rowling: Un hunh.
Salman and Milan Rushdie: We cannot, or don't want to believe this (crowd laughs). Our theory is that Snape is in fact, still a good guy (crowd applauds). From which it follows that Dumbledore can't really be dead and that the death is a ruse cooked up between Dumbledore and Snape to put Voldemort off his guard so that when Harry and Voldemort come face to face (crowd laughs). Harry may have more allies than he or Voldemort suspects. So, is Snape good or bad? (crowd laughs, applauds and screams and Jo chuckles). In our opinion, everything follows from it.
JK Rowling: Well, Salman, your opinion, I would say is ... right.
But I see that I need to be a little more explicit and say that Dumbledore is definitely ... dead
(crowd gasps). And I do know - I do know that there is an entire website out there that says - that's name is DumbledoreIsNotDead.com so umm, I'd imagine they're not pretty happy right now (crowd laughs). But I think I need - you need -
all of you need to move through the five stages of grief (crowd laughs), and I'm just helping you get past denial.
So, I can't remember what's next. It may be anger so I think we should stop it here. Thank you (crowd applauds).
Stephen King: That's a good idea (crowd laughs and applauds) I'll tell you what. I think our idea of what scares us changes as we get older. As a young person, one of the scariest things I ever read was Lord of the Flies. Because of the idea of those kids turning feral just scared the dickens outta me. Sometimes you get surprised into fright. When I picked up the Harry Potter books, I was not prepared for the depth of some of the frightening passages in there. Frankly, I was surprised by how scary the deatheaters were (crowd applauds) So there was plenty of scary stuff there. You know I've read a range of modern scary stuff. I try to keep up with the competitors (crowd laughs) The deatheaters - deatheaters are good.
JK Rowling: I scared Stephen King! (crowd applauds)
Stephen King: You scared Stephen King. Yeah. I hope you're proud of yourself!
JK Rowling: Oh, I'm very proud of myself! Thank you yes I am! (crowd laughs)
Martha Hoover: Good evening. Thank you. It has been an honor. This evening my question for you is, what is the one question your fans have never asked you, and should have? (crowd laughs and applauds).
JK Rowling: Oh, God (crowd laughs). How can I answer that? I can think of a couple of things that give away the ending of book seven (crowd laughs). Having got this far ... having got 16 years down the line, I kind of feel that would throw it away (crowd laughs). For me, anyway, having put the effort in. I think that I've been asked excellent questions, it's just that the final book contains a couple of pieces of information that I don't think you could guess at. So umm - I would umm - I'm sorry.
You see, people think that it's all so fixed in my head. It's not that obsessively plotted out. For example, this afternoon I believe I changed my mind on the title of book seven (crowd oohhs). Having been quite convinced that I had the title, I suddenly thought, "No, that would be better, wouldn't it?" in the shower just before coming out here, so - (crowd laughs).
But you know what, I'm not going to tell you either version, because I don't - (crowd groans). Oh, come on! Now really! Have I not given you enough? I gave you Aunt Petunia. I told you Dumbledore is really (Jo moves finger across neck). So, I am trying to give something to you. Anyway. I'm sorry. I suppose it's that question. Everyone's really pleased you asked that question. It's me who's let everyone down, not you. sorry (crowd sighs and applauds).
Soledad O'Brien: I'm going to pose the final question to you and I'd like all three of you to take a stab at it. You can do it in any order that you would like.
If you were to have dinner with any five characters from any of your books -- take a moment to think about it -- who would you invite, and why would they be on your list? Any order.
JK Rowling: Well I'd take Harry, to apologize to him (crowd laughs). Um, I'd have to take Harry, Ron and Hermione.
JK Rowling: I would - this is - (crown shouts suggestions).
JK Rowling: See, I know who's actually dead.
JK Rowling: Pretend I can take anyone? Well then I would definitely take Dumbledore. I'd take Dumbledore, Harry, Ron, Hermione...and.. (crowd shouts characters) um, Hagrid. I'd take Hagrid, yeah. And Owen because he wouldn't take up much space (crowd laughs).
======================
A number of us, once I pointed out that closing comment, interpret it as follows.
She was asked to name 5 characters to have dinner with.
She names 3, then pauses, saying she knows who's actually dead.
Then she found out she can invite characters who are dead,
so she names Dumbledore.
What that suggests is that she thought she could only invite characters who survive to the
end of the series, and named Harry, Ron and Hermione.
Therefore, all 3 of them survive.
All bets are off on everyone else.
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WordWolf
For free,
here's the worst offenders of the misconceptions I hear.
1) Dumbledore survived or will return.
No, JKR's been very specific.
He is definitely dead, and will not be "doing a Gandalf."
2) JKR said exactly 2 characters die in Book 7.
No.
She said she changed part of the story,
so 1 character who was slated to die, will live instead,
and 2 characters who were slated to live, will die instead.
So, 2 MORE characters will die.
Since the plot was worked out long in advance,
such a change obviously does NOT refer to Harry or Voldy.
(If they die, they were planned to since Book 1 was out.)
3) JKR said she's going to kill off Harry so there will be no
sequels.
No.
She said there will be no sequels. 7 books and the story is
over. Possibly, there may be an 8th book for charity like
"Quidditch Through the Ages" and "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"
as a sort of sourcebook for the series, and possibly footnotes on
"whatever happened to" characters after Book 7.
As for Harry, she was asked about killing him off.
She said she understood why some writers kill off the character,
to prevent a sequel.
If anything, one might suspect she was disagreeing with them,
which suggests Harry survives.
(Meanwhile, I use the OTHER quote to point to his survival.)
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rascal
OMG OMG It WILL be published July 21, 07!!!!!
I JUST read it on rk`s sight!!!!! WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
OMG I am SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!
This is SOOOO neat. I know that I checked that site yesterday and it wasn`t there....
Oh MAN to finally get all of the answeres. It is going to be very sad as well, knowing that it is the last to be savored....sigh
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WordWolf
I always wait for something corroborating.
JKR herself said only 3 sources are to be trusted for HP news:
JKR herself
Scholastic or Bloomsbury, the book publishers
Warner Brothers, on the movies
http://www.movieweb.com/news/97/17397.php
Thursday, February 1st, 2007
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling, the seventh and final book in the best-selling series, has been scheduled for release at 12:01 a.m. on July 21, 2007, it was announced today by Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education and media company.
In making the announcement, Lisa Holton, President of Scholastic Children's Books said, "We are thrilled to announce the publication date of the seventh installment in this remarkable series. We join J.K. Rowling's millions of readers -- young and old, veterans and newcomers -- in anticipating what lies ahead."
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling's sixth Harry Potter book, was released on July 16, 2005, and was the fastest-selling book in history, selling 6.9 million copies in the first 24 hours. All six Harry Potter books, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince have been number one bestsellers in the United States, the U.K., and around the world. There are currently over 120 million copies of the Harry Potter books in print in the United States alone.
Scholastic will publish Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (ISBN: 0- 545-01022-5 ; Price: $34.99) in hardcover under the Arthur A. Levine imprint with interior and cover art by Mary GrandPre, who has illustrated the previous six books. The deluxe edition (ISBN: 0-545-02937-6; Price: $65.00) and reinforced library edition (ISBN: 0-545-02936-8 ; Price: $39.99 ) will be published simultaneously."
Oh, you meant it was JKR's site.
(RK???)
http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/news_view.cfm?id=97
"Section: News
Thursday 1 February 2007
Publication Date for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be published on Saturday 21st July 2007 at 00:01 BST in the UK and at 00:01 in the USA. It will also be released at 00:01 BST on Saturday 21st July in other English speaking countries around the world.
All rights reserved JK Rowling."
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rascal
OOOps yeah JK Rowling`s web site. Sorry, that is what I meant.
Woooohooooo!
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Tom Strange
Man... if she only got $1 for every book sold... I wonder if she's married...
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WordWolf
Married with kids.
Read her website, and you'll learn about the writer the fastest.
http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en
Among other things, she's corrected a rumour about her husband.
http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/rubbi...n_view.cfm?id=2
"Section: Rubbish Bin
Symbol(s): Recycled, Pure Garbage
Dr. Neil Murray 'gives up work'
Last year several newspaper stories alleged that my husband had given up work, presumably to sit at home and watch me write. This is one of those stories that make me angry, because they hurt my family. We asked the newspapers who had printed the misinformation to correct the story, which they did. However, an article has recently appeared in which Neil is yet again described as not working. So... and hopefully for the last time... Neil has NEVER given up work and continues to practise as a doctor in Edinburgh.
All rights reserved JK Rowling."
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WordWolf
So,
theorizing and speculating time.
Who thinks Sirius Black died and who thinks he's still alive?
As far as the books go,
we know he was last seen in the Death Room of the Dept of Mysteries,
having passed thru the Veil/Arch.
He was hit with an unvocalized Stunner, and shoved thru the passage.
So, he was very much alive the instant before he went thru.
We know it was a Stunner because Harry was watching the scene, and
Harry's well aware of what a green spell means-only the AK has been
demonstrated to be green.
Bellatrix fires a red Stunner, misses, then fires another spell of unspecified
colour, which shoves Sirius.
Harry expected to see Sirius alive a moment later-and he knows full well
what a green spell-the AK-does.
If that really was the AK, and JKR NEGLECTED to give the colour and Harry's
response didn't reflect that, JKR made a mistake more fundamental than I'm
prepared to accept her making. She's mortal, but she's not moronic. Every
use of the AK is carefully placed in the series.
Would a single non-AK kill Sirius?
No. Sirius was in his 30s and in full health. He can weather one better than a
Muggle of similar age and health. McGonagall, at her advanced age,
takes 4 Stunners and needs medical attention-but that doesn't kill her either.
(Book 5, during the Astronomy OWL.)
So, he was alive unless the Arch/Veil killed him.
And if he's alive, he'll be seen again in Book 7.
(Otherwise, there's no point in him not dying.)
So, Sirius: alive or dead?
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ChasUFarley
OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE JULY 21, 2007!!
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WordWolf
Ok,
without me influencing the discussion,
what do you think is the deal with the scar?
JKR said the lightning bolt was because that looks cool,
and that the shape was not the most important thing about it.
So, what's the deal with the scar itself?
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rascal
Dunno, wolf. I was reading an interesting discussion about the *missing day* What happened between monday when V killed Lily and and James and tuesday when Harry was retrieved by Hagrid and brought to the Dursleys.
Surely he wasn`t sitting alone in the smoldering ruins of the house for 24 hrs? If there was a lightening shaped scar, the day after, as it never really an open wound?
Who could see him there if it was unplottable. How long was he there? Were there accomplices with V when this happened? One would certainly think that he didn`t go alone to do such a dangerous job as attempting to destroy the child of two highly skilled members of tootp.
Who was there with v, why did they leave Harry after their master was destroyed??
Could the scar possibly have something to do with additional horcruxes to be created with the death of L&J?
If V was destroyed when his spell against Harry rebounded, who then retrieved his wand from the ruins, so that worm tail could have it in the robes that V put on when he returned to his body in tgof? It would indicate that wormtail might have been with him, or visited the house shortly after before the destruction was discovered.
Not many ideas about the scar, but many many questions about that day.
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