posted October 10, 2004 01:54 PM         

While Rowling refused to identify her latest victim, she reassured readers of the wildly popular series about the wizard world that Potter is safe - for now.

Before the publication of her last installment, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," Rowling teased readers by revealing that another wizard would fall.

That Harry Potter book - like the four that preceded it - was an instant best seller.

Dr. Alan Hilfer, a child psychologist at Maimonides Medical Center in Borough Park, Brooklyn, said he believes Rowling is trying to protect her readers rather than create hype to boost sales for the sixth book, which will be released next year.

"I think it's an attempt to prepare her audience for a shock, so kids won't be too angry or upset when they read it," he said.

But even with the warning, many readers still were stunned when Rowling killed off Harry's godfather, Sirius Black.

And the 39-year-old British author admitted she, too, cried when she whacked Black, who had helped Potter battle the evil Lord Voldemort.

As for Potter, Rowling told fans in an earlier interview that her teenage hero would survive at least until the seventh and final book in the series.

"He will survive to book seven, mainly because I don't want to be strangled by you lot," she said. "But I don't want to say whether he grows any older than that."

posted October 10, 2004 05:50 PM         

As for book seven, well, with the prophecy revealed in the last book, it would be kind of silly to admit that Harry survives. It would suck if he didn't though; I'm all about good triumphing over evil. Unless him and Voldy both snuff it. Gah! I can't wait!

posted October 13, 2004 05:31 PM         

• Ginny has already had a life-threatening experience with Voldy and she's alive.
  
• Ron is the faithful side-kick/best-friend so he can't go ... besides, he's going to end up with Hermione so he has to live.
  
• Mr. Weasley also had a life-threatening situation already in regards to the Order and he's still around.
  
• The fore-shadowing of Mrs. Weasley's woes with the boggart were played out to a high tension already in book five.
  
• The Weasley's are like a real family to Harry, the only really true family unit he's ever known and I don't think J.K. Rowling will go as far as depriving him of that one comfort when he's already lost his god-father ... besides, Harry simply must get together with Ginny
  
• We don't know enough about Charlie and Bill to be overly distraught if they snuff it.
  
• Fred and George are too ... well, Fred and George for anything to ever happen to them that they can't get out of.
  

Okay, so I'm a closet Harry Potter fanatic ... Hi, my name is Eleanore and I love Harry Potter. There.
Mind you, I left Percy out just because I don't like him. IF a Weasley has to die, then I hope it's him. Sorry. Must really control my anger about this imaginary twit.
Still, I think it's far more likely that someone like Lupin or Tonks or Mad-Eye will snuff it. However, in book four, Voldy refers to two Death Eaters who were not present at his "re-birthing" in the graveyard ...

"And here we have six missing Death Eaters ... three dead in my service. One, too cowardly to return ... he will pay. One, who I believe has left me forever ... he will be killed, of course ... and one, who remains my most faithful servant, and who has already reentered my service."

Okay, so three dead. Fine. One re-entered in his service ... that would be young Barty Crouch. That leaves two ... Karkaroff and Snape. The one too cowardly to return would obviously be Karkaroff since we know he fled into hiding when his mark burned on the night of the Triwizard Tournament. So ... drum roll please, that leaves Snape as the one Voldy's already said he's going to kill.
We know Snape is working undercover for the order and arrogantly believes that his powers of Occlumency are greater than Voldy's powers of Legilimency ...

"It is true, however, that those who have mastered Legilimency are able, under certain conditions, to delve into the minds of their victims and to interpret their findings correctly. The Dark Lord, for instance, almost always knows when somebody is lying to him. Only those skilled at Occlumency are able to shut down those feelings and memories that contradict the lie, and so utter falsehoods in his presence without detection."

However, I think the bond between Harry and Voldy, being stronger than ever in book 5, might have alerted Voldy to the fact that Snape is a member of the Order. Remember when Harry realizes, in Umbridge's office, that Snape is still at Hogwarts and a member of the Order? Well, he gives Snape that coded message about Sirius and Snape passes it on to the Order. Not only was Harry in an emotionally vulnerable state of panic, but his scar was hurting him very much at that time as well. I think Voldy was aware of him then. Besides, Voldy's not stupid. He's going to know that Harry had to have alerted someone from the Order ... and he'll know Snape's the only one he gave a warning to if he was in "contact" with Harry's mind .. and, of course, the fore-shadowing in the graveyard lets us know he already suspects Snape.
Still, I don't think Snape is going to be killed. I seriously think that Snape is going to be almost killed in book 6 but that someone else will risk their life for him. I unfortunately feel that it will be Lupin who will save Snape from death. Why? Well, Snape has to survive for continuity in the story ... not only that, but we know Harry has to take Potions for his Auror studies and, frankly, I think J.K. Rowling is aware enough of the intricacies of life to make sure that, somehow or another, Snape and Harry come to terms and that they both overcome their hatred for each other and, in Snape's case, Harry's father. Secondly, Lupin, as the friend of James and Sirius who constantly tormented Snape ... dunno' it would seem fitting that he take it on himself to protect Snape when, as a youth, he stood by and let them torment him. And, thirdly, I don't think Harry is meant to have a real father figure in the story. Aside from Sirius, Lupin's the only one that would fit that description who really knew his dad. I think the closest we'll get to a father-type figure is Dumbledore, and perhaps Hagrid. Oh yeah, fourthly, Lupin has already mentioned that he is not the most useful member to the Order, aside from Sirius who's already dead, due to his unfortunate little werewolf problem. With each passing book, he looks more tired and raggedy and, I think, losing Sirius is going to seriously have a hard effect on him. Being fantastic at Defense Against the Dark Arts, and because of Sirius and James and Lily's deaths, I think Lupin maybe will end up being a little reckless and take Voldy head on. And, of course, if he dies also, on top of Sirius and his parents, Harry will be hard pressed to suppress his desire to kill Voldy ... which would tie in so well with the prophecy.

For a while I entertained the idea of Wormtail snuffing it, which would be nice, but I think his role will come in book 7. Hopefully, he'll be a key figure in securing Harry's victory over Voldy.

OK. I need help. Sorry for my looooooooooong rambling post.

posted October 15, 2004 07:57 PM         

Thanks, pixelpixie. Trust me, I need a Harry Potter fix, too. I am fighting the temptation to read the series again ... for the fifth time. But it's so good!!! Oh yeah, babies! Harry's mother also had red hair ... silly, I know, but if that leads him to Ginny then I'll be soooo happy.

proxieme
Oh, believe me, I can totally relate. I was working as a bookseller when Harry Potter mania hit. I was too embarassed to buy the books at first, what with all the other employers up to their necks in constant Harry Potter requests ... and we kept selling out very quickly. I ended up borrowing the books from a friend's younger siblings ... his mother was harassing him for weeks trying to get the books back, lol, because when I was finished with one, another friend "just had" to borrow them. Poor kids. They had already read them, though. Now all my friends and I have our own lovely copies to read over and over again. Even my Aquarius, military hubby is secretly in love with the series ... but shhhh, don't tell anyone.