It may be a little too happy, but . . . I like happy.

I also think you are placing way more significance in the, “At least he’d be with Sirius,” line than I do, because . . . it was at the end of an awful year, in the midst of the most pain he’d ever experienced. Any of us would feel that way, that it wouldn’t be so bad to die rather than have Voldemort possess our bodies. I have some other thoughts on this, based on personal experience, that I’d really rather not post here.

I can’t really . . . put any stock in anything from the films, since they aren’t canon. The films are basically meaningless as far as I am concerned. I can only argue from what JKR says and the books say, especially since the films have been made without complete knowledge of the last book. The only thing I think that line means is that, from what I remember, they didn’t have Dumbledore say [during the fight], “There are things worth than death [horcruxes, destroying your soul],” so they had Voldemort imply that Harry was going to lose everything in contrast to Harry’s realization that love and friendship are what is most important. I agree that your interpretation is compelling, but I’m just not convinced.

Maybe the veil is the answer to a lot of this. Many “epic quest” stories have the main character entering the land of the dead, and that’s why I think that part of the story will take place behind the veil. If Voldemort and Harry do battle behind the veil and Harry returns, it would be, in a sense, his death and resurrection. I think something like that is very likely, especially since we have been given so much Christ imagery surrounding Harry. But I think Harry is going to survive the battle.

and divination may be played for laughs, but there’s always the possibility that that could be ironic, especially with “miss know-it-all” being the primary jester. and while dumbledore may be right in part about voldemort and harry choosing to make the prophecy important, i don’t believe at all that if harry had shrugged it off then that would mean that he would never come to that final showdown and all would be well.

and do you have to sit around moping for the one thing you truly want in order to truly want it? the one and only thing that i truly, deeply long for is to be with Christ in glory, but that doesn’t mean that i just mope around while i’m stuck on earth. there’s a lot for me to live for here, but the one thing i truly want and desire transcends this earth. i think it’s much the same with harry. harry very much loves his friends, but i think his truest and deepest desire is to be with his parents.

another point that convinces me he will die comes in here and also goes back to that line, “you will lose everything” (i thought this before the ads for the movie came out, but that line put it in place for me; i think it’s significant that they chose to add that line to the film).

voldemort thinks that killing harry will ensure victory for he and the death eaters, but it’s quite the opposite. another biblical allusion here as it is often said that the demons rejoiced at the death of Christ, thinking they had overcome God, only to be triumphed over and openly shamed (Col 2) by the death and resurrection of Jesus.

i think the sacrifice that harry will make will be a lot like this in that, through love, harry will overcome the hate and evil of voldemort and the death eaters and they will be destroyed and shamed by the death of “the boy who lived,” rather than be victorious through that death. so rather than harry losing everything by his death, evil will lose everything as it is overthrown by love.

i said i wasn’t going to comment on other characters, but this is also why i don’t think either ron or hermione will die. just as i believe the books have been pointing to harry’s death all along, so do i also believe that they’ve been pointing to ron and hermione as the ones who will carry on after the big battle is over.

As far as the prophecy being smoke and mirrors, I don’t get the impression that we are supposed to believe that the prophecy meant that Harry was “predestined” to fight Voldemort. Dumbledore said again and again that the prophecy was only important because Voldemort – and now Harry – choose to make it so. The theme of the books, again and again, is that choices are what is important. There are some “real” prophecies, but I don’t think we’re supposed to put weight in prophecy, but rather in choice. Divination is mostly played for laughs, after all.

With that in mind, I don’t disagree that Harry going to have to make some kind of sacrifice (or at least try), but I don’t think that means he’s going to die. It may be part of going behind the veil, which I do think will happen.

And I never really understand the, “She has to kill him so she won’t write about him,” or the, “She has to kill him so that other people don’t write about him,” theories. I mean, she seems like a pretty determined/disciplined person. If she says she’s done, I believe her. And I don’t think that Harry has to die for her to be done telling his story.

i’m going to be the naysayer (eternal glory!). first, i would hate it if both lucius and draco weren’t dead by the end of book 7. if only one of then dies, i hope it’s draco. i seriously hate that boy.

second, snape is good and will somehow be redeemed. he has to be.

those are the only two “minor” characters that i have strong opinions on.

now for the main event. harry will die. i am convinced that there is no other way because i believe that it IS that kind of story. and most of my convincing is also due to the chapter title, “the boy who lived.” why did he live? there must have been a purpose. i think a greater tragedy at the end of the series would be for harry to not sacrifice himself for love the way his parents did (and i think all the references to lilly’s eyes come in here as well). if harry doesn’t die, then, to me at least, it will seem like there was never any real threat to his safety; that all the prophecies and training and mysteries were just smoke and mirrors.

i think what most convinces me is book 5, particularly the events in the department of mysteries. two things here: dumbledore’s response to voldemort that there are things much worse than death and harry’s thought that if he dies he’ll be able to see sirius again. and not only sirius, but he’ll be able to be with his parents again, the only way that i think harry can be truly happy. that’s what the books are all about, right? harry and his parents. “a family that sacrifices together, stays together”

i know it’s not in the book, but the line in the movie (and all the trailers and tv spots) where voldemort tells harry “you will lose…everything” has also convinced me of this. if harry dies, he won’t lose everything. he’ll gain much more than he’ll lose. i don’t think rowling will be taking anything away from harry if she offs him, but she’ll be giving him the only thing he truly and deeply wants: to be with his parents again.

there are more reasons i think he’ll die, but i don’t want to write a tome in a comment. i will say, though, that killing him is also the only possible way that i think rowling will truly be able to stick to her commitment that she’ll never write about harry again after book 7.

only a little over 4 days left til we find out!!

And . . . she said there is a person who will do magic later in life, and I think maybe it’ll be Dudley.