Crackpot theories for HP Book the Seventh

[stoney321]

Spoilers for up to Book 6, but as I'm still re-reading GoF, it's mainly focusing on books 1-4.

There obviously are more Animagi than just the 7 registered.  Did Hermione see the list of all of them when looking up Rita Skeeter?  Or just see that SHE wasn't on the list?  Because:

• Dumbledore could be a phoenix (hence the crypt bursting into flames)
• Granny Longbottom could be Neville's TOAD.  (Wouldn't that be awesome?  And she keeps getting "lost" because she's checking on conditions/searching for his missing things, etc?  Hee!)
• Lilly Potter could have attempted to be one, too, when she learned James' had done it.  (I mean, come on.  He was SUCH a braggart.)

1. Did anyone else catch that Malfoy bragged in CoS that there was a secret chamber ("we have our own chamber of secrets") under Lucius' drawing room floor?  More horcruxes will likely be found there, I assume.
2. I still think that Hogwarts is a horcrux.  Which means the school will have to be destroyed.  :(  (Think back on how much magic is in the walls, etc.  And how Dumbledore said Voldemort was obsessed with things pertaining to the school.)
3. I read a theory that the Weasleys are the Heir of Gryffindor, which makes me glad in my heart.
4. I think Molly will die in book 7, which is SOUL CRUSHING.  (JKR has a thing about killing mothers.  I think Narcissa will die, too.)
5. We're all agreed that Justin Finch-Fletchley is obviously gay, right?  I mean, he was fangirling Lockhart!  Hahaha.
6. Or maybe Harry is Godwin Godrich's heir...  That would be cool, too.  WHich could further my OTHER theory that HARRY is a horcrux, which means he'll have to die, which makes me sad.
7. Or Harry won't die, Neville will, because JKR likes killing innocent good people.  :((((
8. I see all sorts of fascination in fanfic, forums, etc. with wandless magic and how difficult it must be, which makes me laugh because Harry's been doing that since he was little.  (Glass disappearing in the Snake House, blowing up his Aunt, etc.) and Hagrid asks him if he ever "caused something to happen when he was mad" so clearly it's not rare.  Hmm.
9. A HUGE deal is made of picking out wands, or rather, the wands picking the magician, and how if you use someone ELSE'S wand, you won't get the proper/best results.  So Ron uses Charlie's wand for year 1-2, and is clearly a mediocre student as a result.  (Especially when he's using a broken wand in Book 2)  Why did Charlie get a new wand?  Is this even significant?  I posit that EVERYTHING in the books is important, because she doesn't let any mundane info remain mundane for long.
10. Has Crookshanks ever been around Snape?  (That's how you could find out if we should Trust Snape or is Snape is a bad bad man.)
11. Dumbledore makes a point in Book 3 to tell Harry that letting Peter Petigrew go free (and saving his life) will come back in a good way later.  Obviously this is going to tie them together in a way that might prevent Voldemort from killing Harry.  (Maybe Peter will have to be sacrificed instead?)
12. If saving a wizard's life binds them together, then Ron/Harry/Hermione are bound in the same way, as is Ginny to Harry.

Is it June 21 yet?  *reads like a fiend*

Comments

[sweetumms33.livejournal.com]

I still think that Hogwarts is a horcrux.

I think the argument there is Voldemort would have to have it with him when he kills to immediately transfer his soul, but he would never have been able to kill on the grounds themselves, so Hogwarts really can't be. And the death of Myrtle doesn't count, because Myrtle herself admits to it being an accident. To make a horcrux, you need intent.

which makes me laugh because Harry's been doing that since he was little. (Glass disappearing in the Snake House, blowing up his Aunt, etc.) and Hagrid asks him if he ever "caused something to happen when he was mad" so clearly it's not rare. Hmm.

There's a difference between accidental magic (what little kids do when angry/sad etc) and wandless magic, what Dumbledore does. One requires supreme concentration while the other is usually a temper-tantrum. I think the reason we all want to know is that I've never seen anyone other than Dumbledore do it, so its the question of of how powerful you have to be, and whether or not Harry is, because of his wands connection to Voldemort.

Why did Charlie get a new wand? Is this even significant?

I wondered about this. I assumed that Charlie had been using a hand-me-down from a dead relative, and eventually was able to get one specified to him. So that wand just got passed down again, to Ron. A lot of wizarding families must have their dead ancestors wands lying around if each wand is specifically for one wizard.

Yes yes, I know, I'm a HUGE dork *blushes* I can't wait to read the book either, I'm envious, I want to start my re-reads!

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Well... It wasn't an accident that she was killed, she was killed by the basilisk at Riddle's command. The only thing about that... what year was Riddle when he learned from Slughorn about horcruxes? Because Riddle had the Basilisk out his Fifth year, I think.

Who says there's a difference with "accidental" magic and wandless? I don't think with Harry there's a distinction. Over and over Harry keeps doing things "on instinct" in regards to the big reveals at the end, and clearly he had some subconscious intent to do something to Dudley and Aunt Marge, imo. So... I'm not ready to rule that out as being the same in Harry's case.

Oooh, I didn't think about the passing down ancestral wands! I like that idea, and wonder if there's a rule about that. Very cool. And you aren't a huge dork! I mean, I made a post about all of this stuff! You're in a large company! :D

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

SHUT IT WITH THE MOCKING, YO. Poor Breath! Are you feeling all icky? I'm off to read right now! (Call my cell)

[lettered.livejournal.com]

-Granny Longbottom as Neville's toad is *such* an awesome idea. Or the idea that the toad is anyone, actually.

1. Missed it. Haven't read that one in 5 years.
2. Never thought of Hogwarts as a Horcrux! Awesome!
3. Dobby should be the Heir of Gryffindor.
4. I have this terror that Neville will die. I hope Draco will be orphaned.
5. Yes, Justin is gay.
6. So many people are saying Harry's a Horcrux that my theory is that he's not.
7. Hee! I wrote the part about my terror for Neville before I read this one. He's not my favorite character, but I would be more upset if he died than any other character, for the reason you say. He's more of an innocent, imo.
8. Seems to me doing it on purpose, with a focus, is much more rare. In HBP there is some mention made of this. Snape talks about the difficulty of it when teaching DADA, doesn't he, and Harry can't do it because he's not good at focusing. So it's not wandless magic, it's control of wandless magic that's difficult I think.
9. Oooh! Never thought of that. I really want Ron to excell at something. It sucks to not find a calling.
10. Got both stickers. *puffs out chest*
11. I hope so. Pettigrew needs redemption.
12. Never thought of that! Awesome.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I really really REALLY think we'll discover the Toad is someone. Too many mentions, you know?

4. Me, too! On both counts.
6. It would be cool if Harry were, but then he'd have to die as well as Voldemort, so I think maybe not on account of that.
10. I read! Heeee! And I made sure to give you a super secret shout out. :D
11. Ooooh, I don't know about redemption, but maybe payment? For past crimes. I don't know that it qualifies as redemption, because he's a ratfink, so he would only be FORCED to do something good, if that makes sense?

[lettered.livejournal.com]

You are so right on the toad! Can't believe I never thought of/heard that theory before!

10. HEE! *squishes*
11. The thing is, Pettigrew is a Gryffindor. Sure, the Sorting Hat could've been wrong, or maybe he was brave at one time but isn't any more, but personally I would like to see him do something brave before the end. I know that brave doesn't equal good, but none of Wormtail's evil actions have been brave, either, which makes me think if he ever proves he's a Gryffindor, it'll be in doing something good.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

11. I have this niggling idea that she's going to show that just by virtue of being in a house doesn;t really define you. As in: Snape isn't evil. Slughorn is jolly and likeable, even though he's a bit of an ass. Maybe Peter's moment of bravery was him going against his friends and siding with Voldemort/giving up the Potters.

I mean, Hermione is incredibly intelligent and brave, but she didn't go into Ravenclaw. Neville is sweet and incredibly loyal, but he's not a Hufflepuff.

The SOrting Hat made a point about how they all need to band together and forget their differences to survive, so maybe that's a set up to further illustrate what I said above?

[lettered.livejournal.com]

I really agree that JKR is going to try to show that judging someone based on their House is just as bad as judging on their blood or name; prejudice is a big point of the books. And I definitely agree that's what the Sorting Hat is talking about. But I don't think that precludes the idea that the Sorting Hat is right about the characters possessing the virtues of the House to which it sorts them into.

The "virtue" of Slytherin is not being evil, unhappy, or unlikeable. It's wileliness and ambition, and both Snape and Slughorn have that in spades. Hermione and Neville both have attributes of other Houses, but have also proven they do have the Gryffindor virtue of incredible bravery.

As you say, Peter's bravery could totally be him siding with Voldemort, which is what I was trying to address when I said not all bravery is good. But everything we've seen so far about Pettigrew has suggested he went to Voldemort for the exact opposite motivation of bravery--cowardice.

I guess I'm arguing this point because I would find it so less interesting if Pettigrew only changed his colors in the end because he was forced to, rather than because he decided to himself. But who knows! I'm excited.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm not making a lot of sense and getting my words out properly because I'm all headachey and head full of paint fumes, but!

Peter going to Voldemort because of cowardice, I can see that to a point. Sirius certainly called him on that with "you always needed friends stronger than you." He did kill that woman in GoF on his own volition, though. I have to say, I like the idea of someone (who literally is a rat, haha) STAYING a rat. Because - to me - it cheapens something if he changes his ways, because that's not real, is it? (Not to say some people can't change, but it's rare.)

I didn't mean to imply that the virtue of Slytherin was being evil, etc. I forgot to add in my sentence the mention of how we've been told over and over that "there wasn't a witch nor wizard that went bad that wasn't a Slytherin." Which... we know isn't true. (See: Peter Pettigrew/Sirius Black before the truth came out)

I'm like you: I don't want a "deathbed confession" from Peter. One thing that makes Voldemort such a wonderful character is how there is NO compassion in him, nothing good at all. I love that.

[globalfruitbat.livejournal.com]

July! It's *sob* July 21st! Stoney, I don't think I can wait that long!

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

DAMMIT, I MEANT JULY. (But subconsciously I want it to be JUUUUUUNE.)

I WANT IT IN MY HANDS NOW, PLSTHX.

[demonqueen666.livejournal.com]

I think Molly will die in book 7, which is SOUL CRUSHING. (JKR has a thing about killing mothers. I think Narcissa will die, too.)

ACK. Didn't think of that, but I can definitely see where you're getting it from.
I'm more scared for Narcissa, because after five books of never getting to know her and just assuming that the Malfoys are your stereotypical "rich family with no real wub", in Book 6 we both met Narcissa and then found out that 1) Draco means something to her and 2) Draco does care about both his parents.
That has got to be significant, somehow.

Or Harry won't die, Neville will, because JKR likes killing innocent good people.

I'm afraid of this very much, mainly because of the seemingly incidental reveal that Neville fulfills the prophecy conditions just as well as Harry himself. Again, that must have some significance.

Has Crookshanks ever been around Snape?

...no. Interesting. No, I really don't think he ever has. Hmmm.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I think we're definitely going to get a better picture of the Malfoys and Belatrix in Book 7, for sure. And I'm so excited about it!

I wonder if Crookshanks will be the big reveal for Snape being evil or not - that way it can be officially established that he's a Kneazle. :D

[prophecygirrl.livejournal.com]

I think Harry is a Horcrux, too. Best fit overall. And, I agree that there is merit to the idea of Neville's grandmum being the toad -- LOVE this.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I mean, seriously! All those Toad mentions? It has to be significant, right? *G*

And if Harry is a Horcrux (made when James and Lilly were killed) it makes sense that he couldn't kill Harry - there must be some deep magic involved in someone not being able to kill a portion of their own soul as a safeguard or something. (I wonder what - if Harry IS a Horcrux - the intended item was for the Horcrux?)

[prophecygirrl.livejournal.com]

Hee! I love your icon!

I always loved the idea that Harry's safety was a result of his Mother's love and ultimate sacrifice in his defense. Maybe that is kind of an anti-horcrux, morphing the normal effects? *scratches head*

I'll have to re-read now -- such a chore! :D

[prophecygirrl.livejournal.com]

Oooh... I just remembered! One of my hairbrained theories about Snape was that he was in love with Lilly, because she was kind to him (pretty heavily hinted at, no?) I don't think we're through yet with the stories of that love spell -- either a James/Lilly/Snape triangle or Harry/Ginny issues there, I think.

[brandil.livejournal.com]

I'm right there with you on the Dumbledore/phoenix theory. I'm not sure he *is* a Phoenix but I think there's a mystical tie there that's very VERY important.

yes, I caught the Malfoy's having a chamber of secrets. I may not have if I hadn't read so much fic based on it though!

9) The REAL question is why did Lily have more than one wand? In PS Ollivander mentions that Lily's first wand was particularly good at charms

I too, believe Harry is a horcrux. I also believe that Harry will die in the end a la The Matrix triology. BUT this is a children's book so he may not!

10) Not to my knowledge. ::bites nails::

11/12) I've read a lot of fic that spins off of the (pettigrew) ideas, I love Pettigrew having the wizarding debt but honestly never thought about the trio + ginny in that capactiy.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, there's fic about the Malfoy's Chamber of Secrets? (It's all BDSM, isn't it? Hahah!)

9. I noticed that, too. Someone up top mentioned the Snape/Lily possibilities - maybe we'll find out more about her in Book 7? I hope so. Or a series about the Marauders.

12. Really? That was the first thing I thought of when I read Dumbledore's mentioning Peter being in Harry's debt/magical bind. Then again, I've read a lot of THOSE types of fics (Ron/Hermione, my HP OTP. Heee!)

[brandil.livejournal.com]

:-) Some of the better one's start with Lucius doing something horrible in the Chamber (or Voldemort) and Draco witnessing it, realizing the guy is a raving loony and setting off for Hogwarts to change sides. One of the most memorable has Voldemort killing Narcissa. And I think that Draco triology by that Cassie Claire person focused on it quite a bit.

That Snape fic I recced last week is essentially about Snape and LIly's friendship and is a damn AMAZING read.

I don't read a lot of fics without Slytherin main characters because I'm kinda warped that way. I need me some Draco or Snape or sometimes Blaise to draw me in.

[essene.livejournal.com]

4. Molly W.I.L.L.N.O.T.D.I.E. So stop it already! *clutches Molly close to bosom*

3. Oooooh, I hadn't heard the Weasley as the Gryffindor heirs. Me likey.

9. Poor Ron has suffered so much as a result of hand-me-downs; but I do think she addressed the wand thing with Harry and Voldemort having the only wands with the same hearts.

2. I like the idea of Hogwarts as a horcrux--but stop with the things being destroyed! You're like a mad woman bent on total annihilation! *wheezes into paper bag*

aside: have you not read the books before? If not: *squee* for you!

I'm re-reading and almost done with book 1 and heaven only knows where I put book 2 *sigh* they were all so innocent once.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

4. From your lips to JKR's ears!! (I hope that is true. I LOOOOOVE Molly.)

9. No, I meant that Ollivander made a big deal about THE wand choosing THE wizard, and that it's a very particular thing. So why would you have multiple wands, you see? (Unless that's the mark of an inferior wizard?) I like the idea of Ron getting a really good - money was no object - wand and proves that he's very good. (We already know from Book 3 and 4 that he has a bit of a Seer in him, ha!)

To your aside: oh, many times!! I'm just re-reading them all from start to the Book 7 countdown and asking a bunch of questions all over again. There's an LJ comm dedicated to a chapter/2 chapters a day re-reads with discussion questions, but it ends up being page after page of "omg, my favorite part!" or "lol Lupin! I heart him ***sigh***" and I want to TALK about things. :D

*clings to you* How are you, cookie? All recovered from the big bad city? *g*

[essene.livejournal.com]

I'm just amazed at how well the books hold up. This is...I guess my 4th go round with the first 4 (when I get to the 5th & 6th it'll be the 2nd for those) and the tone and mood and characterization and imagery and well...everything just are great. I'm kind of dreading when I get to book 5 (it was my least favorite for a variety of reasons), but maybe that'll change as I re-read *hope*. It's just such a great set of work.

I'm okay re: THE city. I just can't figure out why anyone would actually want to live there.

Now as far as work goes...OMG. But we're (that's the royal we) drinking wine now. So the edges are dulling and that's good. Plus? Arthur's on. Heh.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Well, now I'm curious as to why #5 wasn't a fave. Was it the CAPSLOCK OF RAGE HARRY? Because I found that to be... pretty accurate for that age of boy. Heee!

(Also, storge_space made me laugh my ass off at PotterMouth's constant CASPLOCK.)

I have to say, I loooooove NYC. Lemme clarify: I love VISITING NYC. If I had no children, I would consider living there. Except for how I hate winter. But the culture? The food? The ease of transportation? All yeses for me. But let's face it: southern/Texan to the core. I'm more Austin than I'm a New Yorker. :D

[essene.livejournal.com]

IMO J.K. got diarreha of the word processing program and her editor didn't man up. There was a lot of unnecessary wordage up in there. I know she wants each book to move up and be equal in level and readability with Harry, but more words doesn't always mean better book.

And yeah, I don't disagree that teens can be a rough bunch, but I think that it just went on TOO long. I could feel dementors sucking my life away via Harry's neverendingsagaofomgmeangst. And I just had a really hard time believing that Dumbledore would be that much of an idiot.

But I'll re-read. Like I said, it might improve with age (mine). :grin:

I don't even like visiting NYC too much. The buildings are too tall and too close together, it smells like transmission, exhaust and stale air and there's garbage everywhere. It's basically like everything I hate about DC on CRACK. I nearly didn't move here because I've been known to have panic attacks brought on by megolopolises (megolopoli?). I'm an open sky, see the horizon on a regular basis kinda gal.

Now. That's not saying I won't visit for a show and dinner! Or people I love! ;-)