orichalcum (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
orichalcum) wrote2005-06-10 01:33 pm
orichalcum) wrote2005-06-10 01:33 pm
The Great Harry Potter Book Six Death Contest
So, everything after the cut, first of all, is only for people who've read Books 1-5 and are planning on reading Book Six. It seems pretty clear generally, however, that at least someone whose name we know is going to die in Book Six, and so I'm curious as to people's theories. The first person who correctly guesses the two most major character deaths in HBP will win, mmm, a yummy dessert of their choice from me next time I see them, plus everlasting fame and glory.
Here are my candidates, in no particular order, with reasons for and against each of them. Feel free to add new suggestions.
1. Albus Percival Brian Wulfric Dumbledore:
Pro: Dumbledore's obviously biting it at some point, being the Wise Old Mentor (if kinda psychotic and manipulative.) The question for him is Book Six or Seven, I feel.
Con: Book Seven might be more dramatic and give Harry the impetus to finally take charge and go kill V.
2. Arthur Weasley
Pro: Yet another father figure down the drain.
Con: He already got grievously injured in Book V.
3. Molly Weasley
Pro: Mama figure dies again. Very tragic. Plus, foreshadowed by her whole Boggart experience.
Con: Would totally devastate all the Weasleys. And Harry would starve to death.
4. Bill and Charlie Weasley:
Pro: One of these boys is almost certainly going to die. There are just too many male Weasleys NOT to die. And we don't really care about them a lot, and they have risky jobs. There's an Avada with a Weasley name on it.
Con: Not a big enough death to be the Main Death.
5. Percy Weasley:
Pro: Ah, the Edmund/Pettigrew figure. Redeems himself by dying heroically to save his family, probably. Or goes over to the Dark Side and then gets killed by one of his siblings. Either way, more likely dead than not, but I'm betting not till Book 7.
Con: More interesting as redeemed or villain than as corpse. As A. says, "What a Tory!"
6. Fred and George Weasley:
Pro: Cool, reckless characters. And it's always sad when 1/2 twins die. Not that we can tell them apart.
Con: I think Rowling likes them too much to kill them.
7. Ron, Ginny, and Hermione:
Pro: Well, that would certainly be a big blow and upset people.
Con: Not going to happen until, maybe, end of Book 7. Have Major Character Exemption. Much like, say, Harry. And Voldemort.
8. Remus Lupin:
Pro: Everyone who ever met James and Lily Potter must Die. In Front of Harry, if at all possible!
Con: Poor guy has suffered enough already, and doesn't Harry need someone to get him out of brood-mode?
9. Hagrid:
Pro: Big, reckless, giant, totally ready to sacrifice himself for Harry. Plus, would really hurt Harry, and we know Rowling likes that.
Con: The guy's been fired like 4 times already. And besides, who would deal with Grawp?
10. Mr. and Mrs. Granger:
Pro: My personal most likely pick for Book 6. Hermione totally neglects them for the wizarding world, and as the helpless Muggle parents of Hogwarts' best student and Harry's best friend, they're sitting ducks. Plus, then Hermione can empathize with Harry.
Con: Kinda random, and we don't care about them as people. But that would fit with the Diggory pattern, in which deaths are more about how they affect the living.
Other suggestions?
Here are my candidates, in no particular order, with reasons for and against each of them. Feel free to add new suggestions.
1. Albus Percival Brian Wulfric Dumbledore:
Pro: Dumbledore's obviously biting it at some point, being the Wise Old Mentor (if kinda psychotic and manipulative.) The question for him is Book Six or Seven, I feel.
Con: Book Seven might be more dramatic and give Harry the impetus to finally take charge and go kill V.
2. Arthur Weasley
Pro: Yet another father figure down the drain.
Con: He already got grievously injured in Book V.
3. Molly Weasley
Pro: Mama figure dies again. Very tragic. Plus, foreshadowed by her whole Boggart experience.
Con: Would totally devastate all the Weasleys. And Harry would starve to death.
4. Bill and Charlie Weasley:
Pro: One of these boys is almost certainly going to die. There are just too many male Weasleys NOT to die. And we don't really care about them a lot, and they have risky jobs. There's an Avada with a Weasley name on it.
Con: Not a big enough death to be the Main Death.
5. Percy Weasley:
Pro: Ah, the Edmund/Pettigrew figure. Redeems himself by dying heroically to save his family, probably. Or goes over to the Dark Side and then gets killed by one of his siblings. Either way, more likely dead than not, but I'm betting not till Book 7.
Con: More interesting as redeemed or villain than as corpse. As A. says, "What a Tory!"
6. Fred and George Weasley:
Pro: Cool, reckless characters. And it's always sad when 1/2 twins die. Not that we can tell them apart.
Con: I think Rowling likes them too much to kill them.
7. Ron, Ginny, and Hermione:
Pro: Well, that would certainly be a big blow and upset people.
Con: Not going to happen until, maybe, end of Book 7. Have Major Character Exemption. Much like, say, Harry. And Voldemort.
8. Remus Lupin:
Pro: Everyone who ever met James and Lily Potter must Die. In Front of Harry, if at all possible!
Con: Poor guy has suffered enough already, and doesn't Harry need someone to get him out of brood-mode?
9. Hagrid:
Pro: Big, reckless, giant, totally ready to sacrifice himself for Harry. Plus, would really hurt Harry, and we know Rowling likes that.
Con: The guy's been fired like 4 times already. And besides, who would deal with Grawp?
10. Mr. and Mrs. Granger:
Pro: My personal most likely pick for Book 6. Hermione totally neglects them for the wizarding world, and as the helpless Muggle parents of Hogwarts' best student and Harry's best friend, they're sitting ducks. Plus, then Hermione can empathize with Harry.
Con: Kinda random, and we don't care about them as people. But that would fit with the Diggory pattern, in which deaths are more about how they affect the living.
Other suggestions?
Simple
I'm not sure Neville's grown up enough to take on Bella yet, and he's clearly the one supposed to kill her.
(My mental matchups for Big Final Battle there: Remus vs. Peter, Neville vs. Bella, a Weasley vs. Lucius Malfoy, Ron vs. Draco unless Draco redeems himself, Hermione vs. Pansy, everyone else defending Harry.)
no subject
But I like the rest of your matchups - Bella is definitely Neville's to take.
And I think Harry's destined to become DADA teacher. And I'm still keeping Snape on my long-shot list.
And I really hope McGonagall doesn't die. That would be sad. Plus, we've already had her in serious enough peril to be one of the death-fakeouts in Book 5 :)
Re: Simple
Oh, I don't know, I think there's some worthwhile quiet tragedy in having Snape die without having achieved either of those things, particularly DADA, and particularly if he dies in some manner saving Harry. It would work for me. I think Rowling's a good enough writer to pull it off. But I agree that it's more plausible that he'll get something, and I also think he's much more likely to die in book 7 in general because I think his relationship with Harry has a ways to play out.
*sigh* I suppose you're probably right about Neville being the one to take down Bellatrix, but I think it could happen in book 6. Actually, come to think of it, I don't necessarily bet on it, but I think it could be fascinating if Dumbledore dies protecting Neville/helping Neville kill Bellatrix (rather than protecting/helping Harry) in some situation that is caused by Harry behaving in a Dark Side manner. Because I still think Harry is going to get Dumbledore killed; but it would be interesting if it happened in such a manner as to hammer on the Harry-gets-abandoned theme.
I dunno. I'll probably end up being wrong.