Three days to go before the worldwide release of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, and A Legilimens looks into the most-wanted head this week. 10 things I think, that are certainties in the last (or, to put it safely, 7th) book. Check back to see how I scored on Sunday.
10. Dumbledore Is Not Dead
You want to know why ?? Elementary, my dear Watson. The first question in any homicide - where is the body ?? Nope, you don't see it till the end of HBP. Second, we all know that Albus Dumbledore is the Gandalf of the series, so it is only fair that he comes back when they need him the most (which would be when Potter is a few inches from Voldemort's wand with him having said 'Avada Kedavrrr...'). For all conspiracy theorists, check this out. Somewhere in OOTP, when Moody is showing pictures of all the Aurors when the Order was formed, we get a casual mention of Aberforth Dumbledore - Albus' brother. Why am I thinking that it was Aberforth who took the hit from Snape than Albus ? If there is nothing added to the storyline by Aberforth and he is only a bar tender at The Hog's Head, why even mention him ?
9. Crookshanks & Padfoot
The next big secret of the series. That ginger tabby cat called Crookshanks is Regulus Arctrus Black. Let us face it, folks. Crookshanks hasn't done anything spectacular in his time. JKR would not include a character that stays with the trio all along, but still does nothing but purring and hissing. What we do know is that Crookshanks chased around Scabbers and Padfoot (Sirius) was spotted with Crookshanks a few times in POA. Regulus is as talented as his brother and so he would be an Animagus too. He was the opposite of Sirius (joined the Death Eaters, was close to his parents than Sirius ever was) and hence, understandably, took a form that was the opposite of Sirius' - a cat.
8. Precious Pettigrew
Another place where JKR alludes to LOTR. Remember the time in FOTR when Frodo says that Gollum deserves to die, only to be interrupted by Gandalf and said that Gollum might become useful sometime ?? Now, you have seen the part where Harry screams at Dumbledore that Peter should be killed in POA. You are about to see the part where Pettigrew (willingly or unwillingly) saves Harry and dies.
7. Primetime Fighting Challenge
Hagrid Vs That brutal giant leader who hurt him and Maxime in OOTP.
Lupin & Bill Vs Ferir Greyback and his army of werewolves
The Patils Vs Parkinson & Bulstrode
Dean & Seamus Vs Goyle & Crabbe
Ron Vs Draco
Arthur Vs Lucius
Mad-eye, Tonks, Kingsley, Mcgonagall Vs Rudolphus, Rabastan, Macnair, Rookwood
Dobby Vs Kreacher
Firenze Vs Bane
So many matchups. So little time.
6. A Change of Heart
Make no mistake - No matter what JKR says about the books getting darker and moving more towards adult readers, this is still a children's fantasy at heart. There are many bad guys to die in gruesome ways (Lucius, Rudolphus, Macnair, Crabbe Sr, Goyle Sr), that would leave Draco realizing the pointlessness of things, apologizing to Narcissa and repenting. Message of forgiveness conveyed.
5. Romeo+Juliet (without the death of course)
Ron+Hermione. I can see one half screaming "Obviously" and the other half, "What ?? Its Harry & Hermione". Congratulations to the first half, you have it right. The second half, kindly switch to reading some other series. It was so blatantly obvious right from the early books that it was meant to be Ron & Hermione. Heck, Chris Columbus even put a scene where Hermione hesitates to give Ron a hug.
4. The Return of Sirius
Nope, we are not talking about Tulsi here. This is Sirius, so no more come backs. Probably a few murmurs from behind the veil, but nothing more. However, Harry has a new Godfather - Regulus, who, in all probability, looks exactly like Sirius (thereby giving Gary Oldman a part in DH - The Movie). Fill it in with usual scenes where Regulus cleans up the Black Family Tree and adds the names of Sirius, Tonks in Grimmauld Place and then, in a soft voice, asking Harry if he could move in with him.
3. Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold
Regardless of our preferences towards Gandhi and Munnabhai, we all love a bit of ass-kicking. Nothing beats a scene where the baddest guy gets smoked by the fumbling underdog. To top it with the fact that baddest guy ruined the underdog's family, we have a moment that matches the intensity Gandalf's entry into Helm's Deep, or Aragorn and the Army of The Dead at Gondor. So, whats the best match up we have for DH ?? Obviously, Neville nailing Bellatrix. Hopefully, pushing her into the veil. Preferably, with the Cruciatus. Possibly, with his father's wand which was broken in OOTP.
2. The Real Star
For many of us (and Yes, _many_ of us), the real star of DH would be Severus Snape. A misunderstood hero, who probably made the biggest of sacrifices all along. Note that Severus is one of the best Occlumens around and he clearly mentions that only a great Occlumens would be able to lie in front of Voldemort, who is an accomplished Legilimens himself. Severus saved Potter when Quirrel was jinxing the broom in PS. Severus also tried to protect the trio from a changed Lupin in POA. He taught Harry Occlumency and at a time when Harry wanted to convey a message to the Order, he conveyed it - which effectively saved everyone at the Ministry of Magic. Even in HBP, Severus had chances to finish potter off himself, but didn't. He also didn't allow anyone else to get to Dumbledore, because only he knew how to get the job done. In DH, Severus would save Harry (yet again), only this time, he would lose his life and be etched in the upper echelons of tragic heroes :-) (okay, that was a tad too much, but you get the drift, don't you ?).
1. Harry Potter will not die.
Obviously.
Glossary
PS - Philosopher's Stone
COS - Chamber of Secrets
POA - Prisoner of Azkaban
GOF - Goblet of Fire
OOTP - Order of The Phoenix
HBP - Half Blood Prince
DH - Deathly Hallows
JKR - Joanne K Rowling
JRRT - JRR Tolkien
LOTR - Lord of The Rings
FOTR - Fellowship of The Ring
TTT - The Two Towers
ROTK - Return of The King
Read on ... (at your own peril, obviously) ...
