PC Reading List

One side of me tells me that Harry will die. He is the archetypal hero who dies for the good of the people, marked from birth, orphaned, separated for a time from the world he is destined to save... all of it. I think that would make for a satisfying story if he suffered a heroic, redemptive death, and it would put to rest the possibility of continuation of Harry's story (though not the other wizards in his world). But I wonder if the author of such a popular series and character would be brave enough to do that these days. After all, Hollywood endings have shaped the reader's expectations as much as anything, nowadays. It would be a bold step, though very in tune with the genre traditions. I just wonder whether it will be done. If it is, then Rowling really has my admiration.

I do suspect, one way or another, that we will see Snape redeemed. Either he isn't really evil now, and has done all he has had to do in order to help Harry, and to achieve Dumbledore's ends (I suspect this is true). Or, if he is really in league with Voldemort, and has been all along, then I think we will see some scene of redemption along the way. Redemption has been too important a theme for it to be left aside here at the end, and Snape's story has been so perfectly woven to powerfully incorporate this theme.

I likewise expect to see Malfoy come into play, in a scene of he and Harry coming to some alliance, burying the past. This will mean the reunification of the 4 houses, and a new "magic" of unified power. I think that will become a key issue in the final book. With Slytherin back in the fold, so to speak, it will make the magical world less polarized, and thus more powerful. At least, so it should go.

It will be exciting to see what actually happens in the books. And it would be fun to hear other predictions. I'll watch the comments section below to see them.