by gadfly22 » Wednesday 20 July 2005 9:04:09pm
I'm trying to work backwards here to some reasonable theories about Book 7. What absolutely MUST happen? That means we have to whittle any assumptions down to virtually nothing. So, what must happen?
1. Voldemort must be utterly and completely destroyed. The only assumption here is that JKR will opt NOT to write the darkest, most pessimistic book for primarily young readers ever.
2. For Voldy to be vanquished, the remaining horcruxes must be found and destroyed -- and there are (presumably) 4 of them stowed in safe places.
3. Because of the multiple horcruxes stored in multiple locations, Book 7 will need to range over a wider geography than any previous book and be much less tied to Hogwarts.
4. The identity of "R.A.B" will be revealed, and that person will be someone known to Voldy (because you don't write a gloat note to someone and sign it only with initials if the target of the note won't know who those initials belong to).
5. Pettigrew will have a role in Voldy's downfall (per the clear portent in GoF), on the theory that intentionally loose ends must be tied up somehow (the "Loose Ends Theory").
6. Info being withheld by the Dursleys will be revealed (also by the Loose Ends Theory).
Where does all this lead? I dunno. But there must be more of these items and more inferences that can be drawn from them.