Category: Remus Lupin

Wizard romance? Theories abound

Is Snape evil? Who will die in Book 7? What clues has J.K. Rowling herself dropped? Who — besides Michael Gambon — should have been cast in the movies to play Dumbledore? See previous posts if you’re interested in those topics.

Ah, romance. I’ve offered my theory that Snape was obsessed with Lily Potter and that’s his motivation to try to kill Voldemort. But other theories involving romance exist, too.

Was Snape in love with Draco Malfoy’s mother, Narcissa Malfoy, not Lily Potter? Several online theorists point out the similarity of the Unbreakable Vow ceremony in the opening of Book 6 (Half-Blood Prince) to a wedding ceremony. Snape even says “I will.”

Here’s one lengthy essay that offers evidence for that theory — and other interesting tidbits as well, including a mention that St. Hedwig (Harry’s owl is named Hedwig) is the patroness of a small charitable order whose “chief aim is the education of orphaned and abandoned children.”

Yet another romance-related theory comes from a friend: Having a romantic relationship will protect the characters from death. So Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione won’t die. But those who aren’t blessed by love are at risk.

Some theorize that if Lupin dies, Tonks will die, too.

Finally, a prediction from a co-worker is that by the end, love will survive but so will evil. Just like real life. But I think Voldemort will have to die, and Snape along with him.

One ending word about Draco Malfoy, the weasel-faced boy who tried to kill Dumbledore but wimped out. Rowling has said she’s saddened by hearing about teenaged and preteen girls who think Draco is hot. She concedes the actor, Tom Felton, is a nice fellow and nice looking. But Draco? Yuck. What, she says, are those girls thinking?

If you want to explore more about this fascination with the rich, snobby bad boy, take a stroll on the fan fiction Web site page listing 1,574 pages written about Draco Malfoy and various romances. Warning: Fan fiction is a genre that is notoriously bad. Sticklers for punctuation, grammar and spelling should take pain medication beforehand.

Who’s gonna die?

So, who dies? (Sorry, blogger.com won’t let me title this. I’ll try later when the software wakes up from its midday nap.)

It was Emerson Spartz’s comment (see the 2005 interview with J.K. Rowling) that got me thinking about who will be killed off in Harry Potter No. 7, “The Deathly Hallows”: “The wise old wizard with the beard always dies.” (Think Obi-Wan Kenobi.)

An aside: But remember Gandalf, in Lord of the Rings. He came back. On the other hand, Rowling has said that in her books, when you’re dead you’re dead. I don’t think Dumbledore will come back. And I really hope he doesn’t come back as a blue-green hazy ghost floating around to impart wisdom at important plot junctures, as Obi-Wan did.

My buddy Dave Enna says that if you’re ever watching a low-budget movie and you see a beat up ’72 Pontiac, you know the car will explode sooner or later. Or if you’re watching a cheesy thriller and a blonde takes a shower early on, you know she will not survive.

Rowling has said two main characters will die in Book 7. There’s been much speculation about whether Harry will be one of them. As I wrote previously, I’m not sure he will live. But given the heroic genre, I don’t think he will.

That brings me to Remus Lupin. He’s one of my favorite characters — maybe my very favorite, after Dumbledore. He’s thoughtful, principled, brave, noble, has good taste in women (Tonks) and he’s living with a deathly illness for which polite society shuns him — werewolf-hood. Many AIDS parallels. Anyway, sorry to say, but soon as I met him in Book 3 I knew he’s too good to live. The only question is whether Rowling considers him a “main character.”

Ron — I don’t think both Harry and Ron will die. That means, I’m so sorry, Ron will have to. Maybe Harry will have to choose whether to kill Voldemort and at the same time kill Ron, or save Ron and let Voldy go.

Updated paragraph (4:21 p.m. Monday): In my haste I neglected to say that of course, Snape will die. Whether he’ll die as an act of noble sacrifice in order that Voldemort will die, or die battling the forces of good, or die some other way (this is my hunch), I don’t think he’ll survive.

Who else? Maybe Hagrid? At least one other Weasley, possibly more. Bill is probably toast, I fear. And Mr. Weasley, too.

Who’s gonna die?

So, who dies? (Sorry, blogger.com won’t let me title this. I’ll try later when the software wakes up from its midday nap.)

It was Emerson Spartz’s comment (see the 2005 interview with J.K. Rowling) that got me thinking about who will be killed off in Harry Potter No. 7, “The Deathly Hallows”: “The wise old wizard with the beard always dies.” (Think Obi-Wan Kenobi.)

An aside: But remember Gandalf, in Lord of the Rings. He came back. On the other hand, Rowling has said that in her books, when you’re dead you’re dead. I don’t think Dumbledore will come back. And I really hope he doesn’t come back as a blue-green hazy ghost floating around to impart wisdom at important plot junctures, as Obi-Wan did.

My buddy Dave Enna says that if you’re ever watching a low-budget movie and you see a beat up ’72 Pontiac, you know the car will explode sooner or later. Or if you’re watching a cheesy thriller and a blonde takes a shower early on, you know she will not survive.

Rowling has said two main characters will die in Book 7. There’s been much speculation about whether Harry will be one of them. As I wrote previously, I’m not sure he will live. But given the heroic genre, I don’t think he will.

That brings me to Remus Lupin. He’s one of my favorite characters — maybe my very favorite, after Dumbledore. He’s thoughtful, principled, brave, noble, has good taste in women (Tonks) and he’s living with a deathly illness for which polite society shuns him — werewolf-hood. Many AIDS parallels. Anyway, sorry to say, but soon as I met him in Book 3 I knew he’s too good to live. The only question is whether Rowling considers him a “main character.”

Ron — I don’t think both Harry and Ron will die. That means, I’m so sorry, Ron will have to. Maybe Harry will have to choose whether to kill Voldemort and at the same time kill Ron, or save Ron and let Voldy go.

Updated paragraph (4:21 p.m. Monday): In my haste I neglected to say that of course, Snape will die. Whether he’ll die as an act of noble sacrifice in order that Voldemort will die, or die battling the forces of good, or die some other way (this is my hunch), I don’t think he’ll survive.

Who else? Maybe Hagrid? At least one other Weasley, possibly more. Bill is probably toast, I fear. And Mr. Weasley, too.