I wish I had posted this over a year ago...
Author/Theorist: Me.
Characters and/or artifacts: Oh, everything. Paricularly, Snape and the person who wants to make him look bad.
Abstract/summary: JKR is a three trick pony. The forumlas for books 1, 2, and 3 repeat in 4, 5, 6 and will again in 7.
Instead of looking at the individual characters and their personalities and all those other things that make up classical literary analysis we’re going to step way, way back and look at what role is played according to the plot. This will tell us places characters will occupy, but it will not give away who. Additionally, each book adds a new dimension to the Harry Potter universe and I’m not creative enough to think too far beyond what is laid out in canon. After I do my best to explain the theory’s concept, but I (want to) will focus on the villains and predictions for the seventh book. The only real problem with this theory is that it acts like a list of symptoms you should have before taking a certain medicine - some, all or none of these general suggestions will be apparent in the seventh book.
In the Harry Potter books there are three basic plots and they repeat. The first is “The Series of Tasks”, which is found in books 1, 4 and 7. The second is “It Can’t be Voldemort, but it IS”, which appears in books 2 and 5. And the third is “Secondary Character in Charge”, which is found in books 3 and 6. I’m going to throw out some examples of key repetitions in the paired books. There are a lot more, but I’ve finally realized I’m never going to look up, cross-reference and lay out ever single role and repetition. So examples it is.
There is the basic repetition of Dursleys, Hogwarts, Dursleys, which everyone knows. PS introduced the HP universe, the strange letters arrive at the Dursleys, Hagrid takes Harry to Diagon Alley, we meet Quirrel, Hagrid picks up a strange package, at Hogwarts Dumbledore introduces the mystery.
Now, the beginning of the fourth book we are at the Dursleys, Mrs. Weasley’s weird letter arrives, the Weasley’s take Harry to the Quidditch World Cup, we see Barty Crouch Jr (though we don’t know its him yet), Dumbledore announces the Tri-Wizard Tournament.
As far as I’ve been able to figure out, the seventh books will start at the Dursleys, the Bill/Fleur wedding invitation will be very particular, we will see the villain at the wedding. I think it is more likely that Harry will be introduced to the wider wizarding world as he has to search for those horcruxes, but I’m sure there will be early clues to what lays before him.
In the second and fifth books there is Dobby and then Umbridge’s interference at Privet drive and their desire to keep Harry from Hogwarts. As well as the ‘accidental magic’ trouble they both caused.
In the third and sixth books, Sirius and Draco have a secret plot to get someone in the school. Their initial attempts fail, but the final confrontation has very specific roles: The actual target (Pettigrew, Dumbledore), the Defense Professor (Lupin, Snape), the gatecrasher (Snape, Aletco/?). There is an interesting twist with Draco/Sirius’ roles and Harry/Draco’s roles. Draco and Sirius essentially have the same role, killing a target inside Hogwarts (though their reasons are different). However, since Dumbledore took Harry out of the picture, any part he may have played fell to Draco, who had the chance to let Dumbledore live, just as Pettigrew begged Sirius to let him live. If Harry hadn’t stopped Sirius, Pettigrew would be dead. Lupin was ready to do what had to be done and would have helped Sirius kill Pettigrew. In HBP, when Draco couldn’t kill Dumbledore Snape actually carried it out.
Now, for the fun stuff, if you’re still with me. There is a very important role in the seventh book and since it interests me the most I have it largely fleshed out. The strangest thing about the Harry Potter books is the roles the Defense professors take. That character gives the book its personality since that person has to be dealt with in one way or another. The first, fourth and seventh DADA professors are “The Mole” (Quirrel, Crouch Jr!Moody). The Second and fifth are “The Incompetent DADA Professor with Control Issues”. The third and sixth are the “Aiding and Abetting Defense Professor”. The thing is, with Harry not returning to Hogwarts in September, the pool of suspects increases (but if Harry returns as a student to Hogwarts the Defense professor is evil, even if it’s McGonagall taking over the post.).
There are several important characteristics to the mole that have survived two incarnations: Defense Professor, some kind of hidden transformation (Voldemort in the back of Quirrel’s head, Crouch Jr’s polyjuice), a connection to Voldemort (just flat out working for the Dark Lord), Voldemort’s subsequent abandonment, makes Snape appear suspicious or evil, Snape suspects this person (though the person seems above suspicion).
Snape is Dumbledore’s man and always will be.
One tricky aspect of pinning down this person is that since this will be the end of the series, the character will either be someone built up over seven books or it will be a completely new character. Of the existing characters, the current suspects are: Minerva McGonagall, Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin and N. Tonks. If you’ve just yelled “NO WAY! NOT POSSIBLE!” then I’ve done my job. All four are clearing involved in transfiguration (Two animagi, a werewolf and a metamorphmagus). They have no overt connection to Voldemort (except Pettigrew), but there is something suspicious about their past (McGonagall was at school the same time as Riddle, Pettigrew appears incompetent, Sirius’ suspicion of Lupin during the first war has never been explained, Tonk’s is in the Black family and worked for Moody).
Now that the title’s out, though, I’m gunning for Pettigrew more because he’s in the best position to make Snape look evil. Although most people (especially the good guys) have written him off as weak and ineffectual, he is capable of at least a little cunning, since he killed Bertha Jenkins, and ruthlessness as he killed the grounds keeper and Cedric Diggory on command. Additionally, the HP7 title, Deathly Hallows, pretty much confirms that the tasks will center on gathering the horcruxes, which are the eventual goal of both Harry and Voldemort. If Snape is seen with Pettigrew that will only cement Harry's bad opinion of Snape.
Notes: Thank you, cmwinters for your essays which have had me obsessing over this old theory a long while ago.
Also, just for fun, here is a really old prediction list I posted. Some are eerily true, others... not so much. (As for the name of this sixth book that post was made in Sept 2003. JKR didn’t reveal the name until June 29, 2004. And the seventh book will be true so long as the Hallows are actually objects.).
*sigh* and that about as good as I'm going to get.
[edit: changed "plots of" to the more accurate "formulas for"]
Characters and/or artifacts: Oh, everything. Paricularly, Snape and the person who wants to make him look bad.
Abstract/summary: JKR is a three trick pony. The forumlas for books 1, 2, and 3 repeat in 4, 5, 6 and will again in 7.
Instead of looking at the individual characters and their personalities and all those other things that make up classical literary analysis we’re going to step way, way back and look at what role is played according to the plot. This will tell us places characters will occupy, but it will not give away who. Additionally, each book adds a new dimension to the Harry Potter universe and I’m not creative enough to think too far beyond what is laid out in canon. After I do my best to explain the theory’s concept, but I (want to) will focus on the villains and predictions for the seventh book. The only real problem with this theory is that it acts like a list of symptoms you should have before taking a certain medicine - some, all or none of these general suggestions will be apparent in the seventh book.
In the Harry Potter books there are three basic plots and they repeat. The first is “The Series of Tasks”, which is found in books 1, 4 and 7. The second is “It Can’t be Voldemort, but it IS”, which appears in books 2 and 5. And the third is “Secondary Character in Charge”, which is found in books 3 and 6. I’m going to throw out some examples of key repetitions in the paired books. There are a lot more, but I’ve finally realized I’m never going to look up, cross-reference and lay out ever single role and repetition. So examples it is.
There is the basic repetition of Dursleys, Hogwarts, Dursleys, which everyone knows. PS introduced the HP universe, the strange letters arrive at the Dursleys, Hagrid takes Harry to Diagon Alley, we meet Quirrel, Hagrid picks up a strange package, at Hogwarts Dumbledore introduces the mystery.
Now, the beginning of the fourth book we are at the Dursleys, Mrs. Weasley’s weird letter arrives, the Weasley’s take Harry to the Quidditch World Cup, we see Barty Crouch Jr (though we don’t know its him yet), Dumbledore announces the Tri-Wizard Tournament.
As far as I’ve been able to figure out, the seventh books will start at the Dursleys, the Bill/Fleur wedding invitation will be very particular, we will see the villain at the wedding. I think it is more likely that Harry will be introduced to the wider wizarding world as he has to search for those horcruxes, but I’m sure there will be early clues to what lays before him.
In the second and fifth books there is Dobby and then Umbridge’s interference at Privet drive and their desire to keep Harry from Hogwarts. As well as the ‘accidental magic’ trouble they both caused.
In the third and sixth books, Sirius and Draco have a secret plot to get someone in the school. Their initial attempts fail, but the final confrontation has very specific roles: The actual target (Pettigrew, Dumbledore), the Defense Professor (Lupin, Snape), the gatecrasher (Snape, Aletco/?). There is an interesting twist with Draco/Sirius’ roles and Harry/Draco’s roles. Draco and Sirius essentially have the same role, killing a target inside Hogwarts (though their reasons are different). However, since Dumbledore took Harry out of the picture, any part he may have played fell to Draco, who had the chance to let Dumbledore live, just as Pettigrew begged Sirius to let him live. If Harry hadn’t stopped Sirius, Pettigrew would be dead. Lupin was ready to do what had to be done and would have helped Sirius kill Pettigrew. In HBP, when Draco couldn’t kill Dumbledore Snape actually carried it out.
Now, for the fun stuff, if you’re still with me. There is a very important role in the seventh book and since it interests me the most I have it largely fleshed out. The strangest thing about the Harry Potter books is the roles the Defense professors take. That character gives the book its personality since that person has to be dealt with in one way or another. The first, fourth and seventh DADA professors are “The Mole” (Quirrel, Crouch Jr!Moody). The Second and fifth are “The Incompetent DADA Professor with Control Issues”. The third and sixth are the “Aiding and Abetting Defense Professor”. The thing is, with Harry not returning to Hogwarts in September, the pool of suspects increases (but if Harry returns as a student to Hogwarts the Defense professor is evil, even if it’s McGonagall taking over the post.).
There are several important characteristics to the mole that have survived two incarnations: Defense Professor, some kind of hidden transformation (Voldemort in the back of Quirrel’s head, Crouch Jr’s polyjuice), a connection to Voldemort (just flat out working for the Dark Lord), Voldemort’s subsequent abandonment, makes Snape appear suspicious or evil, Snape suspects this person (though the person seems above suspicion).
Snape is Dumbledore’s man and always will be.
One tricky aspect of pinning down this person is that since this will be the end of the series, the character will either be someone built up over seven books or it will be a completely new character. Of the existing characters, the current suspects are: Minerva McGonagall, Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin and N. Tonks. If you’ve just yelled “NO WAY! NOT POSSIBLE!” then I’ve done my job. All four are clearing involved in transfiguration (Two animagi, a werewolf and a metamorphmagus). They have no overt connection to Voldemort (except Pettigrew), but there is something suspicious about their past (McGonagall was at school the same time as Riddle, Pettigrew appears incompetent, Sirius’ suspicion of Lupin during the first war has never been explained, Tonk’s is in the Black family and worked for Moody).
Now that the title’s out, though, I’m gunning for Pettigrew more because he’s in the best position to make Snape look evil. Although most people (especially the good guys) have written him off as weak and ineffectual, he is capable of at least a little cunning, since he killed Bertha Jenkins, and ruthlessness as he killed the grounds keeper and Cedric Diggory on command. Additionally, the HP7 title, Deathly Hallows, pretty much confirms that the tasks will center on gathering the horcruxes, which are the eventual goal of both Harry and Voldemort. If Snape is seen with Pettigrew that will only cement Harry's bad opinion of Snape.
Notes: Thank you, cmwinters for your essays which have had me obsessing over this old theory a long while ago.
Also, just for fun, here is a really old prediction list I posted. Some are eerily true, others... not so much. (As for the name of this sixth book that post was made in Sept 2003. JKR didn’t reveal the name until June 29, 2004. And the seventh book will be true so long as the Hallows are actually objects.).
*sigh* and that about as good as I'm going to get.
[edit: changed "plots of" to the more accurate "formulas for"]