what will happen in book 7 of HP

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This article or section contains information regarding scheduled, forthcoming or expected future book(s). It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change dramatically as the product release approaches and more information becomes available.

The as-yet untitled book seven is the currently expected final volume of the seven-part Harry Potter series of novels by J. K. Rowling.

It will feature the final adventures of young Harry as he attempts to destroy the evil Lord Voldemort. The previous books have left many unanswered questions, and the considerable fan base is waiting to discover how the many loose ends and unfinished adventures in the series will be completed, which makes Harry Potter Book Seven one of the most anticipated books in the series. The author has stated that, more than with any other book in the series, the final volume is a continuation of the unfinished story in book 6.

J.K. Rowling has stated that she has no intention of writing any further books about the characters, but has reportedly considered writing other books that play a secondary role. As of 2006, she has been working on the stories for 16 years.

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Release date

There is much speculation as to what will be the release date of the final Harry Potter book. Rowling has stated that she is in the process of writing it, and hopes to be done by the end of 2006. Assuming she accomplishes this, and based on the length of time it takes to simply print the millions of copies of the book that are needed for the first day, it can be guessed that it will be released in the summer of 2007.

In an interview following the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in 2005, Rowling stated:

"Realistically, I don't think I'm going to be able to do real work on it until next year [2006]. I see next year as the time that I'm really going to write seven. But I've started and I am doing little bits and pieces here and there when I can. But you've seen how young Mackenzie still is, and you can bear actual witness to the fact that I do have a very small, real baby, so I'm going to try and give Mackenzie what I gave David, which is pretty much a year of uninterrupted 'me time', and then I'll start writing seriously again."

Also, in a Christmas letter on her official website, Rowling stated:

I have been fine-tuning the fine-tuned plan of (book) seven during the past few weeks so that I can really set to work in January. Reading through the plan is like contemplating the map of an unknown country in which I will soon find myself. Sometimes, even at this stage, you can see trouble looming; nearly all of the six published books have had Chapters of Doom. The quintessential, never, I hope, to be beaten Chapter That Nearly Broke My Will To Go On was chapter nine, Goblet of Fire (appropriately enough, The Dark Mark.)

In a news brief on MSNBC, it is stated that Rowling said she hopes that 2006 would be the year Potter is completed. If the publication timing is similar to previous books, the final installment is likely to be published between 2007 and 2009. Previous books were delayed when Rowling found unforseen difficulties in the writing.

Many Harry Potter fans had hoped she would release the book on July 7, 2007, to have the release date be 07-07-07 (c.f. book 6: "isn't seven the most powerfully magical number?"), however, this seems unlikely considering that the Order of the Phoenix film will be released only 6 days after, which would likely hurt sales for either the book or the movie.

What is known about Book Seven

Book seven is the culmination of a long saga and it is a reasonable assumption (indeed a promise by JKR), that it will be her best attempt to properly conclude all the unfinished storylines started in the previous books. Also, JKR has said that two of the main characters die. She said one could be Harry.

Background to the series

The series of books was originally published as a children's book by UK publishers Bloomsbury, and US publishers Scholastic. However, it rapidly became a phenomenal success amongst children and adults alike. The books each chronicle one year at school for the characters concerned and follows a long tradition of children's series about life in schools. Perhaps unlike some of the traditional series of this format, each book has matured and expanded in complexity and scope compared to the last, approximately developing with the age of the principal characters. Although it is reported that the author had comprehensively plotted the entire series of books before the first was published, and that this plot remains unchanged, she has also stated that it has undergone a number of revisions as it has progressed. This may in part reflect the extraordinary success of the book and a need to direct its content more towards the adult market. The books started as relatively slim volumes of 309 pages (Philosopher/Sorcerer's Stone), but have grown towards 870 pages (Order of the Phoenix) as the series progressed.

The books contain a significant element of fantasy and magic, but this is combined with a detective-novel approach to the story. Each volume contains a complete problem and task for the heroes to complete, but each has also added to the background information about the wizarding world in general and contains many pieces of information whose importance only becomes apparent in later volumes. Thus a considerable fan following has developed of people wanting to discover how the many loose ends and unfinished adventures in the book will finally be completed. The author has stated that, more than with any other book in the series, the final volume continues the unfinished story in book 6.

Continuing storylines from previous books

Harry will return to the Dursleys' during the school holiday, but the magical protection Dumbledore arranged expires on his 17th birthday on July 31. He has been invited to Bill and Fleur's wedding in July, and plans to visit the remains of his parents' home at Godric's Hollow. Assuming Harry returns to Hogwarts, he will be in his 7th year. It is not known if he will return to the school, nor if the school will reopen after it was attacked by Voldemort's followers at the end of book 6. Harry stated his intentions not to return to Hogwarts, but will instead continue the fight against Voldemort. Should schooling resume, Harry and his classmates would be expected to take their final school exams (NEWTs). On his 17th birthday, Harry will be of age and therefore entitled to perform magic outside of school and to obtain a license to Apparate. Ron and Hermione are already 17. Neville will be of age one day before Harry. The quest to identify and locate Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes will continue. These must be destroyed before the Dark Lord can be overcome. Harry and Ginny Weasley became romantically involved midway through book 6, but at the end Harry said he needs to leave her, for her own protection, as he goes after Voldemort. Book 7 would likely identify the mysterious R.A.B., who apparently stole one of the Horcruxes with the intent to destroy it, and replaced it with a fake. R.A.B. is rumored to be Sirius Blacks's brother, Regulus Black. The true loyalty of Severus Snape, along with Draco Malfoy, will be revealed, together with a full explanation of his part in Dumbledore's death and in Snape's reporting of the prophecy about Harry Potter to Voldemort. Dumbledore has often left hints about future events in his discussions. For example, at the end of Prisoner of Azkaban, Dumbledore said to Harry "there may come a day when you will be glad you saved Pettigrew's life". This suggests that Wormtail may play a significant role in upcoming events.
• The title of book 7 is most likely already decided by J. K. Rowling, and will most likely begin with "Harry Potter and the...".

Information from JK Rowling

JKR wrote the last chapter of the book some time ago, to give her an ending to work up to. The last word of the seventh book, according to Rowling, is currently "scar" (People 1999 [1]), but she has also said it may change, along with the whole last chapter she has previously written. This last chapter contains details of what happens to each surviving character.^{[citation needed]}

"This is the thing that I was very dubious about showing you... (T)his is the final chapter of book seven. This is really where I wrap everything up, it's the epilogue. And I basically say what happens to everyone after they leave school - those who survive - because there are deaths - more deaths coming. It was a way of saying to myself, "Well, you will get it, you will get to book seven one day. And then you'll need this!" So I'd just like to remind all the children I know who come around my house and start sneaking into cupboards that it's not there anymore - I don't keep it at home anymore for very, very, very obvious reasons. So there it is." J. K. Rowling ^[1]

JKR has stated that she has had enough of writing about Quidditch, and there will be no Quidditch matches in Book 7.^{[citation needed]}
• We will learn something very important about Lily in book seven:

  "Now, the - the important thing about Harry's mother - the really, really significant thing - you're going to find out in two - in two parts. You'll find out a lot more about her in book five, or you'll find out something very significant about her in book five, and you'll find out something incredibly important about her in book seven." J. K. Rowling ^[2].

JKR has long said that Harry's eyes resembling his mother's is important. (Boston Globe 1999 [2])

Severus Snape has been an important and enigmatic character throughout the books, as his true loyalty has always remained unclear. It is to be anticipated that as a surviving major character his loyalty will be settled in the final confrontation of the book. JKR has said (The connection 1999 [3])

Questioner: There's an important kind of redemptive pattern to Snape. JKR: He, um, there's so much I wish I could say to you, and I can't because it would ruin. I promise you, whoever asked that question, can I just say to you that I'm slightly stunned that you've said that and you'll find out why I'm so stunned if you read Book Seven. That's all I'm going to say.

She has stated we will learn more about Peter Pettigrew and Dumbledore.^{[citation needed]} She refused to comment when asked whether the locked door in the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic would feature in the final book.^{[citation needed]} At the Edinburgh book festival [4], JKR mentioned that something more would be revealed about Petunia Dursley. Nothing of note occurred in book 6, so this remains to be discovered.

"..there is a little bit more to Aunt Petunia than meets the eye...She is not a squib, although that is a very good guess. Oh, I am giving a lot away here. I am being shockingly indiscreet".

Whether related or not, JKR has also said that some non-magical character will perform magic late in life in desperate circumstances. (Barnes and Noble chat [5]). However she has also said that Aunt Petunia will not perform magic[6]. Also at Edinburgh, Rita Skeeter was mentioned: "She is loathsome...but I can't help admiring her toughness.. There is more to come on Rita" And on Dolores Umbridge, "It's too much fun to torture her not to have another little bit more before I finish" (mugglenet/Leaky Cauldron interview [7]) Viktor Krum is set for a reappearance. (World Book Day 2004) The two-way mirror given to Harry by Sirius, and his flying motorbike will return. (world book day [8]). JKR refused to comment whether Sirius Black himself might in some way reappear, but said there was a reason why he had to die. Dumbledore was seen to have a 'gleam of triumph' in his eyes when told that Voldemort had restored his body using Harry's blood, at the end of Goblet of Fire (ch. 36,Parting of the ways). JKR has confirmed that this is "still enormously significant".(TLC/Mugglenet interview 2005 [9])) Someone from Harry's class, not who most readers would expect, and also not Ron, will become a Hogwarts teacher. This seems to indicate that Hogwarts will indeed reopen, though possibly not until the events of book 7 have transpired.[10]. JK Rowling has been consulted on the film versions of the books, so as to ensure that important aspects of the story do not get omitted or changed. After completion of Prisoner of Azkaban she was interviewed and commented that she was startled by clues which had crept into the film, relating to the final outcome of the series. In particular, she referred to the scene where Remus Lupin talks to Harry about his mother, but she may have meant other scenes as well.^{[citation needed]} On her website, in the Rumours Sections, there is the question, Book Seven will be called "Harry Potter And The Pyramids of Furmat", this is answered by J. K. Rowling with: The Pyramids Of Furmat lie a few miles east of the famous Fortress Of Shadows, not far from the magnificent Pillar Of Storg. Many tourists prefer to view these ancient monuments at night, when they are illuminated by the Green Flame Torch. All of these 'landmarks' are really former rumored names for the various Harry Potter books, so it is unlikely they will be mentioned in Book Seven, unless put in as some sort of gag. When recently questioned about the previously written ending, JK Rowling admitted that "One character got a reprieve, but I have to say two die that I didn't intend to die...A price has to be paid. We are dealing with pure evil...They go for the main characters, or I do". (Richard and Judy [11]).
• When further questioned about authors who kill off their main characters she said "I can completely understand, however, the mentality of an author who thinks, 'Well, I'm going to kill them off because that means there can be no non-author-written sequels ... so it will end with me, and after I'm dead and gone they won't be able to bring back the character'".

Beyond Book Seven

• There is no university after Hogwarts and no further Harry Potter books. [12]

Q: Do you think that you will write about Harry after he graduates from Hogwarts? Isn't there a University of Wizardry?

A: (T)here's no University for Wizards. At the moment I'm only planning to write seven Harry Potter books. I won't say "never," but I have no plans to write an eighth book.

Rowling has suggested that she might write another about Harry Potter in the form of an encyclopedia of the wizarding world. When asked about other books similar to Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Rowling has said that she would consider writing them at some point and that they would also be written for charity.
• Shortly before the release of book 5, in an interview for the BBC, she was asked about Harry's future by Jeremy Paxman: [13]

JEREMY PAXMAN: So you know what is going to become of all the major characters over the span of the series? JK ROWLING: Yeah..yeah. JEREMY PAXMAN: Why stop when they grow up? Might be interesting to know what becomes of Harry as an adult. JK ROWLING: How do you know he'll still be alive? JEREMY PAXMAN: Oh. At the end of book seven?

JK ROWLING: It would be one way to kill off the merchandising.

• Questioned about possible future books she jokingly suggested Harry Potter's mid-life crisis?[14]

References

External links

Analysis of book seven from Mugglenet Analysis of book seven from The Leaky Cauldron Analysis of book seven from Harry Potter Fan Zone Possible plot twists in book seven from Red Hen Publications Issues unresolved at this point in the story from The Harry Potter Lexicon Quick quote quill, collected statements by J K Rowling Confirmation that the prophecy refers to Harry
• Dumbledore Is Not Dead!