Rowling says 2 characters die in final Potter book

[NYadgal]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 3:09pm

LONDON (Reuters) - Children's author J.K. Rowling has revealed that at least two characters will die in the seventh and final installment of her bestselling Harry Potter series, but was careful not to say who.

Children and adults are expected to rush and buy the final Harry Potter novel in their tens of millions when it is complete, and if the publication of the sixth book is anything to go by, secrecy surrounding the plot will be tight.

Rowling has already said that the final chapter of the seventh book was written long ago.

"The final chapter is hidden away, although it's now changed very slightly," she said in an interview broadcast on Monday on Britain's Channel 4. "One character got a reprieve, but I have to say two die that I didn't intend to die."

When asked to be more specific, she added: "No, I'm not going to commit myself, because I don't want the hate mail or anything else."

She did explain that she understood an author's desire to kill off the main character of a successful series.

"I've never been tempted to kill him (Harry) off before the end of book seven, because I always planned seven books and that's where I want to go.

"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'."

Rowling, 40, wrote the first Harry Potter adventure when she was an unemployed single mother, but has gone on to become one of the richest authors in history with a personal fortune estimated at more than $1 billion.

The Harry Potter series has sold an estimated 300 million copies worldwide.



....I can't bear the thought of the final book!

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 3:13pm

Its totally conna be Mrs Noris and Filch

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 3:15pm

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I swear the wait for this book is going to kill me. I was a wreck waiting for Book 6 (and then the damn thing got STUCK IN MY MAIL BOX and I couldn't get it out to read it for two whole days. I was laughing so hard I was crying). I am going to be so sad when this series ends, but I am also really freaking excited to finally get to the culmination.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 3:18pm

I've believed almost since the first book that Harry probably dies at the end of the series.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 3:18pm

I have always wanted Harry to die, since book one.

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 3:20pm

Of course, the pressing question is now, when is the release date for this book?!?!?

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 3:21pm

I think him dying would really negate much of the message of the series.

And, in this article her "understanding the temptation to kill off the main character" sort of implies that that is not the direction she is going at the moment, but that's not to say that she may not give into temptation in the end.

[mabel]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 3:23pm

I figured it'd just be a big ol' bloodbath and everyone will kick it by the end of the series.

I'm so behind the times in Potter-mania. I just read the first 5 books over the past few weeks, and I'll read 6 when it comes out in paperback next month (at least, I think it's next month?)...Is there a projected date (year, even) for the last book? I'm not going to want to wait for the last one now. I knew I should have held off until a month or so before the last one came out and just plowed through the other 6 in time for the last one. Grrr.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 3:28pm

I still have to read books 5 and 6. I was always so good about reading them when the series first came out, but although I bought the last 2, I haven't opened them yet.

[guitargeek0624]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 3:33pm

I've heard rumors that they're going to release it next summer, around the time of the OOTP movie release. Well, that's gonna be one hell of a summer.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 3:38pm

Right now it's anticipated for mid to late 2007, but obviously that depends on how writing goes. If Jo hits a snag then it could be pushed back.

The OOTP film is set for release July 2007.

Updated On: 6/26/06 at 03:38 PM

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 3:43pm

If she's doing interviews now, then let's hope for summer of 2007. However, I also wouldn't be surprised if she milked it an extra year, making us wait until 2008.

[RENTingFAME]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 3:45pm

July 13th 2007 to be specific, on the movie release date.

I want the next book, but at the same time I don't because I don't want it to be over!

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 3:48pm

Dammit, because of this thread I am resubscribing to Mugglecast. I stopped listening cause I never had time to keep up......

Damn you Harry Potter. It's a f*cking addiction.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 3:49pm

I can't even express how sad I'm going to be when this series ends, regardless of the ending itself.

Part of me has always thought that it would be fitting (although, I suppose, pretty cliché) for Harry to die at the end of the series, but I agree with Colleen that Rowling's statement indicates that that's probably not the direction she's going (at least not for that reason). In any case, she seems to have meticulously planned out the ending and the progression of the series, so I'm going to trust that we're in good hands for book 7. The only thing that I'm minorly worried about is that there will be so many ends to tie up/character arcs to finish/a quest not even half-completed to finish that it'll be hard to do that in the final book. Updated On: 6/26/06 at 03:49 PM

[quintia]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 3:52pm

As much as I can't wait until Book 7 comes out, I'm going to be sad when the series ends.

*goes off to read Book 6...again*

[Magdalene]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 4:05pm

The book most likely will come out around the time of the movie (a few months either way), and the last work of the book is "scar". One theory is the last sentence is "Harry, where's your scar" making it likely that Harry survives.

The question is: Who dies?

My guess is Hagrid and either Fred or George.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 4:10pm

I am hoping a smaller peripheral character. Any of the Weasleys would totally devastate me, as would Hermione. Also Neville, Hagrid and Lupin. (not that that leaves a whole lot of options....)

But, she definitely has shown she's not afraid to kill people off. I was shocked by the endings of both 5 & 6, I didn't think she would go that far....and they were two of my favorite characters, so I was pretty upset.

I've read Book 6 six times now and I STILL cry through pretty much the entire last two chapters.

Updated On: 6/26/06 at 04:10 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 4:13pm

***Spoiler Alert***


What is up with this dame and death? There have already been enough deaths to last a lifetime. Weren't Sirius and Dumbledore enough?

[kelzama]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 4:15pm

Voldemort & Snape get my vote. Rowling has stated that to be a good children's author, you have to be a ruthless killer.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 4:41pm

Let me guess...

...Her accountant and her publisher.

[Atrias]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 4:46pm

Well, she said two that she didn't "intend" to die. Voldy was always kind of a given, wasn't he?

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 4:48pm

Yea, I was assuming it was two other than Voldemort. But Snape is definitely a possibility. Maybe Malfoy? Though I doubt that, I think he'll probably redeem himself somehow.

Updated On: 6/26/06 at 04:48 PM

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 4:48pm

Well, she said that two characters die that she hadn't planned on killing, so I would imagine that those deaths are just plot necessities that came up. That's in addition to those that she had planned. I would presume that, if Voldemort dies, it won't have been one of the unplanned ones.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 4:50pm

I haven't read a full Harry Potter book since 2000, but come on, it's so going to be Harry and Voldemort or Snape and Voldemort.