allizon

Like just about everyone else in the world today, I've got my speculations as to what's going to happen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Even though these aren't exactly spoilers, since I have no more idea what's actually going to happen than anyone else, I'm still going to hide them behind a cut since there'll undoubtedly be spoilers for books one through six. You're welcome.

We've been told there will be two deaths in this book. I'm going to say one of them is Harry. But: I don't think he stays dead. Rowling has been hitting the phoenix symbology hard since the very first book, and Deathly Hallows is where we get the payoff. My backup theory here, and one I've long been thinking will happen whether the Harry part of my theory is right or not, is that Dumbledore comes back. Rowling has said that yes, Dumbledore is most definitely 100% dead; that doesn't mean he has to remain dead, especially when the man has a pet phoenix, especially if he arranged for/encouraged Snape to kill him. (Also, part of me thinks Sirius could somehow be brought back, killing curse or no.)
The other major death? Snape, in a manner which demonstrates once and for all that he's on the side of the good guys, likely in a way which will save Harry's life.
I think we'll see a fair number of relatively minor deaths, deaths of characters we might say "Aw, shoot" about but over whom we won't necessarily be rending our garments. (Will that include Mrs. Weasley? Possibly; if she does buy it, I definitely don't think she'd count as one of the two major deaths.)
I won't be shocked if something horrific-but-not-fatal happens to either Ron or Hermione. Loss of limb or organ, perhaps.
I'm not sure if I buy the theory that Professor McGonagall will prove to be a traitor, but that really was an interesting argument, even if it felt like an example of being able to use a text to prove any theory you'd like if you look hard enough for supporting clues. But it certainly might be correct. I just don't know.
Furthermore as regards to this traitor business, it is my staunch belief that dead or not, Dumbledore has always known the identity of Voldemort's spy. Dumbledore's entire character is built on being several steps ahead of everyone else around him. Whoever it is, Dumbledore knows and likely long ago made plans for how to deal with that person when the time came.
Do Harry and Ginny end up together? No, but perhaps there's an implication that they might very well do so in the future.
Do Ron and Hermione end up together? I think so. If my above prediction of something horrible-but-not-fatal happening to one or the other occurs, it will be in the context of that one protecting or saving the other.
I'd imagine this series pretty much has have a happy ending of some sort, and I'd hope that means Harry ends up with family. Whether that's a back-from-the-dead Sirius, the Weasleys, whatever — this kid has endured an awful lot and deserves a family who loves him. Which, if we're hitting that phoenix symbology — is there a chance that Harry's parents could come back? We've seen that their spirits, at least, are still floating around as of Goblet of Fire. Wouldn't that be the ultimate happy ending for Harry Potter?