Ideas and Theories [Major Spoilers]

[aliantha]

I, too, think it's possible that Dumbledore will rise from his own ashes. I said in another thread that I don't think it's an accident that Dumbledore's patronus is a phoenix.

Here's a thought: We know that Harry wants to be an Auror -- but that would mean working for the Ministry of Magic, and he's not particularly keen on the Ministry by the end of HBP. What if, after Harry defeats Voldemort (yeah, I know that's a big "if" -- bear with me), he "retires" and becomes the permanent DADA teacher at Hogwarts? I mean, cripes, he's already taught the class....

[sindatur]

There is no returning from the dead in HP-Universe, JKR's cardinal rule #1.

So, if Dumbledore is coming back in a live form, he isn't dead.

[theDespiser]

Ok, my turn!!!


alright...I pretty much think that when Dumbledore drank the potion, he was pretty much done...and he knew it...he said that voldemort made it so that there had to be 2 people to get the locket out...and that death would not be instant, so he could question them before they die...so one had to drink the potion and disturb the water, thus awakening the inferi, thereby killing the one that DIDNT drink, and the one that DID drink(although slower...or something like that...the exact details of that arent important though)

SO...dumbldore was pretty much dying after the first swig of potion...he knew that...when they got to the astronomy tower, and harry took off, Dumbledore heard malfoy coming, so he froze harry so he wouldnt do something rash and get caught or killed...malfoy disarms dumbledore, and they have their talk...fast forward, and dumbledore has slid down the wall, almost to the floor, and snape bursts in...walks to dumbledore, and they have a moment...(as was said before)...Dumbledore pleaded with Snape to kill him, because he already knew he was a goner, and death would be far preferrable than being killed by the potion...perhaps the potion turned the drinker into an inferi...

but dumbledore knew he was a goner, so he went out in the best way possible ot keep things going...Snape kills dumbledore, thus confirming to everybody that he "truly" is a death eater, and still gets to save malfoys soul, or whatever...

i was talking it over with my mom, who had already finished the book, and she figures that the reason that Dumbledore believed implicitly in Snape was that he took the Unbreakable vow to protect HARRY all those years ago, the same way he did for malfoy...and that he also knew about Snapes unbreakable vow..im sure he had ways of confirming harrys bits of info...and i think that the fact that the picture of Dumbledore appeard in the headmasters office is signifcant, proving that he is, in fact, gone...smae with fawkes leaving...now...as far as how much these paintings know..i have to ask...do they have all the knowledge that they had when they were alive? it seemed that Sirius' great grand father was still able to have feelings and free thoughts, as evidenced by the way he was shocked to hear that sirius was dead...


and THATS another thing...i think Sirius will be back...he wasnt killed in an ordinary way..i think that vail will prove to be something important...


and dammit HARRY BELONGS WITH HERMIONE RONS AN IDIOT!!!

[Sorus]

I don't believe that Fawkes is a Horcrux, as Dumbledore wouldn't create one, and the snake is far more Voldemort's style.

The symbolism is hard to ignore, but I believe that Dumbledore is dead. However, I don't believe we have seen the last of Fawkes. A phoenix would be a fitting familiar for The Boy Who Lived, perhaps he will return to Harry?

And as for Harry and Hermione, I have a theory that they're siblings. I don't have much to back up that theory, except for the fact that they're never had a relationship, though they're a perfect match. And I've always been suspicious of Hermione's muggle parents. I'm probably wrong.
Seen Star Wars too many times.

[sindatur]

JKR has poo-poo'ed on the idea of Harry and Hermione being brother and sister, by saying Hermione's parents aren't important.

Although Hermione is about 10 1/2 months older than Harry, so that works, but, everyone would know James and Lily had a child before Harry. Hermione has brown eyes, James had Blue, Lily green, so where would Hermione's brown eyes come from? I seriously doubt JKR would write that James or Lily, had a child with someone else, since they started dating in Seventh Year. That would be infidelity. I think it's also important to the Dynamic of the Trio that Hermione is Muggle-born.(Ron is Pure Blood, Harry Half-Blood, Hermione Muggle-born).

I don't think they're the perfect match at all. A boy falls in love with the woman who reminds him of his mother. Ginny has Red-Hair, sticks up for the Weaklings, is famous for and has a flair for charms. Who else could a James Clone be with then a Lily Clone?

[theDespiser]

A phoenix would be a fitting familiar for The Boy Who Lived, perhaps he will return to Harry?

remember Hedwig?

[onewyteduck]

...Dumbledore pleaded with Snape to kill him, because he already knew he was a goner, and death would be far preferrable than being killed by the potion...perhaps the potion turned the drinker into an inferi...


i was talking it over with my mom, who had already finished the book, and she figures that the reason that Dumbledore believed implicitly in Snape was that he took the Unbreakable vow to protect HARRY all those years ago, the same way he did for malfoy...and that he also knew about Snapes unbreakable vow

I find both of these theories quite intriguing!

[theDespiser]

yeah, and that last part about dumbledore knowing about the unbreakable vow, i meant snapes vow for malfoy, when harry told D about it...OBVIOUSLY he knew about snapes vow for harry(if there is one!)

[Sunbaneglasses]

It seemed obvious to me that the reason that Dumbledore pled with Snape to do it was to maintain Draco's innocence-I still believe that Snape is on the good side if you will-I believe that Harry and Severus will have a reconciliation in the last book,and Draco will come over to the good side.But then again Dumbledore says something along the lines of being exceptionally clever has also led him to make some exceptional mistakes.

[Usivius]

Snape is good. many points to this effect have been brought up. The main ones are:
-Dumbledore would not plead for his life. Nor would he be asking for mercy if he suspected Snape of actually being a DeathEater, he would most likely look like a disappointed father. No, the 'pleading' is for Snape to kill him and keep Malfoy safe. And I believe Dumbledore asked Snape to keep Draco safe LONG before this last book. Snape making the Unbreakable vow for Draco's mother was therefore an EASY decision (even when Belatrix was shocked!). And as said before, Snape leaves the school not raising his wand against anyone, except to DEFEND himself against Potter. If Snape truly felt that Potter was going to be the victim of Voldemort, he would not care if The Boy Who Will Soon Be Dead called him a coward. At the very least he would cause him a lot more pain than he did.
-Now, Dumbledore is DEAD. The Rowling law is unbreakable. That it is assumed that he is not, that it was someone else...? nah, even Rowling has more repsect for the story than that, especially after the big funeral, towering white tomb and Dumbledore's portrait in the Headmaster's room. Remember that one of the main themes of the series is death; Faith and love are also strong themes that play directly against death.
Dumbledore is gone, but not forgotten...

Now, i can't wait until the next book! The three friends together hunting down Voldemort... It was so meant to be and Dumbledore morked on it to be so, allowing Harry to confide in these two and NO ONE ELSE... cool. And I am hoping to see some major Snape action. I want to see him redeem himself in the eyes of Potter (and the others), but he is really destined to die, isn't he....

[Usivius]

Oh, and was brought up in another post, I too had serious questions about the logic behind some things:
-Yah, why didn't Dumbledore just dump the potion in the lake as it was withdrawn from the 'tub'? Why do you hae to drink it?! Did I miss something so obvious?
- I also questioned Dumbledore's decision to freeze Harry instead of freeze Malfoy. The easiest solution is to freeze Draco, each hop on their brooms and fly to a different place of the school (one that is not so obvious a trap!) Sheesh!

[I'm Murrin]

Oh, and was brought up in another post, I too had serious questions about the logic behind some things:
-Yah, why didn't Dumbledore just dump the potion in the lake as it was withdrawn from the 'tub'? Why do you hae to drink it?! Did I miss something so obvious?

As we saw when Harry tried to give Dumbledore water, Voldemort had provided for any eventuality to ensure the obstacles were removed only in the way he intended. If he hadn't drank it, I'm sure something else would have prevented them emptying the bowl.

- I also questioned Dumbledore's decision to freeze Harry instead of freeze Malfoy. The easiest solution is to freeze Draco, each hop on their brooms and fly to a different place of the school (one that is not so obvious a trap!) Sheesh!

If he'd just frozen Malfoy then gone, he lost the chance to make him doubt his choice to follow Voldemort. Now, after what has happened, I don't think Malfoy is as sure of himself as before, and may turn out good (prevent him getting in as deep as Snape did before realising the error of his ways).

[sindatur]

I think Dumbledore realizes, if Draco is allowed to become Voldemort's "man", that when Harry conquers Voldemort, Draco will be the next Voldemort

[I'm Murrin]

Malfoy has neither the charisma nor the talent. Harry, on the other hand.....

[Usivius]

murrin said:

If he'd just frozen Malfoy then gone, he lost the chance to make him doubt his choice to follow Voldemort. Now, after what has happened, I don't think Malfoy is as sure of himself as before, and may turn out good (prevent him getting in as deep as Snape did before realising the error of his ways).

Ok, I buy that. It works in the way Dumbledore view things. At best I guess he was hoping Draco would make a positive decision before the other Deatheaters got there.

but...

As we saw when Harry tried to give Dumbledore water, Voldemort had provided for any eventuality to ensure the obstacles were removed only in the way he intended. If he hadn't drank it, I'm sure something else would have prevented them emptying the bowl.

Feh...! (that's the sound of being unconvinced ... )
I don't buy it. There should have been some clue, perhaps the liquid actually being refilled if poured out without being swallowed, or something. but nothing less dangerous was tried, unlike the other trials/traps they faced...

[sindatur]

Malfoy has neither the charisma nor the talent. Harry, on the other hand.....

I disagree. PUt Draco in an environment where evil is acceptable and expected, and I believe his charisma would be unparallelled, Umbridge loved him. And he's obviously talented and smart, look at how he, of all people was able to give the Death Eaters access to Hogwarts.

Usivius, The potion did refill itself, when trying to empty the basin without drinking it.

[Usivius]

... dang, I guess I was just reading the darn thing too fast.. I really wanted to push forward and see what happened.
Got careless. Thanks, I'll have to check that out...

[Usivius]

...<after checking out "The Cave" again> ... ah yes, there is a quick three lines where Dumbledore waves his wand in the air and comes to the conclusion that the potion cannot be made to disappear, dumped or siphoned (to paraphrase).
I should not have thought there would be such a glaring ommission. sorry

[sindatur]

That's OK, in my first read through OotP, I completely missed the mirrors when Sirius gave them to Harry, and when he found them at the end and had the big guilt trip, I was thinking, "What, when did Sirius give him a mirror". I was also thinking WTF, when people were talking about the gum wrappers Neville's mom gave him. Pages must've been stuck together, yea that's it.

[Sorus]

A phoenix would be a fitting familiar for The Boy Who Lived, perhaps he will return to Harry?

remember Hedwig?

Got me on that one. Looking back, I realize I have never really seen Hedwig as Harry's familiar. Does she ever do anything but deliver his mail? People without owl familiars get owl mail. I admit, I'm overdue for a reread. What exactly do familiars do? I remember a couple of scenes where they bring them to class (transfigurations?), but nothing that stands out where it was necessary for it to have been a familiar involved.
From what I can recall, there really isn't much difference between a familiar and a pet.

True, I don't recall anyone ever having more than one familiar. (Hedwig would certainly be insanely jealous.) I still think there is some kind of bond between Harry and Fawkes. Then again, I could be completely wrong.