Book 6
Beware of spoilers for HP OotP!
What We Know (All Confirmed):
- Prior to the release of OotP, JKR told us that "Sirius may or may not be cleared in the future; this is important." Since we've all probably read OotP by now... what do you think she means? Was she just saying it to throw us off track?
- Something very small in book two becomes very important in book six.
- JKR says the title will be Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. This Prince is neither Harry nor Voldemort.
- On August 16, 2004, JKR's website described the Half-Blood Prince thus:
"(He) looked rather like an old lion. There were streaks of grey in his mane of tawny hair and his bushy eyebrows; he had keen yellowish eyes behind a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles and a certain rangy, loping grace even though he walked with a slight limp."
- On Halloween 2004, JKR gave away the names of three chapter titles.
Chapter two: "Spinners End." Chapter six: "Draco's Detour." Finally, chapter fourteen: "Felix Felicis."
Rumors:
- Lupin's or Quirrel's brother will be the new DADA Professor.
- Ron and Harry take on Voldemort while Hermione is injured in the Hospital Wing.
- The new DADA teacher will be someone from the Ministry again. He will be a stuttering young man, formerly a student of Mad Eye. He loves kids, but has a tendency to overprotect them.
- The new DADA teacher will be killed only half way into the book.
- The new DADA teacher will be Dumbledore's brother, Aberforth Dumbledore!
- In the Ministry's panic, it sets out on a war against all Dark Creatures. It empowers Werewolf Hunters to kill even when the moon is not full and encourages citizens to carry silver daggers. Remus Lupin is targeted by an obsessed werewolf hater.
- Tonks is the new DADA teacher. (Dumbledore needs trusted people in his staff -- now more that ever.)
The Ministry learns about Sirius' death, so Kinsley needs a new job. Dumbledore makes him the new DADA teacher.
- Harry believes he is better and stronger than others and refuses help, even when he needs it. Pride becomes the fault that causes Harry's fall in book 6.
- House Elves become increasingly important in this book.
- There is no apparating or disapparating within Hogwarts yet the rules did not appear to affect Dobby the House Elf in CoS. This may become important in the future books.
- Back at home, Petunia asks Harry questions, behind the backs of the other Dursleys, about the war with Voldemort.
- Kreatcher finds out about Sirius' death and is free to go to Narcissa and tell her anything he wants.
- The veil was not a door to the world of the dead, but a portkey.
- Knockturn Alley will be visited again.
- Halfway through the book, Harry will visit Potter Manor. He will be confronted with a portrait of his great great grandfather.
Specific Character Rumors:
- Mrs. Dursley has a baby.
- We meet a relative of Hermione's (poor Hermione has to hide the fact that she is a witch from her relative for half the summer).
- We learn more about Peter Pettigrew's past.
- We also learn why Peter Pettigrew wasn't around in OotP.
- Evidence that Peter Pettigrew is in fact alive surfaces and the charges against Sirius are dropped posthumously.
- Peter Pettigrew flees from Voldemort.
- Dumbledore is badly injured.
- Hedwig is possessed by an evil force.
- Hermione is possessed by an evil force.
- Hagrid dies.
- Remus J.Lupin has trouble with the Ministry and is forced to go into hiding.
- Harry develops a crush on Parvati.
- Neville starts having strange dreams during the summer. It gets worse as the year goes by and, to start the book's climax, Neville goes into a trance and delivers a new prediction.
- We learn that Fawkes is actually an animagus. Some people speculate that Fawkes is actually Godric Gryffindor. He has used this animagus form to guard Hogwarts over the years.
- We learn more about Moody's magical eye. It has important ties to the Potter-Voldemort story.
- Neville needs a replacement wand now that his father's broke in OotP. With a wand specifically chosen for him and his developing confidence in OotP, he advances rapidly and unexpectedly as one of the best students of Hogwarts.
- The Goblins join the war. Gringott's bank becomes a locus of corruption and Harry's vault and finacial security is threatened.
- The Half Blood Prince is none other than Salazar Slytherin! JKR wanted to use this title for the second book (fact) and this is why (rumor).
Interesting Side Rumors:
- Tom Riddle's favorite recipe book falls into Ginny's possession and, as she adds some of her own recipes, she unknowingly gives Tom Riddle the power to rise out of the recipe book and poison her.
- Dobby joins Voldemort and becomes his most loyal servant. He will kill Harry by stabbing him with his nose.
Publishing:
- The title will be 'Harry Potter and the Green Flame Torch.' This rumored torch is supposed to be a mystical torch that heals good and kills evil.
- The title will be 'Harry Potter and the Shield of Haru.' This is supposed to be an old magical artifact used against the Dark Wizard before Grindelwald.
- The title will be 'Harry Potter and the Undergoing of the Prophecy'
- There will be a chapter called "Lupin's Papers"
- There will be a chapter called "Lovegood at Court"
- There will be a chapter called "Longbottom versus Norringway" or "Neville and the Toad"
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