Deathly Hallows Predictions (SPOILER-FREE)

Since everyone else is making their Harry Potter predictions this week, Team Redd might as well join in on the fun. As a disclaimer, most of my predictions end up being wrong anyway, so this post will probably be pretty embarrassing in the near future. And just in case you were worrying about spoilers, these predictions were not based on any advanced knowledge of the book. Here goes!

The Big Questions

Dumbledore really is dead, although we'll see him in portrait/Pensieve form.

Snape is loyal to Dumbledore until the end. (Dumbledore, who was already dying due to the cursed ring, arranged to have Snape finish him in order to save the life of Draco.)

Harry is not a Horcrux, nor is his scar. [Allison says: The scar is a Horcrux.]

Harry will survive. Voldemort will not. (Voldemort's undoing will ultimately --somehow -- result from Harry's blood that is now coursing through his veins.)

Death Watch

Either Hagrid or Ron will die -- more likely to be Hagrid, which is sad. (If John Granger is right, then Rowling is using the alchemical process as a major motif for the series. The main phases are Black, White and Red. Sirius and Dumbledore died in the last two books, so we need the death of a "Red" major character to complete the pattern.)

One or more of the Weasley clan will die. (There are just too many of them for the entire family to survive.) If not Ron (see above), then I'm guessing Percy will die, albeit after some sort of reconciliation with the family. Ginny will survive, and probably Fred and George.

At least one of the remaining members of the Order will die, probably Moody or Kingsley. (Lupin and Tonks will survive.)

A number of Death Eaters will meet their ends, including Lucius, Bellatrix and Wormtail. Greyback will probably die, too.

Other Things We Are Likely to See

Fawkes will make a crucial appearance, perhaps to help Harry fight Voldemort or (more likely) Nagini.

Drama at Bill and Fleur's wedding.

Wormtail will lose his life while helping Harry to defeat Voldemort.

Draco will be redeemed, and may even significantly help Harry. (Crabbe and Goyle? Not so much.)

Neville will do some cool stuff, perhaps Herbology-related. He will definitely be facing off against Bellatrix again, but I don't think he'll be the one who kills her.

Scrimgeour and the Ministry will try yet again to recruit Harry as their poster boy and will probably try to impede his quest when he refuses them.

Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes will defiantly remain open for business, despite the escalating conflict between good and evil.

Each of the magical brethren will play a role in Harry's quest: house elves (Kreacher and Dobby for sure, if not more), goblins (something cool at Gringotts?) and centaurs (Firenze at least, and maybe more, depending on how the rest of the Forbidden Forest herd react to Dumbledore's death).

Love prevails-- like a good Shakespearean comedy/Austen novel, it will end with pairings: Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione, Lupin/Tonks, Bill/Fleur.

Long Shots

Ollivander is making wands to arm the Hogwarts house elves. (H/T to Travis for this theory.)

Harry will journey beyond the veil and back, possibly to receive guidance from Sirius, Dumbledore or his parents.

The Gringotts goblins rebel and plunge the wizarding world into financial chaos (which Voldemort exploits, of course).

Stan Shunpike is freed from Azkaban and is given a cushy job at the Ministry of Magic as restitution for wrongful imprisonment.

Luna's dad buys-out the Daily Prophet.

After the final showdown with the Dark Lord, Harry becomes Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts and holds the job for many, many years (since the curse on that position is removed upon Voldemort's death).