Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Second Split)

[uniquelyput]

I haven't tried to predict any part of the sixth book, but it's interesting to read everyone else's theories.

As to who is going to die in the next book, I don't really know. I don't figure it will be Dumbledore though. If he's the only one who's been holding off Voldemort for all this time, what will happen when he dies? Do you think Rowling will write an entire book without Dumbledore in it? Do you think Harry and everyone in the Order will be strong enough to fight Voldemort without Dumbledore's help? Or do you figure Voldemort will be killed in the sixth book and the seventh one is just to wrap up everything?

If Ron dies, that would not at all be cool. He's one of my favorite characters! Hagrid seems to be somewhat important to everything...his connection with the giants and his ability to communicate/safely interact with animals. Neville seems to be sort of important, or at least his familial connection to the Order and Voldemort. One of the Weasley parents seem to be likely. Arthur and his connection with the Ministry, and problems with Fudge. Molly seems pretty likely...and we'd be attached to her since she's the mother figure to Harry. Percy seems likely, too. Can't say I'd particularly miss him. Snape is a major connection between Voldemort and the Order...which you'd think would need to be preserved...but maybe Voldemort finds out about him and destroys him. Is the character fairly important and one we're pretty attached to (like we were Sirius?)? or are we not given any clues?

And I hope they announce the publication date soon (one that isn't too far away!)!

[Tharkun]

As to who is going to die in the next book, I don't really know. I don't figure it will be Dumbledore though. If he's the only one who's been holding off Voldemort for all this time, what will happen when he dies?

Voldemort will become Greater and More Terrible than Ever Before.

And I hoped I would be the one to break the ice... RELEASE DATE IS JULY 16! UWAHAHAHAAHAHAAAAH!

[rubberducky]

I can't wait... July 16, 2005!

*runs to chapters*

I want Sirius!

[*Chellie]

JULY 16!I CAN'T WAIT...I have been waiting for so long and now I can't wait...yippie!

[jellyoflight]

FFFWWWWEEEEEEEE!!

* Chapter two - Spinners End
* Chapter six - Draco's Detour
* Chapter 14 - Felix Felicis

And there'll be a new Minister for Magic.

She even gave fans an excerpt: "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."

So, Fudge is no longer the minister! WHOOO!

I reckon that...Felix dude might be the new minister. And Spinners - spiders? The sirname/nickname of a deatheater/someone in the Order?

[Robin]

FFFWWWWEEEEEEEE!!

* Chapter two - Spinners End
* Chapter six - Draco's Detour
* Chapter 14 - Felix Felicis

And there'll be a new Minister for Magic.

She even gave fans an excerpt: "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."

So, Fudge is no longer the minister! WHOOO!

I reckon that...Felix dude might be the new minister. And Spinners - spiders? The sirname/nickname of a deatheater/someone in the Order?

Judging from the fact that the Felix dude's name is on Chapter 14, there's a chance he/she is the new DADA teacher (I'm positive Umbridge will be gone). Your Spinners theory is good, or it could be a subdivision (like Magnoilia Crescent)

[Ammer]

Just in case anyone has missed this article, I'll post it. It seems the actor playing Voldemort has been revealed and now apparently, J.K Rowling is writing 8 books. I thought she was going to write one for each year of Hogwarts. Guess I was wrong.

6th 'Harry Potter' book already a hot seller
Last Updated Tue, 21 Dec 2004 16:12:43 EST
LONDON - J.K. Rowling's latest Harry Potter book rocketed up the bestseller charts of online booksellers Tuesday, following the announcement that the new work will be released next summer, six months earlier than expected.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which had been scheduled for release in December 2005, will instead go on sale July 16, publishers announced Tuesday.


J.K. Rowling in 2003. (AP photo)
By Tuesday afternoon, the title held either first or second place on bestseller lists at Amazon's American and Canadian websites, as well as on the website of U.S. superstore Barnes & Noble. Soon after the publishers' announcements, online booksellers began offering the book for pre-order, often at a dramatic discount.

"Sales from the last Harry Potter book grossed as much as a major Hollywood movie in its first week of release," said Steve Riggio, CEO of Barnes & Noble, Inc. "We expect this next book in the series to make publishing history once again."

Raincoast Books, the Canadian publisher of the blockbuster series, called the upcoming release "the biggest publishing event of 2005."

"For J.K. Rowling's Canadian fans and for Canadian retailers, it looks like Christmas will be coming in July next year," said Raincoast CEO Allan MacDougall.

The British and American publishers of the series issued a joint statement: "J.K. Rowling has written a brilliant story that will dazzle her fans in a marvellous book that takes the series to yet greater heights" said Bloomsbury Publishing Plc in England and Scholastic Children's Books in the U.S.

Pregnant with her third child, the secretive Rowling had posted a message to her website in early December that led readers to believe the book's release was still far away.

"I have nothing noteworthy to report, because I have been spending nearly all my time sitting in front of my computer writing, rewriting and taking the occasional break to bang my head off the desk in frustration or else rub my hands together in fiendish glee (I think the latter has happened once)," she wrote.

However, on Monday, if visitors to the site answered three questions and solved three riddles in a special section, they were rewarded with Rowling's announcement about the release of Half-Blood Prince.

In the new posting, the 39-year-old British author said she had only "needed to tinker with the manuscript to my satisfaction and I am as happy as I have ever been with the end result. I only hope you feel it was worth the wait when you finally read it."

The previous instalment, the 870-page Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, came out in the summer of 2003.

Though longer and much darker than the previous four novels – following Rowling's intention to reflect Harry growing up – readers snapped up the book. Phoenix sold 5 million copies within 24 hours of publication. According to Bloomsbury, the Harry Potter titles have sold 250 million copies worldwide, with the books being offered in 62 different languages.

Rowling had said that another of her beloved characters – one she refused to identify – would die in the sixth book. Although she assured that it wouldn't be Harry himself, she has also been mysterious about whether the titular hero would survive the seventh and final book.

The fourth film instalment of the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, is also slated for a 2005 release. Directed by Mike Newell, the first British director to tackle the films, Goblet of Fire will introduce actor Ralph Fiennes as the evil Lord Voldemort.

[Tharkun]

Just in case anyone has missed this article, I'll post it. It seems the actor playing Voldemort has been revealed and now apparently, J.K Rowling is writing 8 books. I thought she was going to write one for each year of Hogwarts. Guess I was wrong.

Where do you read eight books? I saw "seventh and final book" in there. Which is good, I don't want my idol to succumb to sequel-itis.

[uniquelyput]

Thanks for posting that, Ammer.

I don't see where she's supposedly publishing an eighth book, unless it isn't mentioned in that article. Even so, I can't imagine why she'd need and eighth book.

I didn't recognize the name, but Ralph Fiennes has been in all sorts of movies! He's a pretty good actor from the few movies I've seen him in. I wonder how he'll do as Voldemort...

[Ammer]

Just in case anyone has missed this article, I'll post it. It seems the actor playing Voldemort has been revealed and now apparently, J.K Rowling is writing 8 books. I thought she was going to write one for each year of Hogwarts. Guess I was wrong.

Where do you read eight books? I saw "seventh and final book" in there. Which is good, I don't want my idol to succumb to sequel-itis.

Oh, I must've read it in another way. I thought she meant seventh AND final book as in two seperate books. Heh, sorry.

[Sock]

FFFWWWWEEEEEEEE!!

* Chapter two - Spinners End
* Chapter six - Draco's Detour
* Chapter 14 - Felix Felicis

And there'll be a new Minister for Magic.

She even gave fans an excerpt: "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."

So, Fudge is no longer the minister! WHOOO!

I reckon that...Felix dude might be the new minister. And Spinners - spiders? The sirname/nickname of a deatheater/someone in the Order?

Judging from the fact that the Felix dude's name is on Chapter 14, there's a chance he/she is the new DADA teacher (I'm positive Umbridge will be gone). Your Spinners theory is good, or it could be a subdivision (like Magnoilia Crescent)

I think he's probably the minister...wouldn't, if he was the DADA teacher, he be mentioned earlier in the book or something? Ch. 14 is a little too late, unless there's something weird going on with it.

And that little excerpt sounds like the Felix guy to me. The description just SOUNDS like a Felix to me - haha.

[Tharkun]

I agree - Felix Felicis would be a great name for the Lion-Man. But both words are Latin for luck, so it's probably a spell.

[Shadow]

Ralph Fiennes was pretty good in some of the movies I've seen him in. I hope he does a good job in the role. I can't WAIT till the book comes out, when I read the little hint thingy I nearly jumped out of my chair and hurt myself, I was that exicited XD

[vanilla]

'Half-Blood Prince' already number one on bestseller lists
Posted by GERI
Source: Business Wire

Within hours of announcing that they were taking pre-orders for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Barnes & Noble reported that the title shot to the top of their bestseller list.

The book has also hit the number one spot on Amazon.com





.......woah O_o
That's what I call a bestseller

[Tharkun]

Somehow I knew that would happen. Proves Harry Potter isn't a dying fad, even though I know quite a few who were disappointed by OotP. Heck, three years of practically nothing weren't enough to deter OotP from becoming a bigger seller than GoF.

Only 200 days left!

I confess complete cluelessness as to the identity of the Lion-Man, the Half-Blood Prince and the next MoM. Except that the next MoM won't be Amelia Bones, because that would be the best thing that could happen. But it's best not to think you know the major objects of contention. Best to have as few major myths dispelled as possible. Less so in a violent manner. Thus, it's really unhealthy to get hooked on fanfic that warps your vision of the Potterverse, as I am, but the fanfic is enjoyable enough. For now.