What is to come in Book 5, 6 and 7 ?? I don't know, but maybe ...

• ARABELLA FIGG becomes Hogwarts' Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher. Yes, the same Mrs. figg whom Harry is sometimes foisted on by the Dursleys. Lucky Harry! Something tells me his problems at home are about to end, hehehe!

• DEATH of all the people we hate ... hooray?

• DEATH of some of the people we love ... (snif)

• THE DURSLEYS get what they so richly deserve (use your imagination ... )

• HERMIONE becomes a Prefect and, eventually, Head Girl

• RECOVERY of the Longbottoms' sanity ... and Neville's memory

• REMUS LUPIN becomes Potions teacher at Hogwarts in Book 5. Why Book 5? Because Snape has been sent on a mysterious mission, and it is not likely to end before Fifth Year (though he may be back before the end of it) so he must be replaced. Why Lupin in Potions instead of back in his old job? because JKR has said Book 5 will have a female DADA teacher. This is most likely to be Mrs. Figg (see above). Since Snape must be replaced, Lupin has taught at Hogwarts before (and is a friend of Dumbledore's) and he was mentioned as part of "the old crowd" at the end of Book 4, he is the most likely candidate.

• REVELATION: that is, revelation to the muggles of the existence of magic. After all you can't keep things secret forever, and there's got to be some Earth-shattering action by Book 7. This would be par for the course.

• RIVALRY between Ron and Harry for Hermione's affections. This is so likely it's almost a Law Of Nature ... er, actually it *IS* a Law Of Nature! Happens all the time! I think it will be resolved happily, though I'm not sure it will be over by the end of Book 5. By the end of Book 7, definitely.

• ROMANCE!
  • Ginny and Neville ...
  • Parvati Patil and Dean Thomas ...
  • Harry and Hermione ...
  • Ron and Hermione ...
  • MALFOY and Hermione?? ... !!!
  • Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson (MUCH better!)
  • Crabbe and Goyle ... the PERFECT couple!

• RON does become Head Boy like he wanted ... but discovers it's not what he thought (maybe at the same time Hermione is Head Girl)

• SEX?? Er, JKR *has* said she will alter the tone of the books as the kids get older, and that she intends each book to be for kids who are the same age as the characters. So Book 5 is for 15-year olds, Book 6 will be for 16-year olds, and Book 7 will be for 17-year olds. And we all know people don't just suddenly and conveniently become interested in sex when the law says they are legally permitted to Do It. And JKR doesn't seem to like rules anyway; she looks at life with a much more natural inclination. And she's not afraid of controversy, or concerned with pleasing uptight critics. So ...

  YES, I'd say there will definitely be sex in at least one of the next 3 books. That Prefects' Bathroom looked awfully inviting, didn't it? Harry already knows the password, though it will probably be changed ... but I'll bet Moaning Myrtle would tell Harry what it was if he asked her. If Hermione becomes a Prefect, that solves that problem. It's just a question of who she will take in there, Harry or Ron?

• SIRIUS BLACK is exonerated in Book 5 and Harry goes to live with him ... but Harry ends up back at the Dursleys anyway. Why? I dunno ... but there are good reasons why Harry has to stay there. Maybe Harry can go *visit* Sirius over the summer in the beginning of Book 6. I know the Dursleys would prefer it.

• SNAPE is sent on a dangerous mission to the Death eaters, but exactly what is still a mystery. Him re-joining the group as a mole is too obvious, though Voldemort might take him back ... all the while knowing what he is. Another possibility is that he might try to recruit the Death Eaters for Dumbledore, removing Voldemort's support. The argument would be, not that Voldemort is evil (Death Eaters LIKE that about him) but that he is weak. The Death Eaters need a powerful patron, and Dumbledore's argument would be something along the lines of, "no, I won't let you do wicked things, but join me and I'll let you LIVE, and that's something Voldemort can't promise you!" Simply put, I Am Stronger Than The Dark Lord: Join Me Or Perish With Him.

  I wouldn't be surprised if Dumbledore kills a few Death Eaters (who richly deserve it of course) to make his point.

• WORMTAIL will be re-named Silverhand

• IS NAGINI HARRY'S FRIEND?
  There is good reason to susupect that Nagini, Voldemort's serpent servant, is the same snake that Harry freed from the zoo in Book 1:
  • That snake was a python
  • Pythons are about 12 feet long and have a diamond pattern on their backs
  • Nagini is about 12 feet long and has a diamond pattern on his back
  • Dumbledore told Harry that it's good to have your enemy's servant in your debt. He meant Wormtail, but did he mean *only* Wormtail ... ?
  • With J.K. Rowling, there ain't no such thing as a coincidence

  If this is true, it may not come out until Book 7 when it will be of critical importance. My theory is that Voldemort is controlling Nagini with the Imperius Curse, that Nagini hates it and that Harry will either break the curse or teach Nagini to resist it. Who knows, perhaps observing Harry's successful resistance in Book 4 will motivate Nagini to try ... and succeed! Then, as Harry's friend, Nagini could contiune in Voldemort's service as a spy ... one Voldemort would never suspect. After all, he doesn't know Harry is a Parselmouth ... does he?

• SECRETS OF THE SORTING HAT
  The Sorting Hat is one of those things JKR has deliberately not called our attention to, or made us think is unimportant ... but with JKR everything is important, and the Sorting Hat is no different.

  What strikes me most about the Sorting Hat is its age and, even more, its direct examination of every student Hogwarts has ever had. The Sorting Hat knows everyone more intimately than they even know themselves ... and Dumbledore keeps it in his office. Why? Could it be that Dumbledore uses the Hat to learn key secrets about Hogwarts students, both current and former? That could be a powerful tool against Voldemort and his supporters

• STUDENTS AS HOSTAGES
  This isn't as sinister as it sounds. Quite simply, all of Hogwarts' students are in Dumbledore's care ... including the children of many Death Eaters. This gives Dumbledore a tremendous advantage over the Death Eaters, for he can hold their chidren hostage, and there isn't a thing they can do about it. Not that he is a kidnapper, but he could justifiably refuse to let them return home to their dangerous and menacing parents.

  Even better - and more like Dumbledore - he could do something to turn the kids against their parents, or use them against their parents. Something as simple as casting a spell on them to allow him to observe through their eyes and ears would give him information about their parents' plans.

  Even more subtle, simply having care of these kids for most of the year and impressing his values upon them is an enormous advantage. Kids pick up the values of those around them virtually by osmosis, not even realizing that it's happening, and that could be the most devastating blow of all to their evil, Death Eater parents.

• STUDENTS AS SPIES AND SABOTEURS
  In case you haven't figured it out already, Draco Malfoy is obviously in the camp of the Death Eaters. He has been sending messages to someone outside the school for at least a year (Book 4). It is likely Dumbledore knows this, and he may even have intercepted the mail - he is a powerful wizard and could have charmed Malfoy's eagle owl.

  So, how many other students are working for Voldemort? Probably Crabbe and Goyle, and possibly Pansy Parkinson, since she seems to like Malfoy and hate Hermione. JKR did say that personal choices will become pivotal as the series goes on, and I think there will be some serious moral (and mortal) conflicts between these kids - after all, they are growing up.

• WAYS TO BEAT VOLDEMORT
  There is some contention over whether Voldemort is mortal again or not. I would say not, or if he is he will soon do the same magic on himself that he did before to make himself (almost) immortal. Why? Because this makes the story more interesting. It's no fun if he can be killed. If he cannot be killed, then Harry has to deal with him in some other way.

  What other ways? Well, it would have to be something that could stop him from doing evil while not releasing him from his body, which would allow his spirit to escape and be resurrected again. In other words, it is necessary to DISABLE Voldemort but *not* kill him.

  I can think of several ways:

  • TRANSFIGURATION: This means turning him into some form that is physically unable to do magic, i.e. unable to say spells or wield a wand. So, that means something without a voice or any sort of gripping or waving appendages. The possibilites are endless: rocks, bones, plants, etc. - even worms.

    I think, however, it will be important to turn Voldemort into something that will last a long time, not need to be fed (which eliminates animal or plant forms) and be hard for Death Eaters to find later. For this reason I would turn Voldemort into a rock.

    After that I would take the rock and put it in the safest possible place, unobtrusive and not likely to be found. Two ideas come to mind, one near, one far. Knowing Dumbledore I would expect him to put Voldemort into the foundation of Hogwarts and leave him there, secretly, not telling anyone, so there would be no possibility of anyone finding out; the secret would die with him.

    A second possibility would be tossing the rock into a place nobody would be able to retrieve it, either a volcano or a particularly deep part of the ocean. The trouble is, would this eventually release Voldemort's spirit by melting or crushing the rock? JKR hasn't addressed what happens to a person who is transfigured into an inanimate object, when that object is broken up or destroyed.

  • MEMORY CHARMS
    Could Voldemort be induced to forget that he is Voldemort? If so he could be neutralized in such a way that not even the Death Eaters could restore him. If memory charms are selective, he could be made to forget his evil plans but to remember those who helped him, thus helping to round them up.

  • THE IMPERIUS CURSE
    Yes, I know it's illegal, but so what? This is Voldemort, and an exception is certainly justified. If Dumbledore could put this curse on Voldemort, problem solved. A similar but more vicious idea would be ...

  • THE CRUCIATUS CURSE
    This would be especially appropriate, since Voldemort has used it so much himself. I don't think Harry or Dumbledore would want to use it though.

  • DISARMING
    Remember what Harry tried in Book 4? The first defense hex he ever used: expelliarmus. We still don't know if it would have worked, because of the strange interaction between his and Voldemort's wands. So far we have not been told that Voldemort can do magic without a wand; we suspect he might, but all previous information says he can't do this any more than anyone else (and if he can I'll be Dumbledore - and maybe Harry - can too).

    So, how to disarm Voldemort? Expelliarmus may or may not work. But that's not the only way. Simply physically taking his wand when he's not looking might work. also, how about a summoning charm? Even if expelliarmus doesn't work, maybe accio wand! would.

    How about tranfiguration - not of Voldemort but of his wand? Turn it into a jellyfish and not only can't Voldemort use it, he'll get a nasty sting when he touches it!

  • DIMEMBERMENT
    This is gruesome, but still a possibility. If Harry could chop Voldemort up into pieces, he couldn't speak or use a wand (could he?). And if Voldemort has done some magic to keep himself alive in this state, well, that's his problem.

  • BINDING AND GAGGING
    If he were bound and gagged he could not do magic

  • THE DEMENTORS' KISS
    Ah, the very worst (and most appropriate) end for the Dark Lord! He cannot be killed, but his soul can still be sucked out - and how fitting too, since he has caused so much pain and suffering. I can see this coming as a truly horrifying end to the entire series - Dmentors coming after Harry perhaps, and truning to attack Voldemort at the last minute. Tasty, very tasty.