The best possible ending?

[SilverGhost]

Somebody important will die. Morbid, I know, but still. The best would be someone you'd never suspect would die because they're so important.(Harry. Harry. Harry.) I do believe that Harry dying would be a good ending, and maybe an epilogue like, you know, seeing Sirius and stuff.
However, Hayley_R has a good point. See, now I think that J.K. knew we would figure out he might die, and so she wrote a totally unpredictable ending no one could have guessed. She once said that if anyone knew about Christainity, they'd know how the series ends. So, with tweaks, my idea;
1.Harry comes very close to death and everyone thinks he's dead, but he does not die.
2.Thinking Harry has been killed by his hand, Voldemort (don't ask me how this happens.) Is filled with guilt and kills himself.
Weird, I know. Heh heh.

[Katie2]

EDIT: No HBP spoilers or references in this area

[cazafly]

No Harry can't die, because he ends with Ginny if he dies she dies otherwise her end is a loose end. of course someone will die, maybe pettigrew, Draco, Mr Malfoy, Snake. But i believe that lots of 'bad' characters will die. Maybe Neville, he has reason enough to go after vol but not the skill. Or Percy, well he not good and it maybe the only way we can feel sorry for him, his situation i believe has a part to play. Also 7 being the most magical number, well there are 7 weasly children and they are close to Harry and Vol has used that against Harry before, that why he broke from Ginny, and so they can get back together in the end.

[Untouchable_X]

For me the best ending is a mysterious ending, a sort of cliffhanger to keep everyones imaginations burning even after the end.

I would like to see the Order go at it with the DE, with everyone playing there parts including the giants dementors etc.

EDIT: No HBP spoilers or references in this area

As for the Trio and Neville Luna Ginny(anyone else from the DA) I would like them to go with Harry right to the final step. See like 100s of Deatheaters appear from no where and all of them tell Harry to go on and fight Voldemort. Harry goes on to fight Voldemort leaving the rest to fight the DE. The rest of the DA just pull out their wands give out some noble speech "if this is the end lets take as many of them with us as we can". Ron Hermione admitting they love each other and then them just running towards the death eaters green lights flying towards them. Their fate unknown.

Then just the Harry Voldemort fight, verbal and dueling. I dont mind seeing Harry die but I would want Voldemort to finally be destroyed.

[crazysonu]

Originally Posted by Rien

The best possible ending is probably something I couldn't dream of guessing.

yeah thats it! that would be the best ending in my opinion too. if harry simply dies while killing Voldemort that would be really sad but it wouldn't be something surprising or unexpected as so many of us r alreading guessing it. i would like to be surprised by the ending but pleasantly surprised! got it?

[Letha]

I can't remember who's said it here, but it was a clever man : he said he'd like to see an old Harry looking back and telling the story at the end, with a sweet old lady and red haired children around him. It's a bit commonplace, but it would'nt be such a bad end for a tale.

Yes, or a surprise, but a really good one then. I DON'T WANT this book to have an evil end. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaase

[HPLoser]

I think that the best ending would be Harry finally defeating the Dark Lord and for his dream to be an auror to be fufilled.

[roach76]

I really like katie2's idea maybe because I'm a hopeless romantic. All of them are great except I truly would not like to see Harry dead.

[SadPanda]

They could go Invader Zim style

Harry:I have a few things to say to you Tom!

*Later*

Tom Riddle:Well your right I cannot argue with that I give up and I'm going to turn myself into the authorities now. It's been nice working with you, Nagini. You can self-destruct now.

Nagini: FINALLY!
[explodes happily]

[Liza1593]

Harry dies. Voldemort dies. Ginny wallows but then becomes a Healer. Hermione and ROn have to get married and have like 50 kids. Percy dies. Malfoy lives. Snape dies fighting for the good side. Ron plays Quidditch, Hermione becomes an Auror. Neville become a Herbology teacher. Flitwick has to live. Lavender Brown goes to hell.

Lupin dies and Tonks wallows and then becomes a healer. NO just kidding she then pursues Kingsley.

Luna continues the Quibbler legacy, writing about her crumple horned snorkacks

[confutatis]

There will be a sacrifice, but I believe it will be Snape who sacrifices himself for Harry. DD did indeed die (thus releasing Snape from his unbreakable bond) but his phoenix, in the ultimate act of healing, traded its life for his, bringing him back... be we won't know that till well into book 7. Where did the phoenix go? He is gone forever, just as Harry said toward the end of HBP. But his life is reborn in Dumbledore. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny will all survive, some the worse for the experience, but alive. The mirror Sirus gave to Harry will play a part in the book, and it will be quite interesting. Eventually, long in the future, Harry will become headmaster of Hogwarts.

[Whitefluffy]

Originally Posted by confutatis

There will be a sacrifice, but I believe it will be Snape who sacrifices himself for Harry. DD did indeed die (thus releasing Snape from his unbreakable bond) but his phoenix, in the ultimate act of healing, traded its life for his, bringing him back... be we won't know that till well into book 7. Where did the phoenix go? He is gone forever, just as Harry said toward the end of HBP. But his life is reborn in Dumbledore. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny will all survive, some the worse for the experience, but alive. The mirror Sirus gave to Harry will play a part in the book, and it will be quite interesting. Eventually, long in the future, Harry will become headmaster of Hogwarts.

I agree with you about Snapes death. This is the way I feel exactly. Nobody attached to him, nobody trusts him. Looks like he have nothing to live for, and Harry finds out that he is good person in the end, feel sorry and regret. Snape dies like hero leaving Harry and us with mixed and confused feelings. Yes, that's the way I feel it.

[DillusionalHH]

J.K. has said in interviews in the past that the final chapter of the 7th HP book will be an epilogue of some sorts, so the idea of an old Harry telling the tale is a brilliant idea. That way we can have an overview of what happened to the rest of our favorite characters.
Now, I know that this wouldn't be Harry Potter without a few major casualities in the final battle. One of the most important aspects of the story is love's sacrifice. I could see one of Harry's friends(hopefully not Ron or Hermione), or one of the Order dying so that he can defeat Voldemort. That way Harry wouldn't be the only hero of the war. I can definitely see it being a somber, yet happy ending. One where there is rejoicing the dark lord's defeat, and at the same time a reflection of all those lost.

[confutatis]

... Or maybe it is Neville that finally does the deed! Remember, there were two babies born around the same time that the prophesy could have related to - and I don't believe JKR included that little tidbit without some reason. Even though Harry bears a physical mark from Voldemort, one could hardly say that Neville is unmarked by what VM did to his parents. So, we have VM spending six and nine/tenths books persuing Harry, has him cornered, about to do him in - and Neville destroys VM. Surprise! You've been chasing the wrong boy! BTW, speaking of Neville, could one of the horacruxes be a plant - say the whomping willow?

[Umulius]

Originally Posted by Sebastian06

Honestly, I think the best possible ending for the series would be for Harry to die, honorably of course, but still die. I don't want a perfect ending, and it just wouldn't make sense, in my opinion, if Harry survived. Since the prophecy says that either Harry or Voldemort will have to kill the other, people naturally think that Harry will triumph over Voldemort, the Wizarding World will elect him the next Minister of Magic, while he simultaneously becomes the Headmaster of Hogwarts, and yadda yadda yadaa. It's just not like Rowling to tie everything up so perfectly and to have the reader be able to guess the ending correctly.

I so much agree with you. It wouldn't make sense if Harry just live happily ever after. But if he survive, I think he would isolate himself like Frodo in the LotR.....

[dark_glamour]

I hope the ending doesn't involve Neville in some sort of heroic way. Not only would that be extremely uncharacteristic, but the book (and prophecy) is about Harry, not Neville.

[peggys]

At the end of the day, isn't this a children's book? Yes, I know it has tons in it for everyone (even for someone really *old* like me and my husband), but the series is written, sold and billed as being for kids. To kill Harry off at the end would be so wrong and anticlimactic for so many children. Look at the genre itself. At the end of LOTR, Frodo is badly injured and solemn, but not dead. He ends up going to the Grey Havens and Aragorn (the other hero) lives to rule with his queen. The ending is satisfying. Comparison's have been made between Harry Potter and Star Wars -- Luke isn't killed off in the end, either.

There are many, many children reading these books that are struggling with devastating illnesses, abuse and other issues that are so hard. They look at Harry as someone that has struggles, too, but he prevails. He is ordinary, yet extraordinary, just like them.

No, I don't think Jo is about killing off the hero in a classic like this. Yes, the mentor and yes, maybe a few others (maybe even Ron), but not Harry. And if she does kill him, there would have to be a whale of a moral for me to recommend the series to my grandchildren (who are yet too young to read) if she takes Harry out at the end. JM2C

[confutatis]

Ah, but, as Dumbledore says, the prophesy is about Harry because Voldemort *believes* it is about Harry! DD says it could just as easily have been about Neville, or of no effect at all. Only the fact that VM believed the prophesy was about Harry and went after him as a baby caused him to mark Harry in the first place. But was VM right in believing the prophesy was about Harry?

Re-reading #401, above, I was unaware that JKR had ever said that if you knew anything about Christianity, you'll know how the series ends. Ominous. I had noted similarities to the story of Jesus, notably a prophesy (remember the old person at the temple when Jesus' parents took him to the temple when he was 8 days old?), then Herod attempting to kill Jesus when a baby, the flight from Herod into Egypt until Jesus was a young boy, the return from Egypt and the trip to the synagog at 12 where the elders recognized his brilliance, wondering how this boy understood all these things, Harry being exiled for those years with the Dursleys, the crucio curse, Harry being protected by love, the greatest power (''these three things abide: faith, hope and love; but the greatest of these is love'') etc... I thought those things were just coincidental... in fact, maybe they were. I'd rather not think it is Harry that has to die. Although Snape does make a good apostle Paul who persecuted and killed the Christians prior to his experience on the road to Damascus. I still believe he will die in the end protecting Harry.
Remember, though, that JKR doesn't put things in the books for no reason. That little speech DD gave to Draco about Voldemort not being able to kill him (Draco) if he was already dead has some meaning we don't know yet.

[dark_glamour]

Originally Posted by confutatis

Ah, but, as Dumbledore says, the prophesy is about Harry because Voldemort *believes* it is about Harry! DD says it could just as easily have been about Neville, or of no effect at all. Only the fact that VM believed the prophesy was about Harry and went after him as a baby caused him to mark Harry in the first place. But was VM right in believing the prophesy was about Harry?

Forget the prophecy. The book is about Harry and Neville is such a minor character. I would be very disappointed if such a minor character played such a major part at the end of the book. Also, not only is Neville a minor character, he's not skilled at anything besides Herbology. He's a little slow and it would honestly be extremely uncharacteristic if he were to do something fantastic at the end. Because in all honesty, he's not talented or exceptional. Harry is.

[Freds_Muse]

What about Malfoy?

Either Harry and Malfoy will *finally* have a duel, or, Malfoy will end up helping harry in some way.

There is too much build up between the two of them for Malfoy NOT to play a huge part in the ending of this story. Whether its bad or good...we have to wait and see.