We’re all (and by “all” I mean James and I) getting a little crazed in the panders household. Why, you ask?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

I am so excited I can barely contain myself.

I am so sad and depressed that this is it, this is the end, damn.

If you don’t really care about Harry Potter, then you should stop reading now.
If you haven’t read the last 6 books and don’t want to hear possible spoilers, then you should stop reading now.
If you don’t want to hear theories and thoughts on the possibilities of book 7, then you should also stop reading now.

In the next few days, we will, along with the whole world, discover whether or not Snape is evil, or Dumbledore was right about him all along. We’ll know who lives, who dies. We’ll know how it all ends.

It has been such a good series, so full and rich with detail of the wizarding world that I’ll be so sad to have it all end.

Never again will I read a Harry Potter book for the first time – I’ll be rereading what I have already read (I re-read books A LOT.)

I think that there will probably be some strings left to ponder and wonder and theorize over even after the last book is read (will we FINALLY hear what exactly James and Lily DID FOR A LIVING? GAWD that’s been driving me CRAZY), but I’m sure that the majority of the mysteries will be all tied up with a little bow on top for us.

A FEW of the mysteries that I want cleared up:

What was Dumbledore seeing when he drank the potion at the end of book 6?

Why didn’t Voldemort just kill Lily without any compunction, why did he even give her a chance anyway? Doesn’t really seem his style.

Why does Dumbledore trust Snape so implicitly?

Who is/was R.A.B.?

Why does Trelawny refer to Voldemort as the Dark Lord?

Dumbledore offers to protect Draco, and his mother.. Could he have given that same offer before? Could Snape have turned on Voldemort and Dumbledore once offered him the same thing? Is THAT how he “knows” Snape can be trusted? Is Madam Pince (hello, Pince… Prince…!!) actually Snape’s mum in hiding?? DUN DUN DUN!

Will Percy ever just admit what a PRAT he was/is and reunite with his family?

WHAT is the deal between Petunia Dursley and Dumbledore??????!!! (i’m sorry, but all those exclamation points are TOTALLY WARRANTED.)

Please.. PLEASE don’t let Harry be a Horcrux. The idea is just ridiculous and I’m tired of people claiming it is so!

How did Dumbledore’s hand get all blackened/withered?

Will there even be a school year in the last year? Maybe the trio will go to Hogwarts to find some other founder’s secret chambers. Come on, you don’t think Slytherin had a monopoly on secret chambers, do you? I’m hoping there will be a big battle at Hogwarts — the school motto translates to, “Don’t poke a sleeping dragon.” To me, that is a quirky instruction to students that basically says, “don’t be a big dummy, use your common sense!” but it could be deeper as well.. Hogwarts is fortress of ancient magic, and I feel certain that it has it’s own resources it could draw upon if attacked. What would happen if Hogwarts is poked and awoken? Or maybe that dragon we see on the special edition US cover that the trio are riding on IS a dragon that was awoken deep within Hogwarts bowels? OOOoohhhh I CAN’T WAIT.

OK.. there are just a few of the many many questions, thoughts, mysteries, theories that I would like cleared up.

Now I’d like to go through some of my OWN theories.. and since tonight is the big night (or tomorrow, if some of you out there don’t feel like staying up past midnight..) this is my last chance to put my own conjecture out there.

First off.. a biggie. Snape.

I have been on both sides of this fence so many times that it is ridiculous. But now, on the eve of the book release, I have to say that I think Snape is NOT working for voldemort.

First, he killed Dumbledore. Dumbledore pleaded with him. Snape didn’t say a WORD, just killed him.

All of this is highly contrary to both their characters. If Snape meant to kill Dumbledore because he hated him and was working against him, blah blah blah, you can BET that Snape would have some choice last words to impart before dealing the final blow.

And Dumbledore.. when have we ever heard him plead? Jo wants us to think he is pleading for his life, but I think he is pleading for something else. Possibly even for Snape to finish the job, because it is prearranged. Dumbledore already showed us in his conversation with Draco, that he KNEW Draco was trying to bump him off all year. It is likely then that he knew Snape’s ultimate responsibility as well. I am sure that Jo will clear all of this up for us in the next book. It’s a classic sort of misunderstanding that happened in Prisoner of Azkaban — the difference though, is that it was straightened out by the end of the book, whereas this won’t be straightened out until the end of the series. I think it will be though, I think there is a straightforward, very solid reason why Dumbledore trusts Snape, and it’s not just Dumbledore going with his gut feeling. Something happened. Something that we will learn about in book 7.

Next. When he faced Harry in the last book, as he was retreating with Draco, Harry tries again and again to curse him, and he deflects every spell. Instead of duelling with him, he INSTRUCTS him.. telling him that he’ll never win unless he closes his mind, and his mouth (wordless magic!) — he is still giving him pointers to the very end! Albeit, in his extremely Snape-like way.

Lastly – He becomes positively enraged when Harry calls him cowardly, and screams, “DON’T CALL ME A COWARD!” I think that we’re going to see more of what Snape’s greatest fear is, or perhaps a scene from his past that made him into what he is. In fact, I think we’re going to see a lot of the past in this final book (at least I hope!)

So that’s my guess. I don’t think Snape is a good man. His years of interaction shows us that he is twisted and malicious. But I trust Dumbledore.. and that means I think Snape can be trusted.

Dumbledore’s death

OK, I CANNOT remember where I heard this, and I may be making it up, but I am pretty sure in one of the previous books, it was stated that a Phoenix can be born from the death of a great wizard. At Dumbledore’s funeral, a white blaze suddenly starts up around his body, making smoke and weird shapes against the sky and Harry thinks he sees a phoenix fly off into the blue. Then the blaze dies down, and marble is encasing the “body.”

I think Dumbledore turned into a phoenix. It’s a stretch, but that’s a pretty big clue right there Jo wrote, so I would not be at all surprised if it happened. Also.. another big stretch, wouldn’t it be cool of Faulkes was born from Godric Gryffindor? I’m geeking out at the thought!

R.A.B. – Regulus Black. Who I wonder if possibly he will turn up alive and well and willing to be yet another godfather to Harry. We know that Regulus Black was on the side of Voldemort, but then turned against him, and Voldemort had him killed. He wasn’t important enough to kill him himself, so that makes me think he wasn’t a Death Eater, just a lowly follower. Maybe he didn’t actually get killed.. maybe he’s out there and will turn out to be a resource for Harry in his search for horcruxes.

Who will live and who will die?

This question is awful.. I don’t want anyone to die! Except of course, Voldemort. Even Draco, I hope can be “turned” from the dark side and not end up being lunchmeat. However, I’m here to take my stab at guessing, so here goes.

The trio will live. Jo couldn’t be so cruel as to take Harry, Ron or Hermione from us. She just couldn’t.

Ginny will live. She has to hook up with Harry so they can live happily ever after and have cute chubby babies.

I think one of the twins could get it. There’s just so many Weasley’s! It’s unlikely that they all survive!

Percy could probably die in some heroic effort.. but it’s probably unlikely. I’ll have to go with one of the older Weasley’s getting it, and possibly Arthur as well, sad as that would be. Oh god I hope he doesn’t!

I think Draco is going to get it. And probably early in the book, let’s say, by Chapter 13.

Snape… I think he’ll live. He’ll be cleared from wrong doing, prove pivotal in the fight against Voldemort, and then live to be nasty for the rest of his life, probably teaching Defense against the Dark Arts.

Delores Umbridge needs to die a slow and painful death. Hopefully at the hands of house elves!

Neville will live.. and hopefully be crazy successful and come to his 10 year reunion with a hot wife and make everyone there totally jealous.

Ahh.. well.. I’m sure there’s more predictions I can make, but I’ll stop here.

Oh, and if you’re read this far, than you may be interested to know that the Do Not Disturb sign is off the door on JK Rowling’s website (click the eraser – that door has had a do not disturb sign on it for months) and a very sweet page of acknowledgements posted on the desk inside. The last paragraph made me tear up a little.

Big big breath… big big breath…

Counting down the hours…