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last updated 8/18/03 MORE EXCELLENT CLUES!! These are clues that you won't find in our Guide. A few of them we just didn't remember (or noticed too late) to include, but most of these are clues that other HP SUPER Sleuths have found! Some of you have written to us with these clues and theories, the other theories we have seen posted throughout the Web. We get very interesting e-owls from HP Sleuths who make suggestions about potential clues and theories, and these are the BEST! We have evaluated these theories thoroughly and are convinced they are DEFINITELY WORTH CONSIDERING. In fact, we wonder how we managed to miss some of them! SPOILER WARNING!!! * * Plot Spoilers to ALL Books * * Look at what HP Super Sleuths have uncovered... HINTOSCOPES & SLEUTHOSCOPES DISRUPTING CYBERSPACE!! Clues from other HP Super Sleuths (that we should have seen) Chamber pots or not? Ron's jokes in Divination Mrs. Figg and her cats Crookshanks Rowlinguistic HP SUPER SLEUTHS - ON THE CASE Coolest clues discovered by you HP Super Sleuths! Purple as a Running Bit Why Snape may NOT be a vamp Snape as a vulture Mrs. Figg and Crookshanks "Silly Girl" - a serious clue Unlocking Neville's mind Who will die? S-O-C-K-S Dumbledore likes sweets Trevor Fawkes and Phoenix symbolism LATEST HP SUPER SLEUTH DISCOVERIES HP Sleuths Rule! Yet Another Lion Clue for Harry? JKR's Signature Et tu Lucius? Definition of Death Eater More on the Crookshanks Rowlinguistic Snape as PART Vampire The Goyle-Pettigrew Connection All those flower names What happened to the Potters' House? Another relative of Harry's? Return to the Chamber of Secrets The Rules rule out Harry and Hermione Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Bloody well right (Baron stuff) Seeing Binns more clearly Neville's worst fear The Ancient Magic Wormtail meets Wormtongue Security Flaws in the Floo "Thrice Defied" THERE'S MORE YET... New WWP Hints! Is Neville's Gran or Uncle Algie dangerous? A missed interruption - Weasley Ginny and Hermione Lily's parents and/or Petunia as Squibs Pairs as a Running Bit Our thoughts about the Book 5 death Another Trelawney non-prediction Apparating - a mega clue to upcoming events! We are trying to give proper credit to the HP Super Sleuths who have discovered and/or submitted these clever observations. We are trying to trace the origins of any that we can. So, if you see one of yours here and you would like the credit, please contact us with a link to your discussion board or posting - showing when you made your observation public. We realize that often multiple people have made similar observations independently, so we are happy to acknowledge all HP Super Sleuths who made the earliest discoveries. HINTOSCOPES & SLEUTHOSCOPES DISRUPTING CYBERSPACE!! Clues from other HP Super Sleuths (that we should have seen) Chamber Pots or not? As most HP Sleuths now know, our Ultimate Unofficial Guide theories were correct concerning almost all of the mysteries revealed so far in Book 5. . . except for one obvious "oops!" Yes -- we were fooled. And this is why we blew it... You see, JKR tricked us... and we fell for it!! Geesh. We verrrry carefully read the exact quote from the interview where she revealed that there would be a magical Room (BBC Online, March 12, 2001). This is how JKR described the room: ...a certain room, mentioned in book four, which has certain magical properties Harry hasn't discovered yet! The criteria we used for speculating which room it would be was solely from that quote. These comprised the basis for our conclusion: It was described as a room It was mentioned in Book 4 The room, itself, has magical properties Harry hadn't yet discovered the magical properties Since Harry hadn't yet figured out the magical properties, that implied he had been in the room already, but just hadn't discovered those properties As we now know, it was, indeed, the Chamber Pot room that was the Room of Requirement in Book 5. Although we had considered the Chamber Pot room, we immediately rejected it -- based on the last item in that list. You see, we knew Harry hadn't been in Dumbledore's Chamber Pot room. (Groan) So, we either should have considered that the room (as well as the magical properties) hadn't been discovered by Harry, or... That Harry had already discovered that room and we were totally fooled. Could that be? Could Harry have already been in that room before? We now are contemplating whether JKR was possibly more clever than we had counted on (shame on us!) and that she really meant that Harry had been in there previously. Is it possible that this was the room where Harry saw the Mirror of Erised (Book 1)? All we know is that Harry thought he was 5 floors above the kitchens, but we also know from Book 4 that he wasn't exactly clear where the kitchens were. We have described in our guide how rooms do seem to change floors (confirmed by JKR in interviews), and Harry seemed to find the Mirror of Erised room only when he was fairly desperate. We also considered a certain cupboard that Harry and Hermione hid in when they used the Time-Turner in Book 3. Now, that was on the ground floor, but we also know that the Room of Requirement had been a closet for Fred and George when they really needed it. Since it would have too many inconsistencies, the Book 3 closet probably wouldn't have been the Room. Nonetheless, we are wondering if some room that Harry has already been in was THE Room? A question we didn't ask, that HP Super Sleuth Anna was astute enough to ask before Book 5 came out: I think this room is important because I think it gives you whatever you need at the time...what will Harry need when he enters this room??? That was a great theory and question, Anna, as we now know! goto top Ron's Jokes (Divination) This section has the most obvious clues that we shouldn't have missed (grrrrr!) - as they have to do with Ron's jokes. We were supposed to be following our own Rules of Constant Vigilance, so we should have seen these, but we (cough, cough)... somehow overlooked them. In Divination, Ron is constantly joking about all the images he "sees" in the tea leaves. He also jokes about all of the "disasters" he and Harry make up for their homework assignment. Even though Ron intentionally invents them, they are jokes and therefore, still follow the Rules. Now you may say that doesn't count because he was doing it on purpose, but we thought so too, which is why we missed it. You gotta watch that JKR.... HP Super Sleuth Troels alerted us to check out Ron's "jokes" in Divination. We looked, and sure enough, we must have been asleep when our HP Hintoscope was wailing on this one - it looks like they all came true!!! We're not sure if these all count as Ron joking, because Harry contributes as much as Ron. Will we have to consider adding a corollary to our Rules about Harry's jokes now, or maybe it's just that Divination is one big joke for Ron? Here are the gags, and the reality: Book 3, "Talons and Tea Leaves" Gag: When Harry is reading Ron's tea leaves, his reading is "Right, you've got a crooked sort of cross... you're going to have 'trials and suffering' ....but be very happy...." Reality: (We are hearing a chuckling sound coming from the trunk where we keep our HP Hintoscope!) Some major events in Ron's life during Book 3 were the trials and agonizing execution of Buckbeak, but then the joy of learning that Buckbeak was still alive. We couldn't find that HP Sleuths had correlated this one yet. There are some other possible meanings for this "crooked cross": Since this was Book 3, it is also possible that the "crooked" reference could have been another hint to look at the crookshanked kitty. Obviously, he was a red herring, but he did know where to find Sirius. Just a thought. HP Super Sleuth Bobby saw this symbolism which (in interviews) JKR has admitted to being a primary focus of her series: JKR is really paralleling WWll and the Nazi "super-race" thing... As everyone knows, the swastika...was a crooked cross... Draco calls Hermione a 'Mudblood." Was Ron predicting this sudden increased fighting between the Voldemort's followers and Dumbledore's? Voldemort is obviously Hitler in this situation. Both were very smart, cunning, and great with words. Hitler had complete control over his Nazis. Similarly, the Death Eaters are completely controlled by Voldemort. After Hitler fell, many Nazis claimed they were brainwashed (as many truly had been). After little baby Harry defeats Lord Voldemort, many people, such as the Malfoys, claimed they had been cursed by Lord Voldemort. Gag: When Ron is reading Harry's tea leaves, his reading is "'There's a blob a bit like a bowler hat,' he said. 'Maybe you're going to work for the Ministry of Magic...'" Reality: In our Guide, we suggested the resemblance to an Omega letter. As many fans know, JKR always has an Omega sign as part of her autographed signature. We know that character is important to her, but we're not sure why. However, now that we know Ron has that ability to predict things, we'll be keeping our pointy thinking caps on for that one! Gag: Ron turns the cup around and continues joking as he does Harry's reading: "But this way it looks more like an acorn.... A windfall, unexpected gold. Excellent, you can lend me some..." Reality: HP Super Sleuth Louise MacMahon dug up that, in Book 4, Harry indeed got an unexpected windfall of 1,000 gold Galleons. Gag: Ron's next reading of Harry's cup is a teaser: "that looks like an animal... yeah, if that was its head... it looks like a hippo... no," Reality: Another one apparently not previously spotted by HP Sleuths - Ron's comments about the head of a hippo... - notice how he cut himself off in the middle. It looks like he is about to say the word "hippogriff." Even if not, that is what was conveyed and what came true. Book 4, Chapter 13 - Divination class -- Harry's birth Look what HP Super Sleuth Zanth had hypothesized before Book 5 came out! These Neptunes were definitely a sign of things to come... Gag: Harry is confused when he finds that he has two Neptunes in his astrology chart at the time of his birth. "Aaaaah," said Ron, imitating Professor Trelawney's mystical whisper, "when two Neptunes appear in the sky, it is a sure sign that a midget in glasses is being born, Harry. . ." Reality:We now know that there were two children born at that time who were equally destined to become the one who Voldemort would "mark" as his equal. This is what Super Sleuth Zanth had said: There is another joke that Ron does in class that I find very interesting now that I have read your theories on Ron seeing the future, perhaps this skill also goes backwards. Consider the funny joke Ron makes when imitating professor Trelawney. Well perhaps this could be JKR's little way of dropping the hint that Harry was born on a specific night when a specific thing happened, and that it means some kind of destiny for him. Remember Voldermort wasn't out to kill the Potters, just Harry. Why else ask Lilly to step out of the way? He was determined to kill Harry, he didn't care about his parents, they were only an abstacle in getting Harry killed. Hopefully this will unravel more in the 5th book. Those Weasley jokes are very prophetic, aren't they? Book 4, Chapter 14 - Divination homework scene We have now determined that this particular scene is strictly a Book 4 plot puzzle. There is only one reference that is not clear, so we are assuming (until further evidence) that everything in here relates only to "Goblet of Fire" - no long-range predictions. Gag: When Harry and Ron are sitting in their common room devising disasters for Divination, Ron jokingly "predicts" that he is "likely to develop a cough." Reality: Well, we did see that he (and Hermione) do start coughing in Chapter 16, from Hagrid's putrid cologne. We think this is the intended reference, but no other HP Sleuths have mentioned it. Some awesome HP Super Sleuths devined this next group of predictions: Gag: As Harry and Ron continue to joke over their homework, they make very interesting predictions... Harry says, "on Monday, I will be in danger of- er - burns." Then Ron needed a prediction, so Harry helps him, "Tuesday, I'll. . . erm. . "Lose a treasured possession," said Harry..." "Good one," said Ron, copying it down." Harry settled for, "And on Wednesday...Okay, I'll lose a bet." Reality: If you notice, these events on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, seem to uncannily represent the tasks 1, 2, 3, from the Triwizard Tournament: Task 1 - Harry is "in danger" of burns from the dragons Task 2 - Ron was the treasured thing Harry would miss most (or was it Hermione, who was "lost" to them both) Task 3 - Harry didn't actually win the Tournament, so lost the bet for Bagman. Wow! Pretty scary, don't you think? Gag: Ron cracks another one, "Why don't you get stabbed in the back by someone you thought was a friend?" Reality: Ouch! Can you say "Moody"? Gag: Ron comes up with "I think I'll come off worst in a fight." Reality: Ron sure didn't benefit from his arguments with Harry or Hermione. The HP Super Sleuths who devined all those were: Steve, Trixie, Lisa Hicks, and The Other Elizabeth. Gag: Harry predicted "his own death by decapitation." Reality: HP Super Sleuth =Tamar used her brainpower to find the passage, "...the head of Harry's haddock drooped and fell silently to the floor - Ron's parrot's beak had severed it moments before..." Gag: When reading Ron's predictions, Hermione points out "You seem to be drowning twice." "Oh am I?" said Ron, peering down at his predictions. "I'd better change one of them to getting trampled by a rampaging hippogriff." Reality: This one seems a bit more obscure. It's true that Ron did a good imitation of drowning in the second task, but that doesn't seem to qualify as "drowning twice." No HP Sleuths seemed to have an explanation for this. Maybe he was mistaken about the twice, but if that's true, we couldn't find an explanation for the "rampaging hippogriff." We think it most likely that the second "drowning" referred to one of two situations. Maybe Hermione is even getting into the act by joking about drowning twice - since both Ron AND Hermione were both a bit soggy during the second Task. The other possibility is that Ron's second "drowning" is a metaphor for what happened to him when he attempted to ask Fleur out to the Yule Ball: "Ron moaned and put his face in his hands. He kept talking,though the words were barely distinguishable. 'She looked at me like I was a sea slug or something.'" So, is Harry getting the knack of cracking jokes or is he a crackerjack at Divination? Of course, Ron is in there wisecraking all the way through. You know, the whole thing ("old Divination standby") was Ron's idea. But maybe HP Sleuths might want to keep a misty eye on Harry when it comes to Divination.... Another obvious Ron joke Gag: We also missed an early joke. In Book 1, Chapter 7, after hearing the Sorting Hat song, Ron jokes that he'll "kill" Fred who had teased him about "wrestling a troll." Reality: As we know, Ron later does battle a troll. We were hit over the head with that one by HP Super Sleuth =Tamar goto top Mrs. Figg and her cats We had speculated that the French name for "Tufty" (one of Mrs. Figg's cats) may have a special meaning. A "tuft" is most often used to describe the hairy end of a lion's tail. Although people often associate cats with other more wild felines, domestic cats don't generally have a tuft at the end of their tail. However, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them specifically mentions a tufted tail as a Kneazle characteristic. Add to that, Tufty's name in French is Mignonnette, which means ground pepper - implying a speckled pattern (another Kneazle marking). As we said in the Guide, we are fairly sure that Mrs. Figg's cats are somehow magical. We suggested that Tufty's markings may have somehow been related to Kneazles. However, there is a much more definitive explanation that we hadn't considered (we must not have noticed the WWP Sleuthoscope scratching to be let out of the trunk...). An HP Super Sleuth, who pulled all the pieces together, has offered the most logical explanation that can't be ignored. Consider all the evidence: Mrs. Figg seems to have more cats around than the average cat lover We know that Mrs. Figg is a witch Mrs. Figg's cats seem to play some role in protecting Harry's neighborhood In order to go unnoticed in a Muggle neighborhood, only part Kneazles (a breeding technique) would work Mrs. Figg's house is described as "smelling" of cats As this HP Super Sleuth pointed out - this can only mean one thing: Mrs. Figg BREEDS Kneazles! The HP Super Sleuth mastermind behind this one was: =Tamar goto top Crookshanks Rowlinguistic Our HP Hintoscope was trying to tell us about this one - but seems the cat got its tongue.* Crookshanks' name is very unique, and when we first saw the name in Book 3, we immediately thought of a very similar unique name. One of our interests here at WWP, besides Harry Potter, is anime and animation art. There is a U.S. animation artist by the name of Sally Cruikshank, who had done the animation sequence for Twilight Zone - The Movie. However, her artwork is weird modern - not fantasy, and it didn't follow the other classical relationships that JKR has used when choosing/creating names. Therefore, we decided it was not justified, and didn't pursue it. Oddly, we didn't look for any other similar names from history (we're still scratching our heads about that). However, one of our HP Super Sleuths (the ever-watchful Lydia), pounced on another Cruikshank, who is a highly likely suspect! George Cruikshank was a British artist from the 1800s, who is famous for his illustrations in political and social satire, popular media (newspapers, theatre props, etc.), and numerous literary publications. He illustrated classic novels, such as Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, and Milton's Paradise Lost. Cruikshank also happened to be the illustrator for Grimm's Fairy Tales. In an interview on WAMU, Washington, DC (that took place between Books 3 and 4), JKR specifically references the original Grimm's version. Her familiarity with that version of the Fairy Tales, juxtapositioned at the time her Crookshanks character was introduced, allows us to conclude that George Cruikshank was her inspiration for Crookshanks' name. So what stealthy hints could be lying in wait for Crookshanks? NOTE: We typically focus on the mystery derivations of the names. However, JKR often uses puns and other techniques to sneak in more than one meaning. In this case, all you alert HP Sleuths have been pelting us with e-owls because we didn't even post the overt meaning. HP Super Sleuths, such as Sleuth_Sara and Laura Chestnut have sent us specifics. As HP Super Sleuth Laura explains: "Crookshanks...is described as being bowlegged (page 60, chapter 4, Book 3, US) or as having bandy legs (page146, chapter 8, Book 3) Crook is curve/bend. Shanks is another word for legs. Therefore, Crookshanks =curved/bent legs (bowlegged/bandylegged)." Not much can get by HP Sleuths :o). * (For our visitors whose native language is not English - "Cat got your tongue?" is an idiom for "Why are you not speaking?") goto top HP SUPER SLEUTHS - ON THE CASE Coolest clues discovered by you HP Super Sleuths! Purple as a Running Bit Because it is such a popular wizarding color, WWP didn't notice the extent of purple references throughout the septology, and therefore, we had not included it in our Guide. However, it does definitely belong in our "Rememberits" section, since there are more than just the "normal" number of mentions, and will appear there in the future. The site that spotted and brought this to our attention is: Mugglenet.com Thank you, Super Sleuth Emerson! See their Oddities discussion of the use of purple in Harry Potter - scroll on down to "The Color Purple" goto top Why Snape may NOT be a vamp JKR just keeps dropping those vampire hints, but many HP Sleuths feel there are still several arguments against Snape being a vamp: 1 - Daylight: In most accounts, vamps can't go out into the sun (it can be lethal!), but Snape does. 2 - Food: Because they are "undead," vampires don't need regular food - only blood, but Snape eats food at the table during the feasts. 3 - Reflection: Vamps are famous for not having a reflection from a mirror, but Snape was reflected in the "Foe Glass." 4 - Sleepless: Vamps only repose (not a true sleep) during the day and are up all night, but Snape has been seen at night in a nightshirt. HP Sleuths who are convinced Snape is a vamp, can answer all of these: 1 - Daylight: If Snape can do a complex potion that renders a werewolf safe, why couldn't he do a potion that would allow a vampire to be exposed to sunlight for short time (sunblock potion SPF 5000)? He does have very greasy hair.... 2 - Food: Just because Snape appears to "eat" at the table, doesn't mean he actually eats human food. He may have a special "diet" sent up to his plate by the house-elves. Remember - Honeydukes carries blood-flavored treats! 3 - Reflection: The Foe Glass has very special magical properties, and considering that Harry saw Snape's "reflection" before Snape had even entered the room, indicates that the "foe" is not really being "reflected," but is a magical image. As some HP Super Sleuths, including Peridot have pointed out, Snape was acting a bit weirdly at the Foe Glass ...maybe Snape had never seen his reflection, and he marveled for the first time at seeing himself. 4 - Sleepless: Although we have seen Snape in a night shirt, we have also seen that he is always awake (and often wandering around) whenever Harry is getting into trouble at night. Maybe Snape has "night clothes" just to give himself a clean (non-greasy), comfortable change of clothes while he is up at night? Clearly, the issues challenging the theory that Snape is a vampire, aren't strong enough to override all the other evidence that is so overwhelming. However, a very dedicated HP Super Sleuth has found a quote that seems to prove Snape can't be a vamp! Lydia O. sent us this from Goblet of Fire, Chapter 10, Percy's comments on the stamping out of vampires: "...Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-Humans---" (aka vampires) Lydia comments: "So there you go. Vampire is defined by JKR as "non-wizard part-human," and while I agree with ANYBODY that Snape is definitely, on his kindest days, part-human (teeny tiny little micro-part), I don't think anybody could call him a non-wizard." Therefore, if a vamp is a "non-wizard," then Snape can't be a vamp (can he?). We may have to re-think this vamp thing.... goto top Snape as a vulture Well, if Snape isn't a vamp, then what would all those odd descriptions about him be referring to? JKR doesn't make that many allusions without some purpose. HP Super Sleuth Lydia offered an alternative: What if Snape is somehow linked to a vulture? Consider the evidence: Several references to Snape as having or being "hook-nosed" (at least one per book). Those same comments (we thought meant bat) about Snape "gliding" or "flying" Snape's fingers were described in Book 4 as being long and yellow (like talons) Snape's dark appearance (and vicious personality) would apply to a vulture So what would be the explanation? Maybe he was one of those incidents of an Animagus transformation gone wrong? If not, how else might this all relate? Bat or vulture? What do HP Sleuths think now? goto top Mrs. Figg and Crookshanks If we accept the theory (above) that Mrs. Figg could be breeding Kneazles, another HP Super Sleuth came up with a theory that, even if not true, is absolutely brilliant! The facts: Mrs. Figg broke her leg back in Book 1 We are told that Mrs. Figg broke her leg by tripping over a cat We are told that Mrs. Figg was not as happy with that cat afterward In Book 3, Hermione found Crookshanks, who wasn't wanted (no reason given) Crookshanks had been in the Magical Menagerie for a long time Crookshanks is apparently a part Kneazle (typically happens during breeding) Add to all this our stated assumption that Mrs. Figg breeds Kneazles So, according to this HP Super Sleuth, it is elementary, dear Sleuths, that: Crookshanks was bred by Mrs. Figg. It was Crookshanks who she tripped over and broke her leg - which infuriated her enough to ditch the trouble maker. Crookshanks ended up, unwanted, in the shop until Hermione finally came along! The earliest HP Super Sleuth reference we could find was by: Petrea Mitchell goto top "Silly Girl" - a serious clue An HP Super Sleuth from Dallas, Texas, who has learned the Rules well, found the most subtle (yet nagging) clue we have seen so far. We know that in Book 4, Rita Skeeter called Hermione a "Silly Girl." Coincidentally, when Harry fell off his broom in Book 3, he heard an unidentified voice, from the night of his parent's murder, say "Stand aside, you silly girl... ... stand aside, now..." We don't know how many people (or who) were at Godric's Hollow the night of the murder, and although it is obvious that Voldemort attempted to cast the fatal spell on Harry, we don't actually know who killed Lily and James. Could one of the Death Eaters have been there with Voldemort, and been the voice that said "silly girl"? Could that Death Eater have been Rita (or the male impersonator we now think is Rita)? Or, alternative, maybe that is JKR's way of showing the superficiality of any "bad guys" - for instance, Snape called Hermione a "stupid" girl in the Shrieking Shack. It could also be that JKR is using that parallelism to help us readers link Rita with Voldemort. Yet, the "exact" same word (silly), does indicate that there could be a direct relationship there somehow, and HP Sleuths need to take this "silly" little clue seriously. Note: Some HP Super Sleuths insist that because James and Lily came out of Voldemort's wand, that Voldemort had to have been the one to murder them. Since that is quite overwhelming evidence, we feel it is important to point that out here. The reason we have been reluctant to assume it was Voldemort who did the killing is because we have seen Wormtail successfully murder Cedric using Voldemort's wand (we already knew that Voldemort was able to hold his own wand at the beginning of Book 4, yet he had Wormtail do the deed). We can only imagine what kind of wizard duel might have happened the night of the Potter's murders. We do know that in the duel in Book 5 that many wizards ended up with other people's wands. Since we don't know who was present the night the Potters were murdered, it is possible that others were there and that one of them uttered the "silly girl" phrase or maybe even ended up using Voldemort's wand to execute James and/or Lily. So, we are only being cautious when we state that we can't be absolutely sure who committed the murder of Harry's parents. Thanks to HP Super Sleuths. goto top Unlocking Neville's Mind If it is, indeed, a memory charm that is afflicting Neville, how could he safely be cured? Voldemort tells us, in Book 4, that particularly strong memory charms (similar to what Neville would have), can be broken... but like Bertha, would probably be fatal. So do we lose Neville, or is there another way? Who do we know that might have the skill and dexterity to unlock Neville's poor brain without destroying it? It would be an extremely tricky operation. A very perceptive HP Super Sleuth has a credible answer that fits perfectly: Bill Weasley! We think that is brilliant! Bill is an excellent candidate. If you think about how delicate he has to be when breaking ancient curses... (it's got to be like disarming a time bomb!). Bill would be one of the most qualified - maybe even more so than Dumbledore himself. The HP Super Sleuth genius who unlocked that treasure was Candy. goto top Who will die? The moment JKR confirmed there would be a "bad" death in Book 5, the rumor owls have been flying and the theories have been debated. All characters have been suspect, and much supporting evidence has been used to justify who might be the tragic victim. The confirmation of a Book 5 death was after we had already written the Guide, so we weren't able to include it in there. Further down on this page, we summarize our own thoughts on who may die. Definite candidates we see are: Hagrid, Lupin, Hermione, Dumbledore, or Mrs Weasley. Less definite, but still a possibility would be: Dobby, Cho Chang, Sirius, Fred or George, Mr Weasley, Ginny, or Hedwig. Cedric was only the beginning - this next one will be totally rough. JKR wants us to bawl our eyes out this time, so she will probably not kill the character off until she has made sure we absolutely adore him/her (waaah!). HP Super Sleuths have been sending us e-owls with very intriguing theories. Here we will offer what we think are the best (well-supported theories) from you fans about who we may lose in Book 5: Mrs Molly Weasley HP Super Sleuths Scott/Guyermo, from iharrypotter.net, have focused on the surrogate mother role that Molly Weasley plays. We all know how JKR suffered from the death of her own mother, and how she has woven those experiences into the Mirror of Erised scene. Now that Molly Weasley has assumed the place of Harry's own true mother, they see the potential for JKR to expand on that theme. They also cite the way this mystery death seems to be even affecting JKR when she just talks about it, which would indicate that it might be hitting her a bit personally. As further evidence, they draw attention to the method that the Death Eaters use to display their evil deed. If this person dies at the hands of Death Eaters, they are likely to send up the Dark Mark. It would be very dramatic, and would effectively scare us readers to experience Mr Weasley coming home to see the Mark hovering over his home (sob!). WWP thinks this was very well thought out. JKR could implement it as they have proposed in order to convey a very powerful message about the dire implications from this conflict with the Dark Wizards. Dumbledore HP Super Sleuth Judy thinks it will be Dumbledore. Like us, she foresees a "rebirth" of Dumbledore. We likened it to Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings. However Judy sees it from a different perspective. She thinks it could happen to Dumbledore in Book 5 because of the theme of the phoenix. Knowing how Dumbledore is closely associated with Fawkes, she believes the death-rebirth cycle can apply to Dumbledore. She feels he could rise from the ashes - like a phoenix - and that he has the ability to regenerate. We think she may have something, since we were told right from the beginning that Dumbledore was involved with immortality - the Philosopher's (Sorcerer's) Stone. Also, Flamel is his partner, and we know how long Flamel has been hanging around.... Ron HP Super Sleuth akasuperhpfan thinks there is specific evidence already indicating that it is Ron who dies. And that the evidence is supported by the piece of paper that was auctioned off. We already know that Ron will be the new keeper for the Griffindor Quidditch team and the person who dies will be somebody who Harry is fond of. JKR has given us a set of clues, and three of them are: Ron Broom Die (I can't remember the rest but "Ron" was the only name) So I think that Ron dies in a Quidditch match! Dobby HP Super Sleuth Peridot thinks we will lose Dobby (sniff). In fact, she sees Dobby as a brave hero: Dobby's Possible Death: Dobby has already proven he admires Harry ... we could say he's one of his BIGGEST FANS (cough, cough), AND he already saved Harry once, defending him against Lucius Malfoy in Chamber of Secrets (as Lucius went to attack him because Harry caused him to unknowingly free Dobby). Perhaps this means Dobby will attempt to save Harry's life in the future -- and perhaps it'll cost him his own. Hagrid will NOT die HP Super Sleuth Sandra presents a lot of reasons to show us that Hagrid is essential to the future plot of the series. She feels that one of the most important things about Harry Potter that we need to find out has to come from Hagrid. He can't die (at least not yet) until he tells us what happened during that timeframe after Harry's parents were murdered, and until he was delivered to Privet Drive. Therefore, she concludes that he will not die in Book 5. WWP's thoughts about the Book 5 death goto top S-O-C-K-S This one really makes you think. It may not be what JKR had in mind, but knowing her sense of humor, you can sure see the possibility! An HP Super Sleuth informed us that there is a classic Spanish-English joke that is derived from a pun about socks. Since we are looking so hard for a "Eureka!" about socks, this just may be relevant. HP Super Sleuth Donn in San Luis Obispo explains his theory: JKR has lived in Portugal and it seems likely that she would know some (maybe a lot) of Spanish/Portuguese. If you spell "socks" in English [s-o-c-k-s], it comes out in Spanish as "¡Eso si que es!" with the rough translation: "Yes, that's it!" The original joke went roughly as follows: A Spanish speaking man goes into a men's shop for some socks. The clerk only speaks English. The verbal communication just isn't working - so the clerk starts pointing to some different items. Shoes? No. Belt? No. Shirt? No. Finally the clerk points to some socks. The customer's face brightens and he says "¡Eso si que es!". The clerk is a little exasperated and responds "Well, why didn't you spell it in the first place?" Cool, huh? So, what about those socks? Of course, since the phrase means 'that's it' - we still have to wonder 'WHAT's it'...? goto top Dumbledore likes sweets Just a short 'n sweet tidbit that an HP Super Sleuth has plucked out: We know that Dumbledore's name means bumblebee. He does seem to have a verifiable characteristic that goes perfectly with that name: A big attraction to sweets! (Hopefully, that's not a weakness...) The HP Super Sleuth we saw homing in on this one was: Chuck H goto top Trevor What's going on with Trevor? Could he be around to watch out for Neville, or maybe to spy on him? If so, then why is Trevor always running off - does that make sense? Is that because Neville's own mind is so unfocused, or is there something / someone prodding Trevor to take off? Although we questioned Trevor's antics, we couldn't verify any clues about the role Trevor may play in the mysteries, so we didn't include much about him in our Guide. The only major classical reference we can think of is the toad prince, but there are no hints about that. Could Trevor truly be transfigured? (We don't mean animagus - we mean someone has done it to him and won't let him escape - like the famous "bouncing ferret.") So far, we're not convinced that we're going to see a fair maiden kissing Neville's toad! We did miss a Trevor clue, from Book 1, that appeared to be just a hint to help us solve the puzzle in Book 2: Remember at the end of Book 1 how Neville discovers Trevor hiding in a bathroom before they leave to go home? What was he doing in there? Well, that seemed to have been an extremely subtle hint about the mystery in Book 2. Is Trevor just a cowardly toad who likes to sulk in dark, wet places, or is there something more to Trevor? Trevor's wanderings haven't gone unnoticed by wary HP Sleuths. What could Trevor be up to? What kind of mischief could a toad get into? Some HP Super Sleuths have suggested some possible hints: HP Super Sleuth Siobhan has done his research and found some very interesting information about toads. Traditionally, toads have been used to ward off evil and cure sickness by absorbing it into their skin (icky, but very useful). That would imply a positive (if not key) role for Trevor the toad. An HP Super Sleuth, by the name of Karen, made a humorous suggestion quite a while ago... but lately, we aren't laughing. Once we recognized the hint at the end of Book 1 (where Neville discovers Trevor hiding in a bathroom), we put that together with Karen's observation, and realized maybe that toad prince could beget a king. You know the description from Book 2 about how you obtain a Basilisk? One Trevor toad + one egg from Hagrid's hen house = one big mean snake! Uh ohhhh.... goto top Fawkes and Phoenix symbolism There are numerous interpretations for "Order of the Phoenix." HP Sleuths are speculating about whether it could be an award (like the Order of Merlin), or a group organized to fight Voldemort, or maybe a linear or lineage order of related people or items, etc. As HP Sleuths who have read our Guide know, we are of the opinion that it is a brotherhood of some kind - because that would explain how the "members" might have contacted one-another so quickly during emergencies. We are not sure if the members would be linked by phoenix wand cores - since that has other odd implications (Voldemort's wand is, of course, a phoenix core) - but we have suggested that as one possibility. How does Fawkes fit into all of this, and what other explanations are there for the Order of the Phoenix? HP Super Sleuths have been debating this for months. Some of the most likely theories are presented here: HP Super Sleuth Lisa Hicks suggests that since 1,000 years isn't very long for a phoenix (only two burning cycles), Fawkes could very well have belonged to Godric Gryffindor, himself! That's a really cool theory, and makes a lot of sense. HP Super Sleuth Lusine thinks, The fact that he was reborn in book two is probably foreshadowing how the Order of the Phoenix will be reborn. HP Super Sleuth Dreamersleeps ponders, Why is Fawkes so attached to Harry in book 2? It is likely that Harry is the first thing that Fawkes sees when he is reborn for the ashes. There is a popular belief that newborns bond to whomever/whatever they come in contact with in their earliest time of life. Of course, that says a lot about Hagrid and Norbert, doesn't it? HP Super Sleuth Lisa T. has found more hints about Fawkes possible direct tie to Godric Gryffindor: Book 2, top of page 322, U.S. edition. "...Fawkes took flight again an a whirl of gold and scarlet." Book 2, page 324, U.S. edition "Led by Fawkes, whose wide scarlet wings emmited a soft golden glow in the darkness..." Lots of red and gold -- can't help thinking Gryffindor... goto top LATEST HP SUPER SLEUTH DISCOVERIES HP Sleuths Rule! Yet Another Lion Clue for Harry? A learned HP Super Sleuth has tracked down a very profound piece of information. As we know, JKR very carefully choses every name she uses for her characters. But what about Harry? So far, there are not any clear hints about why JKR decided to name her character "Harry." HP Sleuths are aware of several references that seem to tie Harry to the Gryffindor lineage. Well, another hidden piece of evidence about Harry's relationship to Gryffindor has now been seen crouching in the pages, and might even hold a clue to Harry's name. But you have to be able to read Hebrew to spot it! HP Super Sleuth Zack613 has been reading the Hebrew translation of the Harry Potter books (cool, huh?). He has discovered that the Hebrew version reveals a deliberate direct link between the words "Harry" and "lion." He explains it for those of us who are Hebrew-challenged: In the Hebrew version, the names are transliterated, not translated. As a rule, unless it is a book for a very young child, Hebrew books use only consonant's, the vowels are implaned. Most of the names (Snap, Quddich, etc.) have vowels. The name Harry does NOT. Because of this, the name can be read Harry or HaAri which means "The LION"!!! As it happens, HaAri is also the Nickname of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria (circa 1500's), the greatest Jewish mystic since the 200s. Now if that has your attention, it gets even better. He goes on to explain: One of the things the Jewish mystic HaAri is well know for is his belief in transference of souls. That some one today might have the same soul as say Moses. That person would then share character traits with Moses. Oh boy, that opens the door for some interesting theories (not like we need more encouragement to do that)... As we already know, the different translations of the Harry Potter septology appear to have potential clues of their own. For instance, if Mrs Figg's cat, Tufty, turns out to be a part Kneazle, then we are really suspicious that the French translator already had some inside info back in Book 1. Could JKR have been aware of the Hebrew correlation? Was it divine coincidence or intentional clue? Maybe we should find that translator.... goto top JKR's Signature An interesting tidbit about J.K. Rowling's signature (otherwise known as the Rowlinguistics of "Rowling"). In one of the clues above, we mentioned the Omega symbol in J.K. Rowling's signature. That symbol has been incorporated in many works, and is used to mean "the end," "the last," the number "24," "resistance/strength," and is associated with finality. We have been trying to think about the significance of that for a while. Well, we didn't think mystically enough. HP Super Sleuth "lemonade" pointed out that the Omega letter is used to represent the Zodiac sign of Leo, the Lion. ...And we all know that both JKR and Harry are Leos! Like everything else in JKR's world, it's so obvious when you see it :o) goto top Et tu Lucius? Poor Julius Caesar wasn't the only Roman leader to die by assassination, in fact, that is typically how the next in line got "elected" back then. Anyone who thinks that the Roman rulers were nice guys is probably related to the Malfoys. Knowing that, we couldn't help but notice that JKR used Roman names for her corrupt characters. In our guide, we suggested that Lucius' name may have been derived from Lucius Verus, a Roman General, whose vanity seemed so appropriate. However, there is yet another Lucius to reinforce the Roman connection. This one adheres to the Malfoy philosophy of "how to eliminate your enemies," and even may hold clues about his future. HP Super Sleuth Erin gives us the gory details about the history of this namesake: Brutus, as you probably know, was one of Caesar's supposed assassins as well as his illigitimate son. Brutus was a descendant of LUCIUS Brutus, a man who killed the last Roman King in order to establish the Republic. Could LUCIUS Malfoy be trying to do the same? Cornelius Fudge had better be alert. No matter what etymology we find for the names Lucius and Cornelius, Mr Fudge doesn't seem to stand a chance. HP Super Sleuth Kenny had written to us with these thoughts before Book 5: I can't help but think this... Lucius is, as stated in Book 4, the governor of schools right?! Well that would make Dumbledore the person that he would take out. Something to think about. Not Fudge as everyone would think.. but Dumbledore. Interesting isn't it? Now that we know Cornelius Fudge is all paranoid about Dumbledore usurping his position, we'd say that Kenny was right on the mark. goto top Definition of Death Eater What a weird and ucky name -- "Death Eater." Sure sounds discusting and appropriate for Voldemort's terrorists. It conjures up images of people who revel in death, which is probably what JKR had intended. However, as with all the names that JKR creates, there is usually something very specific that she had in mind. What might be the precise derivation that JKR used? HP Super Sleuth, Jess the Great, found a fanfic by Simone Magus that illustrates a potential meaning of the term "Death Eater." As we know, HP Super Sleuth Lydia O. has hypothesized that the description of Snape is most close to a vulture. As explained by Jess the Great, we now know that Snape was a Death Eater. We also know that vultures are carrion (dead flesh) eaters. He saw the correlation, and we see an interesting possibility. Could JKR have had vultures in mind? It's the best definition we've seen so far. goto top Snape as PART Vampire HP Sleuths are at each-other's throats over one of the most debated mysteries in the Harry Potter septology. The controversy rages on... Is Snape a Vampire? In our guide, we stated that we do believe it, but that there wasn't enough proof. As there is nothing in the first four books that can solve this, there is an answer that allows for a tenuous truce until JKR tells us more. Could Snape be a "part" vampire? This was first brought up over a year and a half ago, but is usually rejected by both sides. However, many more hints have been uncovered recently. Looking carefully at all the evidence we currently have, it is even more enticing as a valid resolution to the argument. WWP now feels that it is probably reality. We have been receiving e-owls from many HP Sleuths who also believe so. We had heard from HP Super Sleuths: Lusine, Peridot who thought there was sufficient evidence to support it. Therefore we think it is important to post this theory. We are not sure who originally came up with it, but HP Super Sleuth Marcy has submitted the most well-presented summary we have seen! Plus, she also offers her interpretation of how Snape could have become part vamp. While we can't know if he is part vampire from heredity or an encounter, her logic is very appealing.... Factually backed up Hypothesis as to the Identity of Severus Snape as part Vampire (the descendant of a Vampire) -- by Marcy I agree that there are many things that point to Professor Snape as being "Vampirish." The repetitive description of him as a bat; the "sallow" skin; the fact that Lupin assigned the Vampire essay (in retaliation?) when it should be obvious that if they were still not anywhere near studying Werewolves, that Vampires shouldn't have been the next thing to study either. I also acknowledge the factors that say that he cannot be A vampire. The laws that pertain to "non-human magical creatures" not being allowed a wand are a very important clue, along with the fact that Snape has been seen outside. It all seems so clear now! How could he be "Vampirish" without being a vampire? Simple. The same way that Fleur is "veela-like" but not really a veela, and Hagrid is "giant like" without being a giant. Snape obviously has to be PART Vampire. This shouldn't affect his ability to wield a wand or affect his powers because, as we have already seen, Fleur is part "non-human magical creature" and she is such an excellent witch that her name was chosen by the Goblet of fire to be Beaubatons Tri wizard champion! Hagrid has some "giant like" characteristics (size, affinity for dangerous creatures) but lacks others (brutality). Fleur also has some Veela-like characteristics (the boys are "in awe" of her, she is beautiful) but not others (she has not shown the violent temper of the Veela at the World Cup, her power to "enchant" men appears to be MUCH weaker than that of an actual Veela). So why couldn't Snape have some characteristics (ability to turn into a bat, preference of Dark places) but not others (inability to eat food, required to drink blood). He does seem to have a dislike of bright places, but can go out into the sun. It makes perfect sense. It would also explain why Snape "came to Hogwarts knowing more curses than most seventh years." It would take a shady witch or wizard to marry a Vampire, and a Shady witch or Wizard to teach their small child "Dark Magic." So... Is Snape a Vampire or isn't he? Maybe the answer is "Yes." goto top The Goyle-Pettigrew Connection We all remember "Scabber's finest hour," as described by Fred. You know -- when Scabbers bit Goyle's finger in Book 1 on the Hogwarts Express. In our guide, we questioned why Scabbers would have done that to another Death Eater's son, as we didn't see any motivation. HP Super Sleuth Ellen has suggested what the possible connection between Wormtail and Goyle might be. We think it is worth examining. As she points out, there is not a lot of evidence about this one, however, we think it's important to post her thoughts because it is an interesting theory, plus JKR puts those in there for a reason, so it's a good idea to study it. Ellen discusses how it all may relate: Pettigrew is unlikely to have acted out of an unselfish desire to defend Ron. We know that Goyle (and Crabbe) were not Voldemort's most competent servants. Voldemort mentions this when talking to his circle of Death Eater's in Goblet of Fire - he asks if they will "do better this time." Pettigrew's dislike of Goyle could simply be a result of Goyle's prior blundering. or... Goyle's mistakes could have had a direct personal impact on Pettigrew, possibly even playing a role in his decision to spend 12 years as a rat. JKR hasn't dropped as many hints about this as she has about some other things, but I suspect that we will see some revelations about Goyle (and perhaps Crabbe as well, since they seem to be paired most of the time) in a future book. So, why did Scabbers bite Goyle's finger? That comment by Voldemort about Goyle is one of those famous JKR quips that could be the link. goto top All those flower names It's hard to miss the abundance of flower/plant names for females, which were proliferating throughout the Harry Potter septology. We had noticed them, and even gave the significant etymology for several of them. There are many names that come to mind: Lily Hogwarts (another lily) Petunia Myrtle Olive (Hornby) Lavender Narcissa Pansy Fleur ("flower" in French) Padma (lotus flower) There are a few others that could qualify (like Prof Sprout), but are not first names given by parents who may have specific intentions. Hard as we try, we just can't find any common element. Nontheless, the notion that there could be more to it than just a clever name was germinating in our brains. Recently, their significance has been growing more definite as new theories have taken root. Based on what we do know, our inclination is to suggest that all females with flower names come from old wizarding families. That might seem overly obvious until you start thinking about Lavender and Petunia. If that is the seed JKR was planting for us, then we can be fairly certain that Petunia is a Squib witch. We are looking very hard for a pattern that would give us the right clue. HP Super Sleuth Ronne has cultivated the hypothesis that they may all be descendents from one ancester. Without any apparent hints to help us, that is a logical postulate. Maybe we should be alert to look for that family tree. HP Super Sleuth Tasha had written to us before June 21, suggesting that the characters with flower names could all be related to the same family. She also considered that maybe through some ancestry that Harry and Draco could be related -- or that Harry's mum and Narcissa Malfoy could be related. Well, based on new info that has bloomed from Book 5, we see that although we don't yet have proof whether Harry's mum is related to Narcissa or not, we now know his godfather is! What other surprises will this bed of flowers reap? goto top What happened to the Potters' House? In our guide, we discussed how very weird it was that Harry's parent's house was destroyed when Voldemort attacked. According to what we learned in Book 4, an Avada Kedavra curse should not have caused any physical destruction -- let alone left any mark on the bodies. That is confirned by the Riddles' deaths 50 years ago (Chapter 1), it is confirmed by "Moody" in his class about the Unforgivable Curses, and it is confirmed again when Wormtail kills Cedric. As long as it is consistent with what "Moody" taught them, we would expect all the others to be that way too. HP Sleuths who are familiar with Science Fiction have rationalized that when the curse rebounded, the properties were somehow changed/augmented so that the rebounded spell caused the destruction. But what if that wasn't the case? What if the spell was just a spell that killed humans and did not affect the house at all? What would have destroyed the house? We have received e-owls from some very clever HP Super Sleuths who have theorized what might have done the damage. There is very little to go on, but with careful sleuthing, there are a few JKR-style references that we can use to give us hints. The first thing is to think about assumptions. When we hear that the house was "almost destroyed," our immediate assumption is that it was a form of explosion, and that it was a by-product of Voldemort's curse. Those would normally be very logical and highly plausible. But... there is nothing to tell us that was the actual scenario. The reason we think of an explosion is because we assume it would take something that big to destroy a house. The reason we think it was Voldemort's curse that did it is because we assume that his attack was the only violence that was occurring, so it seems unnecessary to think in terms of other kinds of disasters. However, when we finally are told in Book 4 that the killing curse doesn't leave marks, it is our challenge, as HP Sleuths, to re-evaluate the crime scene. This is JKR, and we know that she purposely uses great big events and clues to cover up for the subtle bombshells. Considering that the attack cannot be visualized in Muggle terms, our forensics will have to scrutinize it using what we know about destructive forces in the Magical world. What could destroy a house? One interesting theory HP Super Sleuth Katie paid close attention in Hagrid's class. She found one possibility that made us laugh, but that we could not dispute. Hagrid let us know that nifflers "wreck houses." Considering how quickly those little diggers were able to fly through the earth, it probably would not take long for them to create havoc. Hagrid didn't think that having even one of them around was a good idea, so we can only imagine what an army of them might do! Maybe they wouldn't normally cause enough destruction to topple a house, but if the Potters had a lot of something in there (like gold or some other shiny type of substance), those critters just might do enough to nearly collapse it. Katie hypothesizes: "So, I think that someone was looking for something in the Potters' house. I'm not exactly sure what they were looking for, but I thought that maybe it was Wormtail [who was looking]." Could Wormtail have been looking for gold stashed in the house? (Can't visit Gringott's when you're in hiding and supposed to be dead!). Also remember, Goyle Jr. couldn't keep his hands off the leprechaun gold in Book 4 -- could his dad have had the same problem? There is the possibility that the Potters could have had something Voldemort or someone else wanted to find. (Crime scenes often are messy for that reason). That is one possibility. Another super interesting theory An even more appealing clue was exposed by HP Super Sleuth Jane Clare. She feels that if Harry was a more powerful wizard than Voldemort had realized, that even as a baby, Harry may have had powers far greater than a normal wizard. What if Voldemort were wrong, and it was not a rebounded curse? What if it didn't rebound, but instead originated from Harry? We have been shown so many times how an emotional wizard child can do some interesting magic (remember Harry ended up on roofs and trees, and that he didn't need to worry about picking the lock after blowing up Marge. So, what if Harry had become extremely emotional during the attack on his family? What would he have been capable of? Here is how HP Super Sleuth Jane Clare describes it: I am thinking that [Harry's] scar itself may be the first and the biggest red herring that JKR dragged across our path. She reinforced, and conditioned us to think it was caused directly by Voldemort, by frequent flashbacks to that brilliant green light in the Potter's house. The heart of my theory is that: It was Harry himself who destroyed his family's house, in his fright and anger... The brilliant green light was issuing from Harry, directed at Voldemort That it was Harry himself... not his mother's love in his skin (another, related fish, from Dumbledore no less!), that caused Voldemort his setback. Please recall that early in Book 1, Harry ... assures [Petunia] that he will not be blowing up the (Dursley's) house! If that is not a JKR clue, I don't know what is! An extensory thought: could Voldemort's brilliant green light have been simultaneously countered by Harry's own? Harry, being more powerful, would have lived, while Voldemort would have been changed. The quote she is referring to is the one in the "Vanishing Glass" chapter: "And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled. "I won't blow up the house," said Harry, but they weren't listening. For all those who want Lily's love to have played a key role, Jane isn't saying that her love didn't protect Harry. In fact, she is saying that not only was Harry probably protected by his mum (since we know that Voldemort couldn't touch him), but it was Harry's own love (and attempt at protection) in return, that caused the near-destruction of the house. The issue is -- was it a rebounded curse that zapped Voldemort -- or maybe a little baby Harry? WWP thinks she is right in suggesting that we should revisit the green light clue. We also keep thinking about the potential power in Harry's green eyes, and it is our thought that Harry's green eyes may somehow have been involved in it! This could be even more intense. Just thinking about it is starting to give us another headache.... goto top Another relative of Harry's? What is Godric's Hollow? Is it a location, or is it a homestead? The Weasleys live in "The Burrow," which seems to be a homestead. The reason we ask is because we know the Potter family isn't the only one to have inhabited Godric's Hollow... or is it? HP Super Sleuth, Dawn - Flyingsnitch.tk, thinks that if Godric's Hollow is a homestead, it might give us some more clues about Harry's ancestry. Hope you HP Sleuths have your Quidditch Through the Ages handy! She points us to this interesting trivia: "The invention of the Golden Snitch is credited to the wizard Bowman Wright of Godric's Hollow" (Quidditch through the Ages, page 14. Bowman Wright lived at Godric's Hollow, could this be a family house? I believe so. Also, is that why Harry loves Quidditch so much and is an excellant Seeker? Cos he is the Great Great Great... grandson to the creator. If she is correct about the homestead, then she could very well be correct as to Harry's tie to Quidditch! WWP, however, has found something just as intriguing. While researching that information, we noticed that on the same page, it gives some information about Bowman's work on his invention. It says that he was a "skilled metal-charmer." That is an interesting talent. It also says that his papers listing his original orders is currently in the hands of a "private collector." We have absolutely no idea what either of those might be good for, but there could be a reason why JKR told us that. We will let it flutter around in our brains, just in case. goto top Return to the Chamber of Secrets Since our Guide was written (significantly) before the release of the Chamber of Secrets DVD, we WWP had no way of knowing about the hints that it could be reappearing in the future. Several HP Super Sleuths (H.K.R.) have alerted us to this blatant clue. CONSTANT VIGILANCE! goto top The Rules rule out Harry and Hermione We know the Rules work, but do they work in ways we haven't mentioned? We have to say, "yes," since most of this page is dedicated to clues that fall within the rules that we didn't mention in our guide. So, do the rules say anything about the romantic relationships? We got an e-owl from someone who thinks so. HP Super Sleuth Heather thinks she has found evidence that eliminates the possiblity of romance for Harry and Hermione: I remember one of the rules being that "If JKR repeats something, then she wants us to remember it," right? So, i flicked through the book and read some of the chapters. Harry keeps repeating, "Hermione's not my girlfriend," ever since the chapter when Rita Skeeter's article about Harry came out -- up to when Harry talked to Krum (Madness of Mr Crouch). Well, it could be a red herring, but we think Heather's probably right since there is nothing really to dispute that. goto top Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Is it possible to make sense out of nonsense? First of all, you would have to define "nonsense." But then you would have to figure out if what makes sense to Dumbledore could possibly make sense to anyone else. Be that as it may, we had fun seeing this wordplay, and thought you all would too: "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"--- Recognize this from the first book (The Sorting Hat, p. 123 American hardcover)? You asked in your book for HP Sleuths to figure out what this means. Well, I've found that this can be "translated" in different ways. Using Webster's dictionary I found the following definitions: Nitwit- Stupid/scatterbrained person Blubber-To weep profusely; fat Oddment-Something odd, left over Tweak-To change, to pinch If you look at the first definitions, the nonsense words turn into a condensed speech (adding words where necessary for grammatical purposes): Stupid people, weep for the odd ones-change them. But viewed using the second definitions, it turns into advice on what to do when your neighbor isn't paying attention at the feast (again, adding words where necessary): Scatterbrained people, get fat by pinching leftovers. Typical of Dumbledore--even nonsense has two meanings. We hope everyone realizes that was in fun, and we hope you enjoyed that from HP Super Sleuth Parvati87. goto top Bloody well right (Baron stuff) Ever since Book 1, we've been wondering how the Bloody Baron got so bloody. We also know that it is probably tied to something else in the Harry Potter stories ('cause that's the way JKR likes to tease us). So, what would be the Bloody Baron's story? HP Super Sleuth Liz has found a reference that seems to tie the Bloody Baron to some other familiar (if you stayed awake in class) bloody events: I also have one other theory of why the Bloody Baron may be so..well...bloody! It justs strikes me fancy that JKR always mentions the Goblin Rebellions as bloody and violent, and Rule 1 clearly states that if she reinforces it, it's important. Well, the Bloody Baron may be connected with the Goblin Rebellions! Just a thought... It's a good thought. WWP has some other ideas that we will be discussing, however, we really like this -- especially in light of the focus on the goblin-wizard relationships. goto top Seeing Binns more clearly In Galadriel Waters' chat on Mugglenet, she discussed how JKR is apparently using the traditional theory of apparitions to explain the existence of ghosts in her magical world. The theory is that ghosts are supposed to be the "restless spirits" who have "unfinished business" in the earthly world. Well, if that is the case, then it is difficult to see how boring, drowsy, (and definitely deadbeat) Professor Binns could be considered a restless anything! And what other business could he have on earth besides his classes (which are the only things he notices)? HP Super Sleuth EJ has a theory that we think is good enough to excite even Binns: Just my theory about Binns' "troubles". That is what is keeping him on the Earth as a ghost. He is simply not done teaching. You will notice that nothing stops him from teaching, even his own death. He may not be a good teacher, but apparently it is something very important to him. Also note his subject, History of Magic, he is teaching about the mistakes of the past, which are, in reality taught for one reason: so that they are not made again. Hmmm -- if you think about the upcoming war and the fact that the history of creatures and wizards will have an impact on who takes what side, Super Sleuth EJ could be right. Maybe one of Binns' lessons or his expertise on little-known historical information will cause the spooky event his spirit has been waiting for? goto top Neville's worst fear We know that a melted cauldron usually means that Snape is once again intimidating Neville. Snape may be a bad teacher (understatement), but why does he pick on Neville so intensely? We all just assume that it is Snape's nature that the worse the student, the more he tries to berate them. And Neville is certainly far from the top of the class. So, it is logical that he would attack Neville worst. ...Or is it? We know that Snape doesn't attack Harry just because of his knowledge of Potions (remember his first day there!). We also know from Harry's comments that Goyle doesn't seem to get much right in that class either, but he is never a target for Snape. Snape has already proven that his attacks are motivated by his personal feelings. So, why do we assume that Snape is attacking Neville only because he is bad at Potions? HP Super Sleuth FlamingosByNight has a theory that we are watching like a vulture: I have noticed, that besides the fact that he cannot stand him, Snape acts rather strangely around Neville. Also, there really isn't a time in the book when Neville isn't uncomfortable around, or down right petrified of Snape. There seems to be a strange connection between the two. Do you think that it is possible that Neville was present when his parents became crazy (which is thought to have happened by torture by Deatheaters), and Snape was also present and/or partially (or even fully (yikes)) for their insanity? Think about it, Neville might unconsciously remember it and automatically associate it with Snape (or he may even know?), and it may be one of Snape's large regrets in his life (we a know how he deals with regret!). Snape treats Neville almost as bad as he does Harry, and look at the relationship Snape had with Harry's parents (or at least his father, nothing is sure on his mother yet). Coincidence? I personally think not (remember, we're talking HARRY POTTER here, there is no such thing as coincidence!) I see Snape as a passionate and complex man that doesn't behave in a certain way just 'because' (before you ask, yes I am a Snape Freak, lets face it, his character is like none other in the book...). I've noticed how Snape behaves around a character can tell us something about him and/or the character. FlamingosByNight (AKA SiriuslySnaped) "I'm not obsessed, I'm merely dedicated!" With all that we now know about Neville from Book 5, WWP is betting that Snape may be aware of some issues about Neville that could relate to this. Even if Snape wasn't around at the time something happened to Neville, we have wondered what he has been able to see in Neville's head? goto top The Ancient Magic In Book 4, Voldemort stated that he couldn't touch Harry as long as he was in his relations' care. In our guide, we wondered how much, and what, is really protecting Harry from Voldemort. We now know from Dumbledore in Book 5 that this is true -- that it is an ancient magical spell that Dumbledore used. Voldemort was right. HP Super Sleuth Karina has one question that definitely nudges at us: How would he know this? The only ways we could think of in which Voldemort would know that information would be: He has a way of sensing what spells are protecting Harry He actually tried to access Harry sometime at Privet Drive He has spies who have told him Dumbledore has "leaked" that to him Cornelius Fudge knows and told Malfoy Although it may not become a critical part of the mystery, it is something to ponder. goto top Wormtail meets Wormtongue There are many parallels between Harry Potter and "The Lord of the Rings," by JRR Tolkien. Some of those parallels give us insights into the characters, some give us clues to the mysteries, and some are there for fun and satire. HP Super Sleuth ChanSteg looks at the fate of Wormtail and Voldemort through the Tolkien analogy: the fate of Voldemort and Wormtail could mirror that of Saruman and Wormtongue in Lord of the Rings. In the Scouring of the Shire chapter of Return of the King, Frodo shows Wormtongue mercy by offering him the opportunity to leave Saruman and remain for awhile in the Shire till he recovers strength. However, Saruman then tells Frodo that "Worm" killed Lotho (Frodo's cousin). At this, Wormtongue goes ballistic, and says "You told me to; you made me do it." Is this Wormtongue and Wormtail's defense mechanism -- how they live with the evil that they have done ("I was just following orders" -- the excuse of many of the Nazi's after WWII)? Saruman seems to have shattered Wormtongue's defenses by telling Frodo that "Worm" had committed murder. In that moment, does he realize what he has done? In a fit of rage, "Worm" finally stands up for himself and kills Saruman. Will Voldemort do the same thing to Wormtail when Harry tries to show him mercy? I have no doubt that Harry will show mercy to Wormtail again. Voldemort thinks Wormtail is a coward, and just like Saruman, will never expect his "Worm" to bite. All Voldemort may have to do is to accuse Wormtail of killing James, Lily, and even Cedric in front of Harry to send him off the deep end... All we can say about this is "can they worm their way out of that one...?" :o) goto top Security Flaws in the Floo When we saw Snape summon Lupin to his office in Book 3, using the fireplace, we questioned how that was done. As of Book 3, we had already seen people using Floo powder on themselves to go to another place, but we hadn't seen anyone use it to bring someone else to them. We had also already been told that you couldn't Apparate to or from the Hogwarts grounds, so we found it interesting that they could transport themselves like that inside the castle. Some HP Sleuths had written to us before June 21 with their theories about Floo and Hogwarts. HP Super Sleuth Melanie had it all figured out correctly when she theorized back then: The Floo system inside Hogwarts could be arranged like an intercom system. HP Super Sleuth RonWeasly234 was very clever to consider security problems that could happen if the Hogwarts flues are really hooked up like/to the Floo network: This is one mention of traveling within Hogwarts. What if in future books or in past books that we haven't seen (or noticed) yet, someone could get into Harry's dorm, Dumbledore's office, etc.? Could that possibly be how Dobby got the Gillyweed? If Harry and Sirius can access anywhere they want on the Floo from Hogwarts, that definitely seems like a weak link in the school security system, doesn't it? We agree that the Hogwarts flues are an issue for more intense investigation. goto top "Thrice Defied" Although we now know why Voldemort wanted to kill Harry, we still don't know much about what happened that night. We don't know whether Voldemort was really trying to exterminate all Potters, just Harry, or maybe some troublesome "rats" that were defying him. An HP Super Sleuth had written to us, before June 21, with theories about that plus what (and who) the "Order of the Phoenix" may be. Now that we know what the "Order" is, it's not quite as intriguing; but when you realize that, at the time, we didn't even know for certain what it was, this was a very excellent theory by HP Super Sleuth Yumiko-Chan: If Dumbledore calls the "Order of the Phoenix"... "Remus Lupin, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher...the old crowd..." don't you think Lily and James knew a lot (plans..etc) in the Order of the Phoenix? HP Super Sleuth Yumiko-Chan goes on to wonder if Lily and James' involvement in the Order was specifically why Voldemort wanted to kill them. Now that we have read Book 5, we have to wonder about that "thrice defied" from the Prophecy and if it could have related to the murder of the Potters. Just what did Harry's parents do to thwart Voldemort 3 times? Was it the same or different from what the Longbottoms did? If you recall, back in Book 2, Lucius Malfoy referred to Harry's parents as "meddlesome fools." Obviously, they were getting under Voldything's skin, and we are thinking that just may have something to do with the "thrice defied." goto top THERE'S MORE YET... New WWP Hints Is Neville's Gran or Uncle Algie dangerous? One theory we originally had about Neville was that his condition was the result of his being an abused child. When we read Book 1, we thought it might have been Uncle Algie (the guy who kept doing things to Neville to force the magic out of him). By Book 3, we were very suspicious of his Gran. But then, when we read Book 4, we were hit over the head with the symptoms of a memory charm until we finally recognized that was Neville's problem. We also realized the sinister motivation that would have caused someone to have cast a memory charm on an innocent baby. Lately, however, as we contemplate the upcoming war and psychological tactics that Voldemort has and will be using, it occured to us to revist good ole' Gran and Uncle Algie. Are we sure that Gran and Uncle Algie are "good guys"? Could one or both of them be making sure Neville doesn't recover? Would they be administering any "booster" charms? What happens during Neville's visits to St Mungos? (Shiver) HP Super Sleuth Lauren W. thinks (as others of you have suggested) that Neville's memory charm was meant to be "kind" to him. However, his Gran gets upset at him all the time for his forgetfulness, and everyone seemed to be confused about his problems (you'd think they'd be more understanding if they knew). However, Lauren noticed the section that initially had us concerned Neville might be an abused child, but which we now believe makes Gran's overall intentions a bit suspect. She gives an excellent summary of the issue: In book three, chapter seven--The Boggart in the Wardrobe--Lupin asks him what he fears the most, and he replies, "Snape." But when Lupin asks Neville if he lives with his grandmother, Neville replies nervously "yes...but--I don't want the boggart to turn into her either." Now, why would Neville even think that the boggart would turn into his grandmother if it turns into only what you fear the most? Could he have a fear of her for some reason? It just seems odd to me that he would think Lupin was suggesting the boggart would turn into her, or that it was possible for it to transform into her. Maybe it's a little far-fetched, but...it caught my attention! Ours too, Lauren! goto top A missed interruption - Weasley We noticed an interruption we overlooked. In Book 2, in the "Flourish and Blotts" chapter, Mr Weasley is interrupted when asking Molly "So you don't think I'm a match for Lucius Malfoy?" Hmmm... wonder what she would have said? This sure sounds as if it is predicting a confrontation between Arthur and Lucius. Would that just be a hint about the upcoming spat in the bookstore, or a foreshadowing of a future duel? goto top Lily's parents and/or Petunia as Squibs We questioned if Lily's parents (the Evans) might have been wizards hiding out as Muggles. We thought it was obvious that one or both of her parents also could have been Squibs, but we noticed that we never actually came out and said that in the Guide. We need to alert all HP Sleuths that this is definitely a possibility. Of course (as we did say in the Guide), besides being wizards hiding out for some reason, one explanation is that one of the "sisters" could have been adopted. If Lily were adopted, it could have been by Muggle friends or relatives (like Harry was). The only difference would have been that Lily's adopted parents were proud to have her, while Harry's adopted parents are the Dursleys (ugh!). If one or both of Lily's parents were Squibs, wizards hiding out, or if Petunia or Lily were adopted, that would explain: why the Evans were so proud to have a witch in the family why Lily's parents allowed her to practice magic at home why Petunia was so resentful (if she knew) how Lily was so powerful in spite of apparently being born a "Muggle" That Squib lesson in Book 2 was probably to prepare us for something - maybe Lily's background. goto top Ginny and Hermione We all know that in Book 4, no one knew who Hermione's partner was for the Yule Ball. Parvati (who was in the same dorm with her) didn't know, the other girls who were teasing her didn't know, even her best friends didn't know. Ahhhh, but it seems that someone possibly did know.... Hermione might have confided in Ginny! This was how Ginny replied to Ron when he asked who it was: "I'm not telling you, it's her business," said Ginny. That implies that she knew but refused to tell. We all know Ginny can keep a big secret (diary). What is most interesting is that Hermione seems to trust her and shares important personal and sensitive information with her! goto top Pairs as a Running Bit Warning: This one's a bit subtle (maybe too subtle) - as in stretching things a little. This clue wasn't obvious enough to make it into the Guide, but it's worth mentioning here as something to watch as a potential Running Bit. If by Book 5 it has become more blatant, we will add it to our Running Bits. There are a lot of references to "pairs" or "pears": Pairs of socks Pairs of glasses Pairs of binoculars omnioculars Pairs of Twins (Weasley & Patil) Pairing of students in various classes Pairs of eyes/eyeballs in several places Pairs of double doors in several places Pair of phoenix-feather wands (from HP Super Sleuth Dreamersleeps) Tickle the Pears There aren't a lot of different types of pairs/pears, but they are mentioned constantly and given key focus. Maybe the Ogdens Old Firewiskey has us seeing double...? goto top Our thoughts about the Book 5 death As far as we can determine, very little evidence exists to help us sleuth out in advance who it will be. These are the ones with some kind of hint already: There is one character, Remus Lupin, whose name (Remus) implies he will be murdered. If he hasn't already died, and is really Lupin, he is probably doomed (sniff). He is a tragic character, and JKR has been dropping hints about his destiny for years. If Percy follows in the footsteps of Perceval of the Holy Grail, he may be responsible for the death of one of his family members. Mrs. Weasley (gulp!) would be the parallel there. Our only hope is that Molly's name is reminiscent of the Unsinkable Molly Brown. There are so many similarities between Dumbledore and Gandalf (from The Lord of the Rings), that we can easily see Dumbledore pulling a Gandalf on everyone - just as things heat up. Based on the derivation of her name, we think Hermione might die. We aren't expecting that until a later book, but you never know. Otherwise, it does not seem as if JKR has given us any overt clues about any other likely candidates. Due to comments that Robbie Coltrane made about his lack of contract for later movies, the most popular opinion is that Hagrid will be the one to die. However, when we first heard that his contract was not for all 7 movies, we felt that he would be missing from some of the future books - not because he would die, but because he would end up staying with the giants (and his mum) to help organize their part in the war. We were thinking he might finally *find* his place among the giants - after being an outcast for so long. However, we still can't rule him out - based on both the Coltrane comments, and that his death would exemplify the horrors of bigotry and intolerance (the focus of JKR's social statements). Having said that, we see many strong candidates - strictly based on circumstantial evidence. JKR keeps hinting it is a very terrible death, and someone who means a lot to Harry (and therefore us readers). That means it would be safe to conclude that it will be a major character, and one we have grown to love. Although that limits the choices to some extent, there are still a lot of characters who fit that description. It might be any of the adults who Harry relies on for support, or it could even be Dobby or Cho Chang. We're not at all convinced that the more secondary characters are automatically eliminated. Although our instincts tell us that she will be killing off a primary character that has been with us since the beginning, there is also the possibility that she will take a character that is a favorite of the fans and develop that character more throughout Book 5 and then kill him/her off. For instance, although not as important a character at the moment, Dobby has already won the hearts of fans. If we were to grow to love Dobby throughout book 5, that may become a very horrible death. Also, Harry already has emotional feelings for Cho. She could be a bit fragile now after the death of Cedric. If Harry were to become emotionally/romantically involved with Cho, we may grow to love her throughout Book 5, and again, it would be a horrible death. The same for Ginny or many others. It is less likely to be one of the [currently] secondary chars, but as we know, Book 5 is almost as long as the first 3 books combined. Therefore, we have plenty of text in which to have any character 'grow' on us! It's just the way she has been hinting about this death for so long - it just feels as if it has to be one of the originals. back to "Who will die?" goto top Another Trelawney non-prediction When searching for the vulture examples in our guide, we realized that we omitted to mention yet another correct prediction of Trelawney's. This was, again, one of her apparent doom and gloom rantings. However, it not only came true, it even included a buried clue! In Book 4 (The House-Elf Liberation Front), Trelawney did one of her famous melodramatic death scenes with Harry: "Death, my dears". . ."Yes,". . ."it comes, ever closer, it circles overhead like a vulture, ever lower...ever lower over the castle...." Did death come? Tragically, yes. However, there is more to this prophecy. Notice that in this "vision," Trelawned sees "death...circles...like a vulture." Now that description can't help but sound like a circle of Death Eaters to us. It also leads even more credence to the HP Super Sleuth Jess the Great's suggestion above, that JKR is equating the term "Death Eater" with a vulture. goto top Apparating - a mega clue to upcoming events! How do wizards Diapparate and Apparate? From what we have seen (or not seen...), it doesn't appear to require a spell -- since (except for the popping-type noise associated with their comings and goings), we have never heard a spell uttered or seen the flick of a wand when someone is Apparating. What it does seem to involve, however, is a "swishing" of the cloak. We are not sure if they are holding onto their wands in a pocket as they swish, or if they actually use the cloak, itself, to implement that kind of magic; however, it seems to imply more that it is specific to the cloak. We also can't be sure if the cloaks have some special powers, or if any fabric would work. "Swishing" is unmistakably associated with wand magic. We first learn in Professor Flitwick's class that "swishing" and "flicking" are the key skills for proper wand work. In Ollivander's, Harry is told that his mother's wand, which was good for charms, was "swishy." A very memorable (and tragic) moment in Book 4 was when Harry was not able to lift his pounding head to see, but definitely heard a "swishing noise" as the Avada Kedavra curse was uttered. So, like swishing wands, swishing cloaks appear to be a technique for performing magic. There are several examples of cloaks swishing when Apparating: Book 1 In the first chapter, after leaving the baby Harry at the Dursleys, Dumbledore Disapparated... "with a swish of his cloak, he was gone." Yet, as we discussed in our guide, Dumbledore Apparates without even making a popping sound. Book 4 After awaking in excruciating pain from his scar-related "dream," Harry contemplates whether Voldemort could possibly be there at the Dursleys.... Harry listened closely to the silence around him. Was he half expecting to hear the creak of a stair or the swish of a cloak? HP Sleuths -- be on the alert! As we pointed out in our guide, this was the second time the creaking stair was mentioned (Rule #1), and we are fairly convinced that this is a clue about what may happen in Book 5! Harry may be visited by someone at Privet Drive...so be listening for that stair, and the swishing of a cloak! As Voldemort called the Death Eaters to his "rebirthing" at the gravesite, there is no doubt that the swishing cloaks are associated with Apparating... The air was suddenly full of the swishing of cloaks. Between graves, behind the yew tree, in every shadowy space, wizards were Apparating. Additionally, it may be that transfiguration, such as Animagus transformations, may work in a similar fashion. Since Sirius was assuredly not allowed a wand at Azkaban, and we know he did not have his own during Book 3, that seems to fall under the same category. We also know from Voldemort's description (at the Death Eater circle) of his search for a new body, that since he needed a wand for certain spells, he could use one as an animal -- as long as it had arms. However, we know that Padfoot had no wand when he transformed. So, it is definite that there is, indeed, powerful magic (not necessarily spells) that are done without wands. Now, having observed that, like the swishing of wands, the swishing of cloaks is a specific tool for performing magic -- what about other "swishing" objects? Would a swishing tail be able to accomplish the same effect? We are thinking that Crookshanks may be hiding some other magical skills. While we readers interpreted it as just "running off," there is a passage in Book 3 that now has us wondering... "Get out of here!" Ron roared, and he stooped down and seized a stone lying on the grass, but before he could do anything else, Crookshanks had vanished with one swish of his long ginger tail. goto top So, thats a bunch of cool info that didn't make it into the Guide - What do HP Sleuths think? Check back as we add more... So Do YOU Think You've Found a Clue That's Worthy of an HP SUPER Sleuth? If you want to submit clues or theories to be posted here, these are the requirements: They must be well-researched There cannot be any obvious contradictions in the text of the books that would automatically rule out the theory/clue, and You MUST include references (Note: you don't have to type out the quote -- just give the page number/chapter of UK or U.S. edition or URL containing the JKR quote). If you want to be identified, please include the name/screen name/handle you would like us to use If we receive a clue that is just a statement (such as: 'I think Hagrid will die in Book 5'), with no supporting research that you have done, we will just assume you have no basis for your assumption or you are quoting someone else (that's an automatic 'delete'). Amazingly, most HP Sleuths are clever tikes, so we generally get really excellent e-owls - very well though out, and complete with supporting references :o) HP Sleuths Rock! If you think you've sleuthed something that qualifies, and you have followed the instructions, CLICK HERE to send us your e-owl and we'll see if it makes the HP SUPER Sleuth Club!

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