I was disappointed that it wasn't Nevile that ended He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. After all, Voldemort marked him with scars far deeper than Harry's. I was also disappointed that he and Luna didn't get married and have a whole bunch of half-a-bubble-off kids...
I dreamed of of a book to follow the growth and evolution of Durley -— I saw him as becoming a Bobby in London, then a detective. Luna, could write a story on him, and help him with a case that would involve Harry—fall in love and get married. That would be really interesting if he married a witch! What would his mother and father think of that? Their children would end up at Hogwarts. Just an idle notion.
“I was disappointed that it wasn’t Nevile that ended He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. After all, Voldemort marked him with scars far deeper than Harry’s.”
We got into this in my last class. We spent about a week on “scars.” It was interesting when the discussion turned to bullying and we discussed the main foils (Harry/Dudley and Harry/Draco) and how Rowling handled this. We noted that when students were left to handle their own problems, they could successfully handle themselves without helicopter teachers/parents protecting their little feelings.
I think Harry had to end it not only because of the prophesy that Voldemort fulfilled himself, but because of the Christ-like figure that Rowling might have been going for. I definitely read Harry as a Christ-like figure, with Ron and Hermione being Saints James and John.