Supposedly, since HPGOF there have
always been clues about the coming story
lines. Because of the many times Harry
has stated that Hogwarts is his HOME,
and having assured Lucius Malfoy that
he, Harry, "will always be at Hogwartz
to guard against future dark forces,"
I've come to see Harry as the destined
Head Master of the school. And I also
don't believe Dumbledore is dead; too
aligned with the Phoenix resurrection
and the Pence Font.
As for the two kids to be killed off,
I'm suggesting Lucius' son Malfoy as one
of them. In "The Half-Blood Prince," we
saw Malfoy making some really strange
choices of action and loyalty. He's
absolutely agog at being chosen by The
Dark Lord as a servant, despite the
attempts of Dumbledore to prevent it.
The other Hogwarts kiddo who is my
candidate for extraction is Neville
Longbottom. Voltemort had used the
Excruciatious Curse on Neville's
parents and they are still locked
up in the Asylum. I anticipate Neville
running afoul of Voltemort in some
kind of revenge scene, with Neville
losing the battle. Again as per clues
in the various books.
Neville's had a hard life. Both parents tortured into insanity then raised by his strict grandmother. Not good at sports or academics. I don't think JK would kill him.
Let's see, isn't the story that Neville was born on the same day as Harry? And the 'prophecy' about "the chosen one" could apply to either Harry or Neville?
I'm guessing that Neville is, in fact, the chosen one. The twist would be incredible.
And agreed, Dumbledore isn't dead for good. The phoenix connection and all seems to foreshadow that.
I'm thinking of what happened in 'Dragonslayer', where the wizard had himself killed on purpose, as a precedent/influence.
Extra points if Snape gets it in the nape of the neck.
BTW Severus of Antioch:
was by birth and education a pagan, who was baptized in the martyry of Leontius at Tripolis.
He almost at once openly united himself with the Acephali, repudiating his own baptism and his baptizer, and even the Catholic church itself...
Severus is said to have stirred up a fierce religious war among the population of Alexandria, resulting in bloodshed and conflagrations. To escape punishment for this violence, he fled to Constantinople...
Severus was eagerly dispatched by Anastasius to occupy the vacant patriarch of Antioch, and the very day of his enthronement solemnly pronounced in his church an anathema on Chalcedon, and accepted the Henoticon he had previously repudiated.
Star Wars universe did it much, much better - When Lucan let OTHER writers expand characters and planets and story themes, as long as the main characters followed the original script, and nobody changed ANY part of a book or magazine or movie already issued.
Rowlings should follow that guide after this final book is out.