For Harry Potter Fans Only!

Looking Back to Look Forward to 'Deathly Hallows'

By Hannah, 18, of Poway, Calif.

It's no wonder the Harry Potter books have ensnared readers of all ages. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle proved in his Sherlock Holmes stories, set in Victorian England, that a good mystery leaves people yearning for more. Readers of those fabled detective books found it so fun to search for hidden clues that they were outraged when Doyle attempted to kill his main character.

Since the beginning of her own series in 1999 with "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," J.K. Rowling has dropped plenty of hints about what Harry Potter's future may hold. And millions of avid readers are hot on the trail.

Rowling's hints come in all shapes and sizes to foreshadow events later in the same book, or far down the line in the series.

In one of Harry's dreams in book one, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," Harry wears Professor Quirrel's turban, which he cannot remove, and which keeps telling him that Harry belongs in Slytherin, the House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry known for its evil members. Harry, of course, would much prefer to be in Gryffindor than the former house of Lord Voldemort and current house of his smug, nasty classmate, Draco Malfoy. In Harry's dream, Malfoy then appears, laughing at his struggle, and turns into a coldly laughing Professor Severus Snape. After a burst of green light, Harry wakes up. This dream turns out to be an excellent predictor of Harry's future conflicts and foes, and even foreshadows Snape's use of the killing curse in the book six.

Details Can Be Difficult

Paying attention to the smallest details in Rowling's books is a difficult task on first reading, but readers can go back to find dozens of clues about what she would do next. Knowing this, it is only natural to wonder about what she has told us between the lines about her seventh and final installment, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

On the Harry Potter fan site, leakycauldron.com, the most crazed of HP fans share their theories on the Leaky Lounge forum. The theories that follow are derived from the books' information and those fans' ideas.

Harry Potter has been compared to the tales of King Arthur and the Sword in the Stone. This sixth-century literary character was the man whose right to the crown allowed him to pull the mighty sword Excalibur from solid rock. The sword in the stone is the most commonly known bit of Arthur's legend, although his story included a lot more.

It has been suggested that Harry is similar to young Arthur. It's only recently, though, that people have been applying Arthurian logic to more than just one of Rowling's characters. One example is the constant guessing on what those horcruxes of Voldemort's are. Four of these have been supposed to stand for the Four Hallows of Arthur's tale, the evil objects that serve as the antitheses to Arthur's holy objects: a cup, a sword, a dish and a lance.

These four objects later became the four suits of the Tarot cards: cups, swords, pentacles and wands. This is believed to connect Tarot readings, and therefore Divinations teacher Madame Trelawney, to a deeper meaning in the story as well. This comically clairvoyant character emerges in book three, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban." Most in the magical world believe she's awful at exercising the psychic gifts she claims. While she is overly dramatic and often bumbling in her predictions, she has given two genuine prophecies. Trelawney may yet come in handy on Harry's journey.

Of Legends and Mentors

Father figures play an important role in any legend, and in the Potter series, two of Harry's mentors die: godfather Sirius Black in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" and beloved Professor Albus Dumbledore in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." A few fans have noticed that Black's name relates to the color black (not much of a stretch) and the first name Albus could be a reference to the color white. As King Arthur's legend places large emphasis on the colors black, white and red, some have guessed that another father figure will be taken from Harry: none other than the lovable half-giant, Rubeus Hagrid. His name bears a certain resemblance to the name of a red stone, the ruby.

Theories on horcruxes run the gamut, with the most common having some connection to the four Hogwarts founders. The professors Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff could hold the four hallows denoted in Arthurian lore, according to this interpretation of a pattern from the last couple of books. Harry has pulled Gryffindor's sword from the hat and seen Slytherin's ring on a wizened, dry finger. Some readers wonder if Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff have hallowed artifacts to offer as well.

Another way of looking at the series is that it is all one big representation of the Hero's Quest. In this common story pattern, the main character begins his life in a "normal" environment, and then is called to a great adventure or quest. He is tested along the way and taught by various mentors leading up to a great challenge that will take place in some variation of a cave. The character then finds what he is seeking and must return home and sometimes face a journey home just as hard as the quest itself.

Each Harry Potter book can have this pattern applied to it very easily. In "Sorcerer's Stone," Harry is called to Hogwarts from his muggle ("normal" to us) life. He then faces hecklers like Draco and his friends, and mean teachers like Professor Snape. Wise teachers like Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall and his close friends (Ron and Hermione), help him figure things out. He then must face Lord Voldemort in the underground hiding place of the Sorcerer's stone.

Caves of Evil

Harry goes on to face evil in caves at the biggest fight in each book: the hiding place of the Mirror of Erised, then the Chamber of Secrets, the metaphorical cave of the deep, dark Forbidden Forest, the graveyard, the cave-like Department of Mysteries, and finally the cave of Voldemort's hidden horcrux.

And we mustn't forget the power that Dumbledore has reminded us again and again is Harry's one true advantage in the fight against evil: love.

Sure, it seems like a lame way to end things for love to win out in the midst of all of those awesome spells. But a theme this strong won't just drop before the final book.

Besides, we all know that whatever happens, we will be riveted.

Who can wait for the July 21 release of "Deathly Hallows" to find out what Harry will do?