Predictions for Deaths in Harry Potter 7

I've put this off for as long as I possibly can, but if I don't make my predictions for the final Harry Potter book now, it will be too late and I won't be able to claim prescience if any of my guesses turn out to be right.

Who dies, Harry or Voldemort? Voldemort, of course. If Voldemort doesn't die, then the series has no closure, and J. K. Rowling has said from the very beginning that there will only ever be seven books. This is it. Besides, if the hero dies and the villain lives, that means evil triumphs over good and who wants that? No, no, no--Voldemort definitely dies.

Who else dies? Remember, Rowling has promised there will be two deaths. I have three major candidates.

Ron
A significant scene from the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone, may foreshadow Ron's eventual death. Remember that in order to reach the sorcerer's stone, Harry has to get past several obstacles, including a giant chessboard that he must play across. Ron, who is a far better chess player than Harry, directs all the moves and chooses in a dramatic moment to sacrifice himself (a knight) in order to win the game. When Harry protests, Ron reminds him to keep his eyes on the goal, pointing out that defeating Voldemort is far more important than saving a single life. (Sirius echoes this thought when he declares, "Some things are worth dying for!")

I believe that the final book will include not only a personal showdown between Harry and Voldemort but an all-out war involving werewolves, trolls, centaurs, merpeople, and other magical creatures. Ron's strength, as proven in the chess game, is long-term strategy, and I think it likely that Ron will act as one of Harry's generals, perhaps the most important one, so he will be in a position to make the decision to sacrifice himself. Harry would never ask it of Ron, but Ron might well choose to do it of his own accord. The HP movies have tended to play up Ron's fears and insecurities, especially about spiders, but don't forget that Ron is a Gryffindor (from a long line of Gryffindors) and Gryffindors are most famous for their courage.

Snape
Ron has been my front-runner for a long time, but lately I've been considering the possibility that Snape might die. I believe that Snape, unpleasant and mysterious as he is, has been on the side of good all long. I think the reason he was willing to pledge himself to kill Dumbledore should Draco fail is that he had already make a similar unbreakable vow to Dumbledore himself. Remember that Dumbledore is the secret-keeper for the Order of the Phoenix (and probably for a lot of other things we haven't been told about), and Voldemort is highly skilled in Legilimency (mind-reading). Perhaps Dumbledore foresaw the possibility that his mind would be weakened (as it might well have been during the search for the false Horcrux) and Voldemort would have access to all the headmaster's secrets, so he made Snape promise to kill him should the threat appear too great. Remember that Dumbledore, unlike Voldemort, is unafraid of death. He has always maintained that death is not something to fear; love is much stronger.

It would make sense that Snape would make a similar sacrifice, although not out of love. Snape is incensed when Harry accuses him of cowardice, and after working so long as a double agent, he would probably want to die in such a way that explains his actions and makes his allegiance crystal clear. I could even see Snape dying to protect Harry as a way of avenging himself: "See, you always thought I was evil, but would a Death Eater save you? You're not as clever as you think you are, Potter. Remember that after I am gone."

Neville
This one just recently occurred to me. Books 5 and 6 strongly emphasize the idea that the prophecy about the "Chosen One" fated to kill Voldemort could just as easily have been meant for Neville as for Harry. Although Dumbledore argues that Voldemort himself marked Harry as the Chosen One (both literally and figuratively) by attacking him sixteen years ago, Voldemort might feel that it's safer to hedge his bets and try to kill both potentials. Certainly Neville would seem the lesser threat, so Voldemort might go after him first.

Then again, Neville has made significant progress in his magic-using ability since the first book. He is certainly a valuable and enthusiastic member of Dumbledore's Army, and he demonstrates great courage in the Department of Mysteries when he urges Harry not to give the prophecy to Lucius Malfoy, even though Neville himself is being threatened. Harry is not the only person who has lost his parents to the dark side: Voldemort's minion, Bellatrix Lestrange, tortured Neville's parents into madness. Of course Neville would want to avenge them, so he might well play a role in the climactic showdown; Neville and Harry will confront Voldemort together, but Neville won't survive.

So . . . Ron, Snape, or Neville? Any of them would make sense, but I have to go with my first (and saddest) choice: Ron.