Harry Potter and the fans' end
A boy wizard, a phenomenon's climax and the readers who lived to tell about it
Harry lives. No wait, he dies.
Hermione saves the day. Or is it Neville to the rescue?
(Illustrations by Brian Morgan /Special to The Beacon News)
This is all just a dream. There are no wizards.
We'll all get to glimpse the conclusion to young Potter's tale when "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" is released Saturday. But for one more day at least, we'll have to live with what our own imaginations conjure.
We asked readers to craft their own endings. In today's Voice section, you'll find numerous predictions and explanations for how this saga might end, as well as the entries from the five winners of our contest who each will receive a copy of the seventh Potter book.
Winning stories
Harry then knew what he had to do. He stared into Voldemort's pitiless eyes, eyes that were telling of Harry's impending death with nothing but relish.
"I will be the end of you, Voldemort."
Two screams of Avada Kedavra echo across the room. Neither tried to dodge the curse -- one because he felt he could easily deflect it, the other because he knew that this was what needed to happen.
*****
Many years later, the story of Harry Potter lives on. "He was the boy who lived and died for us," said Ron to the newest member of the Weasley family, complete with freckles and red hair, Harry James Granger-Weasley.
Kristy Gregory, 20
Aurora
"Ah, Harry, so good to see you again. This time you won't be going back."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione whipped around to face Voldemort. But he wasn't there.
"I see you brought some new friends with you this time, shall 1 kill them as well?" Voldemort's voice was coming from behind them again, but when they turned to face him he wasn't there. "Where are you?" Hermione spoke out more bravely then she felt. "Don't be a coward, show us where you are," she spoke again.
"I am everywhere," he replied simply and then materialized right in front of them.
"H-h-how d-did you do th-that?" Ron stammered.
" Crucior ," he suddenly shouted aiming his wand at Ron.
" SEPTUMSEMPRA! " Harry shouted, and Voldemort staggered backward as a black ooze dripped from several cuts, and then they were gone. " AVADA KADA ..." he shouted pointing his wand at Harry. " AVADA KADAVRA ," came a second voice. Hermione's voice. Voldemort crumpled to the ground. They waited, but he didn't get up. He was dead. His reign was finally over. Hermione had killed him.
Christina Roberts, 13
Oswego
The dream
Voldemort's wicked cackle rang through the Forbidden Forest as he sauntered forward to Harry, his wand outstretched and ready to kill him. Around him, trees were lurking like protectors of the Deathly Hallows, Voldemort's lair.
"Look at me, boy, while I kill you!"
A flash of green light and he felt himself fall to the ground. Harry wondered why his fall hurt so much; he landed on grass but it felt like wood. Puzzled, he looked around; he was in his bedroom!
It was a dream. Everything, including the scar. There's no such thing as magic. No such thing...yet it felt so real.
Harry flew down the stairway in three steps. He raced to the kitchen where he saw his mother and father. No Dudley taking up half the table on his own. No Uncle Vernon screaming at him to make breakfast. He was shocked that everything he dreamt could have possibly fit into one night's sleep.
"Mom, Dad! You're alright!" Harry exclaimed.
"Yes, we're fine, honey. I believe there's a letter here for you. From some school, maybe?"
Harry walked to the table and picked up a letter bearing a familiar seal and a very elegant "H"...
Morgan Long, 13
Oswego
"What are you waiting for then, come in!" Voldemort said in a delighted voice.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville had been captured just when they were about to destroy the final Horcrux: Voldemort's snake, Nagini.
Now, Snape and several other Death Eaters were leading them to their doom.
Behind the door was a large, circular room created for this duel. Harry walked forward to Voldemort while the rest stayed by the door ready
to witness the conclusion. Voldemort immediately began firing killing curses while Harry dodged them all. But there was still no chance for their success; there was still one Horcrux left keeping Voldemort immortal. But Neville wasn't giving up: he wanted to end this.
As Neville walked over to help Harry, no one noticed him, they were too busy watching the duel. While walking, Neville accidentally stepped on Nagini, who was waiting for her master's triumph. Neville had crushed her skull thus killing Nagini and the Horcrux inside her.
He looked down and saw what he had done, pulled out his wand and shouted, " AVADA KEDAVRA!" Dana Lacey, 13
Yorkville
"Didn't think I'd come to visit Harry Potter at his mum's precious grave, eh? You thought you could destroy me, the Dark Lord?"
"NOW!" yelled Harry, looking around.
Voldemort laughed, "Where are your friends?" he paused. "Or did I forget to tell you that they won't be joining us on this WONDERFUL evening?"
"What did you do to them?" Harry screamed.
"The same thing I'll be doing to you" Voldemort answered raising his wand above his head.
" AVAD- "
The world started spinning, a bright white light flashed at him. "Harry? Can you hear me?" said a firm feminine voice. "It's Dr. Granger, you remember me, I-"
"It's Voldemort!" yelled Harry, "He's back!"
A man dressed in scrubs walked in. He had bright red hair. His nametag read "R. Weasley."
"Ron!" yelled Harry, "you've got to believe me! Voldemort..."
The nurse turned to the doctor and whispered, "Not medicated yet, are we?"
Granger scowled, and turned back to Harry.
"Harry, there is no such thing as magic! We tell you this every morning. Hogwarts does not exist, Voldemort doesn't exist either. You're in a mental hospital, Harry."
Ava Godhardt, 15
Hinckley
Best of the rest
Ginny Weasley was also on his mind. Harry wished that Ginny could be here, but she went to visit relatives. Harry wanted to scoop her up in his arms, and shared this happy moment with her.
Then before he knew it the ceremony doors flew open, and he could see the beautiful chandelier shinning so bright in the main hall. The music that was playing was so lovely. Then before he could walk into the hall, he heard Ginny calling his name. Harry turned around and there was Ginny running toward him. Harry scooped her up in his arms and kissed her.
After the ceremony they had a huge party. At the party Harry knelt down on one knee and pulled out a ring box. He then asked Ginny, "Will you marry me?" Ginny smiled down at him with love in her eyes and said, "Yes, I will Harry Potter."
Lauren McCusker, 10
Montgomery
Everything had worked out. Voldemort was defeated, his Death Eaters imprisoned and the Dementors were rounded up and put back into Azkaban. Harry, who had the most extraordinary year of his life, just leaned there against the cold, solid stone.
"You did a brave, and very noble thing Harry," came Dumbledore's calm voice from behind Harry. Harry felt his long fingers grasp his shoulder.
"How?" Harry asked him, even though he knew exactly how. Everything had happened so fast. He had been befriended by Malfoy, helped by Snape and had defeated Voldemort in what seemed like one hour.
"You defeated Voldemort! Something none of us had accomplished," Sirius answered him; he had come through the same doorway Dumbledore had come. Harry neither smiled, nor frowned.
"I could tell you so many things you accomplished that we didn't. You defeated Voldemort, you saved your friends from death, you also figured out a spell to bring back the dead! And, you're the world's youngest Auror!" Sirius exclaimed.
Harry now turned around to them. He couldn't figure out anything to say.
"Harry, you make us all so proud," James said, walking through the doorway with Lily, Ron, and Hermione. To this Harry smiled, and he knew from then on, everything would work out better then before.
Nikola Jelinkova, 13
Yorkville
The duel began as a massive amount of different spells. From Wingardium Leviosa to Stupify. At last the Dark Lord had Harry cornered.
"Any last words?" the Dark Lord asked.
Harry's eyes were blank, wide, and filled with fear. Then, in one second, the Dark Lord screamed , "Avada Kedavra! " and that ended it all.
When Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry found out the news, everyone was devastated except for Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle.
As usual, the Dark Lord got away. Severus Snape was never heard from again. Cho Chang never had a decent relationship with Harry. As for Hermione and Ron, they never spoke to each other again.
Now, Harry is with his mom, Lily Potter, and father, James Potter. They live happily in a world called the worlds that are unknown.
Taylor Simon, 11
Aurora
However, they team up to kill the second Horcrux (Voldemort's snake). In accomplishing these tasks, author J.K. Rowling decides since killing Sirius and Dumbledore went so well, she should kill off all her characters, starting with Snape, Pettigrew, Malfoy and Hagrid.
At the final battle scene, Voldemort is about to destroy Neville, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Dobby the house-elf, when suddenly the ghosts of Harry, Dumbledore, Sirius, Snape and Peter Pettigrew appear and attack.
After an epic battle (in which Nearly Headless Nick's head is completely severed), the heroes nearly die once again when Dudley shows up and kills Voldemort, sacrificing himself in the process.
Harry's aunt and uncle are so sad over Dudley's death that they accept Harry's ghost as their loving son and help him to become an Auror. Ron and Hermione fall in love, Dobby becomes Minister of Magic and Snape's ghost becomes the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Alex Knightwright
Aurora
The battle was terrible. Even with the help of Harry's friends, teachers and Sirius, who had returned, many were killed. Finally it was down to Harry and Voldemort. Harry began to perform the curse but Voldemort was ahead of him.
Suddenly, a golden shield engraved with a lion and a phoenix, appeared at his feet. He flung it in front of his face and was knocked to the ground as the curse bounced off it. Looking around, Harry saw Dumbledore with Fawkes on his shoulder and by his side, Snape and Wormtail, who had rejoined Dumbledore.
Then, like a lightning flash, a curse, not avada kedavra , but powerful, knocked Harry to the ground nearly killing him. Harry awoke a week later in St Mungo's badly hurt but alive. Now, shortly afterward, he lay in bed thinking about what had happened to him. His last thought before falling asleep was that Voldemort could never return again.
Alexandra Martinez
Aurora
Harry has finally discovered all of the Horcruxes (one of which is his scar Voldemort put some of his powers into him, by accident), aided by Sirius's brother Regulus Black (R.A.B., who was not dead as supposed). Harry confronts Voldemort in the ruins of his parents' house, and Snape is by Voldemort's side -- the only one Voldemort can trust after killing Dumbledore. However, this was only a ploy to win Voldemort's trust; Snape appears to attack Harry, but he really wipes out the scar on Harry's forehead, rendering Voldemort vulnerable, and as Voldemort is about to kill Harry, Snape leaps in front of him to save the boy. He dies, but wins Harry enough time to be able to finish off Voldemort.
Harry will always bear the scars of his past inside, but he accepts a teaching position at Hogwarts at the end, and is the first to last more than a year in Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Meg Nelson
Aurora
Voldemort along with Snape and Draco.
Christian Cruz
Aurora
They find a man dead on the floor next to a wand and a piece of paper that had a note that looked very familiar -- R.A.B. -- but now was signed with his full name, Roderick Alfred Buemox. Ron notices something in Roderick's hand, a small steel brain. It belonged to Ravenclaw. They realized it must be cursed so they must not touch it. Harry destroyed it with his wand.
They were rejoicing their feat and went to join Hermione. Hermione was not there though, but there was a rotund rat-like man they knew as Wormtail. It was a trap. Wormtail paralyzed them and took them to Voldemort. Voldemort looked even more snakelike and ghostly.
All of his Horcruxes were destroyed and finally Harry could kill Voldemort. With a green flash it was over.
Jessica Minott, 14
Aurora
Snape will go to Azkaban for Dumbledore's death. Harry finds out that Dumbledore died when Snape transformed into a Death Eater under the spell and command of Voldemort. This angers Harry and makes him more determined to kill Voldemort.
Professor McGonagall will take the place as head mistress of Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione discover they are in love and probably always have been. This news makes Harry upset because it forces him to discover he has always loved Hermione but now realizes he can never be with her.
Harry spirals into complete determination to stop Voldemort and goes after him. They meet for a dual of death and Harry Potter will defeat Lord Voldemort when he intelligently uses a counter curse from the killing spell.
With Lord Voldemort dead, the students at Hogwarts will now be safe and secure.
Jacob Nardone, 10
Aurora
"Stay here. I don't want you guys getting hurt. Only come after me if Death Eaters come. OK?" said Harry. "OK," they said.
As he walked past Tom Riddle's grave a chill went down his spine. Only three years ago he watched Cedric die. He entered a tunnel that was lit with torches as far down the as he could see. As he looked at the floor he saw it was littered with bones. As he walked, he tripped cutting his arm. He came to a room were Voldemort was waiting.
"This time I WILL KILL YOU!" yelled Voldemort. "Not before I kill you!" A fight broke out. " Stupefy !" yelled Harry. Voldemort dodged it, and countered with the killing curse. " Avada Kedavra, " shouted Voldemort. Harry dodged it. " Avada Kedavra, " Harry yelled. It hit Voldemort in the head propelling him into the wall.
Harry came out of the tunnel, his bloody robes ripped in several places. Ginny ran to him and hugged him. Harry goes on to marry Ginny and becomes Headmaster of Hogwarts.
Felicia H. Ptak, 10
Aurora
"Make up!" Harry yelled, "Darn scar came off again!"
Harry peeked in to see Voldemort was feeding his pet snakes, "And one for Muffy, one for Suzie. Snooky! Don't be a pig!"
Ron backed again the wall and moaned, "Snakes... Why'd it have to be snakes?"
Harry burst through the door and yelled, "It's over Voldy, I've gotten your last Horcrux!"
"NOOOO, not Michael Jackson's nose!"
"Yup, blew it up like a soda commercial" Harry chided.
They faced each other, wands drawn, "Plan to kill me, Harry?"
"That's the general idea."
"Before you do, you should know one thing." Voldemort raised his wand and wrote in fiery letters, I am Harry James Potter. The letters rearranged themselves: Aha Mom, I spatter Jerry.
Harry looked closely, "What's THAT supposed to mean?"
"Uh, no idea. OK, how about this..." he leaned over, whispering into Harry's ear.
Harry's eyes opened wide. "Oh, OK, well...see you around." He lowered his wand and lead Ron and Hermione from the room.
"What did he say?" Hermione whispered.
"He said, 'Harry, I am your father...'"
Amie Thompson
Aurora
During Harry's seventh year, (he does go back to Hogwarts), he leaves Hogwarts to follow the hunches on where the Horcruxes are. Sirius comes back from behind the veil, and is the one who finds out that Snape was asked to kill Dumbledore because Dumbledore told him that. Dumbledore was able to tell Sirius that because Sirius was at the place of the dead and saw Dumbledore there, and then Dumbledore sent him back because he had a role to play in the war.
Snape was the one who killed Dumbledore, so he did, but Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him because he knew that he wasn't going to live through the war, so he wanted Snape to stay in the Dark Lord's good graces, so that's why Snape killed Dumbledore. Remus ends up being seriously injured because of Peter's silver hand, and then Sirius captures Peter, and gets his freedom. Remus doesn't die.
Kaitlin R. Burgess, 14
Aurora
Dumbledore said in a echoing voice, "Everyone to the Great Hall!"
Now Harry yelled, "Wait, there must be something wrong. Hermione, Ron, and I are going to take a look."
"We are?" said Ron.
"Ho, don't be such a baby," said Hermione.
"I am not, you are," said Ron. "I am not," said Hermione.
"Stop fooling around you two, we have to stop what's ever going on, OK," said Harry.
"But still I am smarter than you," said Ron.
"Whatever," said Hermione.
"We can't let anyone escape. Everyone get your wand out, there must be someone here," shrieked Harry.
"Look a secret door, lets go in," said Hermione cautiously.
"If anything bad happens, get yourselves out," said Harry.
They got in the door. There was thousands of killer vines. They destroyed the vines, and when they got back everyone was cheering.
"Dumbledore," Harry said, "You shall lead Hogwarts forever, but remember Voldemort has returned."
Meghan Leigh Menzel, 8
Big Rock
I believe, as the final sentence is read, Harry will not only defeat the Dark Lord, but will live through the process. Harry, however, will need help to finish Voldemort. Dumbledore is the only plausible person for the job. Unfortunately, we have been led to believe he is dead. I disagree.
Harry is in a situation where he has only 784 pages to find the remaining Horcruxes. I'm sure Hermione's smarts will carry them far through the dauntless task of tracking down and successfully destroying the remaining Horcruxes.
That leaves the matter of Harry's love life. In the sixth book, Harry finally got together with Ginny Weasley. I believe that once the wizarding world is out of danger, Harry will pick things up where they left off. I expect to finish the book with a smile on my face and perhaps some sadness in my heart, not about the outcome, but that it's really the end of the Harry Potter books.
Laurie Dew, 16
Yorkville
Then, they set out to find the rest of the Horcruxes only to discover that the mysterious R.A.B. has found and supposedly destroyed all of them. They will then look for Voldemort and find him in the Shrieking Shack with his followers, hiding. Harry, Ron, and Hermione will fight the Death Eaters and they are soon joined by the Order of the Phoenix. Mad-Eye Moody will kill Snape out of anger, but they catch the other Death Eaters and hand them off to the Ministry of Magic. Then, in the end, Harry will come face to face with the Dark Lord. Harry succeeds in killing
You-Know-Who and Harry, Ron, and Hermione will have once again saved the wizarding world.
I predict Harry will also live to be 150, marry Ginny, and be Minister of Magic for 10 years.
Erin Kennedy, 12
Montgomery
Only one bad thing happened, Snape and Malfoy came back to Hogwarts along with some Death Eaters. They broke into the school, when they shouldn't have been on school grounds. Professor Maxime caught them breaking in.
Professor Maxime started arguing with Snape. Snape pulled out his wand and said " Stupefy !" Maxime fell and hit the floor. Snape and all of the Death Eaters formed a circle around the professor. Harry came out to check what was happening.
Malfoy and Harry had their own match while Snape and the Death Eaters had their fight. Harry right away pulled out his wand. Draco did the same. Harry cast the first spell. He yelled out " Petrificus Totalus! " Draco hit the ground.
Harry ran to where Snape and all of the Death Eaters were. He tried to fight off Snape first. Severus also yelled, " Petrifius Totalus! " Harry blocked the spell.
Draco and Snape finally got up and cornered Harry.
TO BE CONTINUED ...
Alyssa Ibarra, 11
Oswego
When they get back to Hogwarts, Ginny doesn't care that Harry lost he powers; she loves him for who he is. So they live together forever and they both rule Hogwarts together. Also Ron and Hermione get together and they all stay at Hogwarts and live there forever.
Nicole Geisser, 14
Aurora
He'll defeat Lord Voldemort. Harry will crush or destroy Voldemort's wand and all the people Voldemort killed will come back to life.
Tonks and Lupin with get married, Percy will come back and make up with his family, Fudge will be Minister again, Ron and Hermione will date. I also think Sirius and Dumbledore will come back to life because they might have a horcrux. Bill will be very wolfish, and Snape will help Harry.
Alyssa DeBolt, 11
Aurora
Dumbledore just staged his death and is now in hiding, biding his time. Something went wrong because the effects of the curse on Dumbledore were different than on others.
I also believe that Snape is good, because he made and Unbreakable Vow to protect Harry. This is also why Dumbledore trusts him.
These three people are important because I believe they will help Harry defeat Voldemort even though he must kill himself because of the prophecy.
So, after Harry defeats Voldemort, he will be free to get together with Ginny. I also think that he will become the new headmaster of Hogwarts, and never have to see the Dursleys again.
Alison Prater, 13
Montgomery