Thu 21 Sep 2006
Who will be the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor in book 7? It is one of the most popular questions in book 7 speculation, right up there with is Snape good, is Dumbledore really dead, and will Harry ever hook up with Hermione. With regard to the DADA professor, I say:
IT HAS TO BE HARRY
1) The foreshadowing throughout the series suggests it. Some examples: in book 3, when Harry is in Lupin’s office talking to DD after Lupin has left it goes on about: Harry takes the chair Lupin has just left. In book 6 in the pensieve we hear of voldemort being denied the professorship because he is too young, and we see Dumbledore denying him the job (because he knows what LV has become). For the storyline, nothing will make LV angrier than Harry being singled out as being so gifted that he can fill the job at his young age.
2) He has to come back to school. He has said he won’t come back and something extraordinary will have to happen to get him back. The request that he teach DADA would be extraordinary.
3) He already taught DADA in book 5. Some Hogwarts parents will already have learned this, and others will be told by the ones who know who will give testimonials like: He was the best teacher, he taught Neville how to do a shield charm and Neville made it through the fight at the Ministry. Parents and others will be saying, in this new dangerous environment, our children need to learn from the only one who has proven he can fight against LV. Add to that their desire that he be there to protect Hogwarts in the absense of DD.
4) Because I believe DD anticipated the possibility of his death, I think he will have prepared an instruction for McGonnagal or someone indicating tht it needs to be done. The downside to this part of the theory is - why wouldn’t this have already come out in the end of book 6. If he left a note, we should have already heard about it, but maybe I’ll be right on this one too.
5) My farthest out, crazy speculation is that I think we will see some magic at Hogwarts you have to be a teacher to enter into - something that will have been denied LV, but which Harry will be able to take advantage of, because of this “credential”
6) because the job is cursed (no one can stay more than a year)
and Harry is the one who can break the curse.
OK more than 2 cents, that was probably a nickels worth.
September 29th, 2006 at 5:26 pm
Fantastic theory and very well thought-out. I’ve always hoped Harry would become the DADA teacher eventually, but I never really thought it was possible within the canon universe. Here’s hoping you’re right!
Cheers,
~*~LIZ
October 4th, 2006 at 11:34 pm
It may certainly be Harry and I think you make a lot of interesting and good points, but at the same time the DADA teacher is going to be someone we have not been introduced to. I think it will be someone who “is said to be trusted” by the other teachers, but someone who is foreign to us. This would give Rowling the chance to have some sort of leaniency with character development, even in book 7. I guess we will just have to wait it out.
October 5th, 2006 at 7:20 pm
YOU’RE AN IDIOT. Go read interviews. What do you think Quick-Quote-Quill was made for.
And I quote:
“one of Harry’s class mates, though it’s not Harry himself, does end up a teacher at Hogwarts, but it is not maybe the one you’d think - hint, hint, hint! So, yes one of them does end up staying at Hogwarts”
–JKR
OWNED Sorry to you had to waste your time concocting this “brilliant” theory…tough luck!
And how in god’s name is he gonna search for Horcruxes, defeat one of the most powerful wizards ever, find out how to destroy horcruxes, go to Godric;s Hollow (and many other things) while teaching! He hasn’t even graduated.
That is the dumbest theory ever. Including the Pillars of Storge.
Good fay to you sir.
October 6th, 2006 at 6:45 pm
Hey!!
I *like* this theory, too.
My immediate reaction was the same as Kevin’s: JK always said that someone in Harry’s year would become a Hogwarts teacher but also stated repeatedly that it wouldn’t be Harry. Yet, as the theory is as well worded as L/S and as well thought out, the last thing I would have done was call the author an idiot!!
Learn some manners, dude, before posting on someone else’s *blog* (the fact that this is a blog and not a mere forum makes it even worse)!!
Anyway… I went back to look an that specific quote and the exact wording and context was:
“Kathleen: Anyway, it’s very exciting; we just love Harry Potter, so we’re curious - well - first of all we can’t wait for books four, five, six and seven [JKR: OK], but after that, we’re curious as to whether Harry is going to have a life after Hogwarts? Or if maybe Harry might be a Hogwarts teacher?
JKR: Erm, well, because all your kids said hello so nicely in the background there, I’m going to give you information I haven’t given anyone else, and I will tell you that one of the characters - er - one of - one of Harry’s class mates, though it’s not Harry himself, does end up a teacher at Hogwarts, but it is not maybe the one you’d think - hint, hint, hint! So, yes one of them does end up staying at Hogwarts, but - erm …
Lydon: Does the kids want to have a guess at it, Kathleen?
Kathleen: Do you like to have a guess at who it is?
Class: Ron
Kathleen: They say Ron …
JKR: Noooo - it’s not Ron …
Kathleen: [to class] it’s not Ron …
JKR: … because I can’t see Ron as a teacher, no way.
JKR+Kathleen laugh.”
Being a JK-answer, this can be actually read in different ways: I, and others, somehow always assumed that one of Harry’s classmates was going to be teaching thoughout book 7, but what JK says could simply mean that after everything is said and done, one of the classmates will choose teaching as a career. The most interesting part of this interpretation is that it cannot exclude that Harry may teach DADA in book 7: what JK says is simply that Harry will not *stay* at Hogwarts as a teacher *after* the end of the saga.
Unfortunately, though, I must agree with Mr. Manners up here and state that probably Harry wouldn’t have time to teach regular classes whilst saving the world from Voldemort.
The interview in question is from 1999, between books 3 and 4: well before we learned of Neville’s potential in general and his passion and talent for Herbology in particular… Actually, the first hint of this came from book 4 itself. Therefore, my best guess at the “character we may never expect who ends up teaching at Hogwarts” is Neville Longbottom as Herbology teacher… Of course assuming Neville will live.
October 7th, 2006 at 7:55 pm
an extended quote seems appropriate here:
“This one\’s from a bloke who thinks you\’re off your rocker,” said Ron Glancing down his letter. “Ah well…”
“This woman recommends you try a good course of Shock Spells at St Mungo\’s,” said Hermione, looking disappointed and crumpling up a second.
“This one looks okay, though,” said Harry slowly, scanning a long letter from a witch in Paisley. “Hey, she says she believes me!”
“This one\’s of two minds,” said Fred who had joined in the letter opening with enthusiasm. “Says you don\’t come across as a mad person, but he really doesn\’t want to believe You-Know-Who\’s back so he doesn\’t know what to think now… Blimey, what a waste of parchment.”
October 8th, 2006 at 4:29 pm
to prove that…?
February 18th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
I think that this is a very good theory… But he wants to defeat DD. And Hogwarts might not even open up again. very good theory though. Mabye Hermoinie teaches? Since she is like really smart. Or it could be Tonks, or one of the Weasley brothers, since they are older… Harry is too young. He hasn’t even gotten his N.E.W.T.S.
June 29th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Wait you are all missing something from JK’s quote. lets go through it.
” I will tell you that one of the characters - er - one of - one of Harry’s class mates, though it’s not Harry himself, does end up a teacher at Hogwarts, but it is not maybe the one you’d think - hint, hint, hint! So, yes one of them does end up staying at Hogwarts, but - erm …”
Now I dont know if she means a teacher or a student BUT when she says it may not be the one that we think. DUH. who dont we think it is? Harry Potter! Did you think of that. It could be like a controversy phrase. You kight call me stupid but i think that i brought up an interesting point.
July 12th, 2007 at 6:33 pm
I dont know… He will only be a seventh year.
July 30th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
hello everyone
i have read the 7th book and harry lives and speaks to the dead Dumbledore. He also marrys Ginny and has three kids james, albus, and lilly. Ron marrys Hermione and the have 2 kids rosie and hugo. And Alexzandra you are correct Neville does become teacher of herbology. also in the 7th book Draco marrys and has a little boy named Scorpises (does not mention the mothers name). for more info read the 7th book. Its great! Its the best out of all of them.
July 30th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
and harry doesnt become the DADA teacher in the 7th book.
heres wat i found on the 7th DADA teacher.
by the way voldemort took over Hogwarts in the 7th book.
They change “Defense Against the Dark Arts” to “The Dark Arts.” Amycus Carrow is their new teacher which is a Death-Eater. He also has a sister, Alecto Carrow(the new Muggle Studies teacher). These two are considered “double trouble,” they’re pure evil and I HATE THEM!
so theres the news.
AND READ THE 7TH BOOK. ITS AWSOME!
BUY IT! AND READ IT!!!!
July 31st, 2007 at 1:58 pm
I did thanks, and I have to admint, boy was I wrong on this notion. It was still fun imagining it, but not as fun as reading the 7th book. Thanks Jenn
December 9th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
hello everyone
i have read the 7th book and harry lives and speaks to the dead Dumbledore. He also marrys Ginny and has three kids james, albus, and lilly. Ron marrys Hermione and the have 2 kids rosie and hugo. And Alexzandra you are correct Neville does become teacher of herbology. also in the 7th book Draco marrys and has a little boy named Scorpises (does not mention the mothers name). for more info read the 7th book. Its great! Its the best out of all of them.
and harry doesnt become the DADA teacher in the 7th book.
heres wat i found on the 7th DADA teacher.
by the way voldemort took over Hogwarts in the 7th book.
They change “Defense Against the Dark Arts” to “The Dark Arts.” Amycus Carrow is their new teacher which is a Death-Eater. He also has a sister, Alecto Carrow(the new Muggle Studies teacher). These two are considered “double trouble,” they’re pure evil and I HATE THEM!
so theres the news.
AND READ THE 7TH BOOK. ITS AWSOME!
BUY IT! AND READ IT!!!!
Wow. Do they even need to read the book after that… But seriously. Anyone who, by some amazing predicament, would visit this site and not Have read the seventh book wouldn’t read it.