What Jo says about...
Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Please note: unless you see quotemarks, these are summaries, and not JKR's words themselves. Please see the linked article for the actual text.

Statements about Harry

Harry will get back at Dudley. [Read the exact quote from the Book Links interview, 1999]
The fact that Harry has his mother’s eyes is very important to a future book. [Read the exact quote from the Boston Globe, 1999]
Book 7 will see Harry come of age – face his destiny. [Read the exact quote from the Guardian Unlimited, 1999]
In book 7, Harry will be 17, which means he will be "of age." He will become a full wizard and be able to use his magic outside school. [Read the exact quote from the Barnes & Noble chat, 1999]
We will find out the significant information about Harry’s mother in 2 parts: books 5 and 7. Both are "very important in what Harry ends up having to do." [Read the exact quote from WBUR interview, 1999]
She can’t tell us if she imagines Harry growing up because it will ruin the plot of book 7 for us. [Read the exact quote from National Press Club, 1999]
Harry might get a different pet "at some point." [Read the exact interview from Raincoast Books interview, 2001]
JKR "never said never said that he [Harry] would have a 'more permanent injury'" in a future book. [Read the exact quote from World Book Day, 2004]
Will the two way mirror Sirius gave Harry ever show up again? JKR: Ooooo, good question. There’s your answer. [Read the exact quote from World Book Day, 2004]
What Harry (and all the characters) will be going through will be quite "tough." [Read the exact quote from Edinburgh Book Festival, 2004]
The last part of the prophecy does not mean that Neville and Harry must kill each other. [Read the exact quote form Jo's website]
The prophecy did not mystically intertwine Neville's fate with Harry's. [Read the exact quote form Jo's website]
JK won't answer if Snape is evil or not because it will have such a huge impact on what will happen when Harry and Snape meet again: "I love the theories." [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
JK had fun with the romance in Book 6. She hopes that the trends are now entirely clear. "I really enjoyed writing the Ron/Lavender business." Ron needed to "grow up emotionally." [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
Dumbledore’s “gleam of triumph” (GoF) will be enormously significant to Book 7. [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
Dumbledore's guesses about how to kill Voldemort are “never very far wide of the mark.” Harry will need to get rid of four horcruxes, and then “go for Voldemort.” Dumbledore has given Harry “some pretty valuable clues” and Harry "has amassed more knowledge than he realizes." [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
Harry and Ron will never read Hogwarts, a History. [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
Sirius' death was not arbitrary. Plot-wise, Harry needs to "go on alone and to give him too much support makes his job too easy." [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]
The magical protection Harry receives from staying at the Dursleys will not hold once he turns 17 and becomes a man. [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]
When asked if Harry's eyes are important, Jo agrees that they are mentioned again and again, but won't say any more. [Read the whole quote from Owen Jones, 2005]
"When people have finished reading this book, they will really know what to expect in book seven and I think I give very clear pointers as to what Harry will do next."
"There is plenty to guess at... at least one thing I think people will probably deduce, there is a mystery left at the end, but I think they might already know the answer if they think about it." [Read the whole quote from Owen Jones, 2005]
After Book 6 "you're left with a very clear idea of what Harry's going to do next." [Read the whole quote from Time Magazine, 2005]
In Book 6 Harry finds out a lot about the past which "hopefully will be of use to him in the future." [Read the whole quote from Dateline NBC, 2005]
Harry had to have the near "breakdown" in book 5 to underline his humanness; however "he will rise from the ashes strengthened." [Read the whole quote from BBC-Radio4, 2005]
JKR: "I've never been tempted to kill [Harry] off before the end of Book 7. [...] But I can completely understand the mentality of an author who thinks "well I am going to kill them off because that means there can be no non-author written sequels as they call them, so it will end with me and after I am dead and gone." [Read the whole quote from R&J, 2006]
Jo can understand why an author would want to kill off their character 'from a point of view of not allowing others to continue writing after the original author is dead '. [Read the whole quote from Radio City-pressconf, 2006]
When asked about Aunt Petunia being oddly flushed when she heard that Harry would only be returning to Privet Drive once more, and whether this meant Aunt Petunia harbours some hidden fondness for Harry and the connection he provides to the wizarding world, Jo said that as with all the best and penetrating questions it is difficult to answer. She would say that “There is a little more to Aunt Petunia than meets the eye and you will find out what that is in book seven” [Read the whole quote from Radio City2, 2006]

Statements about Dumbledore

Someday we may find out how Dumbledore got his scar shaped like the London Underground. [Read the exact quote from Edinburgh Book Festival, 2004]
The second question we should be asking is "why Dumbledore did not kill or try to kill Voldemort in the scene in the ministry." Dumbledore did not give the real reason. [Read the exact quote from Edinburgh Book Festival, 2004]
We will earn more about Dumbledore's backstory in Book 7. [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
It is possible that we will find out what spell Dumbledore was trying to cast on Voldemort in the Ministry. [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
JK: “Dumbledore's family would be a profitable line of inquiry.” [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
Dumbledore’s “gleam of triumph” (GoF) will be enormously significant to Book 7. [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
Dumbledore's guesses about how to kill Voldemort are “never very far wide of the mark.” Harry will need to get rid of four horcruxes, and then “go for Voldemort.” Dumbledore has given Harry “some pretty valuable clues” and Harry "has amassed more knowledge than he realizes." [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
Dumbledore will not “do a Gandalf;” he is truly dead. [Read the whole quote from Radio City2, 2006]
JKR: "Why did Dumbledore have James' invisibility cloak at the time of James' death, given that Dumbledore could make himself invisible without a cloak?" is an important question that no one has asked her ("NAQ"). [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]

Statements about Harry's parents

The fact that Harry has his mother’s eyes is very important to a future book. [Read the exact quote from the Boston Globe, 1999]
We will find out the significant information about Harry’s mother in 2 parts: books 5 and 7. Both are "very important in what Harry ends up having to do." [Read the exact quote from WBUR interview, 1999]
What Harry’s parents did is important to the later plot. [Read the exact quote from Scholastic chat #1, 2000]
We will find out more about the history of James Potter’s family in the next books. [BBC Red Nose Day chat, 2001]
Petunia knows about dementors because she "overheard a conversation" between Lily and someone else. But there is more to it than that; we will earn more in Book 7. [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]
JKR: "Why did Dumbledore have James' invisibility cloak at the time of James' death, given that Dumbledore could make himself invisible without a cloak?" is an important question that no one has asked her ("NAQ"). [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]
James inherited plenty of money, so he didn’t need a well-paid profession. [Read the exact quote from the AOL chat, 2000]
James inherited the invisibility cloak from his father. [Read the exact quote from the AOL chat, 2000]
Harry's grandparents are dead and "not particularly important to the story..." [editor's note: could refer to either Harry's Evans grandparents, or his Potter grandparents] [Read the exact quote from World Book Day, 2004]
James was born to parents who were elderly, even by wizarding standards, and died from a wizarding illness. There is “nothing sinister” about their deaths. [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
JK won’t tell us if anyone else was present in Godric’s Hollow the night Harry’s parents were killed. [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]

Statements about Snape

JKR is stunned that anyone wonders if Snape has a love life; we will find out why in book 7. [Read the exact quote from WBUR interview, 1999]
JK won't answer if Snape is evil or not because it will have such a huge impact on what will happen when Harry and Snape meet again: "I love the theories." [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
Snape was not hiding under the Invisibility Cloak on the night Harry's parents were killed. [29 Sept 2006] [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]

Statements about the Dursleys

Harry will get back at Dudley. [Read the exact quote from the Book Links interview, 1999]
Aunt Petunia is truly a muggle, but there is "a little bit more to Aunt Petunia than meets the eye." "She is not a squib, although that is a very good guess. Oh, I am giving a lot away here. I am being shockingly indiscreet." [Read the exact quote from Edinburgh Book Festival, 2004]
The magical protection Harry receives from staying at the Dursleys will not hold once he turns 17 and becomes a man. [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]
Petunia knows about dementors because she "overheard a conversation" between Lily and someone else. But there is more to it than that; we will earn more in Book 7. [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]
Aunt Petunia has never performed magic, and will never be able to do so. [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]
When asked about Aunt Petunia being oddly flushed when she heard that Harry would only be returning to Privet Drive once more, and whether this meant Aunt Petunia harbours some hidden fondness for Harry and the connection he provides to the wizarding world, Jo said that as with all the best and penetrating questions it is difficult to answer. She would say that “There is a little more to Aunt Petunia than meets the eye and you will find out what that is in book seven” [Read the whole quote from Radio City2, 2006]

Statements about Voldemort & Horcruxes

The second question we should be asking is "why Dumbledore did not kill or try to kill Voldemort in the scene in the ministry." Dumbledore did not give the real reason. [Read the exact quote from Edinburgh Book Festival, 2004]
It is possible that we will find out what spell Dumbledore was trying to cast on Voldemort in the Ministry. [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
Dumbledore's guesses about how to kill Voldemort are “never very far wide of the mark.” Harry will need to get rid of four Horcruxes, and then “go for Voldemort.” Dumbledore has given Harry “some pretty valuable clues” and Harry "has amassed more knowledge than he realizes." [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
At least one of the remaining Horcruxes is pretty easy to guess at if you are a careful reader. [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
JK will not tell us if Lord Voldemort ever finds out what the prophecy fully said. [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]
The sorting hat is not a Horcrux. "Horcruxes do not draw attention to themselves by singing songs in front of large audiences." [added 25 Dec 2005] [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]

Statements about Ron + Hermione + Neville + Luna

The last part of the prophecy does not mean that Neville and Harry must kill each other. [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]
Refers to Neville as "the boy who was so nearly King" but does not tell us if he will ever find this out. Also refers to Neville as an "also-ran" and a "might-have-been." [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]
Neville does have a "significant part to play in the last two novels and the fight against Voldemort." [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]
The prophecy did not mystically intertwine Neville's fate with Harry's. [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]
JK had fun with the romance in Book 6. She hopes that the trends are now entirely clear. "I really enjoyed writing the Ron/Lavender business." Ron needed to "grow up emotionally." [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
Harry and Ron will never read Hogwarts, a History. [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
Hermione would see the trio “alive and unscathed and Voldemort finished” in the Mirror of Erised. She may also see herself in a romantic embrace. [Read the whole quote from Racio City1, 2006]

Statements about Draco

When asked about Draco, Jo said that all of her main characters except for Voldemort can be considered redeemable. [Read the whole quote from Radio City1, 2006]
Harry believes that Draco would not have killed Dumbledore even if he had all the time in the world. Indeed he would not have; this will have implications for Draco’s future. [Read the whole quote from Radio City1, 2006]

Statements about the rest of the characters

We will see Viktor Krum again. [Read the exact quote from World Book Day, 2004]
Grawp will continue to become "more amenable to human contact." [Read the exact quote from Edinburgh Book Festival, 2004]
Rita Skeeter is "morally horrible," but tough and determined; "there is more to come on Rita." [Read the exact quote from Edinburgh Book Festival, 2004]
Umbridge is still at the Ministry; we will see more of her because JK wants to "torture" her a bit more. [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
As one can guess from the end of Book 6, the founders of Hogwarts will play a role in Book 7. [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
Who is R.A.B.? Regulus Black is a "fine choice." [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
JK will not comment on whether or not Sirius' mirror will allow communication with Regulus or not. [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
There will be a new DADA teacher in Book 7. [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]
"There will be some characters [in Book 7] who you don't know particularly well, and there may be a couple of new characters, but nobody really major. You know pretty much the cast list by now." [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]
Wormtail won't kill Lupin. [Read the whole quote from Owen Jones interview, 2005]
Wormtail's (Peter Pettigrew) silver hand will not be used to kill Lupin. [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]
Lupin will not be able to overcome prejudice against werewolves and return as a Defense against the Dark Arts professor. [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]

Unclear who she is referring to

JKR: "There is a character who does manage in desperate circumstances to do magic quite late in life, but that is very rare..." [Read the exact quote from Barnes & Noble chat #1, 1999]
A few of the Hogwarts professors have spouses, but the information is restricted – we’ll find out why! [BBC Red Nose Day chat, 2001]
In Book 7 we will become better acquainted with another member of the Order of the Phoenix. This is someone we know about but have not "met properly." [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]
Death is not reversible, even in the Wizarding World, though in Book 7 "you'll see just how close you can get to the dead." [Read the exact quote from The Herald, 2000]

Statements about creatures and beings

Is there something more to the cats appearing in the books than first meets the eye? (i.e. Mrs. Figg's cats, Crookshanks, Prof. McGonagall as a cat, etc.)
JKR: Ooooo, another good question. Let's see what I can tell you without giving anything away ... erm ... no, can't do it, sorry. [Read the exact quote from the Scholastic chat #2, 2000]
Harry might get a different pet "at some point." [Read the exact interview from Raincoast Books interview, 2001]
Fawkes probably has a role to play in book 7 [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]

Statements about magical objects

JKR: "There is more to the Sorting Hat than what you have read about in the first three books." [Read the exact quote from the Boston Globe, 1999]
Will the two way mirror Sirius gave Harry ever show up again? JKR: Ooooo, good question. There’s your answer. [Read the exact quote from World Book Day, 2004]
JK will not comment on whether or not Sirius' mirror will allow communication with Regulus or not. [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
Dumbledore's guesses about how to kill Voldemort are “never very far wide of the mark.” Harry will need to get rid of four horcruxes, and then “go for Voldemort.” Dumbledore has given Harry “some pretty valuable clues” and Harry "has amassed more knowledge than he realizes." [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
At least one of the remaining Horcruxes is pretty easy to guess at if you are a careful reader. [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
The sorting hat is not a horcrux. "Horcruxes do not draw attention to themselves by singing songs in front of large audiences." [added 25 Dec 2005] [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]
We will learn more about the relationship between wands and their wizards/witches in book 7. [Read the whole quote from Radio City1, 2006]
JKR: "Why did Dumbledore have James' invisibility cloak at the time of James' death, given that Dumbledore could make himself invisible without a cloak?" is an important question that no one has asked her ("NAQ"). [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]

Statements about places

Cuaron "put things in the [PoA] film that, without knowing it, foreshadow things that are going to happen in the final two books." [Read the exact quote from the Prisoner of Azkaban DVD, 2004]
JK won’t tell us if there will be another scene in the locked room in the Department of Mysteries. [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
When asked about the graveyard, Jo seems a bit thrown and says "Where is the Hogwarts graveyard? They're making up features now." (Note: Director Alfonso Cuaron had said in 2004 that Jo told him there was a graveyard at Hogwarts.) [Read the whole quote from Owen Jones interview, 2005]
JKR: "Ravenclaw will have its day!" [Read the whole quote from Owen Jones interview, 2005]
JK won’t tell us if anyone else was present in Godric’s Hollow the night Harry’s parents were killed. [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]

Statements about writing book 7 and its general plot

"I constantly rewrite," she says. "At the moment, the last word is 'scar.'" [Read the exact quote from People Magazine, 1999]
At the moment the last word is still "scar." [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
The last chapter of the last book is written, and deals with what happens to the survivors afterward. [Read the exact quote from Book Links, 1999]
JKR: "What's very important for me is when Dumbledore says that you have to choose between what is right and what is easy. This is the setup for the next three books. All of them are going to have to choose, because what is easy is often not right." [Read the exact quote from Entertainment Weekly, 2000]
JKR on the last chapter of book 7: "this is really where I wrap everything up, it’s the epilogue. And I, I basically say what happens to everyone after they leave school – those who survive – because there are deaths – more deaths coming." [Read the exact quote from "Harry Potter and Me," 2001]
As she writes Book 6, Jo feels as if Book 6 and Book 7 "are two halves of the same novel." [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]
What Harry (and all the characters) will be going through will be quite "tough." [Read the exact quote from Edinburgh Book Festival, 2004]
No book character has returned from the future. [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]
There will be no more Quidditch matches. [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
JK has written an epilogue that explains what some of the characters' lives are like, but she may not actually use it. [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]
JK doesn't know yet how long Book 7 will be. [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]
"There will be some characters [in Book 7] who you don't know particularly well, and there may be a couple of new characters, but nobody really major. You know pretty much the cast list by now." [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]
The magical protection Harry receives from staying at the Dursleys will not hold once he turns 17 and becomes a man. [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]
Jo says she thinks it will be at least a two-year wait before Book 7 comes out. [Read the whole quote from ITV, July 2005]
JKR: "Ravenclaw will have its day!" [Read the whole quote from Owen Jones interview, 2005]
JKR: "When people have finished reading this book, they will really know what to expect in book seven. I think I give very clear pointers to what Harry will do next." [Read the whole quote from Owen Jones interview, 2005]
JKR: "The final chapter, as I've always said, really relates to what happens to the people who survive the story, after the end of the story. And I have made small tweaks to it over the intervening years. And I'll have to rewrite it when I get there." [Read the whole quote from Owen Jones interview, 2005]
No one else knows her ideas for Book 7. [Read the whole quote from Dateline NBC, 2005]
Some fans have come very close to guessing the ending of Book 7, but the one she has planned isn't "very obvious." [Read the whole quote from BBC Radio4, 2005]
HP7 will not be called Harry Potter and the Pyramids of Furmat. [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]
Jo has the whole series planned out but she allows herself small digressions. [Read the whole quote from BBC-Radio4, 2005]
JKR: "You really sort of skid off the end of six straight into seven" because you know at the end of six that the main plot line isn't finished. [Read the whole quote from BBC-Radio4, 2005]
JKR: "The final chapter is hidden away, although it has now changed very slightly. One character got a reprieve, but I have to say two [main characters] die that I didn't intend to die." [Read the whole quote from R&J, 2006]
JKR: "I've never been tempted to kill [Harry] off before the end of book 7. [...] But I can completely understand the mentality of an author who thinks "well I am going to kill them off because that means there can be no non-author written sequels as they call them, so it will end with me and after I am dead and gone." [Read the whole quote from R&J, 2006]
Jo wrote the final chapter to Book 7 in 1990. [Read the whole quote from R&J, 2006]
Jo still says she might do a kind of encyclopedia of the Wizarding World for charity after Book 7. [Read the whole quote from R&J, 2006]
As of 8/1 she is "well into" the writing of Book 7; she is having fun and feels "quite liberated." [Read the whole quote from Radio City-pressconf, 2006]
JKR: "Some people will loathe it [Book 7], some will love it, but that's the way it should be." [Read the whole quote from Radio City-pressconf, 2006]
When Jo finishes Book 7 she will "probably go through a mourning period." [Read the whole quote from Radio City-pressconf, 2006]
Jo can understand why an author would want to kill off their character 'from a point of view of not allowing others to continue writing after the original author is dead '. [Read the whole quote from Radio City-pressconf, 2006]
JKR: "A couple of characters I expected to survive have died and one character got a reprieve." [Read the whole quote from Racio City-pressconf, 2006]
JKR: "I’ll probably leave some loose ends hanging." [Read the whole quote from Radio City1, 2006]
Jo had been quite convinced she had a title for book 7 until she thought of another one that morning. [Read the whole quote from Radio City2, 2006]
Book 7 will not be called Harry Potter and the Graveyard of Memories. [29 Sept 2006] [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]

Statements about fans and fan theories

Jo l oves fan-theories. People have been very close to figuring out things. [Read the whole quote from Owen Jones interview, 2005]
JKR: "Bits of the final book have been guessed." [Read the whole quote from Owen Jones interview, 2005]
JKR: "When people have finished reading this book, they will really know what to expect in book seven. I think I give very clear pointers to what Harry will do next." [Read the whole quote from Owen Jones interview, 2005]
Some fans have come very close to guessing the ending of Book 7, but the one she has planned isn't "very obvious." [Read the whole quote from BBC Radio4, 2005]
Jo gets "cold shivers when someone guesses at something that's very close" but enough ideas are "off the wall" that she doesn't really worry; the ending is "clearly not that obvious." [Read the whole quote from BBC-Radio4, 2005]
MORE: book 1 | book 2 | book 3 | book 4 | book 5 | book 6 | book 7 | after book 7

What Jo says about... Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

What Jo says about...
Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows