JKR Quotes: Future Events

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Book 6

[Adele: Will poor Harry be stuck at the Dursleys' all next summer?] Not all summer, no. In fact, he has the shortest stay in Privet Drive so far. World Book Day chat (March 2004)

[Is every book going to be bigger than the previous one?] No, definitely not, or book seven would be around the weight of a baby hippopotamus. According to the plan for book six, it will be quite a bit shorter than 'Order of the Phoenix'. I am not going to swear on my children's lives that that is going to be the case, but I am 99% certain of it. JK Rowling Official Site (May 2004)

The Opening Chapter of Book Six: I have come close to using a chapter very like this in 'Philosopher's Stone' (it was one of the discarded first chapters), 'Prisoner of Azkaban' and 'Order of the Phoenix' but here, finally, it works, so it's staying. And that's all I'm going to say, but when you read it, just know that it's been about thirteen years in the brewing. JK Rowling Official Site (May 2004)

Book 7

The final chapter of the seventh book is written. That's for my own satisfaction, so that I know where I'm going as I write the other books. And that last chapter deals with what happens to the survivors afterward. Because there will be deaths. American Library Association Book Links interview (July 1999)

[In plotting Harry's journey she has already completed a draft of the final chapter of the last book.] I constantly rewrite. At the moment, the last word is 'scar.'People Magazine interview (December 1999)

Will it (book 4) be the biggest? No, I think book seven will be. Seven's going to be like the Encyclopaedia Britannica, because I'm going to want to say goodbye. I always knew four would be a long one, but I didn't know it would be this long. But it had to be. I've got no regrets. That's how many words it took to tell the story I needed to tell. I like it. I'm very pleased with it. It's definitely the book that gave me the most trouble. But then "Chamber of Secrets" gave me a fair amount of trouble. Bizarrely, it seems that the two that were the most hell to write were the two I like the best. Newsweek article (July 2000)

This [the ending of Book 7] is really where I wrap everything up. This is the epilogue and basically says what happens to everyone after they leave school. Those who survive. Because there are deaths, more deaths coming. It was a way of saying to myself: "You get there, you get to book number 7 one day and you'll need this." Guardian article, quoting "Harry and Me" BBC Special (December 2001)

I've written the final chapter of book seven. [So you know where you are going to get to. Do you know how you are going to get there?] Yes. Yes. I mean I allow a margin. It would be so boring if I really knew. It would be joining the dots, wouldn't it? It's not that well worked out. But it's fairly well plotted. I mean it would be worrying if it weren't at this stage, wouldn't it, if I slid off book five and wondered what shall I write out in book six?. You know, it's a complicated story so I need to know what I'm doing. BBC Newsnight Interview (June 2003)

[Has Book Five - that thing that's the size of a house brick - it was originally much longer than that, was it?] No, actually it wasn't. It's about the size - originally I thought it would be slightly shorter than Goblet of Fire - and what is the phrase? The tale grew in the telling. It did. The thing is, I've got so much now, so much backstory to tell, but I really mean it this time. Six will not need to be that long. I had to move them around a lot in there, there's a lot of to-ing and fro-ing in there. [Are you going to have a lot of loose ends to tie up in 7?] Oh god, I hope not. I'm aiming to tie it all up neatly in a nice big knot... that's it , good night. [So that may not be particularly long either....] No, I think that will be long because I won't want to let go. I'll just keep writing. I'll probably just start a completely new plot in book seven. It's going to be very difficult to leave it. I mean, I do look forward to a post-Harry era in my life, because some ! of the things that go along with this are not that much fun, but at the same time, I dread leaving Harry... because I've been working on it over what I sincerely hope will prove to have been the most turbulent part of my life and that was the constant, and I worked on it so hard for so long - then it will be over and I think it's going to leave a massive gap. BBC Newsnight Interview (June 2003)

[What is the seventh book going to be called?] Never give up, you lot, do you? I suppose you think that one of these days I'll crack under the pressure and let slip that book seven is going to be called - wow, I nearly gave it away then. JK Rowling Official Site (May 2004)

Future Books in General

You know, characters take on their own lives. They have their own stories. Writers often say, 'I loved that character and the most tragic part of my year last year was having to kill them off.' Well that's coming. [Do you know already who is going to die in the next books?] I know all of them who are going to die, yeah. [And some characters we might love and you might love?] I'm definitely killing people I love, yeah. (Waves to fans outside) It's horrible, isn't it? (Laughs) It is actually. I cried during the writing of that one [Book Four] for the first time ever. I cried doing the actual writing of it. It really upset me. But in the future there's even more... Laughs deeply) There's worse coming. CBC Newsworld Interview (July 2000)

Aren't you worried people will guess the plot before you're finished writing the Potter books? Not really, because even if they do guess it shows how much attention they've given the previous books! Comic Relief chat (March 2001)

[Rumor: Book six is going to be called 'Harry Potter and the Green Flame Torch' or 'the Mountain of Fantasy' and book seven is going to be called 'Harry Potter and the Fortress of Shadows' or 'the Forest of Shadows'] Not even close! Who makes these up?! And this green torch business seems to be cropping up everywhere. Do you really think getting rid of Voldemort would be that easy? JK Rowling Official Site (May 2004)

Book 5 (When It Was Future)

[This book is quite the wide screen epic, with the Quidditch World Cup, the arrival of rival schools, the Triwizard Tournament, the ending battle... Everything is on a bigger scale. Intentional?] Yes. It's symbolic. Harry's horizons are literally and metaphorically widening as he grows older. But also there are places in the world that I've been planning for so long and thinking about for so long that we haven't yet explored, and it's great fun. That will happen in book 5, too; we go into a whole new area, physically, an area you've never seen before, a magical world. Entertainment Weekly interview (August 2000)

I feel that the ending of book four is frightening, but there are reasons for that. I was dealing with an evil character. I do not see, in five, six and seven, that I have to, kind of, up the stakes with every book at all. I wouldn't necessarily say that five is going to be darker. But I couldn't promise that there isn't more sad stuff coming. Houston Chronicle article (October 2000)

[Can you say ANYTHING about the next book?] Yes... it probably won't be as long as book four. It will be scary. Harry finds out a lot of things he hasn't stumbled across so far. AOL Chat (October 2000)

[Will the fifth book be based on a major event or will it get back to Quidditch games and magic lessons?] Normal life is kind of reviewed. Magic lessons will be back, but as usual there is a lot more going on than that. Houston Chronicle interview (March 2001)

Harry visits a few places that have been mentioned in the books but we've never got inside them before. Places other than Diagon Alley or Hogwarts. MuggleNet news archive, reporting on Newsround interview (April 2001)

Book 5, Before the Fact

[Are there going to be any more new characters?] Yes, there are going to be new characters in book five. Yahooligans chat (October 2000)

[Is there ever going to be female Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher?] Emily, I can exclusively reveal (because I'm feeling guilty I'm not answering so many good questions) that there WILL be. AOL Chat (October 2000)

Well, we've obviously got a new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher because Professor Moody wouldn't want the job again having been locked in a trunk for a year! It's a woman this time. Newsround Interview (September 2002)

Yes, it is looking that way - it's already passed Azkaban, so I think yes, we are looking at Goblet of Fire length. Newsround Interview (September 2002)

Things That Might Still Happen

[Will HP and his friends discover the other house common rooms in future books?] (Teasingly) Maybe... SWNS Online interview (July 2000)

Will Harry time-travel again? Not telling! AOL Chat (October 2000)