*ponders*

[kaydeefalls]

I've got an interesting bunny for a postwar HP fic, centered around Harry, but I've hit a bit of a snag. That is to say, I can't figure out how Harry could possibly survive the defeat of Voldemort. I may well turn out to be wrong here, but I rather firmly believe that Harry himself is the last Horcrux, which is a beautiful form of symmetry that I really don't want to fuck up by skirting the issue entirely and deciding, for ficcish purposes, that he isn't. And if he IS the last Horcrux, then how the hell is he going to get out of the final battle alive? Wouldn't he have to destroy himself in order to kill Voldemort? I'm sure Rowling has some glorious Deus Ex Machina planned, because while I honestly believe that, for aesthetic reasons if nothing else, Harry should die at the end of Book 7, I seriously doubt she's going to go through with it. But how to get around that tricksy little problem? I've read a couple of fics that dealt with it, and while they were good fics, I always found that particular point rather unsatisfying. (One used a we-think-Harry's-a-Horcrux-but-OH-WAIT-he-isn't-really technique, the other a very farfetched deus ex machina.) So. Yes. Under the assumption that Harry really is the Horcrux, how the hell is he going to get out of there alive so that I can write a postwar and possibly Harry/Draco fic about him?

Any thoughts?

Comments

[semielliptical]

if he IS the last Horcrux, then how the hell is he going to get out of the final battle alive?

This is kind of lame, but - could only *part* of Harry be the Horcrux? So he somehow survives, but is damaged? I don't mean a physical part, the idea of destroying just, say, Harry's scarred forehead is laughable. But maybe if the Horcrux is somehow connected to his magical-ness Harry would have to do something that destroyed his magical ability.

I don't particularly like idea of magical-ness being somehow separate from the rest of a person, but I do think it would be an interesting sacrifice for Harry to have to give that up in order to defeat Voldemort.

[kaydeefalls.livejournal.com]

Maybe. It'd be an interesting sacrifice, but somehow...I dunno. I keep having these mental images of, like, Fawkes crying a bit on Harry's forehead, and then a magical sort of BOOM and everything's suddenly all right again. *facepalm*

[newredshoes]

You know, I was wondering about the whole idea of them killing each other off... because if Harry dies, is Voldemort's "soul" split again, thus sorta defeating the whole purpose?

Incidentally, in that dream I had, Tom Riddle was none other than Mr. J. Putnam. Humorously enough.

[kaydeefalls.livejournal.com]

If Harry dies, presumably the bit of Voldie!soul in him is destroyed, and provided all the other Horcruxes have already been disposed of, Voldemort would then be mortal and someone like Hermione could take him out. I think.

But Joel's not evil! He's amusing and cuddly!

[newredshoes]

That's what they said about Tom Riddle at first!




Wait, no they didn't.

(And hee, yes, true that.)

[theboysgonehome.livejournal.com]

Ouch, that's a tough one. I'm with you, in that I don't think there's any possible ending other than Harry's death. I mean, even if he did survive, what do you do after you've fulfilled your destiny? And he has to be the last Horcrux. I mean, too many clues! "Part of him passed into you" and such. Nothing else could be the last Horcrux. And I bet Dumbledore knew it.

Really, the only way I could conceive a post-war Harry would be through some wild deus ex machina. The most gruesome of which would only lead to dark fic. Perhaps it isn't Harry that must be destroyed, but Harry's soul?

Or perhaps you could write it that Harry isn't the last horcrux, and Harry could survive and be happy and shag Draco and other such cotton candy thing. I like those better. *sticks fingers in ears and hums*

[kaydeefalls.livejournal.com]

I mean, even if he did survive, what do you do after you've fulfilled your destiny?
That's kinda what I'm interested in exploring in this dratted fic, but yeah. First he'd need to survive. And you SO know that JKR won't kill him off. He's going to marry Ginny and have lots of little magical babies. *sighs*