The Release Date: Many people think that book seven will be released on July 7, 2007 (07.07.07), because the number seems to be of important magical significance in throughout the series. While this is still a rumor, it is of course a posibility. In my opinion, I find it very unlikely because of the release date of the fifth movie. It is set for July 13, 2007. I don't think that the book and the movie would be released so closely together. There would be a fight for publicity.
R.A.B: I think that R.A.B. is Sirius' late brother, Regulus Black. He was once a Death Eater, a supporter of Voldemort, but was killed shortly after joining because he wanted out. I think that before his death, he stole the real locket Horcrux, tried to destroy it, but ended up at his childhood home, Number 12, Grimmauld Place. There is evidence of this in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. On page 116 of the American Edition, "a heavy locket that none of them could open" is mentioned. Now that Harry owns Grimmauld Place, I believe that he will discover it the next time he goes there. Here is what J.K. Rowling had to say about R.A.B. in an interview with Melissa Anelli and Emerson Spartz:
MA: R.A.B.
JKR: Ohhh, good.
[All laugh.]
JKR: No, I'm glad! Yes?
MA: Can we figure out who he is, from what we know so far?
[Note: JKR has adopted slightly evil look here]
JKR: Do you have a theory?
MA: We've come up with Regulus Black.
JKR: Have you now?
MA: Uh-oh.
[Laughter.]
JKR: Well, I think that would be, um, a fine guess.
Dumbledore Dead or Alive: I think that without a doubt, Dumbledore is dead. He fell off the astronomy tower, and was blasted off with the killing curse. Dumbledore, no matter how great he was, was no match for an Unforgivable Curse. I don't believe he was prepared to die that night. Dumbledore's funeral was written with such passion and closure, that I feel it would be extremely cheap for the author to bring him back and go, "Gotcha, everyone! I tricked you. Sorry for giving you all hardcore fans go nuts and making you believe Dumbledore was really dead!" J.K. Rowling gives evidence of his death in the same interview with MA and ES:
JKR: Yeah, well, I think if you take a step back, in the genre of writing that I'm working in, almost always the hero must go on alone. That's the way it is, we all know that, so the question is when and how, isn't it, if you know anything about the construction of that kind of plot.
ES: The wise old wizard with the beard always dies.
JKR: Well, that's basically what I'm saying, yes.
I feel as though this issue shouldn't even be argued.
Snape Good or Evil: I have no idea! There is so much evidence on both sides of the equation.
Draco-- Will he be redeemed?: I think that Draco will become a tragety. I think that Lucius will live, but his punishment will be that he witnessess his only son's death. He'll realize all of the horrible things he's done, and will live to a horrible, old age with the memory of his beloved dying son.
The BIG Question-- Will Harry defeat Voldemort?: I think that it is almost definate. He has to. The Harry Potter books are part of a certain genre, and that's what the rules are. Good overturns evil. How Harry will do this, I have no idea. None of us do. My best guess is that it will have to do with Harry's power of love. I'm not even convinced that Harry will physically kill Voldemort. Dumbledore never taught him many defensive spells or told him that the only way to get rid of Voldemort was to use the Avada Kedavra. For one, we know that they cannot duel with each other, as we found that out in book four. I have a feeling that JKR will surprise us with such an amazing ending. Like she's said, no one has ever guessed the ending to the Potter books exactly.
Will Harry Live?: Hmm... I'd like to say that he does. On the other hand, it is completely possible that JKR will kill him off in his battle against Voldemort. We just don't know :-(
Here is a list of people besides Harry that I think might perish.
Ron: Besides being Harry's best mate, we haven't really seen him prove himself in times of danger and battle. He showed his strengths back in Book 1 when during the giant chess match during the hunt for the Philosopher's Stone. There is a theory that Ron will sacrifice himself for Harry in the final match against Voldemort.
Pettigrew: Do I have to explain it? Let's see... He betrayed the Potters, he helped Voldemort get his body back, and is an all-around bad guy. I think it's time to go, and that the life-debt that he has to Harry will be involved somehow.
Draco: I think that apart from being "bad", Draco is really a tragic character. His family are Death Eaters. He's got a lot to live up to. I got the kind of feeling that he was forced in the Book 6 to serve Voldemort. All the stress he underwent, the frustration, the anxiety... I mean, the poor boy was misguided. Remember that he is only about 17. People can make horrible mistakes when they are at that age. Unfortunately in Draco's case, it might cost him his life. He's in too deep.
Professor Trelawney: I think there is a possibility of her death in Book 7. She's always predicting how people will die, and seeing strange, dark omens everywhere. I think that is a kind of subtle foreshadowing. She sees death everywhere, why can't it be hers? I just wonder how this would play out, and how important it would be to the actual plot.
Percy: Hmm... Anyone sure which side he is really on?