Sorry if this should not be a new topic... but, here is the back cover of the HBP Scholastic Version.

It seems to answer the question of who the girl on the front cover is. I think anyway.


So what do you all think?

Looks like Harry (and Dumbledore), Hermione, Ron and Ginny too me.

(On the front cover, I mean. Sorry for the confusion.)

You're right about that - now that she's not separated because of the format, I am positive that is Ginny. Who's the guy/girl behind Ron's shoulder on the far left? Is it Neville? I am thinking the roofline in the background is Hogwarts with the dark mark over it, the shadows between and behind Hermione and Ginny might be other students.

I don't know why, but this picture is now making me think of the scene in the Wizard of Oz when the Wicked Witch of the West flies over the Emerald City and writes, "surrender Dorothy," with her broomstick.

Think it's a warning to Hogwarts students? Join up or die?

Oh Weasley.....*hugs* for finding this.

I agree, the girl is Ginny and the other two are Ron and Hermione. I agree with Soli that the other kid has got to be Neville; that's what I thought when I first saw it.

The Wizard of Oz scene. That is very remniscient isn't it? Especially since its green.

I don't think its a "join up or die" warning. I think its a "We've just killed someone and are putting up the Dark Mark to show you" warning.

I thought that looked more like Dean standing behind Ron than Neville. Maybe it is the way the shading is done in the picture. It looks almost like they are standing in a green fog of some sort. Another thing that this picture brings to mind was the quote from GOF by Mr. Weasley.

Quote::

'Ron, You-Know-Who and his followers sent the Dark Mark into the air whenever they killed,' said Mr. Weasley. 'The terror it inspired ... you have no idea, you're too young. Just picture coming home, and finding the Dark Mark hovering over your house, and knowing what you were about to find inside ...' Mr. Weasley winced. 'Everyone's worst fear ... the very worst ...' GOF page 127

If it is Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Dean looking up at a Dark Mark over Hogsmade or Hogwarts what could that mean?

- Missy

Well, she did promise another death...and the back covers of the American books always have had something to do with the plot. So she is illustrating an event from the book that won't make sense until the story has been read. Thanks for including the quote about the use of the Dark Mark. I'd forgotten that little bit - no time to reread GoF or any of the books with everything else on my plate!

I was thinking Neville behind Ron and Hermione. Dean isn't white, is he.
I was just going to come in here and post that exact quote, Artemis. There will definitely be another death that they will all learn about while at Hogwart's. It is inevitable, I think.

You are so right on the Wizard of Oz reference, Soli. It really does remind me of that.

I totally agree with everyone so far.
Now we can see her in context, it's pretty obvious (to me) that it's Ginny.

I'm also pretty sure that the guy behind Ron, is Neville. But, just for arguments sake, it could be seamus.

The dark mark over Hogwarts, i'm guessing, is probably the point at which the apex of the story begins, and the *pensieve* scene may very well take place after that, because Harry *needs to know something*, before playing his part.

Glad we've finally got to see the US back.

Weasley it could be my computer but it looks to me like the person standing behind Ron is black. That is why Dean popped into my head. The more I look at it the more I think it is Dean.

I wonder if maybe the death is Snape? Will Voldie find out he is a traitor? What did Krecher tell Malfoy?

- Missy

Hmmm, it just looks like he is in the shadows to me since he is further back than the rest of them. I don't know, though. I could be wrong. Looking at the person even closer now, there seems to be some effeminate qualities to the face. Maybe it isn't even a boy. Could it be Luna?

oop - now I see why you think that might be Dean, Missy. The skin tones on that figure are darker in value than the three in the front. I was simply looking at the round, broad face and it's features - not the skintones.

You really think Snape buys the farm this time? She said there would be another death, but that it wouldn't be as emotionally wrenching. Although Snape is such a cold, nasty thing that I don't think his death would have an emotional effect on Harry - just the legions of Snape fans. I wonder...I hate to make any prediction that specific, although I'm still leaning toward a Weasley - hence my not entering the HBP predictions contest. I guess I'd rather be surprised. I know she's laid out her red herrings as well as genuine clues - I can't tell what's what until after I've done the reading.

Here is how the cover is discribed by this article on Yahoo.

Quote::

The back cover depicts Ron and Hermione as well as two other Hogwarts students looking at "the Dark Mark".

Keeping the students identities a secret is a bit strange, but it definitely rules out the girl being Lily.

Soli It is my assumption that more than one person will die in HBP. People around me keep saying the emotional death will be Ron. Which, I say that can't happen. If JK were to kill off Ron it would probably be in the last book. The idea that it could be Snape as the reason for the Dark Mark only occurred to me moments before I posted my last comment. But it only stands to reason that if Kretcher told the Malfoy’s about the Order then Snape's name and what he is doing for the Order would have come up.

Weasley I now wonder if the red head is Ginny. I think somewhere it says that Susan Bones is a red head, I don't have my books right now. That could be why the students with Ron and Hermione are not mentioned by name. If it were Ginny and Neville you think their names would be added to the yahoo story. Or maybe the writer didn't know who the others were. I believe it is Ginny but I am open to the possibilities.

- Missy

I read in some press release that the picture depicts Ron and Hermione along with two other students at Hogwarts looking at the Dark Mark. The other main students would be Ginny and Neville. That would make the most sense.

It also seems from the cover art that Harry may be distancing himself from the rest of the kids and perhaps spending more time with Dumbldore. That would be an interesting twist for book 7. He would have to turn to them, since, IMO, Dumbldore won't make it to book 7.

is that hogwarts in the background.....right under the dark mark?

Artemis Athene: your comment to Soli about Kretcher talking about the Order and Snape's part in it. Well if Snape was one of Voldemort's spies he would be in the Order and he'd have to be doing something or others would be suspicious. So Voldemort would more then likely not take heed to what Kretcher was saying if he thought Snape was only there to be a spy. In the third book it says that Peter Pettigrew was in the Order as well until he faked his death but he was also at the time a spy for Voldemort so Voldemort would think that Snape is doing the same.