A Harry Future

Image credit: Harry Potter Fans: Tim Wimborne/Reuters/Corbis

POTTER-Y BARN The series fans (like these kids in Sydney, Australia) ate up book 6, and are probably already hungry for book 7

First things Dursley Harry will return to the Dursleys on Privet Drive as he promised Dumbledore. Of Aunt Petunia (his mom's supposedly nonmagical sister), J.K. Rowling told Katie Couric on Today, ''There's more to her than meets the eye.''

Horcrux of the issue Before a final showdown with Voldemort, Harry must find and destroy as many as four Horcruxes, objects in which the Dark Lord has hidden part of his soul. (Two others were already neutralized.) One Horcrux, the locket Albus Dumbledore and Harry seek in book 6, was swiped by someone initialed R.A.B. — probably Regulus Black, late brother of Harry's godfather, Sirius. (In book 5, Harry and Co. found ''a heavy locket that none of them could open'' in Black's mansion.)

Hogwarts and all With the headmaster murdered by a teacher — talk about bad PR — there's some doubt the school will reopen for Harry's final year. Harry claims he won't be back regardless. But Rowling this month acknowledged there ''must obviously be a new'' Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, implying classes will resume. Plus, Voldemort might seek the Gryffindor sword Dumbledore said is safely hidden there.

Dead as a Dumbledorenail? The late headmaster had a long tie to phoenixes (he owned one named Fawkes), suggesting the possibility of a return — perhaps to tell Harry the ''thrilling'' story he never shared in book 6 of how he grabbed the ring Horcrux. Dumbledore's portrait at Hogwarts is last seen ''slumbering''; Rowling has never indicated how soon portraits begin to animate.

Brotherly love Rowling has said book 7 won't introduce any ''major'' characters, though previously minor ones may play bigger roles — including a member of the Order of the Phoenix whom readers ''have not yet met properly.'' Could this be Aberforth Dumbledore, brother of Albus, the Hog's Head barkeep who overheard the fateful prophecy about Harry?