franchise frets forward for finale

Someone has to die in order that the rest of us should value life more.

I didn't say that. It's from The Hours. But wish I did anyway. Nice line.

*****

Trooped down to the panel doc's this late morn for the first time in 1.5 years since working in the sweat factory - and so near to my block - to find a close cropped strapping teen cluelessly fumbling his way manning the counter alone and flu virus filled human beans like moi sitting around listlessly.

What, with GST going up, female clinic counter staff too exp to hire is it, only can afford Butter Fingers on School Hols ah...??

Anyway, long story short, was wolfing down the last few chapters of The Order of the Phoenix while waiting for the doc and later for me meds.

Was the last second clinicee with my nose and eyeballs buried in the book when Close Cropper 'called'. Or rather, uttered, without even addressing me or waiting for me to acknowledge him first and assumed straight on thus:

- Hi. So you going to watch it?
- (looking up, 1 sec beat, totally caught off off guard, eagle eyed him: What's that Wet Eared Overgrown Puppy yapping to me about?)
- (1 sec beat, uncertain smile)
- (recovered in 3rd sec) But of course goes without saying couldn't wait actually.
- Do you like it?
- (Young punks nowadays must think talking out of context and assuming people can pick up what they are yakking about is very cool, is it?) Wonderful read. How do you find it?
- Oh I like it too. I read it twice. Once is not enough. I have all the titles so far. Do you?
- (Only read TWICE? Do you have 2 nipples? WE-LL.) Yeah.
- So who do you think's gonna die???
- (WHAT a question. And said with such wanting-to-engage earnest. Duh. Dying for me to ask you so you can tell, right? Poooh. Fat chance, eager pup. Roll over, here comes my heel.) I really don't know I prefer not to know and just find out (in totally unengaging just-give-me-my-med-so-I-can-leave tone).
- (punctured, small back to business tone) Oh. Okay. Here's your medicine...

Problem is my face is generally 'sub-text writ LARGE' even when they're supposed to be safely in mental parenthesis so I can imagine facing me when I'm the Garrotting Gear.

Truth be told, he's young and green and inoffensive and timidly but tentatively trying to be friendly-chatty lah but I was made to wait 45 fucking minutes with just less than 5 other people for just 3 stupid bloody minutes of consultation time by a doc who's egging to leave and didn't give a hoot if my stuffed nasal nose and sore throat ran off my face with the pilot's wife or what have you with a flu lethargy and the pissing doc only gave me 2 types of pills so am sooooo NOT in the mood to entertain any small talk from even a saint lor.

So there.

Ok. At least I wasn't totally nasty to the poor lamb - gave him a wee smile for all the hardtrying and scooted out as he bade tra-lah.

AND I didn't roll my eyes on this kid ok. Think he got flattened enough for a Saturday.

*****

But I have my guesses in place, actually.

Done my fair share of gorging on Potter articles from the web (Hagrid dies? Hah. Duh.) and some gut feel searching (no rationale or deduction whatsoever involved) as well:

7. Ron wins the death reprieve.
6. Bill will teach in Hogwarts.
5. Lupin and Tonks get engaged.
4. Draco is killed in a crossfire.
3. Neville comes to face Bellatrix.
2. Snape will betray Voldemort.

And the last:
1. Harry will die.

It's fun betting on death when life is fiction.

:o\