There was speculation before Chapter 79, but H&C as anyone but a Hogwarts professor is killed by McGonagall’s comment;
Obliviation cannot be detected by any known means, but only a Professor could have cast that spell upon a student without alarm from the Hogwarts wards.
There’s some minor speculation that an ex-professor could have done it, and I suppose we could include Dumbledore and Lupin in the list, but Sirius and Grindelwald are ruled out (as of chapter 79).
Someone (sorry, I don’t remember who) commented that the apparent sloppiness of the Ground Hog Day attack may be from the need to explain to the reader what’s going on. It’s also been pointed out that being a Legilimens doesn’t guarantee competence in gaining trust, it just makes it easier to figure out that you haven’t. As is typical, YMMV.
Much hay has been made of the line
and recognition sent a jolt of terrified adrenaline bursting through her.
With some claiming that it means Hermione both recognizes and is terrified of the real H&C. Others claimed that was reading too much into the prose, and the terror might just be from realizing the situation in general. Again, YMMV.
Current speculation seems to focus on the motive, as in, who would want Draco dead, and/or who would want Hermione accused of trying to kill Draco.
It seems likely to me that it will all become moot once chapter 81 is released, so get your speculations in quickly!
There was speculation before Chapter 79, but H&C as anyone but a Hogwarts professor is killed by McGonagall’s comment;
There’s some minor speculation that an ex-professor could have done it, and I suppose we could include Dumbledore and Lupin in the list, but Sirius and Grindelwald are ruled out (as of chapter 79).
Someone (sorry, I don’t remember who) commented that the apparent sloppiness of the Ground Hog Day attack may be from the need to explain to the reader what’s going on. It’s also been pointed out that being a Legilimens doesn’t guarantee competence in gaining trust, it just makes it easier to figure out that you haven’t. As is typical, YMMV.
Much hay has been made of the line
With some claiming that it means Hermione both recognizes and is terrified of the real H&C. Others claimed that was reading too much into the prose, and the terror might just be from realizing the situation in general. Again, YMMV.
Current speculation seems to focus on the motive, as in, who would want Draco dead, and/or who would want Hermione accused of trying to kill Draco.
It seems likely to me that it will all become moot once chapter 81 is released, so get your speculations in quickly!