Unfogging the Future Plotline, part one

Please take note: though I'm leaving this post up until further notice, I am in the middle of revamping my predictions posts. I will no longer try to break them up into chapters or even a specific timeline. It's just too difficult to do, since "Deathly Hallows" will probably be over 30 chapters, and I can't possibly guess what will happen in a particular chapter. Also, I might not follow the same pattern for the pictures I use in these posts. Anyway, here's the orginal post:
As July 21st approaches I realize I must make my "Deathly Hallows" predictions if I want to get them out there before it's too late. So, here's how I think the plot might play out in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I very much doubt that the book will follow the same timeline as mine, but I hope the plotline is pretty close. At least this is sort of how I'd like to see it play out.... I'm sure JKR's work will still blow me away and humble me greatly!

Oh, and quick note -- Each of my "prediction" posts will feature a picture of somewhere Harry might travel to during his quest. The artwork shown in this post is "The Coliseum", by Silvana Brunotti (born Jan. 23, 1932). The website I found it at (http://www.silvanabrunotti.it/pictures_of_rome.htm) has the following caption for this painting:

I think it's the best example I can find to support GrandPre's use of the orange sky in her US edition cover art....

Anyway, back to the plotline. I'm making up these chapter titles (and chapter breaks), and I don't expect them to match JKR's at all. My chapter titles suck, I'm just trying to break this down into reasonable segments, so I'm taking some major creative licence here.

Chapter One (The Hunt is On): Harry has been escorted back to #4 Privet Drive, for his shortest stay ever, by members of the Order. The weather is miserable.

Dudley still doesn't understand how his parents have abused him, though he's bound to have a tantrum if he doesn't get more birthday presents than he received last year.

Though he's looking forward to Bill and Fleur's wedding, Harry can't get Severus Snape's apparently heartless murder of Dumbledore out of his head. He also thinks of Draco's inability to complete the task he was given; Harry wonders if Draco could change sides. He might even start to feel sorry for the Malfoys, though not very sorry -- they brought this mess upon themselves.

Harry's anxious to start searching for the horcruxes. He knows he will have to ditch the Order somehow. But first, there is a wedding to attend (he received the wedding invitation), and he has mixed feelings about being around Ginny, whom he recently broke up with (his attempt to protect her). He also plans on travelling to Godric's Hollow and visiting his parents' graves, but this will have to wait. He needs his own transportation....

Meanwhile Vernon can only think about Harry's inherited money and real estate. He asks Harry where the house is and wants to know how much money Harry has in the bank. Harry doesn't know how much money he has (and he probably wouldn't tell Vernon how much even if he did know), but he verifies to Vernon that did indeed inherit #12 Grimmauld Place, in London. Vernon wants to see this house, but Harry doesn't want to visit the place. If the Dursleys want to see #12 Grimmauld Place they'll have to go there without him. On second thought, this could be worth a laugh.... How will the house's enchantments respond to Vernon trying to enter and tour the house? The Dursleys and Harry go to #12 Grimmauld Place. There are diffuiculties getting the group of Muggles into the house, due to the enchantments put in place by Mr. Black. The painting of Mrs. Black curses and rants about Muggles and Mudbloods; her portrait can't stand the fact that Harry has inherited the house and property. Hilarity ensues as the Dursleys display fear and hatred of every magical thing they see. Petunia is shocked by all the dirt and grime (despite all the cleaning done roughly two years ago).

Harry looks at the family tapestry and notices the name of Regulus Black. What was it Lupin and Sirius said about Sirius's younger brother Regulus? Joined the Death Eaters quite young, got in so deep, couldn't deal with it, tried to leave, got killed for treachery. Regulus A. Black was the R.A.B. who found out about the horcruxes and stole the locket! So, now Harry tries to think back to all the things Sirius tried to throw away when the Order moved in. He vaguely remembers a large locket no one could open, but he doesn't recall an engraving with emeralds, nor does he have any idea where it is now. There is not enough time to make a thorough search of the house right now, so it will have to be resumed later.

They return to #4 Privet Drive, Vernon furious, Dudley frightened, and Petunia disgusted, yet pensive. Harry is glad, now, that he went back to the house he had so wanted to avoid. He has some very interesting news to share with Ron and Hermione.

Chapter Two (Petunia's Revelation): As Harry's 17th birthday approaches Petunia is wrought with worry. Up until the point at which Petunia and Dumbledore disagreed on when Harry would be considered an adult, Petunia didn't seem to care about Harry. But once Petunia realized Harry would be moving out of #4 Privet Drive by the time he turned 17, she's been rethinking things. Maybe she actually feels bad about how they treated Harry all these years, or maybe she just worries what will happen to Vernon, Dudley, and herself after Harry leaves. Either way, she will divulge important information about events of the past, though Harry might not immediately realize their significance. I expect Severus Snape's name to come up in this discussion. Harry will find out that Petunia was not talking about James when she said "that aweful boy"; she was talking about Severus Snape. Revelation one: Lily and Severus knew each other and socialized outside of school.

While still puzzling over Aunt Petunia's words (particularly the odd friendship between his mom and Snape), Harry awaits Order members to pick him up and take him away to the Burrow, where he will celebrate his birthday and attend a wedding.

Chapter Three (For Whom the Wedding Bells Toll): The Order has arrived again and delivered Harry to the Burrow, where the Weasleys, Hermione, and Fleur are all happy to see him, as usual. However, there is much talk about the latest deaths and disappearances throughout wizarding Britain (maybe also about things happening abroad).

Harry's 17th birthday (July 31, 1997) is cause for much celebration in the Burrow, and Harry receives some cool gifts. Amongst all the presents will be something very useful for his cause (probably from Hagrid). It would be perfect timing if Hagrid sends Sirius's old flying motorcycle to Harry at this time. Dumbledore will have planned for his 17th birthday way in advance, and there will be something from him, as well -- either the golden pocketwatch, the Pensieve, or some silver instrument Harry once saw in the office when Dumbledore was Headmaster.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione will discuss things they can do together, before Ron and Hermione return to school (Hogwarts manages to continue, somehow, and letters arrive for Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny). Molly tries to persuade Harry to return to Hogwarts, but in the end Harry will have his way and not return, at least not as a student.

Just like when Harry first got the Invisibility Cloak and had to try it that night, Harry has to try out his flying motorcycle. With the flying motorcycle (and some form of navigation), Harry sets off (at night) on a trip to Godric's Hollow to visit the gravesites... alone. Ron and Hermione stay behind to cover up his absence. He returns to the Burrow the next day, filling Ron and Hermione in on what he saw. He hasn't found the ruins of the house, only the graves. He tells them what was carved on the headstones. There are more questions than answers.

The wedding day arrives for Bill (scarred by Fenrir's attack but dressed in groom's robes) and Fleur (radiant in her bridal gown/robes and a borrowed golden tiara). Ginny and Gabrielle are dressed in pale gold (so the outfit won't clash with Ginny's hair). Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the rest are wearing their best dress robes for the occasion. The wedding has some sweet moments, but the weather is cold and foul. The overall feeling is one of worried anticipation. It feels a lot like it did the last time Voldemort was powerful -- people on both sides getting married in a rush. Tonks and Lupin consider getting hitched. Ron and Hermione exchange glances, also thinking about tying the knot. Thankfully, there's some comic relief, due to the antics of Fred and George.

After the wedding (or perhaps crashing the reception) Dobby arrives to warn Harry about something. Kreacher is up to no good; though he can't disobey a direct order, he has found a way to sabotage Harry's cause. Harry is reminded of how Kreacher managed to turn one of Sirius's commands into a loophole and then he vaguely remembers once telling Kreacher (soon after he had inheritted him) to "get out of it". Kreacher has found another loophole.

Bad news arrives: repressed by the wizarding world, in general, and hopeful that they can gain in status, the goblins have joined Voldemort's side. Gringotts has been effectively shut down, the security so high that no one can get to their gold unless they are Death Eaters or other Voldemort supporters.

Chapters 4 and beyond in subsequent posts....