One of the things I thought might play a role some how was this number, maybe it was just a red herring meant to be thought as significant. There are many theories about this number, my own was that since Harry seemed to have 6 on his team and with Tom's mention of the 7 being most powerful, I felt that a 7th member of Harry's team was needed. I thought that person might be Draco.

Do you think this came to friution? Draco did play a role but I want to get others input on this and other 7 theories.

I'm not sure what you are asking here, Shard. Do you mean in terms of the "kids" on Harry's team, or everyone including adults?

Out of the kids, I'm surmising you mean the following: Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville, Ginny...but there are also others including Fred and George.

Well to make it more clear when I read the part in HBP where Tom says "Isn't 7 the most powerfuly magical number?" Then I remembered as you pointed out (Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna and Ginny) All it needed was just one more person, I figured it would be a peer or student. I really don't know if that came to fruitition or if it is more just the numbers 3 and 6 that were used. I guess it was a bit much of a stretch of a theory but Jo did seem to indicate there was some sort of importance for the number 7.

I'm just trying to understand what that importance was, after all Voldemort did break his own number 7 by his accidental making of Harry as a Horcrux and then making Nagini one.

Ginny Weasley was the 7th child and a daughter. I don't think Jo ever made the exact link to her being 7th with her being a very powerful witch. I think it was implied to a degree though. She did link her power as a witch being the first daughter born into the family into the Weasley family in several generations. Others must have made the connection with the number 7 though. This is taken from the Bloomsbury Q & A:


There were plenty of references to the number 7, 7 books, horcruxes, 7 Weasley children. I think there are probably more if we look. I don't know that Voldemort's outcome would have been "luckier" had he only made 7 horcruxes, but the unintentional one was certainly his downfall.

Hmmmm. Shard, there was a poor little fellow minding his own business who, when a mark on his door made him a "thief", turned out to be Number 12 (so a party of dwarves shouldn't have but 11). He went out on adventure, came back handsomely rich, and the owner of a ring. But that's another tale Built on YOUR idea that numbers are significant.
So who's number 7? (I don't think it was Draco.) ELC

So assuming Gini is one of the 7, and suggesting that as the youngest of 7 children, least expected to be accomplished in battle, and having red hair, this leads me on a thought I've posted elsewhere . . .

(Different gender, but) King David was the youngest of 7 brothers, his family saw him "unfit" for battle and thus he became a shepherd, writer of psalms, contemplating Life, and . . . he had RED hair. It doesn't finish the count, but as far as 7 making a team/army, all he needed was a sling and a stone (and not even that) to do in Galiath. What do you think?

I honestly don't think there's a seventh to Harry's group. Draco didn't play enough of the good side to be considered the seventh. I was thinking Cho, but again, not enough page time.

No character really stands out to be the seventh in Harry's group. Maybe Jo wanted it that way.

Dobby's the seventh.

OK, I don't really believe that, but hey, he did save Harry's life.

No, Dobby was it! He was! He handled the Elf angle; great companion, honest, hard working, upbeat. Great to have along. You know, I think we ought to start another thread re. Dobby.

Nope -- Dobby was the 7th.

You know I like that idea alot Dobby was the 7th. That works for me. He helped Harry for the 2nd task and the CoS events, not to mention being the one to bring Harry to the RoR and helping Harry both in HBP and DH.

OK, maybe I do believe it. Dobby's the 7th!

Not only was Dobby the 7th, he was actually the first! He after all was the oldest of the 7. His initiative to protect Harry (revealing a sinister plot at the beginning of CoS) at great peril to his own safety lays the groundwork for a pre-emptive anti-"Anti-Muggle" campaign involving readying defenses against the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Was he aware of the plot including the Malfoys to plant the horcrux-diary at Hogwarts? Clear signs to me of a "double agent." Yet his challenge of "Trustworthiness" (unlike Snape's) caused him great anguish.

"Protect Harry Potter, not kill him." Sounds like a true leader.

But does Dobby expect Harry to galvanize a "resistance"? Why else did Dobby try to protect Harry? Harry has shown the moral fiber to lead. Dobby has been subjected to abuse and degradation for his long life, it seems. So, protect your leader - so that he will be able to protect you (and everyone else).

So I was up late last night, just thinking about random thing, and the topic of Harry Potter came up. I started to think of the significance of the number seven through out the serise and, correct me if I am wrong because it's been a while since I read the book, but dosen't Dumbledore or someone say that Seven is the most powerful magical number. Well, suggesting that I was thinking right, I started to think of things throughout the serise related to the number seven. And I couldn't help but notice that everything was, in a way, centered around the number seven. There are seven books, seven horcruxes, seven weasley childern, seven different DADA teachers, and the seven potters chapter in the Deathly Hallows. I didn't know whether I was just over thinking everything or if anyone else saw the resemblance. If so can you find any other orders of seven through the serise?

So I was thinking about this as well and there are many sources in Harry Potter that connect themselves back to the number seven.

Harry was born in the 7 month.

Wizards become of age at 17.

There were 7 horcruxes.

7 Novels.

7 weasleys

these are some ideas that show how significant the 7 books were. I'm sure there was a reasoning for the coincidences

*Squishy squish* Two very similar topics about the significance of the number 7 have been merged here. Please continue the fascinating discussions! I would also like to direct you to two other threads discussing the symbolism of the number 7 and numerology in the Harry Potter series here and here. Please feel free to read the great insights and quote discussions from those threads here as well.

Happy posting

Lirene
LL Moderator

The only thing I can think of that hasn't already been mentioned is that an education at Hogwarts lasts for seven years.
This can't be a coinsidence. The wizarding world seems to give the number seven great importance, I can understand why Voldemort wanted seven horcruxes and not eight or six.

Seven Quidditch Players...

I'm sure there are many things in Potterverse that come in sevens. It is a magical number.

I went looking for the significance of 7 and came across this websource. I thought that the traits of a 7 personality, both positive and negative, fit Harry in some instances very well.

As well as Dumbledore noting the importance of the number seven, on J K Rowling's web site there is a reference in the Wizard of the Morth Archive

Bridget Wenlock: 1202-1285
Famous Arithmancer. First to establish the magical properties of the number 7

Do we know what these magical properties are? Does it make the magic more powerful?

There are alot of Seven references in the books but maybe it's coincidence, and maybe it's a plecebo effect?