Well, I'm sure I'm related to Fred & George somewhere....Red(dish) hair, incredible good looks......... :D

Can we learn from the past?

If I remember this correctly (always a dodgy prospect with me...)

When Goblet of Fire was being published JK talked about killing a character. How it was related to the plot, etc...

When Halfbood prince came out she expressed "extreme" concern about how her younger readers would be effected and was warning parents about what was coming.

This time around, I'd say her comments are more along the lines of what she said with Goblet and as such I'd expect secondary characters (like Hagrid) to be more of a target than the big three.

^^^
That's kind of what I was thinking as well. She doesn't say it will be a major character just that two who she initially had live will now die.