First post here on forum... Hi everyone! 

1/ Cait Sith, Leah, Bob and Molly
 
2/ in Chicago you say - so ...
a - Bob (if ghost counts), if you ask only about people, then Butters
b - Princess Bride "Mostly Dead" like or LOTR Gandalf like quote
c - Thomas
d - Molly

3/ I'll go for the rifle as shown on book cover

4/ a new black council character which do not directly appear (but maybe was mentioned) in previous books

5/ Harry will fight internally about how much "winter power" he can absorb/get, how much he like to be involved in feerie court matters. A big choice will be if he like to stay a Winter Knight (and be loyal to Mab, with all new power and all new good things this can bring him) or he decide to go on his own path with unknown consequences to him a and to those he loves.

6/ Harry and Fix will be opponents (at least in this book). They both will try to play fair, but it would not be easy.  Fix will survive, but their relationship will be far from friendly (at least for some time).

7/ We learn more about attack at Artics Tor, and why Mab is near to mad in last books.

8/ first, the idea that Leah is plotting against the Mab, and trying to be a new Winter Queen, and that he will try to involve Harry into this - promising him release from winter knighthood if he help her
and second, Black Council will try to recruit/blackmail someone from Harry close friends for copperation, for spying on Harry and Grey Council.

9/ We learn more about Harry's powers with regards to outsiders. At least one more member of Black Council (beside Cowl) will be revealed. At least one more member of Grey Council (beside Odin) will be revealed. A new sword wielder (Fidellachius) will be revealed. And  I do not think that we will see Lash in this book.

thanks,
Slavo.