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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Discussion *Spoiler Alert*

K-Dawn said:
I used to think that, but I think the fact that he was my favorite character had something to do with that. Then I realized he was actually dead and no one can come back from the dead. So I had a day of mourning and got on with the series.
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The fact that Sirius is my favourite character had everything to do with the fact that I wouldn't accept his death. I understood that he was gone (after some staring out in the air and reading the curtain-episode over and over), but I wouldn't believe it even though I knew it. I tend to treat reality a bit different than most people. And books aren't reality, really, but they are when you're reading them, in a way. Hm. Did that make sense to anyone?
 
First, let me start by saying that I am a huge fan of Harry Potter and have been since I was in 6th grade when it first came out. However, I was disappointed with this book! That pains me to say... really. But, I was sad that there wasn't much talk of Hogwarts. Like someone said above, many of the characters were put on the back burner and I think discussions of classes and professors also were. Hearing about the magical classes and everything was my favorite part, just because of the sheer imagination needed to write it. And, I'm very sad to find out that Harry wont be going back to Hogwarts or that it might be closed completely. So, yes I was a bit disappointed. I expected that Harry would become the DADA professor when he got out or something. Eh... well yea. Ok, my raving is done. Please no one throw bottles at me or anything!
Cheers
E.
 
Elyse Mac said:
First, let me start by saying that I am a huge fan of Harry Potter and have been since I was in 6th grade when it first came out. However, I was disappointed with this book! That pains me to say... really. But, I was sad that there wasn't much talk of Hogwarts. Like someone said above, many of the characters were put on the back burner and I think discussions of classes and professors also were. Hearing about the magical classes and everything was my favorite part, just because of the sheer imagination needed to write it. And, I'm very sad to find out that Harry wont be going back to Hogwarts or that it might be closed completely. So, yes I was a bit disappointed. I expected that Harry would become the DADA professor when he got out or something. Eh... well yea. Ok, my raving is done. Please no one throw bottles at me or anything!
Cheers
E.
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I wouldn't be surprised if one of Harry's friends talks him into returning, at least for the start of the school year.

You're right about the school and other characters being put on the back burner. I don't see a problem with it since the book is about Harry, not Hogwarts.

My biggest problem with the book is the way it ended. Things could not be worse. I really wish I hadn't read this one until the last book is ready for release.
 
I think that the finale of Book 7, Harry's final battle with Voldemort, will take place back at Hogwarts. Yes, I know Voldemort would find it extremely difficult/impossible to get into Hogwarts, and that him going into a place full of so many witches and wizards would not exactly be wise, but I just think it would be a convenient way of bringing in many characters, such as Neville (who I still think is important), and possibly placing more of Harry's friends in peril. Still, I'm probably completely wrong: I can't say there's any logic to this theory! :D
 
That sounds plausible because if hogwarts is closed voldemort may be able to get in easier to obtain a horcrux whhich may be housed there
 
why, why, why???

I agree with Oberon; what happened, happened to save the Order of the P. and was (as they saw it) the only way to kill Voldemort in the end. Quite curious though that Snape, one of my favorite characters too, told Harry on pg. 602 what his weaknesses were - he could've maimed or at least inflicted a good measure of pain on him, but he didn't.
I wonder if Wormtail is living w/Snape as sort of a measure by V. to watch Snape - who, as told by Bellatrix earlier in the book, stayed at Hogwarts in deep with DD. Though V. seems to believe Snape's reasoning - can he be truly sure? Snape's a good match for V. at occlumancy and legilimency so it seems...
And now you've got me thinking - what were Snape's thoughts on Lily?? Surely Snape has/had some thread of love/lust pulse through his veins from time to time.
What page did Hagrid overhear DD talking to Snape in the woods?
 
sella said:
What page did Hagrid overhear DD talking to Snape in the woods?
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I can't remember the exact page and I lent the book to my dad so I don't have it, but I remember that it was right after Ron was poisoned and they leave the hospital wing, that's when Hagrid starts talking about it. The whole story takes a page or less for Hagrid to tell so it's easy to miss.
 
Dermotjpr said:
That sounds plausible because if hogwarts is closed voldemort may be able to get in easier to obtain a horcrux whhich may be housed there
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OHHH!!! I just had a thought, I think Dumbeldore told Harry that the only known Gryffindor object was his sword, which resides in Dumbeldore's office. So that could be the horcrux which Voldermort would seek if he were to come to Hogwarts in search of another object to imbed his soul in.

Since Voldermort is down 2 horcruxes, wouldn't he want to make 2 more to return to 7 the magic/powerful number?
 
I think he is unaware that he has lost 2 horcruxes he is probably aware about his diary but not about the ring or the locket which could be already destroyed
so he may have already lost 3
 
Dermotjpr said:
I think he is unaware that he has lost 2 horcruxes he is probably aware about his diary but not about the ring or the locket which could be already destroyed
so he may have already lost 3
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So then could he create a replacement for the diary? I think he does know about the diary now that I think about it wasn't part of Voldermort's anger towards Lucious because he had carelessly gotten his diary destroyed?
 
That's a good point. I think the horcruxes are already created. I don't think it's something that V can store away. Hence, there's likely a Gryffindor relic that we haven't been told. Too many loose threads at Hogwarts for Harry to go off on his own; he'll be back. As I have hypothesized, he's likely going to take possession of Grimaud Place upon reaching 17 and that's where the fun begins. I should hope the OOP can influence HP it's in his best interest to stay at school; let V come to him and in the meantime everyone search for the horcruxes.
 
I hope so, but at the same time do you think that Harry will reveal to the order what Dumbledore has told him in secret throughout the year? I think that Harry will not tell the order what Dumbledore has taught him of the Horcruxes and the memories, since Dumbledore didn't include them originally, I think that Harry will also choose to not include them. I believe that it shall remain as it is, only Harry, Hermione and Ron will know of Voldermort's past and the horcruxes. But at the same time, I wonder why Dumbledore only shared this knowledge with Harry? Why did he keep all this from the order?
 
Because it is not the orders job to destroy voldemort it is harrys and harry needed to have it in him to kill him it is the love that harry has that gives him compassion for others but by seeing these memories he will come to realise the job he has to do. I think previous to this harry would not have been able to kill voldy not because of strength but because of his love his compassion he could not have someone die by his own hand then he would become nothing better than voldemort a murderer so to reiterate dumbledore showed only harry these things to prove to him that killing voldemort is the right thing to do
 
Another good question, in light of the above posts: what is the role of the OoP in book 7? Who's going to take charge of the Order? If McGonigal is for headmastering Hogwarts, I doubt she'll also inherit the helm of the OoP, so who's in charge?
 
h_carnahan said:
So then could he create a replacement for the diary? I think he does know about the diary now that I think about it wasn't part of Voldermort's anger towards Lucious because he had carelessly gotten his diary destroyed?
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You think he can replace a horcruxe? Isn't there a finite measure of the soul that can be divided up?
 
I think that there could be a replacement horcrux, but what I wonder is if the number 7 is the most powerful number, then if Voldermort were to replace the destroyed horcux, would that count as more than 7 horcruxes making him weaker? If that is true, then I doubt Voldermort would venture to do so. Since he is the only wizard to attempt this type of magic, I think he would try to be more careful so on second thought, maybe there are not "replacement" horcruxes.
 
I finally got around to reading this as well and enjoyed it overall but found many of the same sore points others did here. It seemed quite strange how far school and characters were shoved in the back here 60% of the book seemed to be Harry thinking about Malfoy or trying to convince the others of his thoughts it just felt a little void of the usual goings on. I'm liking Snape more and more though unlike people who think he's still a double agent I'm hoping he actually is fully evil now and wondering if he could be a living horcux it would be interesting.

On the other hand if Snape is still on the side of good then I have to think back to Dumbledore's talk with Malfoy that he could easily make it appear that he was dead and so were his family. So could the headmaster have staged the whole coup at the end to up Snape's credebility and could they have faked his death?
 
I recently re-read the first book and at the end of it Dumbledore was trying to explain why Snape hates Harry so much, and he said, "Your father did something Snape could never forgive... He saved his life." Does anyone know any more details about this? Or do you think it is yet to be revealed in the 7th book?
 
KristoCat said:
I recently re-read the first book and at the end of it Dumbledore was trying to explain why Snape hates Harry so much, and he said, "Your father did something Snape could never forgive... He saved his life." Does anyone know any more details about this? Or do you think it is yet to be revealed in the 7th book?
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The answer to that is found in The Prisoner of Azkaban. Think about the conversation Harry had with Snape after he throws mud at Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle at the Shrieking Shack.
 
Thanks a lot, Robert. I can't remember at all what was said (though I do remember the scene) so I'll have to get my hands on that book and reread.
 
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