Book: Harry Potter -Half Blood Prince-

[masamuneehs]

How is there not a topic on this?!?!

Oh my god, I just finished this book and my head is still spinning with all the things that I'm left with and the questions I have about teh next book!!

POST your reactions, thoughts, speculations, feelings ANYTHING!!

Cuz I'm sure going to go on a tired when I'm good and well-rested (worked all day and then read right up until a little bit ago)

1. Dumbledore - I was just a little saddened but had a (false) suspicion that he was being controlled by Snaper or Vold the entire time. But he needed to go otherwise HArry would always have a thing in the back of his head saying "Dumbledore will save me! Dumbeldore can help!" when he faces Vold for the big showdown. Harry needs to firmly realize that he is the head role in taking down Vold, not Dumbledore, and now he has no choice but to face it.

2. Draco Malfoy - Finally some character development and wits displayed by this young guy! He's always been one of my favorites because I sort of had a suspicion since book 1 that he was going to be very important in the grand scheme of things. Prior to this book he was a trifle, an occasional annoyance, a small-time hazard. But he finally pulled through and even surprised himself with how much of a regular honest to God human he is deep down. He also took a lot of spotlight as the #1 villian of the hour (naturally Vold looms largest in the background, but I felt like Draco was the biggest concern, at least to Harry, for the 6th book)

3. Romance - finally progressed a little bit beyond middle school level. But perhaps the development with Harry and Ginny was TOO fast I ask myself? Cho as a total non-entity also shook me for the first couple chapters. Lots of interesting couples set up...

4. Snape - I honestly never expected he was the Half Blood Prince. I thought his Vow in Chapter 2 was a part of his plan to serve Dumbledore better. I was wrong. God he is set up well to be a #2 villain for the final book! And some of his past actions, like actually weakening Harry during Occulmency lessons in Book 5, make sense now.

5. Slughorn - Was sort of pissed when he emerged. Didn't really want him to play the cookie-cutter role of New Dark Arts teacher being a big problem for Harry. A very believable character and didn't play the role I was afraid he might. Actually a breath of fresh air.

6. Felix Felics - that luck potion - Way too much of a Deus Ex Machina for me... But the scene After the Burial was so well-written! I loved that part anyway, despite its impossibility and blatant convienece for the main characters... Was pissed that it save the members of the DA though, couple of expirienced Death Eaters should be able to take down a bunch of twerps....

7. Death Eater choice of spells - Why not Avada Kerdava every enemy? Rowling never established or explained how or why certain Dark spells are used when they are. Do you have to have some sort of requirement to kill a person with Avada? Wormtongue did Cedric Diggory and he didn't even know the guy... just like a bullet from a easilly pulled trigger. But then they run in using hexes that don't do much more than burn or hurt their enemies when attacking Hogwarts?!?! No taking advantage of the smoke cover to kill off enemies? No being smart and making people dance uncontrollably or sneeze so that they can't fight and become sitting ducks?

Also, why do some people shout spells (usually the good guys) far faster than their attackers. You'd think "Crucio!" would be a quick short attack, but it gets cut off by "Expelliaramus!" and counter jinxes.... No reference to wand movements playing a part in the logistics of battle... oh well, maybe I'm just too much of a hard nose for such conflict specific aspects...

Anyway, what did you all think about the book? And can anyone throw out a guess as to who R.A.B may be? I think I have a decent guess...

[Roko]

Good question...I finished the book on Sunday and it never occured to me to make a topic...

well, I agree with all you said. I thought it really sucked that Dumbledore died, but it had to happen; plus, we finally get to see whose side Snape is on. My first thoughts upon finishing the book was "wow, guess it's not gonna be 8 books based on Harry's school years anymore."

What I was curious about was how he still thought there were 4 Horcruxes...I mean, didn't R.A.B. (I've been trying to figure out who this is...no luck so far) say he destroyed the locket?

Romance finally progressed, but it was dissapointing that Ginny didn't join Harry and co.; it would be cool if members of the D.A. such as Neville and Luna helped them, but I highly doubt it'll happen.

At first, I thought the person who took the locket might have been Slughorn since he typically knew Voldemort's secret, but then the initials didn't fit. What's your guess on who it is, masamuneehs?

[2:25]

I've finished the book a few days ago too.
It was good; I've enjoyed it more than Da Vinci Code.

Am a bit sad that Dumbledore's dead. He was my favourite character :< I can't help but feel that there's some twist to it. Like maybe he's still alive but pretending to be dead. It can't be that dark, right? It was, after all, originally labelled as a children's book :/

[Honoko]

well, i'm glad alot of things were cleared away-- like snape's loyalty. but that whole R.A.B. thing is annoying.

as for "it can't be that dark"-- i hope u'be been noticing the trend since book 4. plus in book 6, the way ron constantly asks "so who died this week?" to me indicates how desensitized that world is now w/ all the dying. so dumbledore dying isn't that much of a stretch. besides, it was bound to happen.

as for my thoughts-- i'm just glad harry's character made improvment over his book 5 personality. i can't stand reading teenagers in angst and rowling always does a hell of a job capturing the thougths of an age group. she suceeded a bit too well in book 5 =P so book 6 where harry's still grieving but able to function properly (as much as he is able to function =P) allowed me to raise my opinion of him again.

i feel like bk 6 finally returned to the feeling it had for books 1-3. no? yes?

[SK]

Originally posted by: 2-25
I've finished the book a few days ago too.
It was good; I've enjoyed it more than Da Vinci Code.

Am a bit sad that Dumbledore's dead. He was my favourite character :< I can't help but feel that there's some twist to it. Like maybe he's still alive but pretending to be dead. It can't be that dark, right? It was, after all, originally labelled as a children's book :/

great post. first referring to the Da Vinci Code, theyre 2 totally different genres of books, so i dont see how you can compare them, but if youre going to then i dont see how the Da Vinci Code isnt better. didnt you realize once his picture is up on the wall he really is dead, that was the point of rowling telling us that.

i thought it was clear for most of the novel dumbledore was going to die. the way he was showing harry everything and trying to give him the tools to beat voldemort and basically send him on the quest for the horcruxes, he seemed to know he might not be around any longer. the only curveball i seen possible was snape dying, it was always possible that he really was on the orders side, and would die from breaking the unbreakable vow. i thought voldemort was the half blood prince for sure, he was half pure Slytherin blood, the Slytherin heir, which might make him view himself as a prince.

im happy that harry finally got laid.

edit: honoko books 1-3 were not nearly as dark as 4 on.

[Winged Dancer]

I finished it on sunday morning or something, was waiting for someone to make a post

Dumbledore's thing almost shocked me. I kept thinking that maybe SNape hadn't killed him - that it was another spell disguised as an Avada Kedavra or something.

I still think we can't say anything regarding Snape's loyalties yet. When he was "running away", why did he keep on almost teaching Harry? Like "learn to close your mind!" and that kind of stuff. If he was a real real bad guy he would've, I dunno, just insulted him?
'Sides, I get the feeling that when Dumbledore was "pleading", he was pleading for Snape to actually kill him, and that's why Snape was overheard saying stuff like "I can't do this anymore" and so on.

I was actually happy they gave Draco a bigger part. Last book he was just there to be stupid and help that Um-something cow (last book sucks IMO) but now he really got a chance to at least grow a little as a character.

What makes me interested in book 7 (besides the facts that its the last one) is that it'll be so different. We wont have Hogwarts. We wont have OMG I got to win Quidditch. It'll be Harry, Ron and Hermione searching for the Horcruxes or something... it's just going to be such a different structure, if it really is like that. No teachers, no classes, no "I have homework so I can't fight the Dark Lord right now!!1". So yeah, I kinda wanna see that.

BTW, how many Horcruxes are really left? Four? Or three? Slytherin's locket was false, yes, but this RAB guy wrote he would destroy it before dying. Does Harry need to be "armed" with the Horcruxed objects in order to defeat Voldemort? Or is it enough to just destroy them? If its so, then he has only three left, I would think.
At any rate, I guess he'll have to go and find whether this RAB really destroyed it or not.

[SK]

he has to destroy them or else voldemort will still exist. the thing with the slytherin locket, is that before they had a clue to where it was, and now who knows where the RAB guy had hidden it. so theres still 4. the only person ive heard with anything near RAB is Regulus Black, Sirius' uncle i think. im wondering who is going to teach harry now, he isnt near good enough to go against snape or voldemort.
why would dumbledore plead for snape to kill him?
EDIT: Just thought of this if it is Regulus Black, who had deserted Voldemort, he could have hidden it in the Black house, which mean Harry now owns it.
EDIT2: O shit, Dumbledore could have been pleading for Snape to do it so that Dumbledore wasnt destroyed by Death Eaters, and because he knew Snape had to keep up the act. The look of disgust and hatred could of been because of what he was made to do. Plus if Dumbledore knew about the Unbreakable Vow ( I cant remember if he did) then he wouldent want Snape to kill himself, which would have happened if he didnt kill Dumbledore.

[Honoko]

Originally posted by: SK
edit: honoko books 1-3 were not nearly as dark as 4 on.

Of course. But in terms of book structure, humor, and a lack of details (ie, writing style) *compared to books 4 and 5* I would say that Rowling reverted back to how she wrote in the beginning. There's a level of "childishness" that's returned that was lost by the end of book 4 and all of book 5.

At any rate, seems like Harry's got a new quest set up for him in book 7. I think it's a good change from the previous books. I'm pretty convinced that Snape was always on Voldemort's side. And that Regulus Black theory sounds pretty good. But isn't he dead? Does that mean he destroyed the locket with himself?

[SK]

Yeah he is dead, in the note he said he would be dead by the time someone found it, but that he has hidden the locket. I'm now thinking Snape is on the Order's side, Dumbledore must have had some reason to trust him.
edit: http://www.filefarmer.com/Xizer/pottercrash.MOV

[masamuneehs]

I will take a stab and guess that R.A.B. is Regulus Black, Sirius' younger brother.
If I remeber correctly, he was a Death Eater who deserted and was tracked down quite viciously. That's how he would address Voldermort as "Dark Lord" and seem to have had a relationship with him. I know this is sort of a stretch because Dumbledore made it seem like the Death Eaters wouldnt know about the Horcrux, at least Lucius Malfoy didn't... Also "I know I'll be dead long before you read this" fits with Regulus being tracked down only two days after deserting the Death Eaters.

As to Snape still possibly being a double agent... unless Dumbledore really did ask Snape to kill him... I dunno, I just see him as evil through and through. But he might have been instructed to do so, ... interesting thought. He also did signal the retreat quickly and was very reluctant to fight Harry, even ordering the other Eaters not to harm him "because Voldermort wants to do him"

As for 7 Horcruxes.
1. Riddle's diary - destroyed by Harry
2. Marvolo's Ring - destroyed by Dumbledore
3. Slytherin locket - R.A.B. (destroyed, or just hidden?)
4. Hufflepuff Cup - missing
5. "Something of Ravenclaw's or Gryffindors" - tho Dumbledore points out that Gryffindor's sword is the only last know relic of him, safely away from Voldemort
6. Nagini the Snake - with Voldemort
7. Voldemort himself.

Now, I just have been wondering about this, and it might be totally stupid but I'm saying it anyway:

What if Harry is the last Horcrux?

Consider this: Voldemort would try to make 7 before he died. Dumbledore says he was going to try to make the 7th after killing Harry, but failed to do so and later made Nagini the snake the 6th and Final Horcrux besides Voldemort himself. But I've been wondering, if Voldemort was "killed" when he attacked Harry as a baby, wouldn't that mean he had to use a Horcrux at that time? Or at least lose one of the Horcruxes? Now, I don't necessarily believe he would need to lose any of them, because the whole point is that they are a backup system of sorts, allowing the entire 7 entities to remain alive....

Voldemort the body died trying to kill Harry. He was brought back to life using Harry's blood as part of the ingredient. It seems that Voldemort himself would not be a Horcrux after dying... leaving me wondering about Harry's scar. The scar is a link between Voldemort and Harry, allowing them to share thoughts and feelings, even allowing Voldemort to possess Harry at the end of Book 5 (only other time this was done was Ginny Weasley in Book 2, with the Diary Horcrux) So why can't it represent the final Horcrux?

maybe I'm wrong... I'm just speculating. Thoughts?

[2:25]

great post. first referring to the Da Vinci Code, theyre 2 totally different genres of books, so i dont see how you can compare them, but if youre going to then i dont see how the Da Vinci Code isnt better.

What the fuck is your problem SK? It was just my personal preference. Does every word I type annoy you that
much? Why must someone always insult me back about my personal opinion. I didn't point a gun up to your head and claimed you have to agree with me.

I get the feeling that when Dumbledore was "pleading", he was pleading for Snape to actually kill him

I actually got that feeling too and plus, we never found out why Dumbledore trusts Snape so much (not counting the whole remorse for killing the Potters thing).

But in terms of book structure, humor, and a lack of details (ie, writing style) *compared to books 4 and 5* I would say that Rowling reverted back to how she wrote in the beginning. There's a level of "childishness" that's returned that was lost by the end of book 4 and all of book 5.

Agree, the writing style, in my opinion, is most noticeably different in book 5. The whole teenage angst thing @__@ Nice to see the old Harry, back to normal.

What if Harry is the last Horcrux?

I've thought about it too. But then Harry would have to sacrifice himself. I dunno...the tragic hero's death in the last book might make a good ending...

[Honoko]

Originally posted by: SK
I'm now thinking Snape is on the Order's side, Dumbledore must have had some reason to trust him.

If that's true, then I'd want to think that white tomb at the end is significant somehow. why did everyone act surprised when it appeared like that? i guess that's an unusual kind of funeral in the wizarding world?

i could see rowling putting such heavy emphasis on snape's betrayal only to throw a huge twist in our faces in book 7. but for now, i'm content with hating snape. his personal vendetta with harry/harry's dad can't possibly let him be the kind of guy any sane person would trust =P

Originally posted by: masamuneehs
What if Harry is the last Horcrux?

Now THAT is interesting. Plausible... but i feel like it's one of those wonderful theories rowling WANTS us to think, and is not necessarily true.

[SK]

im pretty sure dumbledore knew what all the horcruxes were, and im not sure if you can split your soul into another person. plus, i dont think voldemort would think harry a great enough container for his soul.
edit: btw stop being sensitive 2-25, i was just stating my opinion.

[Honoko]

could quirrel (turban man from bk 1) possibly qualify as a Horcrux? if u make a snake a horcrux, i don't see why it can't extend to humans.

[2:25]

interesting speculation but I don't think Quirrel as a Horcrux is very likely :/

[Honoko]

haha i didn't think so either. jsut throwing it out there for the heck of it.

besides, now that i think about it, i'm sure the "harry as horcrux" can be debunked based on all that explanation dumbledore did in book 5 about why harry can get insights into voldemort's mind. i highly doubt it's b/c he's got a piece of voldemort's soul in him. but like i said, it would be very interesting if it were true =P

[masamuneehs]

I agree that Voldemort might not feel Harry was a worthy vessel for a Horcrux, until he was killed trying to curse him... but is it plausible for Harry or any human being to be a Horcrux?
but I think it would be cool if the only way Harry could totally destroy Voldemort was through killing himself. Would also reunite him with his parents, Sirius, Dumbledore and any others that die in the upcoming 7th book (Ron?, Hermione? Ginny?)

Quirrel wasn't a Horcrux either. Voldemort was just "borrowing his body" while a Horcrux seems to be a more permanent container.

Oh, and I was wondering what, if any, roles some of the other characters will play in the future seeing as how the direction seems to be away from Hogwarts next book.

I personally have been impressed with Neville and Luna Lovegood and would like to see them helping Harry somehow. I can see them as his liasons at Hogwarts.
Also, Hagrid. Having someone like that with you is incredibly helpful in a major fight, and I think now that Dumbledore is gone and Grawp tame enough to bring to a funeral, both of them might tag along with Harry Ron and Hermione.

And 2 - 25 = -23. You do seem to not be cut out for some of the harsh shit people throw around the forums... Just learn to not care, its just other people stoking their egos and trying to look cool half the time. Don't be so negative.

Finally, does anyone think Hogwarts will be open at all? This might do the trick getting Neville and the D.A. in Harry's little battalion...

[ChaosK]

hogwarts wont be open because undoubtly, hermonie and ron will join harry and theres no way ms. weasly would let ron go instead of school.

EDIT: now for a more thoughtout post after reading all your responses.

like the rest of you i'm happy harry finally got laid.

Dumbledore's death was pretty shocking but i knew from the moment they went to the cave he was going to die. Before the 6th book came out rowling said "i promise 1 of the main characters wont survive" i thought this meant ron, but it was dumbledore.


-snapes duelling abilities are badass though the visual they give of him in the movies sucks. (he repelled every single one of harry's attacks with a flick of his wand)
-Throughout the book i always figured Voldermart was the half blooded prince, think about it he's a halfblood, and his father was pretty much nobility.
-and the avada keradva (i cant spell these spells) question mentioned by some1 up there, bellatrix lestrange explained that with unforgiveable spells you have to set out your brain and heart into that spell, wanting it to hit with all your energy, it seems to not be a simple task to use one, i doubt malfoy's would've been too successful considering harry's been under it before and gained control (book 4) considering he must have little experience in doing it.

the books overall story was good, but it was only saved by the last part. throughout the book, the ron-hermonie jealousy hatred thing was extremely blown out of proportion. They have a fight in almost every book. The Romilda Vane or whoever's obsession with harry and ron eating the love potion was extremely funny, but really had nothing to do with the book. Harry getting the elves to help him was genius, except that part where he couldnt get into the room of requirement was pretty gay.

heres some questions i have i wonder if any of you can answer it:
-if the 6th years are able to almost master silent spells, why cant death eaters do it?
-the time it takes for the death eaters to say crucio somehow the others get "perfectlos tenclotus" out or something of the sort (the 1 that makes their body stiff)?
-did dumbledore ever say which house he belonged to? (i remember hufflepuff or gryffendor?
-how would voldermart have gotten his horcrux (the 1 in the cave)? dumbledore said it needed 2 people and voldermart would never let his deatheaters know about them, yet he cant do it alone.

[SK]

yeah, and who says you can hold a fragment of someone else's soul when you still have your own soul within youself? i dont think hogwarts will play a part next book, they set up harry's quest for the horcruxes and i think that will be the main focus. however, i think Dumbledore's Army will play a role.

[masamuneehs]

Originally posted by: Chaoskiddo
-snapes duelling abilities are badass though the visual they give of him in the movies sucks. (he repelled every single one of harry's attacks with a flick of his wand)
-and the avada keradva (i cant spell these spells) question mentioned by some1 up there, bellatrix lestrange explained that with unforgiveable spells you have to set out your brain and heart into that spell, wanting it to hit with all your energy, it seems to not be a simple task to use one, i doubt malfoy's would've been too successful considering harry's been under it before and gained control (book 4) considering he must have little experience in doing it.

heres some questions i have i wonder if any of you can answer it:
-if the 6th years are able to almost master silent spells, why cant death eaters do it?
-the time it takes for the death eaters to say crucio somehow the others get "perfectlos tenclotus" out or something of the sort (the 1 that makes their body stiff)?
-did dumbledore ever say which house he belonged to? (i remember hufflepuff or gryffendor?
-how would voldermart have gotten his horcrux (the 1 in the cave)? dumbledore said it needed 2 people and voldermart would never let his deatheaters know about them, yet he cant do it alone.

Snape did rock, he always was really good at Dark Arts and knows the flipside of Defense against them, being with Dumbledore's crew for so long... He also knows all about Harry and can use this to his advantage.

The Death Eaters are evil people, they love to do evil things. Even that Fenrir Greyback particularly loves to attack young children, but he only managed to bite one of the older Weasley brothers... I can't imagine these people couldn't produce some damn good Unforgivables on the kids just because they don't know them. It may not be simple, but its what they're best at for crying out loud!

Why can't Death Eaters do it? I remember in Book 5 Hermione got hit with a Sectumseptra (the swordlike slashing spell) which was from a Silenced Death Eater. This seems like the way to go, rather than stupid stuns and basic hexes that just cause people so boo-boos. I would go in their slashing people apart if I were a Death Eater, and since they were on a covert mission, stealth and silence would have been key.

Also, if two people were required to get the Horcrux, how could R.A.B. get it? (since he obviously did) and did the spell just go back in place over the fake locket, or did R.A.B. put it there (and why would he?) It seems to me that if Voldemort made the defense around the Horcrux, he would also be unharmed by it. But ya never know...

Part of it is just that J.K. Rowling would rather sacrifice some realism and plausibility than have some characters die or get hurt. Is there any way that the Death Eaters shouldn't have killed all the D.A. during the 5th Book? Not those who got seperated from Harry at least... A group of Death Eaters with a vast arsenal of spells can't ever seem to get the words out before the Hogwarts children for the same reason, Rowling is attached to the good guys and doesn't want to face the facts that, in the world she herself constructed, the kids would be screwed and evil would prevail over good. But since she has all the power of an author, she gets to do as she pleases. She has Harry and others get hit by some spells, but none of them do lasting damage or have any specific malady, they're all sort of like getting kicked or punched...

Also, we have Snape, Harry and others dodging and blocking and even REVERSING spells in defense. But the Death Eaters never seem to do this...