Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

[owl]

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Better than OotP; right up there with, if not PoA, then CoS and GoF anyway.



I knew that Dumbledore was going to die; I wasn't really spoiled beyond the thing with the Bloomsbury staff making bets, but it's logical that he would pull an Obi-Wan at some point. Or, shall we say it, a Gandalf. All the phoenix imagery has to mean something. I don't think he'll return in the body to continue living as if nothing had happened, but I think he will be communicating with Harry in some way, either by something he's left behind (his portrait and his Pensieve are both in Hogwarts, aren't they?), or from 'beyond the veil', and his 'spirit' or essence will go on; it certainly seems to be well in Harry. I'm glad that they had so much time together in the book and that their relationship improved. I liked Dumbledore a lot better than in OotP. And Harry too.

I think there's more going on with Snape than meets the eye. Dumbledore must have known exactly what Draco was after, and the possibilty that Snape would have to help Draco in what he was doing. Although it is a JKR sort of twist to pull evil! Good! Evil!, but the ultimate twist would be a final Good!, of course.

The Hortcruxes or however they are spelled; it's a good way of explaining why V. can't die and why he's so..souless. Also, perhaps the less soul you have, the more likely you are to make the classic mistakes on the Evil Overlord list. Of course, one of the point on the list is about the Artefacts of Doom. I saw a theory once that Voldemort had put a part of his soul into Harry (accidently, as a result of the failed Avada Kedavra). I don't think that's likely now that we know that he was splitting his soul deliberately. Harry would have to kill himself to destroy the bit of Voldemort in him, and then would have to finish off old Snake-eyes after his own death. I do hope this won't happen. Besides, I really feel that Harry is too pure in heart to have any of Voldemort in him. I feel this more now that he's got over the CAPSLOCK, for which I'm very glad. Poor little w00bie...how can he go on loving when he's lost so many people? Please, JKR, don't kill Ginny or Ron or Hermione when he's already lost so many...

The snake, the cup, the locket, and something of Gryffindor's or Ravenclaw's. I'm hoping that it's something of Ravenclaw's, as a 'Claw myself. How do they know it's not the sword? Or, wait, the Sorting Hat? I wouldn't like the thought of losing the Houses, although I suppose it's one way of ensuring house unity! I was disappointed we didn't see anything really on that front, and it'll be hard to have it in Book 7 if Harry's not going to be at Hogwarts. I don't know that I'll like that, as the school environment is one of the things I most enjoy about the books.

Where is the locket? Who is R.A.B.? A Bones? A Black? Regulus Black? Nah, hardly, although now Harry has all the Black stuff... Why did s/he take the locket, and has it already been destroyed?

And the DADA position is cursed. Fred/George was right in PS. And speaking of the twins, they were less annoying, but even Ron sees that they should watch who they sell their little toys too. There thing with Montague and the Vanishing Cabinet has already provided the way in to Hogwarts. As for Percy...gaaaah! *slaps his head*

A hint at redeemable!Draco. I didn't see that one coming. I don't think JKR would be so vehement about Draco fangirls if she is going to follow through on it, though. Draco. He's like Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, in a way :-P.

I liked all the 'ships that happened, except for the frustratingness of Ron and Hermione, and the stupid Lavender thing (so fanon. And Won-won? Bwah?). JUST SNOG ALREADY!!! Remus and Tonks, whee!! And Bill and Fleur, and the way the Weasleys came around to liking her at the end. I thought the Harry/Ginny was cute, if a little sudden on Harry's part. I wouldn't have minded more. I loved the way when Harry went 'all noble' at the end, and how Ginny understood at once. Of course, people are going to say that showed she didn't really care about him and was eager to move on to her next boyfriend *eyeroll* All the ships have left plenty of scope for fanfic, which is a good thing.

Wait. Tonks' new patronus: a wolf? Heh. I was relieved that Bill only ended up with scars and a taste for steak tartare. Shame to lose his looks though :-P I know that Greyback had to be a werewolf from first mention, and 'Fenrir' just made it more certain. As unsubtle as Remus Lupin.

I was glad that Hagrid and Grawp had a smaller role, as I find them annoying. And he and Madame Maxine seem to be still on the go.

What was that potion that Dumbledore drank? What did it make him see? Couldn't possibly be an anti-AK remedy, could it? *sigh* Why was his trust in Snape so unwavering?


I want Book 7. Now, in fact. My flist has gone dead as everyone frantically reads.

Comments

[tabouli.livejournal.com]

Why was his trust in Snape so unwavering?

Did Snape perhaps make a different Unbreakable Vow to Dumbledore which didn't rule out the one he made in Chapter 2 of HBP? And geez, we actually have a possible S/N ship now. Eeg.

[owl]

Isn't the Unbreakable Vow a bit Dark, though?

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

THE POTION THAT DUMBLEDORE DRANK WAS THE HORCRUX. By drinking it, he took into himself that piece of Voldemort's soul (I think the things that Dumbledore cries out as he's drinking it may be important in understanding what parts of himself Tom put into that particular Horcrux -- feelings of guilt and fear and remorse mostly, IIRC). And then, having drunk and become the horcrux, Dumbledore only had to go back to Hogwarts and wait for Draco (who he knew wouldn't be able to do it) or Snape (whom he knew would, because he'd ordered Snape to do so) to kill him. Third Horcrux, gone.

I am so far from being in any doubt about this.

[shipaholic.livejournal.com]

Good theory. You could well be right. IMO, one thing's for sure - Snape isn't evil. This is all an elaborate double-bluff. He and Dumbledore arranged ahead of time that Snape should kill him if those circumstances arose. Of course, now Dumbledore's dead (*sniff*), he can't explain all this to Harry... but maybe his portrait can? In any case, I like the Dumbledore=Horcrux idea.

[owl]

Or maybe he left a memory in his Pensieve?

[owl]

So the Potion and the locket were both Horcruxes, then? What about the note, and how did R.A.B. get the locket without drinking the potion? Heck, how did that happen even if the potion wasn't a Horcrux? *bewildered*

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

The locket was never a Horcrux, and R.A.B. is not Regulus Black, but rather an alternate name for Dumbledore. I'm thinking it's the initials of some derisive name that Tom Riddle/Voldemort used to call Dumbledore when he thought D.'s back was turned, and that Dumbledore was being ironic (and concealing the full truth from Harry) by using it. The Regulus Black thing (if JKR planned it at all) is a red herring.

[persephone-kore.livejournal.com]

Seems a bit odd that Salazar's locket would end up being a total red herring, but it'd be interesting.

[terrathree.livejournal.com]

Interesting theory. Hm, maybe if R.A.B. actually was Regulus Black, he stole the locket before it could be used as a Horcrux, therefore Voldemort changed his plans to use the potion as one instead and put the decoy locket in it?

[emmy-roo.livejournal.com]

I, too, think Snape is still good, because I trust Dumbledore. I bet they had talked about this previously. Snape probably knew Harry was there, and when he hesitated, it was because he DIDN'T wish to carry out Dumbledore's wishes - that is, that he kill him.

Interesting idea about the potion being the Horcrux. That could be another reason for Snape having to kill Dumbledore - it was the only way to kill that part of Voldemort's soul.

[ravenclaw-devi.livejournal.com]

except for the frustratingness of Ron and Hermione

Didn't find it too frustrating, since even with Lavender and all, it was clear it would be only a matter of time for them to get together.

The R/Hr snogging will come in Book Seven, trust me on that. ;)