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

Here's a couple of theories I'd like to throw out there (I apologize if there's repeats, didn't read the entire thread):

Snape probably liked Lily before she married James Potter. That's how Lily always did so well in Potions, because Snape helped her. And Snape's worst memory Harry saw in the Pensieve in the 5th book wasn't his worst memory because of what James did to Snape, but because it was when Snape was so angry at everyone that he called Lily a Mudblood, even though she had been sticking up for him. Then Lily went all icy and said "fine, screw you" (basically) and that was the end of any potential for a relationship between them. And that would have made the death of the Potters at the hands of Voldemort even more horrible for Snape, if he liked Lily all that time, and it would have given Snape even more reason to hate James. Makes sense huh?

I'm not convinced Snape is good underneath. For one thing, Snape could have avoided making the Vow to do what Malfoy was supposed to do, simply because Voldemort had ordered that ONLY Malfoy was supposed to do it, and Snape knew at least that much before he took the vow. Snape could have promised the first two things and not the third, on the premise that if they disobeyed Voldemort on that, all three of them would be in deep shit. That would still be showing loyalty to Voldemort, if not Narcissa.

KristoCat said:

Here's a couple of theories I'd like to throw out there (I apologize if there's repeats, didn't read the entire thread):

Snape probably liked Lily before she married James Potter. That's how Lily always did so well in Potions, because Snape helped her. And Snape's worst memory Harry saw in the Pensieve in the 5th book wasn't his worst memory because of what James did to Snape, but because it was when Snape was so angry at everyone that he called Lily a Mudblood, even though she had been sticking up for him. Then Lily went all icy and said "fine, screw you" (basically) and that was the end of any potential for a relationship between them. And that would have made the death of the Potters at the hands of Voldemort even more horrible for Snape, if he liked Lily all that time, and it would have given Snape even more reason to hate James. Makes sense huh?
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Yeah that would make sense and would correlate with his feelings about sending lily to her death at the hands of the dark lord

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Recent JKR interview

Sorry if it's already been posted, but I just found a really interesting interview with JKR held on 16th July on The Leaky Cauldron

I just finished today and really liked the book, I think it hinted to a lot of things to come in the next book and recapping all that everyone has said, I did think that Snape was good and that Dumbledore had more reason to trust him. I think he more than just liked Lily, and didn't it say that Lily wasn't supposed to die that night. She only died saving Harry and I think Snape was devastated by that news and turned to Dumbledore fully at that point. I think this maybe why it is so important that Harry has Lily's eyes. I don't think Snape would have killed Dumbledore lightly either, I think maybe he was already dying from the curse and they both knew it and Snape managed to save atleast Malfoy, Harry and himself by doing it and as his role was so important being close to Lord V, the Order really needed him to stay put. This also explains why Snape would let Harry get a hold of and keep his potions book it was a way of helping him without anyone else catching on.

Ronny, what gave you the impression that Snape had anything to do with that book falling into Harry's hands?

He doesn't seem the type to casually leave something laying about and especially something so personal.

Ronny, I like a lot of your theory about Lily being the reason Snape turned away from Voldemort, but not so sure on the potions book. Would Snape have known Potter would sign up for Potions? (Unlikely, although he was aware that HP wanted to be an Auror and would need Potions--the move to DADA also puts Potter into the Potions class, since the Snape's standards would very likely drop ... so maybe it does work ... )

h_carnahan said:

One thing that I think Rowling did poorly in the HBP was show Dumbledore's aging. It seemed that in the past books he was aging but not acting old or feeling it, until this book. I mean, Voldermort has been back for 2 (maybe 3 depending how you count) years, and Dumbledore doesn't start to have problems until this year? that doesn't make sense.

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Maybe others have covered this with the ring being a trigger to either a curse or decline; but I would say that in real life, sometimes a small undetected stroke can suddenly put an older person into a steeper decline, so I wouldn't fault Rowling for this.

Despite the way HBP ends, I think it would go against the major architecture of the series ... Hogwarts is the center ... so Harry will return there. One wonders about that DADA job ... Harry has already served as a DA instructor, he needs to find the Gryffindor horacrux, McGonagall would certainly value his services ... I think I know who's gonna be the next DADA!!

But he might also return to Grimmaud Place before school starts and find a portrait of Sirius there. And I think between his portrait and DD's, the clues for the other horacruxi will be found. Remember DD has told Harry it's Voldemort's desire to eliminate Harry (hatred)--Harry is meant for other things (love) and therefore, he can carry out the search within the confines of Hogwarts, with the OOTP doing the search outside.

Ronny said:

He doesn't seem the type to casually leave something laying about and especially something so personal.

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I think that might be a bit of a stretch considering the series of events that led to Harry getting his hands on the books.

Alot of these theories have been a stretch, I just think Snape somehow left that book with Harry intentionally and I think he definitely knew Harry had it when he heard of his turn around in potions. He knew and could have gotten the book before Malfoy and Harry's fight and he knew for sure after the fight, he could of punished Harry a lot more for that same fight but he didn't.

Robert said:

I went back and looked, and you have a very strong argument. Dumbledore put it in his pocket without even looking at it.

If Regulus didn't destroy it, then it could easily be at Grimauld Place. Of course, it could also be among the things Mundungus Fletcher lifted from the house. I wonder where it would be then?

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I bet that mundungus did have because why else would J.K. throw that in there? It was probaly the locket in OotP that noone could open ill have to go back and look at it

Sorry, I didn't want to read nine pages worth of stuff right now so I don't know what's already been said.

Anyway, does anyone else feel sorry for Malfoy after reading hbp? Not just because Harry almost kills him or because Harry catches him crying in the bathroom, but because it seems like the only reason he's on the dark side is because of his parents. They are pushing him to do something that he really doesn't want to do. He was supposed to kill Dumbledore but he couldn't; Snape had to do it like he promised. I think Malfoy really could be good if he hadn't been born into a pro-Voldemort family.

K-Dawn said:

Not just because Harry almost kills him or because Harry catches him crying in the bathroom, but because it seems like the only reason he's on the dark side is because of his parents. They are pushing him to do something that he really doesn't want to do. I think Malfoy really could be good if he hadn't been born into a pro-Voldemort family.

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Speaking of Malfoy crying in the bathroom, I never understood it. At first I thought that Malfoy was trying to get information from Myrtle to complete his task, but now I am puzzled maybe he was really crying. Malfoy's parents might have forced him to be a Voldermort lover but I think that Malfoy is like Peter Pettigrew, whichever side could offer more power and protection would be the side he was on, so eventually he would find his way to Voldermort on his own terms.

From what I remember, wasn't Malfoy crying because he if couldn't do it then they were going to kill both him & his family? Something along those lines anyway

I'm not sure how I feel about Malfoy, but I did however think instantly that it probably was Malfoy, when Myrtle said something about he who used to cry in her bathroom. There were a few other things in the book too that were a bit disappointingly predictable, like Snape being the prince for instance. I figured he would be, but I was still hoping for a surprise, I particularly disliked the way Snape announced the fact to Harry. Dumbledore had to die in this book, but I didn't realize that until he actually died, and a very annoying death it was too, but at least it was respectably clear that he actually was dead. Not like when Sirius died, and I thought "what? huh...what?! er...?!" that wasn't a proper death at all. I still partly believe that he will miraculously come back from that curtain he fell behind (at least there could be some blood!) and everything will be just fantastic. Well, "fantastic" as far as the word can walk without feet, that is.

I still partly believe that he will miraculously come back from that curtain he fell behind (at least there could be some blood!) and everything will be just fantastic.

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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.

Speaking of Sirrius I wonder when Sirrius' mirrors will come in handy Rowling made it very clear that the 2 way mirrors that Sirrius had (the one he gave to Harry) would be important somehow. I wish that Harry would go to 12 Grimwald Place and go through Sirrius' stuff, maybe he would find out more about his parents.

Since Dumbledore died and he was secret keeper for 12 Grimwald Place headquarters for the order, does that mean that the enchanment died with him? (Because when Dumbledore died the spell he put Harry under ceased). So now, can't anyone find it?

Finished HBP tonight and have to say that I was rather disappointed. I actually found the book rather boring: it seemed to consist of 450 pages of teen "lurve" angst where nothing much else happened, followed by a much better action-packed last 150 pages.

I was shocked by Dumbledore's death, though I felt he was going to die from drinking the potion. I agree with others that the effects of this were probably irreversible, so he was already dying when Snape finished him off. I also agree that this was something that had been arranged between himself and Snape so as not to blow Snape's cover. I think Snape will help Harry in the final book, as he did not kill Harry when he could have (the "Voldemort wants to do it" thing was a pretty flimsy excuse).

For a long while, I thought (hoped) that somehow D's death had been staged, and he would return, but I think I will now have to accept that he is gone for good.

For me, this was the weakest of the six books.

i believe the sixth book gave what others didnt. in this book harry had a sense of normaility in his life something he never had in my opinion this book was on par with gof

I was also shocked by Dumbeldore's death (though I guess when I reread it and see all the sentimental Harry/Dumbledore time in a new light it will be quiet obvious). I loved the way Rowling killed off Dumbledore. The funeral as I pictured it was beautiful. I loved how all the creatures that reside at Hogwarts came to pay their respects to Dumbledore.

Does Dumbledore's portrait only come to "life" now that he is dead or did it always spout wisedom like the other portraits in the Headmaster's office? (I also liked how the school (Dumbeldore's office) accepted that he was gone and allowed Professor McGonagall to assume authority).