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

When I read it I got the impression, like Ice, that it had been switched before they got it. That's what made Dumbledore's death even more tragic because he was weakend for nothing. The think that the theory on R.A.B is an interesting one and I believe that that is a strong possibility.

Oh, and in regards to the post about him using a bottle or something with an unbreakable curse and then sending it off.. this would not be the ideal way because he needs to locate the item with his soul in it for him to be able to resurrect himself, I think. Well I got that impression anyways because Dumbledore kept saying that Voldemort had intended that only he would be returning, and they only reason that I see for him returning would be to get the piece of his soul in order to "remake" himself.
 
I know im clutching at straws but could dumbledore own a horcrux of his own so he would still be alive and the horcrux would be hogwarts so he was always there to protect his students
 
That would be an interesting idea, but they did stipulate that you need to do something so evil your soul is teared apart in order to make horcruxes & I just can't quite picture that of Dumbledore.
 
Ice said:
Since Voldemort was apparently unaware that one of his horcruxes had been destroyed, why can it not be that Regulus took the horcrux before he was killed? It could even be at Grimauld Place.

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?
 
Sar said:
That would be an interesting idea, but they did stipulate that you need to do something so evil your soul is teared apart in order to make horcruxes & I just can't quite picture that of Dumbledore.

That's right, you have to kill someone.
 
Sar said:
That would be an interesting idea, but they did stipulate that you need to do something so evil your soul is teared apart in order to make horcruxes & I just can't quite picture that of Dumbledore.
yes i thought the same but when he took the potion he said Dont hurt them hurt me instead its all my fault mayby hes refering to something other than horcruxes that keeps you alive even after your physical form is gone that requires good magic
 
The unbreakable vow if draco couldnt kill dumbledore snape would have to or he would die due to the unbreakable vow
 
id like to know how everyone felt when they read the last 2 chapters personally i was depressed for 2 days and cried for 30 mins afterwards
 
Yeah I just finished it and I was crying for a half hour. I was really shocked, after Dumbledore died I read like 10 or 15 more pages thinking, ok, it's not real, he can come back.

I really want to know what happens to Harry now. And if Ginny will somehow be able to come with him and Ron and Hermione. I know Ginny was sort of accepting when he told her it had to end between them but maybe she will change her mind. I think eventually they'll end up together either way though.
 
double ending

Ice said:
Would Dumbledore's portrait not be able to answer the question as to why he trusted Snape implicitly? I'm still not convinced about Snape's treachery. Dumbledore mentioned that Snape saved his life when he returned hurt from extracting the soul from the ring. Somehow I feel there is far more to this than simple betrayal (that and the fact Snape swore an Unreakable vow that he would complete the task should Draco fail). I feel he may have discussed this with Dumbledore and agreed on Snape using AK on him if the situation necessitated it.

I've re-read the ending many times over. It's pure genius. Just thinking about Snape brought tears to my eyes. Try re-reading the ending knowing that Snape had told Dumbledore about the unbreakable vow and that Dumbledore had ordered Snape to kill him rather than see Draco or Snape die.

What made Dumbledore so mad at Snape during their argument was Snape's refusal to kill him. Dumbledore's emotional pleas was not a plea for mercy or of weakness. They were for Snape to carry out his order. What a sacrifice on both their parts. Not only do Draco and Snape live, but Snape earns Voldemort's full trust and so Harry now has a better chance of living. I believe that Snape's deep anguish and disgust was self-loathing for what he had done.

The way JK Rowling wrote the ending was superb. On the surface, it seems like the generic bad guy ending. Snape is the bad guy who ridicules Potter and has a lengthy monologue, only to be humiliated by being chased away by the hippogriff. On a deeper level, the true story is knowing that it was planned from the start between Dumbledore and Snape and what a tormented soul he was for having carried out the order. You can really feel his pain.
 
very valid point Sinsio - especially if you think that Dumbledore had finally given Snape the DADA job, so he obviously implicitly trusted him, plus he froze Harry so he couldn't stop anything, he had already made Harry promise that he would sacrifice Dumbledore if it meant saving everyone else and Snape stopped Harry from being killed.

I can not see anyway the series can end in a way that people are satisified unless Snape is somehow on Harry's side, as there is no way even in the space of another year that Harry would be strong enough to take on both Voldemort & Snape. (Yes - even with love in his heart)
 
I believe that the arguement between DD and Snapes that Hagrid overheard was Snape telling DD that he didn't want to kill him and DD telling him he had to. Also, when DD was pleading with Snape at the end, it was to kill him. Plus, Snape at the end didn't hurt Harry in their fight until he lost his temper for being called a coward. He only blocked Harrys spells and basicallytold him how to defeat Voldemort. Close your mind, etc. I think he was giving him instructions.

Also, the missing necklace could be the necklace from OooP that was thrown away during cleaning of the Black house "...and a necklace that wouldn't open..." . Makes sense if RAB is a Black.
 
Personally I love the book but am i the only one who cannot help but feel disappointed at the way Dumbledore died? i mean, come on, is that the way to kill of off such a great wizard? Having him practically begging Snape? Maybe its just me being picky but i would have liked to see him go out with a BANG even though he would have to die in order for harry to grow up and not be led around by the hand by dumbledore all the time. still great book. the fact that snape was the half-blood prince was a real shocker.
 
Sure it's sad. I don't know a Potter fan that doesn't like Dumbledore. It was sad that he died at all. It was sad that the last thing he did was to waste his time going into a cave to get the wrong necklace.

Of course with Dumbledore gone, things couldn't be much worse for the good guys. It sure made one hell of a cliff-hanger.
 
IceBlueIce said:
I believe that the arguement between DD and Snapes that Hagrid overheard was Snape telling DD that he didn't want to kill him and DD telling him he had to. Also, when DD was pleading with Snape at the end, it was to kill him. Plus, Snape at the end didn't hurt Harry in their fight until he lost his temper for being called a coward. He only blocked Harrys spells and basicallytold him how to defeat Voldemort. Close your mind, etc. I think he was giving him instructions.

i agree totally thats what i was going to say! haha : )

i don't remember the part about the locket in the house anyone know the pg #? but RAB is a GOODguy(hate to use that word but its for lack of a better one) if you read it he said that he already destroyed the locket and was hoping that when vol. faced his match(aka Harry) that he would be fully human. haha i just figured that out...: ) so if its R. Black would that mean he is a "goodguy"? hmm....


-Whitney :p
 
Dermotjpr said:
Another thing i feel i must add is anyone else quite sad about Dumbledores death i have loved the books for 7 years and feel that i was quite connected to the characters.I actually cried when i read that dumbledore died and cried more during the reading about his funeral it devastated me

I agree- I finished the book at midnight last night and I cried through the last 70 pages or so. Dumbledore was my favorite character. I believed that Snape was on the right side because Dumbledore believed him, and I couldn't believe what happened.
Someone posted that Dumbledore might have told Snape to kill him if nothing else could be done because of the Unbreakable Vow. Dumbledore has always had an intelligence and mysteriousness that surpasses the other characters, and I hope more is explained about his death in vain in the next book. I hated the mood after Dumbledore's death- the kids were still laughing and some attendants at the funeral seemed indifferent to the death of this wonderful character. I was still shocked.
 
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