Half Blood Prince, Chapter 16 and on

[timepiececlock]

"Dumbledore's man through and through, aren't you?"
"Yeah, I am. Glad we straightened that out."

I liked that. I like that for all Harry was angry at Dumbledore and sometimes feels too protected, he still believes in him.


Wizard Spy vs. Wizard Spy stuff

I am 50/50 on the question of Snape's loyalties. I could go either way, though I admit it looks bad. This book has already been interesting in that it's broken the 5 year pattern of DADA teachers by bringing Snape in. I think that leaves us with four possibilities by the end of the year:

1. Snape will leave Hogwarts
2. Snape will go back to teaching Potions
3. Snape will die
4. Snape will continue to stay on as DADA professor, making the break in the pattern of the previous books a permanent one.


Given that he made an unbreakable vow to make sure this deed for the Dark Lord gets done-- I'm still sure it's assassination, though I now think it might be assassinating Dumbledore, not Harry. That would better explain why Narcissa was so convinced Draco would die doing it. Draco could assassinate Harry relatively easily, if he planned it right. Dumbledore's death would be very, very difficult and dangerous, however. The fact that it's taking Draco longer than he expected might be a result of Dumbledore's absences--- (I left that other statement hanging, didn't I?)--given that Snape made an unbreakable vow, the above 4 options are really shortened to three: Snape dies, Snape helps make it happen, or Snape is released from the vow. I don't see why the last option would happen, so we have to assume Snapes either going to let himself die, commit this evil act, or die trying to commit this evil act.

Basically, Snape is Pfüked. (tm The Daily Show)


But that's not important! What's important is who is snogging who!

The whole Ron/Hermione thing... I hope they get over themselves. Until then, it's kind of funny that she decided to date the other guy. Sometimes I forget that Hermione, while noble at heart, can be quite capable of dishing out liberal amounts of revenge.

I was surprised by Harry's sudden jealously over Ginny. I can see what bits led up to it, but I didn't feel it was led up to enough-- it felt a bit like it was coming out of nowhere. He'd had no reaction to discussion of Ginny's boyfriend before. The only foreshadowing I saw was his disappointment that they weren't hanging out in school like they had over the summer. I felt like the book could have used another line somewhere in there that hinted Harry might feel protective of, jealous over, or interested in Ginny before the whole instant jealous monster thing.

And interestingly enough... I actually kinda hope he doesn't get her. Not because I'm not a Harry/Ginny shipper, but because she seems to be happy with Dean and I think it's just about guaranteed she wouldn't be that happy dating Harry. I don't think Harry is exactly good boyfriend material right now. He's way too stressed out and self-involved... though he's definitely better than last year. He at least isn't as outwardly angry and aggressive. But he still bottles up a lot of stuff and he is too self-involved. Justifiably so, of course. If anything he could be MORE careful about his own safety. But none of that makes for spare time for a positive relationship. And to be honest, although when reading I normaly want Harry to have the girl he wants because I'm canon-happy like that, I think I'd feel guilty wishing Ginny would break Dean's heart just to be with Harry. Harry may be popular and attractive, but happy-in-love-wise it might be a considerable step down for her.

I expected I'd go into this book rooting for Harry and Luna (and I do, a little), but so far-- while I'm actually READING it-- it seems I've gone back to my shipper opinion of the first 4 and a half books: I don't want Harry to date anyone.

More specifically, I don't want Harry to date anyone until this whole Voldemort business is over, because he'd be better off worrying about his own skin and winning the war until then, and hopefully after the war ends Harry would actually be mature enough and emotionally balanced enough that I'd feel okay about inflicting him on some poor girl.


Fanfic is a different story, of course.


Anyway, I might update one more time before my post-book update. This thing reads REALLY fast. I can see how my flist was able to read it so swiftly.


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Page 409

I'm sure three quarters of the slash community spontaneously combusted when they read this sentence:


"Harry, however, had never been less interested in Quiddich; he was rapidly becoming obsessed with Draco Malfoy."

Context. Gottta love it.


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Page 414


Luna: "I can't remember his name, it's something like Bibble--no, Buggins--"

That's Bilbo Baggins, dear. That's the name you're trying to think of.

I kind of like JKR for that little nod to the classics of the fantasy genre.


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Page 528

Wow. That was almost freakishly like a scene I had planned for my Harry Potter/ Hamlet fusion fic... Except in my fic it was an actual sword from a nearby suit of armor instead of a curse that gave a sword-like wound, and Draco actually died instead of almost dying. And it was Luna Lovegood, not Moaning Myrtle, that witnessed the accidental murder.

But other than that? Freakishly similar. And for those curious: in my fic (which will not be written as the entire outline was lost and that's too much lost work to start over) Draco would have been in the role of Polonius, whom Hamlet kills before he realizes who it is he's killing.

At first I was surprised to know it was Draco crying; though I had suspected him earlier as the boy Myrtle talked to, I didn't think he would have actually cried. Then, upon giving the situation second and third thoughts, I decided it's actually not that really unusual. Draco had whined, raged, screamed, or whimpered after losing previous confrontations or competitions or situations-- clearly he's just taken to doing so in private as he's gotten older. Sometimes it was exaggeration like after buckbeak attacked him in book 3, but actually he does seem the kind of boy who'd giving into crying for fear. I doubt he's be crying over regret or guilt or remorse or pain for what he's being asked to do and his fate as a Death Eater-- I'll bet he's crying because he knows he's gonna die, and he's always been a sore loser.

Although that last remark was a bit snide of me. Honestly, I can't fault him for the crying though. Fear of certain, inescapable, painful death is a legitimate reason for crying in my book. One of the best reasons, actually.


Before I read or discuss anymore, time for new and updated theories:

I still think Draco's supposed to assassinate Dumbledore. It's the only thing that makes sense as a "task"-- he either has to steal something or kill someone. I think Dumbledore is a more dangerous target and thus more likely for fitting Draco's situation, for reasons I've already mentioned.

Given the new information about Tom Riddle, it's possible Draco's task is to steal the Gryffindor sword in Dumbledore's office, for the purpose of making it into a Hurcrux. But I'm under the impression that the 6 Hurcruxes have already been made... and surely Dumbledore would know if the sword already WAS one. Apart from the sword, I can't think of anything that's worth stealing that would be so dangerous. The sword is dangerous because it's in Dumbledore's private office. Anything else anywhere else in the castle would simply be "risky", not guaranteed to get Draco killed as Narcissa and Snape seem to believe the task to be.

I really like how different this book feels from the previous books. There's many recurring elements-- enchanted objects ( sorcerer's stone = hurcruxes = that healing rock Harry used), enchanted books (Riddle's diary = potions book), and of course all the references to families, parentage, home life, and inherited legacies. Also, we're FINALLY getting some freakin' answers where Voldemort is concerned. The answer of how he's managed to stay alive, for instance.

Oh, and more thing.

I think Ginny's gonna die. She and Harry will hook up and then she'll die. And it will be very sad.