Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K.Rowling
This is the penultimate book in the Potter series by Rowling. After the Order of Phoenix, which was certainly not the best works of Rowling, critics had begun writing her off for not producing the similar thrill. Just then, she came back with the Half Blood Prince which is clearly the darkest of them all. There were speculations that Dumbledore will be killed in this book and as it has turned out, these rumors were correct. The novel explores Lord Voldemort’s history and Harry’s preparation for the final showdown amidst emerging romantic relationships.
The book opens with the Death Eaters causing widespread chaos in Britain and convincing the Dementors to abandon Azkaban prison. Following a public outcry regarding Cornelius Fudge's mishandling of the Voldemort situation, Rufus Scrimgeour (an ex-auror) becomes the new Minister of Magic.
The book opens with the Death Eaters causing widespread chaos in Britain and convincing the Dementors to abandon Azkaban prison. Following a public outcry regarding Cornelius Fudge's mishandling of the Voldemort situation, Rufus Scrimgeour (an ex-auror) becomes the new Minister of Magic.
Early on in the story, Severus Snape makes an Unbreakable Vow to Draco Malfoy's mother Narcissa, with Bellatrix Lestrange as a witness, that he will protect Draco and aid him in his mission, although the exact details of Draco's mission are kept secret at this point.
In Hogwarts, Severus Snape is appointed as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and Horace Slughorn (retired teacher at Hogwarts) is given the post of the Potions master. Slughorn has a history of paying more attention to the famous students in his class and moving on these lines, he begins to give Harry a lot of attention, much to the dislike of most of the class, including Hermione. He also lends Harry an old textbook marked as the property of “Half Blood Prince” which has certain handwritten notes which help Harry even outdo Hermione in the Potions class, and his performance earns him a twelve hour dose of Felix Felicis (good luck potion).
Harry suspects that Draco has become a Death Eater. He confides his suspicions to Dumbledore, who appears to pay no attention. Harry decides to keep an eye on Draco with the help of the house-elves, Kreacher and Dobby. They find out that Draco has been hiding something in the ‘room of supplies’ but are unable to get into the room.
After a victorious Quidditch match for Gryffindor (which Harry missed due to detention with Snape), Harry and Ginny Weasley begin dating.
The story contains increased interaction between Dumbledore and Harry. Using his Pensieve, Dumbledore shows Harry a number of memories throwing light on Voldemort's past. Having seen the last memory, Dumbledore theorises that Voldemort has split his own soul into seven parts, storing six of the pieces in Horcruxes to grant himself immortality as long as they exist, and leaving the seventh piece in his own body. While two of Voldemort's Horcruxes have already been destroyed (Tom Riddle's diary and Marvolo Gaunt's ring by Dumbledore), Dumbledore believes that there are four more that must be destroyed before confronting Voldemort. He and Harry set off to retrieve one (Salazar Slytherin's locket), and are successful in retrieving a locket from the expected location, though Dumbledore is heavily weakened in the process.
The two return to find the Dark Mark over Hogwarts. As they investigate, they are surprised by Draco Malfoy. Dumbledore paralyses Harry, who is wearing his Invisibility Cloak, allowing Harry to witness all the events that follow while remaining invisible and unable to interfere. The time taken to do this prevents him from defending himself against Draco, who disarms him.
Other Death Eaters soon arrive, through the two-way doorway which Draco had prepared in the room of supplies, and urge Draco to fulfill his mission, but he hesitates. Snape arrives shortly thereafter, and after a brief dialog, kills Dumbledore with the Avada Kedavra curse. The Death Eaters then flee. With Dumbledore's death, his paralysing spell is broken, and Harry is again free to move. Harry pursues Snape, who identifies himself as the Half-Blood Prince before fleeing Hogwarts.
A funeral for Dumbledore occurs. Minerva McGonagall becomes the interim headmistress of Hogwarts, but she and the other teachers fear that the school may have to be closed down. Both McGonagall and (after the funeral) Scrimgeour attempt to obtain information from Harry he received from Dumbledore, but Harry believes he should act as if he were alive, and keep it secret.
Harry discovers that the locket he and Dumbledore recovered is a fake. According to a note inside, the actual locket was destroyed and replaced by ‘R.A.B.’ in an attempt to help make Voldemort ‘mortal once more’.
After Dumbledore's funeral, Harry decides not to return to school so that he can devote his time to destroying the remaining Horcruxes and defeating Voldemort. He tells his friends Hermione and Ron about his decision, and the two insist on coming with him to seek out Voldemort. Harry breaks up with Ginny, saying that she would be at risk and that Voldemort would attempt to get to Harry through her.
In Hogwarts, Severus Snape is appointed as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and Horace Slughorn (retired teacher at Hogwarts) is given the post of the Potions master. Slughorn has a history of paying more attention to the famous students in his class and moving on these lines, he begins to give Harry a lot of attention, much to the dislike of most of the class, including Hermione. He also lends Harry an old textbook marked as the property of “Half Blood Prince” which has certain handwritten notes which help Harry even outdo Hermione in the Potions class, and his performance earns him a twelve hour dose of Felix Felicis (good luck potion).
Harry suspects that Draco has become a Death Eater. He confides his suspicions to Dumbledore, who appears to pay no attention. Harry decides to keep an eye on Draco with the help of the house-elves, Kreacher and Dobby. They find out that Draco has been hiding something in the ‘room of supplies’ but are unable to get into the room.
After a victorious Quidditch match for Gryffindor (which Harry missed due to detention with Snape), Harry and Ginny Weasley begin dating.
The story contains increased interaction between Dumbledore and Harry. Using his Pensieve, Dumbledore shows Harry a number of memories throwing light on Voldemort's past. Having seen the last memory, Dumbledore theorises that Voldemort has split his own soul into seven parts, storing six of the pieces in Horcruxes to grant himself immortality as long as they exist, and leaving the seventh piece in his own body. While two of Voldemort's Horcruxes have already been destroyed (Tom Riddle's diary and Marvolo Gaunt's ring by Dumbledore), Dumbledore believes that there are four more that must be destroyed before confronting Voldemort. He and Harry set off to retrieve one (Salazar Slytherin's locket), and are successful in retrieving a locket from the expected location, though Dumbledore is heavily weakened in the process.
The two return to find the Dark Mark over Hogwarts. As they investigate, they are surprised by Draco Malfoy. Dumbledore paralyses Harry, who is wearing his Invisibility Cloak, allowing Harry to witness all the events that follow while remaining invisible and unable to interfere. The time taken to do this prevents him from defending himself against Draco, who disarms him.
Other Death Eaters soon arrive, through the two-way doorway which Draco had prepared in the room of supplies, and urge Draco to fulfill his mission, but he hesitates. Snape arrives shortly thereafter, and after a brief dialog, kills Dumbledore with the Avada Kedavra curse. The Death Eaters then flee. With Dumbledore's death, his paralysing spell is broken, and Harry is again free to move. Harry pursues Snape, who identifies himself as the Half-Blood Prince before fleeing Hogwarts.
A funeral for Dumbledore occurs. Minerva McGonagall becomes the interim headmistress of Hogwarts, but she and the other teachers fear that the school may have to be closed down. Both McGonagall and (after the funeral) Scrimgeour attempt to obtain information from Harry he received from Dumbledore, but Harry believes he should act as if he were alive, and keep it secret.
Harry discovers that the locket he and Dumbledore recovered is a fake. According to a note inside, the actual locket was destroyed and replaced by ‘R.A.B.’ in an attempt to help make Voldemort ‘mortal once more’.
After Dumbledore's funeral, Harry decides not to return to school so that he can devote his time to destroying the remaining Horcruxes and defeating Voldemort. He tells his friends Hermione and Ron about his decision, and the two insist on coming with him to seek out Voldemort. Harry breaks up with Ginny, saying that she would be at risk and that Voldemort would attempt to get to Harry through her.
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