Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince-SPOILERS!!!!

[Olgar Shiverstone]

It's actually fairly small scale -- only a handful of Death Eaters taking part (and one werewolf). The battle at the end of Book 5 is "bigger".

Book 6 is more of a chase scene -- the battle itself basically takes place "off screen", so to speak.

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Another thought: In commentary on the 3rd movie, JK makes a statement that the director inadvertantly shows a location that will be significant in Book 6 or 7 -- and that people will appreciate the foreshadowing when they finally get there. If it was Book 6, it wasn't completely obvious to me. I sort of think the base of the tower and pumpkin patch where Aragog is buried ... but I'm not certain.

 

[Melkor Lord Of ALL!]

Yes, but a lot of it is offscreen, and recounted later and everyone tries to sort out the facts (and blame themselves for letting Snape & Malfoy get away).

The focus is on the big death scene on top of the Astronomy tower, while the battle rages below (in the tower). So, Harry has to move through the battle to follow S&M. And, once outside, Hagrid gets involved. They're trying to stop S&M before they get outside the gate and can disapparate away.


Yes, there is a werewolf involved. A very bad one, who killing people even though it's not a full moon. Apparently, he likes to eat children.

Interesting, I will try to get this book in Paris... By off-screen, do you mean similar level of description as in final of 5th book when Order members appeared? Are Dementors or giants involved too? What is the general attitude of Slytherin house towards Harry and Dark Lord?

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

Another thought: In commentary on the 3rd movie, JK makes a statement that the director inadvertantly shows a location that will be significant in Book 6 or 7 -- and that people will appreciate the foreshadowing when they finally get there. If it was Book 6, it wasn't completely obvious to me. I sort of think the base of the tower and pumpkin patch where Aragog is buried ... but I'm not certain.

Interesting. I may have to watch the "Azkaban" with commentary track!

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

Interesting, I will try to get this book in Paris... By off-screen, do you mean similar level of description as in final of 5th book when Order members appeared? Are Dementors or giants involved too? What is the general attitude of Slytherin house towards Harry and Dark Lord?

Yeah, sort of similar to Book 5. Except in book 5, we saw more of the action.

It's Harry, Dumbledore, Draco Malfoy, 3 (or 4?)* Death Eaters, and then Snape--all (eventually) on the top of the tower, as the battle rages somewhere below them. One of the death eaters is the world's nastiest werewolf. Lupin is somewhere below (I think*), so he's totally off-screen.

Then, Harry runs through the battle, not knowing who has died (but knows that at least one person *not* from the rooftop has died).

Then the chase across the yard. Much cursing and counter-cursing, in which Snape reveals himself to be the Half-Blood Prince before leaving with Malfoy. I think all the other death eaters get killed or captured.*

No dementors.

No giants.

Almost all werewolves follow Voldemort (who basically has promised them "food' if they help him). Lupin has been trying to infiltrate the werewolves but can't gain their trust very easily (even though he is a werewolf).



*don't ever get old & senile kids. I just read this less than two hours ago and can't remember exactly how many were there.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

And, uh, one of the other death eaters actually blasts the over-eager werewolf since Malfoy is supposed to do the job himself.

 

[Melkor Lord Of ALL!]

But I thought that most elite DE's of Voldemort are in Azbakan, or were they freed? So are there new ones introduced? And if they are captured too, Voldemort lost most of his army!

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

Sorry, I don't remember the exact details.

A lot escaped toward the end of book 5 ("Order of the Phoenix"). Several are still at large at the end of that book, but some are captured (like Lucius Malfoy) some have done nothing illegal (that we see anyway) and are free (like Narcissa Malfoy), and some avoid capture (like Bellatrix Lastrange).

There are just more death eaters introduced as individuals in this book (at the end), as opposed to a generic "a bunch escaped" or "many were captured" statement. And Harry suspects that Draco Malfoy is now a death eater with the mark on his arm. Though I don't remember this actually being confirmed, so we don't know for sure.

Oh, and Voldemort apparently can animate the dead (called inferi?), so he'll have an entire army of undead to help him, as well.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

DE participants are Malfoy, Snape, Fenrir (the werewolf), Amycus & Alecto (new as far as I remember), and Gibbon (killed by "friendly fire").

Another thought ... inconsistency? You're not supposed to be able to Apparate withing Hogwarts grounds -- yet the House Elves do it.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

Another thought ... inconsistency? You're not supposed to be able to Apparate withing Hogwarts grounds -- yet the House Elves do it.

Well, that's because most people apparate as a Spell, but house elves apparate as a Supernatural Ability, so the ward against Apparation does not apply to them.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

So why wouldn't the Death Eaters use House Elf assassins?