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

[Barendd Nobeard]

I need to read it again soon, I read rather fast in my curiosity.

I'm going to stop annoying you now.

I think this book can be read fast & you will not miss anything. It just seems "light" to me in that way.

And you're not annoying anyone. Keep posting!

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Yeah, 650 pages ripped by pretty quick, even for me (and I routinely do 100 pp per hour).

I think the text isn't very dense -- at normal printing densities, I'd guess this would be about a 400 page book.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

The Theory About Snape

My Theory About Snape

OK, here's my theory about Snape and my prediction for book 7.

I think he's a good guy.
I think he is deep undercover for The Order of the Phoenix.
I think he views Draco as the son he never had.
I think he's trying save Draco's soul, by preventing Draco from making the same mistake he did (siding with Voldemort).

Snape did not want to kill Dumbledore, but had to (1) to save Draco's soul, and (2) to avoid dieing from the "Unbreakable Vow" he took. He was not concerned about dieing himself, except that he wants to hang around to save Draco.

Thoughts?


I guess we'll find out in two years or so.

 

[Melkor Lord Of ALL!]

I am interested in overall attitude of Slytherin House towards lord Voldemort, Death Eaters and Malfoys.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Yeah, I tend to agree. I think Snape was playing both sides hard, but in the end was not willing to harm Harry, so he's probably good. He was forced to kill Dumbledore because of the vow. I think, too, that Dumbledore knew the end was near for him, and he intentionally sacrificed himself so Harry could succeed later -- I think that's the best explanation for the explicit orders at the end.

The question is: will Harry kill Snape, or forgive him? Somehow, I see Book 7 as being a bloodbath ... Draco, Snape, Wormtail, miscellaneous Death Eaters, and Voldemort all likely to die. I wouldnt be surprised if Harry dies in the end, as well.

I suspect Harry will at least begin year 7 at Hogwarts, though. The pattern of the series -- start at the Dursleys, transition to the Wizard world, go to Hogwarts, and into the depth of the plot -- is too ingrained to break in the last book. I expect Hermione will be using the library to research their next moves, for example.

 

[Dakkareth]

It just seems "light" to me in that way.

My impression on finishing it, on a gut feeling level, was that it didn't have that much substance, seemed shallow somehow. Not that it wasn't fun, but ... well, as I said, before judging I'll have to read it again .


Mmmhh, Snape wanting to help Draco ... I hadn't thought about that angle much, but it could well be decisive.



My theory so far is pretty close to Barendd's - Snape works not for Dumbledore as such, but for the Order of the Phoenix and what it represents. In killing Dumbledore he sacrifices the White Queen, but he deems it necessary for the chess game to be won. Maybe Dumbledore foresaw this, maybe not, either way he saw the necessity in the end.

I don't have the chess-player understanding of the situation at hand, but the end gambit planned might include:

Draco, the Pawn of Black, turning into a White Bishop through inside knowledge.

Harry, the Pawn of Black, reaching the enemy baseline through the Queen's sacrifice and becoming Queen of White himself, effecting the ultimate defeat of Black.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

I am interested in overall attitude of Slytherin House towards lord Voldemort, Death Eaters and Malfoys.

Now that you bring it up, I don't think it's really covered in this book at all. Which is a bit odd!

In previous books, there's a real "all Syltherin members are potential Death Eaters and can't be trusted" tone. And that's (strangely) missing in this book. At least, I didn't see it in my one reading of the book. Hmmmmmmm....

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

Yeah, I tend to agree. I think Snape was playing both sides hard, but in the end was not willing to harm Harry, so he's probably good. He was forced to kill Dumbledore because of the vow. I think, too, that Dumbledore knew the end was near for him, and he intentionally sacrificed himself so Harry could succeed later -- I think that's the best explanation for the explicit orders at the end.

The question is: will Harry kill Snape, or forgive him? Somehow, I see Book 7 as being a bloodbath ... Draco, Snape, Wormtail, miscellaneous Death Eaters, and Voldemort all likely to die. I wouldnt be surprised if Harry dies in the end, as well.

Good questions/issues for book 7. Now, when is it coming out?!?!?

I can't see Harry forgiving Snape for killing Dumbledore--ever. Even if Harry knows about the vow, even if Dumbledore ordered Snape to "follow orders no matter what" knowing that he would die, etc., etc. Harry's just stubborn that way. And as he told the new Minister of Magic (twice, no less), he's a Dumbledore man, through & through.

I suspect Harry will at least begin year 7 at Hogwarts, though. The pattern of the series -- start at the Dursleys, transition to the Wizard world, go to Hogwarts, and into the depth of the plot -- is too ingrained to break in the last book. I expect Hermione will be using the library to research their next moves, for example.

Except that at the end of this book he says he's not coming back to Hogwarts even if it's open. He also says that he will be returning to the Dursley's, but it will be a brief visit. I think he's gonna collect his things and bug out without a look back. Or, try to--and something will happen (like the dementor attack in book 5).

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

My impression on finishing it, on a gut feeling level, was that it didn't have that much substance, seemed shallow somehow. Not that it wasn't fun, but ... well, as I said, before judging I'll have to read it again .


Mmmhh, Snape wanting to help Draco ... I hadn't thought about that angle much, but it could well be decisive.



My theory so far is pretty close to Barendd's - Snape works not for Dumbledore as such, but for the Order of the Phoenix and what it represents. In killing Dumbledore he sacrifices the White Queen, but he deems it necessary for the chess game to be won. Maybe Dumbledore foresaw this, maybe not, either way he saw the necessity in the end.

I don't have the chess-player understanding of the situation at hand, but the end gambit planned might include:

Draco, the Pawn of Black, turning into a White Bishop through inside knowledge.

Harry, the Pawn of Black, reaching the enemy baseline through the Queen's sacrifice and becoming Queen of White himself, effecting the ultimate defeat of Black.

Like the chess analogy. Maybe we'll get to see Ron play another key game of "Wizard Chess" in the final book--a nice link back to the first story.

Draco's been a real twit all along, sort of a bragging bully: "I'm so kewl 'cause I'm evil!" Then, when push came to shove, he couldn't do it--his heart wasn't in it. And Harry witnessed that. And Dumbledore knew that Harry saw that, too. If Harry hadn't seen that scene, well, his feelings about Draco would just continue as they always have. But now, he know's that Draco's not 100% evil--perhaps this was Dumbledore's final gift to Harry.

 

[Hijinks]

R.A.B >> Something Amelia Bones? We know Voldemort killed her... perhaps she had the real locket and has hidden it somewhere?

Very sad to lose Dumbledore Poor Harry loses everyone who stands up for him...

I don't think book 7 will be set at Hogwarts. For one thing, he said he's not coming back. For another, the same formula year after year at Hogwarts is getting old, probably for JKR as well. I would very much like to see Harry out in the world, since a month or so after the end of this book here he will be considered "a man" at seventeen, and his friends are all seventeen as well.