What's coming up in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince?

from JoeUser Forums
So...it's probably safe to assume that there aren't many on here who are excited about the next Harry Potter book, . But surely I can't be the only grown-up looking forward to this sixth installment in the seven-book series, either.

Once upon a time, I thought J.K. Rowling got lucky by being able to spin so much plot off her first, rather innocent children's book. But as I read more, it's obvious she's been planning the series from the beginning. The sixth book reportedly answers many more questions than the fifth book—but what kind of questions? Let's look.


  • Who is the half-blood prince?
    That's a good one to start with. The half-bloods, including half-humans who are sometimes considered half-bloods, include Remus Lupin, Hagrid, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, and Justin-Finch Fletchley. Those we know pretty much for sure. Other ideas include Dumbledore (who knows?) and Blaise Zambini, whom Rowling has confirmed to be a male student. Either of the Creevey brothers? (Somehow between the Creeveys and Loony Lovegood, I hate a lot of Rowling's peripheral characters.) I actually think it'll be Dean Thomas. Ginny mentions that she's "decided" to start going out with him at the end of book five, so perhaps there will be some jealousy developing between Harry and Dean when Harry realizes that he actually likes Ginny.


  • What are we going to hear more about?
    I'm guessing goblin rebellions. The goblins were introduced in book one and featured more prominently in book four, cf. Ludo Bagman's gambling habit. Professor Binns, the ghost teacher, also gave many a lecture on the goblin rebellions; members of the Order of the Phoenix talk about whether or not the goblins can be won over (apparently they're upset by fudge and by the wizarding community, denying them rights they've been wanting for years). Harry also writes a paper on the goblin rebellions during the summer of book three when he sits outside the ice cream shop in Diagon Alley, so theoretically, this knowledge could come back to help.
    We'll also probably hear more about other magical creatures: the centaurs will play a role--their characters have been well-developed and now there's a prime rift between them and the humans, it seems.
    Giants. Grawp didn't appear for no reason, did he? And Hagrid didn't go off with Madame Maxine to visit the giants for no reason. Hopefully they made a good impression.


  • Who's going to die?
    Dumbledore is my top bet. There's a good reason he's on the cover, no? Of course, Mrs. Weasley's boggart turns into her family members dying, so any of the Weasley's is a good chance (will George and Fred be the next Gideon and Fabian Prewett? Who, incidentally, were Mrs. Weasley's brothers, according to J.K. Rowling.) Won't be Harry, Ron, Hermione, or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.


  • Why is the Order of the Pheonix named the Order of the Pheonix?
    That was never explained in book five.We know that Fawkes has helped Harry out several times, most notably in book two, and also in book four when Fawkes heals Harry's broken leg at the end. We know that both Harry and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named have feathers from Fawkes in their wands. We know that Harry survived the Aveda Kedavra curse...kind of like a Pheonix rising again?


  • Why didn't Voldemort die when his curse rebounded? (And why didn't he duck?)
    What steps has he taken to ensure his immortality? And, if you read book four carefully, you know Voldemort says that the spell used in the graveyard returns him to his “mortal body.” Will he take further steps toward immortality, or will he forget? Is he mortal right now?



Well, that's a good list to begin with. Now I've got to go earn the money to buy my book.
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Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
I am dying to read the book. 17 more days, I think.


  • I wouldn't be surprised if the Half-Blood Prince was someone altogether different from characters we've already been introduced to.


  • I hope we'll be hearing about many uprisings, including those that you've mentioned: goblins, centaurs and giants. But, the uprising at Hogwarts will definitely overshadow all. I can't wait to see how it all plays out.


  • Who's going to die? Dumbledore, perhaps. But if he goes, there'd better be a character ready to assume the father figure/friend/supporter to replace him. I love happy endings, but can't picture any sort of one, after a death such as Dumbledore's.


  • As for The Order of The Phoenix, I thought that question was resolved. And Voldemort? Who knows. It's going to be one hell of a battle, but wouldn't be surprised if it just ended with another door opening...




Good article. I haven't preordered a book, but the closer it gets to the release date, I think about putting my money down for it, now.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
SPOILER alert--if you haven't read the book yet, don't read this. Ye be warned.

Answers to my prognostications:

--I was totally wrong about the Half-Blood prince, though I did figure it out pretty quickly after Harry first read "The Half-Blood Prince" penned into his potions book.

--We didn't hear much about goblin rebellions, but there were werewolf rebellions, so I'm only about 80% wrong on that one.

--Thanks to some helpful info about alchemy, I was right about who died, but wrong about who killed him (though, in retrospect, it seems very logical)

--OotP: We still don't know exactly why it's called this. Book 7, or maybe it's just a cool name that doesn't mean anything? I still think Harry's a Phoenix and I think he's going to die and be "reborn" in some form in book 7 (yeah, I know, it's out there). I think Fawkes will come back in book 7.

--Ha! At least I called this one. We find out lots about why V. didn't die. Excellent. Though we still don't know why he didn't duck his curse in Godric's Hollow when he tried to kill Harry....

I also have an essay partially written on S. Snape and why I thought he was bad, but I never got around to turning it into a blog (that whole "job" thing really cuts into my blogging time). Though I think there'll still be some surprises about him in book 7.
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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
I was slightly suprised when i finished the book, and found out who killed dumbledore, though yet, i am not completely suprised, there was just that thing that made me think it was him throughout the entire series...can't wait until the 7th and final, i like the ending specifically, wonder if those people will aid him....the next book,IMO, will probably be out in 2-3 years...
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
Spoilers follow here also.

I thought the ending was fantastic. The fact that Rowling was not afraid to make the bad guys actually bad guys, and not have them realize the error of their ways was ballsy, but I think it will pay off big time in Book 7. I cannot wait to see how she handles the situation Malfoy finds himself in.

As for who dies, I actually called that death after reading the first two books. I didn't actually think I would be right, but it turns out I nailed it down the part of Book 6 that the death takes place in.


The decision Snape must have made when facing Dumbledore intrigues me. He knows that if the does not kill him, he will die because of the Unbreakable Vow (Not that it would matter, Voldemort would kill him anyways). Yet I wonder if he felt any remorse for killing a man that had been nothing but kind and trusting towards him for so long. Oh, I can only imagine how deliciously evil Alan Rickman will be as Snape in the movie version of this book.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
The decision Snape must have made when facing Dumbledore intrigues me. He knows that if the does not kill him, he will die because of the Unbreakable Vow (Not that it would matter, Voldemort would kill him anyways). Yet I wonder if he felt any remorse for killing a man that had been nothing but kind and trusting towards him for so long. Oh, I can only imagine how deliciously evil Alan Rickman will be as Snape in the movie version of this book


--My theory is that, perhaps, snape and dumbledore had a unbreakable vow, that in order to complete, as dumbledore knew, would result in his death, i think it was inevitable for DD to die, i think it was the final hurdle for harry...with this act, he could easily keep both narcissa's and dumbledore's vow, i could be wrong, but its just a thought...
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
Spoilers.....



I just finished it the other day, and was surprised, emotional and irritated. Irritated mostly because I have to wait for so long for any sort of resolution, of course.

1. Ginny Weasley?!!!!! I'd prefer that it was Looney Lovegood any day.
2. Malfoy, not surprising, but even though JK Rowling always has insisted not to pine away for a redemption any time soon, I still can't help but want it.
3. Tonks and Lupin? hehehe
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
1. Ginny Weasley?!!!!! I'd prefer that it was Looney Lovegood any day.


I don't have much pity for any of the Harry/Hermione or Harry/Luna pushers 'cause Rowling has made it clear, both in the books and in interviews, what's going to happen. So then, bwahahaha!

I thought Tonks and Sirius might've been in love, but then H reminded me that they're like cousins. Eww. So now I have to bwahahaha myself.

-A.