Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Chapter Notes

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Chapter 9: The Half-Blood Prince

• “Hermione’s remonstration was drowned by a loud giggle; Lavender Brown had apparently found Ron’s remark highly amusing. She continued to laugh as she passed them, glancing back at Ron over her shoulder. Ron looked rather pleased with himself.” – Lavender has never shown any kind of interest to Ron before, I can’t even remember if they ever talked to each other, and it is the first school day and she is already flirting with him, so what changed? Is it because Ron was in the Ministry, fighting side by side with Harry? Because he is the best friend of the Chosen One? Whatever it is, I doubt Lavender’s interest in Ron is genuine.

• “‘That’s it, though, innit?’ said Ron, swallowing an entire fried egg whole. ‘We were the ones who made the most effort in classes because we like Hagrid. But he thinks we liked the stupid subject. D’you reckon anyone’s going to go on to N.E.W.T.?’ Neither Harry nor Hermione answered; there was no need. They knew perfectly well that nobody in their year would want to continue Care of Magical Creatures.” – I doubt that nobody continues the subject; some maybe have to because they were not good enough in other subjects to continue them on a N.E.W.T.-level. But even Harry, Ron and Hermione’s sympathy for Hagrid has their limits and they know perfectly well that he is not the best teacher. Perhaps it is a good thing in the end because the effort Harry, Ron and Hermione put in the subject gave Hagrid false security and now he tries to become a better teacher?

• “‘Humph,’ snorted Professor McGonagall. ‘It’s high time your grandmother learned to be proud of the grandson she’s got, rather than the one she thinks she ought to have – particularly after what happened at the Ministry.’ Neville turned very pink and blinked confusedly; Professor McGonagall had never paid him a compliment before.” – You can be a strict teacher and still kind, you know (looking at you Snape). And that is one of the many reasons why I love McGonagall; she values all her students and their strengths.

• Obviously the teachers themselves decide with what mark you can continue their subject on a N.E.W.T.-level, but so far it seems like Snape is the only one who demands an ‘Outstanding’. At least he did when he was still teaching potions, but for DADA “Exceeds Expectations” seems to be enough, as Ron can attend the course. Still, given how few students are qualified to study potions on a N.E.W.T.-level, it doesn’t reflect well on Snape. He isn’t a very good teacher, bullying students instead of encouraging them, so everyone who is not naturally gifted at the subject will fail.

• It only occurred to me now how the different DADA teachers and their respective methods of teaching tell something about the state of the Wizarding World. While Quirell and Lockhart taught the subject it seemed ridiculous, and at the time the Wizarding World was not yet in danger. Lupin was their first real teacher, actually teaching them something. Harry was seemingly in danger, with Sirius on the run, and the Dementors surrounding Hogwarts. And by the end of the year Pettigrew escaped, marking the first step for Voldemort’s return. Moody aka Crouch jun. prepared them for a war only he knew was about to start, teaching them about the Unforgiveable Curses Harry had to witness later that year. Umbridge pretended there was no danger in the world because that was what the Ministry wanted everyone to believe. Harry taught the members of the DA in secret because he knew about the truth. Now the Wizarding World is at war and Snape (just like Moody, just like Harry) prepares his students for this war.

• “Yes, those who progress to using magic without shouting incantations gain an element of surprise in their spell-casting. Not all wizards can do this, of course; it is a question of concentration and mind power which some,’ his gaze lingered maliciously upon Harry once more, ‘lack.’” – And yet Harry is particular good at spells that need a strong will and mind power. He was able to produce a Patronus when he was 13, he was able to fight of the Imperius Curse when he was 14 etc. Neither of those things though require to shut off your emotions (on the contrary, to produce a Patronus you need to focus on your emotions), so of course Harry would fail at Occlumency. Plus Snape is a bad teacher.

• “‘There’s no need to call me “sir”, Professor.’” – BEST LINE EVER.

• “Harry, too, had recognised the slow-bubbling, mudlike substance in the second cauldron, but did not resent Hermione getting the credit for answering the question; she, after all, was the one who had succeeded in making it, back in their second year.” – Good to know that the potion Hermione made when she was 12 (!) was freaking N.E.W.T.-level.

• “‘And the steam rising in characteristic spirals,’ said Hermione enthusiastically, ‘and it’s supposed to smell differently to each of us, according to what attracts us, and I can smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and –’ But she turned slightly pink and did not complete the sentence.” – So how exactly does Ron smell, Hermione? Like it is obvious that Hermione recognizes the smell as his smell, otherwise she would have finished her sentence, unlike Harry, who does not immediately associates the flowery smell from the potion with Ginny.

• It is interesting that Harry recognizes Dumbledore’s handwriting, but not Snape’s, despite the fact that Snape had been his teacher for five years now. Also, as it seems, Snape taught his classes to brew their potions the way it was described in their text books, despite having figured out more efficient ways to do so. Of course why should we expect a teacher to share his knowledge with his students? Laughable. Still, it shows the deeper understanding Snape had for his subject. (I wonder if in later years there will be new version of this textbook, with Snape’s instructions instead?)

• “‘Hang on,’ said a voice close by Harry’s left ear and he caught a sudden waft of that flowery smell he had picked up in Slughorn’s dungeon. He looked round and saw that Ginny had joined them.” – How to figure out you have a crush on someone: the most powerful love potion smells like them. And still, as far as I remember, it takes some time for Harry to figure out his feelings for Ginny. *facepalm*

• “This Book is the Property of the Half-Blood Prince” – Given how many times Snape mocked Harry for him being (involuntary) famous I can’t get over the fact how extra it is he gave himself a title while he was at school.