Huh. Adding the "Re:" to your subject line made it too long and gave me a nasty red message. Woe. So I changed it to "stuff".
Ah, well, he's been right about some things lately. It would be weird if that lasted too long.
Yes. That was highly disturbing. And completely seemed in Slughorn's nature.
Which made me think that there are 7 years at Hogwarts and wizards and witches come of age at 17. Not that 17 has a lot to do with 7, but still.
I thought he was referring to horcruxes, not killing...
The impression I got was that while killing is indeed a supreme act of evil and doesn't do your soul any favors, it doesn't actually split unless you are intending to use the killing to make a Horcrux. I could be completely off on that, though.
I have always been confused about this as well. Perhaps someone can enlighten us.
Indeed.
I don't know. I mean, he notices it there, but among all the other junk piled up, it's not too surprising that he doesn't place any particular importance to it.
Hehe. I know. It's a good bit of writing.
Harry is back to his old self, assuming Malfoy's plan is not working based on his physical appearance.
Ah, well, he's been right about some things lately. It would be weird if that lasted too long.
House elves show up again in Slughorn's casual reference that he has had them taste all the bottles.
Yes. That was highly disturbing. And completely seemed in Slughorn's nature.
We learn of Horcruxes. And the number 7.
Which made me think that there are 7 years at Hogwarts and wizards and witches come of age at 17. Not that 17 has a lot to do with 7, but still.
It is very interesting that Dumbledore would say that as far as he knew no wizard had ever done more than rip his soul in two. This seems a little strange. Surely Grindewald or someone like that has killed more than two people? Of course, it does suggest the strong taboo of killing in the wizarding world. Perhaps he was just referring to the amount of horcruxes made, even if that is not what his words say.
I thought he was referring to horcruxes, not killing...
I am a little fascinated by this (the pacifist in me, perhaps). What of the people killed in battle by the good guys? I cannot remember who kills who, but if Mrs Weasley kills Bellatrix, is her soul broken in two? Would she regret it enough to heal it again? Or when Harry kills Voldemort...
The impression I got was that while killing is indeed a supreme act of evil and doesn't do your soul any favors, it doesn't actually split unless you are intending to use the killing to make a Horcrux. I could be completely off on that, though.
At any rate, we can start ticking off horcruxes (although if Voldemort split his soul in seven, shouldn't there be six horcruxes to begin with, then five left after he has used one of them to gain a life? Or is it a way of keeping the embodied soul suspended, so that it does not disappear when the body is killed? -- I was always a little unclear on that): the diary. One down, six to go. The ring. Two down...
So there are now four. And Voldemort.
The locket
The cup
Nagini
and Rowena Ravenclaw's tiara, if I am right?
And Harry?
Which brings us to ... 8?
I have always had trouble with this part of the books. Counting is not my strong suit, and I have a strong impression that Dumbeldore's counting is off here too. How does Harry fit in? Is he really a horcrux?
I have always been confused about this as well. Perhaps someone can enlighten us.
Anyway, the dicsussion in Dumbledore's office also clarifies why Draco is being punished. It is not just Lucius' failure, but his lack of care with the diary.
Indeed.
The discussion of prophecies is also interesting. If there are so many prophecies that do not come to pass, what is their importance? Are they the "most likely" scenario only? Are they triggered by being part of a series of events (Snape listening outside the door sets Trelawny off?) ... I am intrigued. At any rate, the power of choice is quite central again. While the presence of Prophecy had seemed to dampen it, that is here revoked.
We are also shown the hiding room version of the Room of Requirement, which will become important later. It is a little strange that he does not react to the Vanishing cabinet being there. After all, there is no reason why it should have to be hidden. Unless someone is up to no good. It is quite a well hidden clue, though. As is the tiara.
I don't know. I mean, he notices it there, but among all the other junk piled up, it's not too surprising that he doesn't place any particular importance to it.
And I really enjoy Harry defending the Prince against Hermione's suggestion that he might be bad. If only he knew he was so sure Snape was not a bad guy.
Hehe. I know. It's a good bit of writing.
Taking a break from being Ella
The Great Harry Potter Re-read: Book Six, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
18/10/2010 06:12:40 PM
- 2738 Views
General comments on the book.
18/10/2010 06:14:10 PM
- 1587 Views
Suggestions.
18/10/2010 06:18:46 PM
- 1632 Views
*cough*
09/11/2010 09:24:21 AM
- 1507 Views
Chapters 1-3: The Other Minister, Spinner's End, Will and Won't.
18/10/2010 06:21:55 PM
- 1848 Views
Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
18/10/2010 06:25:12 PM
- 1855 Views
Re: Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
18/10/2010 06:55:06 PM
- 1855 Views
Re: Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
19/10/2010 01:07:59 AM
- 1869 Views
*spoilers for book 7* an assortment of characters
19/10/2010 01:01:35 AM
- 1808 Views
Plotting and writing.
18/10/2010 06:27:40 PM
- 1351 Views
*spoilers for book 7* focalisation and why I'l accept it this time, the power/powerless issue &stuff
19/10/2010 01:02:53 AM
- 1620 Views
Re: *spoilers for book 7* focalisation and why I'l accept it this time, the power/powerless issue
20/10/2010 02:58:54 PM
- 1586 Views
Re: *spoilers for book 7* focalisation and why I'l accept it this time, the power/powerless issue
20/10/2010 03:14:35 PM
- 1685 Views
Anything else? *NM*
18/10/2010 06:28:16 PM
- 790 Views
Dumbledore-centered.
19/10/2010 01:03:05 AM
- 1727 Views
Chapters 4-6: Horace Slughorn, An Excess of Phlegm, Draco's Detour. *NM*
20/10/2010 03:44:39 PM
- 938 Views
Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
20/10/2010 03:46:47 PM
- 1767 Views
Re: Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
20/10/2010 05:27:26 PM
- 1772 Views
(Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur...
20/10/2010 09:25:20 PM
- 1803 Views
Re: (Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur...
20/10/2010 09:46:08 PM
- 1725 Views
Re: Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
20/10/2010 10:15:58 PM
- 1741 Views
Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
20/10/2010 09:23:04 PM
- 1629 Views
Re: Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
20/10/2010 09:56:28 PM
- 1609 Views
Re: Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
20/10/2010 10:17:23 PM
- 1785 Views
Anything else? *NM*
20/10/2010 03:48:07 PM
- 780 Views
So. Inferi are zombies aren't they? I just realised. Ick. Do they eat brains? *NM*
20/10/2010 09:24:03 PM
- 846 Views
I was kind of disappointed that Harry didn't remark on that fact.
*NM*
22/10/2010 07:24:11 PM
- 889 Views

Chapters 7-9: Slug Club, Snape Victorious, The Half-Blood Prince *NM*
22/10/2010 07:23:03 PM
- 932 Views
Characters *NM*
22/10/2010 07:23:24 PM
- 876 Views
Harry, Romilda, Malfoy (in luuuve), Snape, Lavender Brown, McGonagall, Hermione and Slughorn.
22/10/2010 07:26:19 PM
- 1764 Views
Love is in the air, evidently.
22/10/2010 07:54:35 PM
- 1703 Views
Slytherin had been in need of new blood for a long time. (And assorted other comments.)
22/10/2010 10:34:49 PM
- 1720 Views
Re: Slytherin had been in need of new blood for a long time. (And assorted other comments.)
25/10/2010 10:33:04 AM
- 1433 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
22/10/2010 07:23:37 PM
- 878 Views
Dumbledore, patronuses and the DADA job.
22/10/2010 07:27:23 PM
- 1645 Views
Anything else? *NM*
22/10/2010 07:23:50 PM
- 898 Views
I believe in Wrackspurts, too. And some questions.
22/10/2010 07:28:04 PM
- 1522 Views
I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
22/10/2010 09:58:27 PM
- 1612 Views
Re: I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
23/10/2010 05:34:25 PM
- 1618 Views
Re: I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
25/10/2010 10:35:43 AM
- 1658 Views
Chapters 10-12: The House of Gaunt, Hermione's Helping Hand, Silver and Opals. *NM*
25/10/2010 05:00:02 PM
- 934 Views
Characters: The Gaunts, the Trio, Hagrid, and many more. *NM*
25/10/2010 05:02:07 PM
- 902 Views
Harry's continued insistence about Malfoy really irritates me (even though he's right).
25/10/2010 06:15:23 PM
- 1796 Views
*lol*
25/10/2010 06:39:19 PM
- 1655 Views
Re: Harry's continued insistence about Malfoy really irritates me (even though he's right).
26/10/2010 09:23:09 AM
- 1574 Views
Trelawny, Ogden, Gaunt, Ron, Hermione, Ron and Harry
25/10/2010 10:23:55 PM
- 1591 Views
Plotting and writing.
25/10/2010 05:03:16 PM
- 1654 Views
Amazing amounts of accurate guesswork here, in hindsight.
25/10/2010 05:37:28 PM
- 1691 Views
Re: Amazing amounts of accurate guesswork here, in hindsight.
26/10/2010 09:46:47 AM
- 1589 Views
Anything else? *NM*
25/10/2010 05:03:32 PM
- 722 Views
Dumbledore still sounds like Stephen Fry. And reflections on the nature of Potions class.
25/10/2010 05:11:24 PM
- 1506 Views
It's like baking, I think.
25/10/2010 05:32:42 PM
- 1640 Views
Yes, exactly like baking - and advanced baking involves experimenting, substituting, improvising.
25/10/2010 06:42:42 PM
- 1693 Views
Also, Parseltongue - is Harry that thick, or is it a magic thing?
25/10/2010 05:18:41 PM
- 1622 Views
I think it's a magic thing.
25/10/2010 05:34:09 PM
- 1610 Views
It can be learned actually. Dumbledore implies he knows it and Ron uses it in book 7
25/10/2010 05:55:28 PM
- 1574 Views
Re: It can be learned actually. Dumbledore implies he knows it and Ron uses it in book 7
27/10/2010 04:31:45 PM
- 1605 Views
parseltongue
25/10/2010 10:24:46 PM
- 1725 Views
Interesting how many of our remarks are along similar lines.
*NM*
25/10/2010 10:27:30 PM
- 764 Views

Chapters 13-15: The Secret Riddle, Felix Felicis, The Unbreakable Vow *NM*
27/10/2010 04:16:28 PM
- 891 Views
Characters: The Trio, Ginny, Tom Riddle, Draco,... *NM*
27/10/2010 04:17:12 PM
- 877 Views
Dumbledore, Voldemort, Ron & Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Luna
27/10/2010 10:31:39 PM
- 1593 Views
My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
29/10/2010 01:47:20 PM
- 1567 Views
Re: My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
29/10/2010 09:06:16 PM
- 1562 Views
Re: My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
29/10/2010 11:02:15 PM
- 1619 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
27/10/2010 04:17:26 PM
- 694 Views
plot and writing.
27/10/2010 10:30:14 PM
- 1620 Views
Anything else? *NM*
27/10/2010 04:17:42 PM
- 726 Views
Re: Anything else?
27/10/2010 10:30:55 PM
- 1756 Views
I wonder if that's actually true, though.
28/10/2010 10:39:20 AM
- 1747 Views
Re: I wonder if that's actually true, though.
28/10/2010 10:44:22 AM
- 1611 Views
Crabbe and Goyle show us what happens when you fail (most of? all of?) your OWLs.
29/10/2010 02:10:39 PM
- 1736 Views
Chapters 16-18: A Very Frosty Christmas, A Sluggish Memory, Birthday Surprises *NM*
29/10/2010 05:40:39 PM
- 865 Views
Characters: The Trio, Fleur, Scrimgeour, Percy, Remus, Slughorn,... *NM*
29/10/2010 05:43:02 PM
- 953 Views
Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour
29/10/2010 08:51:58 PM
- 1753 Views
Re: Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour
02/11/2010 06:23:04 PM
- 1642 Views
Anything else? *NM*
29/10/2010 05:44:04 PM
- 761 Views
Chapters 19-21: Elf Tails, Lord Voldemort's Requests, The Unknowable Room *NM*
01/11/2010 02:00:22 PM
- 657 Views
Characters: The Trio, the elves, Draco, Dumbledore,... *NM*
01/11/2010 02:00:56 PM
- 983 Views
the twins, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Voldemort, Draco and Tonks
01/11/2010 02:08:32 PM
- 1484 Views
Anything else? *NM*
01/11/2010 02:01:27 PM
- 782 Views
I want to hear the joke about the hag, the Healer and the Mimbulus mimbletonia. *NM*
01/11/2010 02:10:11 PM
- 1363 Views
Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
03/11/2010 09:52:12 PM
- 1681 Views
Re: Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
03/11/2010 09:54:05 PM
- 1962 Views
Re: Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
08/11/2010 01:54:59 PM
- 1616 Views
Chapters 22-24: After the Burial, Horcruxes, Sectumsempra
03/11/2010 09:50:17 PM
- 1889 Views
Characters. *NM*
03/11/2010 09:50:33 PM
- 905 Views
Malfoy, Ron & Hermione, Slughorn, Voldemort, Snape and Ginny.
04/11/2010 12:12:57 AM
- 1649 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
03/11/2010 09:50:50 PM
- 797 Views
Harry wrong again, house elves, horcruxes, free will, well hidden clues and some irony *DH spoiler*
03/11/2010 10:35:20 PM
- 1613 Views
Re: Stuff.
04/11/2010 04:28:04 AM
- 1667 Views
Re: Stuff. *spoilers for book 7*
04/11/2010 09:10:19 AM
- 1676 Views
This "we'll see in book seven" thing is getting old, but still that's what I have to say here...
04/11/2010 01:23:01 PM
- 1512 Views

Chapters 25-27: The Seer Overheard, The Cave, The Lightning-Struck Tower
05/11/2010 05:37:42 PM
- 1504 Views
Characters: Harry, Trelawney, Dumbledore, Draco, Snape. And maybe some other people. *NM*
05/11/2010 05:38:19 PM
- 770 Views
Romilda, Snape, Trelawny, Draco, Dumbledore, Voldemort, Harry *spoilers book 7*
05/11/2010 07:34:01 PM
- 1606 Views
Anything else? *NM*
05/11/2010 05:39:43 PM
- 805 Views
I like how good magic is not flashy. Also, a Tolkien thing
05/11/2010 07:55:27 PM
- 1593 Views
I didn't take the comparison as far, but the gate thing did remind me of Moria, yes. (DH spoilers)
05/11/2010 10:03:16 PM
- 1823 Views
Chapters 28-30: Flight of the Prince, The Phoenix Lament, The White Tomb. *NM*
09/11/2010 02:13:12 PM
- 906 Views
Characters. *NM*
09/11/2010 02:13:25 PM
- 743 Views
Snape, Lupin, Hermione & Ron, the Order, Mrs Weasley & Fleur, Luna & Neville, Scrimgeour, Ginny *DH*
09/11/2010 02:20:01 PM
- 1526 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
09/11/2010 02:13:40 PM
- 872 Views
Spoilers.
09/11/2010 02:26:38 PM
- 1524 Views
Re: Spoilers.
09/11/2010 04:49:06 PM
- 1578 Views
I'm assuming not even the Ministry knows 100% what she did.
13/11/2010 12:26:14 AM
- 1674 Views
Very true.
15/11/2010 01:48:36 PM
- 1665 Views
Not much, no, but there's one fairly crucial mention.
15/11/2010 04:37:23 PM
- 1635 Views
With my keen attention to detail, I somehow missed that.
Another good catch!
15/11/2010 09:36:37 PM
- 1804 Views

Anything else? *NM*
09/11/2010 02:13:53 PM
- 751 Views
We did the Harry Potter marathon thing on Sunday
09/11/2010 02:28:08 PM
- 1649 Views
This is definitely the most painfully altered of the movies.
09/11/2010 04:34:33 PM
- 1670 Views
Re: This is definitely the most painfully altered of the movies.
09/11/2010 04:36:29 PM
- 1649 Views
I just watched OotP again Saturday night... quite shocking there as well.
15/11/2010 04:45:48 PM
- 1761 Views
Re: I just watched OotP again Saturday night... quite shocking there as well.
15/11/2010 04:50:57 PM
- 1579 Views