Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on July 16

It won't just be little kiddies that you'll have to elbow out of the way, Carla. There are a TON of adults at the midnight openings!

Just a thought - what if there is a portrait of Sirius? Couldn't Harry talk to him that way? The portraits in DD's office all seem to be more than just echoes of their former personalities. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

And, if Snape is a bad guy, WHY did he inform the Order of the Phoenix to go to the Ministry to help out Harry & the others?

I've finished HBP.

Loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will agree with other posters that the ending did feel rushed (mabye JK had to go feed Mackenzie, change her diaper, or something), but other than that, I thought it was a WONDERFUL Harry Potter, as usual.

JMHO.

I reread the book looking for clues, and found a few/


Remember the person who really did try to help Draco wasn't Snape.

Polyjuice Potion.

Non-Verbal spells.

In one of the earlier important chapter's the Half Blood Prince refers to himself in the third person.

The wizard had to have the dark mark to get passed the barrier in Hogwarts.

I was avoiding this thread like the plague untill i finished the book. Now that Im finished :

Click to see Spoiler:

It's just speculation, but if you remember in The Order of the Phoenix, while cleaning out #12 Grimmual Place (The Black Residence), they found a locket that belonged to Regulus Black "that no one seemed to be able to open" Could this possible be the real horcruxe, that was seized by Regulus before his death? Perhaps Regulus is still alive? (All of this is asumming that R.A.B and Regulus Black's intials.

Any thoughts?

Bhanson,

your theory certainly makes sense and a lot of us seem to agree. It's not like Rowling to give us enough clues to actually guess something correctly, so we'll see in the final book!

Lotuslander, could you provide us more insights (maybe in a spoiler tag?) I would love to see more about your clues - I confess they are a little over my head as currently posted! I understand the concept of each one, but not how you think some of them may have applied in the book. Thanks :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Miss Understood

I wonder if she won't do a story a long one then a sort of epilogue fast forward to see "where they are now" type thing. That would be nice!

I hated for this book to end.

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Unfourtunately, JK Rowling has said that after Book 7, no more books will be written by her about the wizarding world etc., :crying

I love this book. My favorite is still Goblet of Fire, though. It was an easy-read overall. There is just a lot to keep track. There is excellent foreshadowing.

Much as I loathe Snape ... it did seem as if he were coaching Harry at the end:

Click to see Spoiler:

Reminding him to use nonverbal spells, which brings me to wonder why DD couldn't/didn't use nonverbal on everyone there?!? I know he was weakened, but he's not dead and always before had a trick or two up his sleeve.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lotuslander

I reread the book looking for clues, and found a few/


Remember the person who really did try to help Draco wasn't Snape.

Polyjuice Potion.

Non-Verbal spells.

In one of the earlier important chapter's the Half Blood Prince refers to himself in the third person.

The wizard had to have the dark mark to get passed the barrier in Hogwarts.

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With all the fuss at the beginning of the book about

Click to see Spoiler:

How to make sure a Death Eater is not impersonating someone by using Polyjuice potion, I wondered whether someone was impersonating Snape when Dumbledore was killed

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mom2

Much as I loathe Snape ... it did seem as if he were coaching Harry at the end:

Click to see Spoiler:

Reminding him to use nonverbal spells, which brings me to wonder why DD couldn't/didn't use nonverbal on everyone there?!? I know he was weakened, but he's not dead and always before had a trick or two up his sleeve.

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Click to see Spoiler:

He couldn't use non verbal spells because he didn't have a wand. In the few seconds it took for him to petrify Harry DD lost his chance to defend himself against Malfoy, and so Malfoy disarmed him. I guess since he was in a weakened state DD was not capable of performing magic without his wand.

I agree with you, though. Snape really did seemed to be coaching Harry at the end of the chapter. "Blocked again and again and again until you learnt to keep your mind and mouth shut, Potter!" It seemed like a warning to me...I wouldn't be surprised if this advice doesn't become integral in the final battle.