HBP - Chapter 9 The Half Blood Prince

[cheeringcharm]

Chapter 9 - The Half Blood Prince or Harry's first day of classes, year six

There's no need to call me 'sir,' Professor." Ah, probably the best line of the series - definitely the highlight of this chapter. We are greeted with the requisite trip to the Great Hall for breakfast, Ron's bad table manners and McGonagall inexplicably setting schedules

Comments

[evergleam83]

So, I don't often picture the movie kids as the book kids when I'm reading, but I cannot wait to hear Dan Radcliffe deliver that line to Alan Rickman. Seriously. *g*

[madderbrad]

Felix Felicis. Ugh. Otherwise known as the deus ex machina potion. I hated its inclusion in HBP. If it's that efficacious then why don't Aurors, DEs, shucks everyone, carry around a vial to use in battles/emergencies? Plus other objections to its use in the story.

[cadesama]

Well, it does take six months to brew, and is probably extremely expensive to buy. And while Crouch Jr. used Polyjuice, it's one month brewing time is apparently enough to keep Polyjuice out of common use. If the Ministry has a modicum of sense (although it's canon that they don't), it ought to be regulated. So, I can see why it's not the biggest weapon either side is using.

And, well, I don't mind because the inclusion makes me think that JKR is a Red Dwarf fan.

[madderbrad]

I keep on forgetting about the Red Dwarf 'luck virus'. The thing is, though, that the concept worked on Red Dwarf, which played it for *laughs*. This is Harry Potter, it's supposed to be *serious*! And I just can't take the parts of HBP that relied on this 'luck potion' seriously.

Even if it takes six months to brew ... and you can only take it very infrequently ... it would still be an armament that we should have seen it before, if JKR hadn't whipped it up out of the blue.

[cadesama]

Harry Potter drunk stoned on Felix Felicis wasn't supposed to be funny? I mean, I know that useful information came of it, but I thought the whole thing was hilarious. And since we're never going to see the boy actually drunk, I take my funny where I can.

As to whether we should have seen it before . . . depends on the difficulty of making it, but yeah, we probably should have. Why introduce Polyjuice for no good plot reason in CoS (seriously, they could have more easily discovered whether Draco was the Heir by staking him out in the Cloak) and not introduce Felix Felicis? Dunno. I think she meant it as a one off plot device, which sucks, but I do think she built in decently plausible reasons why it isn't commonly used. Which I honestly find less irrriating than the supposedly rare things (Polyjuice, Animagi, Invisibility Cloaks, Occlumens) popping up everywhere like they're nothing special.

[jabbamacmilly]

This is where we see the most of poor Neville, after this I belive there is one more mention, just to remind us that he didn't stay on the train and go home. *cries* I was soo disappointed that there wasn't a more prominate role created for him in this book. Oh Neville where art thou??

Was anyone else wondering why Hermione didn't squack at Ron for taking the Frisbee from her?? *bites lip and looks around* Oh just me then??

It buggs me that Dumbledore used students to pass notes. It bothered me to no end throughout the entire book. It just doesn't suit Dumbledore to do things that way.

Found the way Hermione's reaction to Harry's discription of her to Slughorn to be cute and Ron's reaction to be even cuter.

'Amortentia doesn't really create love, of course. It is impossible to manufacture or imitate love. No, this will simply cause a powerful infatuation or obsession. It is probably the most dangerous and powerful potion in this room - oh yes,' he said, nodding gravely at Malfoy and Nott, both of whom were smirking

[house_elf_44]

Was anyone else wondering why Hermione didn't squack at Ron for taking the Frisbee from her?? *bites lip and looks around* Oh just me then??

I'm with you on that. Actually, Hermione's "remonstration" was drowned by Lavender's giggle, so she was going to squack at this. On the other hand, Ron made a first year so alarmed he toppled out of the portrait hole, and then Ron sniggered about it. I expected her to scold him for that, and this is another reason why I don't understand that Hermione would like Ron. I know I'm supposed to see it - I just can't. I suppose I'll need to hear it from Hermione herself.

[woman_ironing]

...I don't understand that Hermione would like Ron. I know I'm supposed to see it - I just can't.

I agree. But, honestly, is any of the possible pairings more credible than any other? Before HBP I liked to believe that JKR was just teasing and keeping her options open, but...

I still hope.

In my darkest moments I try to remember the time (pre discovery of HP fandom) when who gets off with whom seemed to be a very minor element indeed in the story. In those days I thought Harry would end up either with Ginny because of the running-after-the-train thing in Book One, or with Hermione because they liked each other and because, really, she was the only girl in the books, and I didn't much mind which.

Confunded Character Writing

[euterpe5]

Hmm, seems to me Ginny was commenting on the "extra" stuff written in the book.....

And
That's how I see it, actually. I just think that it's stupid to get upset over scribbled words, since publishing doesn't magically make what's written in a book safer or more valid.

Agreed. Which makes Ginny look like an airhead when you really stop to think about it since her venture into stupidity was to mess around with a book that could think for itself, not a used book that had someone else’s notes written in it. Duh. It’s not like the book is whispering things to Harry.

This whole character snit about a used book having someone else’s notes in it is not at all clever and it falls flat when you recall that Hermione herself wrote her own note on a page from a book in CoS.

And no, I don’t buy this all of a sudden stick-only-to-the-books Hermione, although JKR wants me to, since Hermione has been shown in five consecutive books to have the ability to not only remember large quantities of printed material, but to apply that knowledge to

Re: Confunded Character Writing

[annearchy]

We discussed yesterday about Rowling seeming to be rather tired of her world as if she is just going through the mechanics of somewhat familiar plotting elements without any enthusiasm although I must give her proper ‘snaps’ for the “you don’t have to call me sir, professor” line which was priceless.

My daughter just turned 9. She has listened to me read books 1-5 to her twice. She is having a terrible time listening to HBP. Several times she has said, "This is boring." Once she said, "I think JK Rowling is getting tired of writing Harry Potter."

out of the mouths of babes?? Who knows.

Re: Confunded Character Writing

[euterpe5]

My daughter just turned 9. She has listened to me read books 1-5 to her twice. She is having a terrible time listening to HBP. Several times she has said, "This is boring." Once she said, "I think JK Rowling is getting tired of writing Harry Potter."

These were almost my exact words after I'd finished the book after I said that the subplot read like bad, bad fanfiction. LOL

Nia

Re: Confunded Character Writing

[house_elf_44]

I agree with everything you said about Hermione. She had been adventurous, curious, and resourceful, and it made no sense that she didn't want to check out Harry's book. She would have been doing side-by-side comparisons in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom

[house_elf_44]

Again in this chapter, I see why Harry and Hermione would be great together. Even when they argue over the Potions book, it resolves instead of continuous bickering. I love that Harry noticed Hermione was first to do a NV spell, and thought she deserved a reward. They admire each other, and I know that's platonic love, and the element of attraction is what would make the difference, and it's not there so far. I can still hope for 7th year, like Lily and James

[cadesama]

Even when they argue over the Potions book, it resolves instead of continuous bickering.

I don't think it really resolves, so much as goes under ground. Hermione is still on Harry's case about how he shouldn't be using the book up until he uses Sectumsempra -- trying to use that incident to prove her point.

When he felt pleased with himself over Lavender's reaction, he didn't look at Hermione to see her reaction to any of it. If he liked her, or hoped she'd be jealous, I think he would have.

I honestly think that the Lavender thing was Ron attempting to move on from Hermione. Ron's been jealous about Vikor and effectively been rebuffed and taunted for it. He gave her perfume, probably as a demonstration of his interest. No response. Moving on seems far more healthy than hanging on, trying to get the one he likes jealous because he's too much of a wimp to step up and confess his feelings.

I didn't realize it was this soon that Slughorn credits the HBP's knowledge to Lily. I think they were partners in Potions class.Agreed

[house_elf_44]

Except when he admonishes Harry for feelings sympathy for Riddle.

LOL - I took it that he was pleased. I'll have to look again.

[house_elf_44]

Except when he admonishes Harry for feelings sympathy for Riddle.Found it on pg 262 US