HBP: Chapter Twenty

[amanuensis1]

Warning: Do not post any comments here if you have read beyond chapter 20 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

This is the discussion post for Chapter 20 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (and for all chapters prior to chapter 20). SPOILERS are expected to be contained in these comments for all of these chapters--though not for

Comments

[fitchersvogel]

"Objects steeped in Hogwart's history" - that made me think about the Horcruxes again. What if they have something to do with time? The first part of the word - could it be connected to the latin "Hora"?
Was Tom trying to collect one bit of each founder to do some magic connected with his immortality?

And, on an unrelated note, is everybody already finished with the book? I hope I'm not alone here ;)!

[violet_musings]

I'm not finished either. I've never taken so long to read a book in my life--usually I zip through at top speed, intent on getting to the end. But this time I am finding that I like savoring it, reading a few chapters and then pausing to let all of the information kindof seep into my mind before I move on. It helps that Jo's built such an intricate mystery within the story.

[solar_type_star]

Oh people, I feel less alone now, I thought I was the only one not to have finished. I'm doing the same thing as you. Do you think we are going to be given all the clues so that if we are smart and attentive enough, we can solve the mystery? I've got the feeling someone is lying big time, or taking Polyjuice, or being under Imperius, or all things at once. Wild theories are forming in my head...

[whitealchemist]

OH, thank you thank you! I'm doing this at exactly the pace of comment too, definitely not done yet... i ripped through OotP like a fiend, regretted it after, so i'm going very deliberately slowly this time... it's kinda painful yet strangely rewarding.

[violet_musings]

Trolls in tutus--that's the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy! She's standing outside the Room of Requirement!

Brass scales... The only place we've seen them used is in potions. I wonder if someone's brewing a potion in the RoR?

Okay, why does Dumbledore keep sending the messages to Harry through people, instead of using owls?

Ron/Luna. It could happen.

Dumbledore is not as forgiving or as kindly as he usually seems... He's a lot tougher now. He's almost mean, at times. And we haven't seen his eyes twinkle merrily even ONCE, have we.

Wow. The similarity between Harry & Tom Riddle, in their feelings about Hogwarts...

DOUBLE TROUBLE. Helga's cup, Slytherin's locket.

Harry has a good mind for politics.

Now that was an interesting tidbit about the DADA post...

[solar_type_star]

Okay, why does Dumbledore keep sending the messages to Harry through people, instead of using owls?
He never uses the same person, neither.

Dumbledore is not as forgiving or as kindly as he usually seems...
Yes! You'd think he'd be more comprehensive, what with Harry being on his sixth year, and Quiddich Captain, and having to take Apparition classes. everything, Dumbeldore included, is pushing Harry hard in the direction of Slughorn, so I've got the feeling that he could be another Triwizard Cup, another trap.

Now that was an interesting tidbit about the DADA post...
I think that's been written to make us believe that Snape is going to die. There's been another couple of details here and there, and the more they show up, the less I believe them. *crosses fingers*

[twigged]

Could Zacharias be the Heir of Hufflepuff?! Hahahaha.

[whitealchemist]

Oh, and how, Zacharias is totally related to this disgusting mess of an old lady, lol... but even if he knew, who the hell would admit to being Heir of Hufflepuff? *snicker*

[twigged]

Oh Zacharias would love to make it all about him. :D I normally hate the whole "heir of" thing, but that could be fairly amusing.

[umidori]

Hey, don't look down on Hufflepuff - Helga was a great witch, you know! :)
But it would be quite amusing indeed if he turned out to be her Heir. ^^

[gothikmaus]

I have a very bad feeling about Snape, what with all these little remarks about dying? If you break the Unbreakable Vow, you die. No DADA teacher lasted longer than a year since Voldemort's visit to Dumbledore. Dear JK, are you trying to tell us something?

Gah, I'm at work and can't finish the book before tonight, I'm so on tenterhooks...

[solar_type_star]

That'd be too obvious, wouldn't it? By the end of the book, we'd be expecting him to die, and Rowling always manages to surprise us at the end. Maybe we're supposed to believe that he's going to die but then, the first time he's in mortal peril, he survives, and we think "oh, he's not the one who's going to die". Then he faces another new danger and dies unexpectedly. Contrived, I know. :)

[laura_the_auror]

I think Sevvie-poo will become Headmaster next year. And give Harry lotsa cosy private lessons.

[sabinareborn]

haha, that is so slashy!