These tips are from an elusive "Half-Blood Prince." Inside are additional potions tips and spells which put Harry at the top of the Class. This means, however, that Harry can take the Advanced Potions course, but because he was not expecting it, he has no books and has to borrow one from Slughorn. When they arrive at Hogwarts, Harry is shocked to learn that Slughorn will be teaching Potions, not Defense Against Dark Arts, and (his loathed teacher) Snape will be teaching the Defense Against Dark Arts course.
They follow Draco to a dark shop, Burgin and Burkes where he says something about "keeping that one safe" (important) and asks how to repair something. While the trio visit Diagon Alley to purchase robes and supplies, the meet Draco Malfoy and by an action of his (pulling his arm away), Harry guesses that Draco has been branded a Death Eater (A follower of the bad-guy Lord Voldemort). Harry also learns that Fleur Delacour (from Goblet of Fire) is engaged to Ron's brother, Bill. He doesn't think he can get into Potions because he is one grade short of what Snape, the potions master, accepts. (We assume this is for the vacant Defense Against Dark Arts post).ĭumbledore tells Harry that he will be giving him private lessons of a sort and advises him to tell Ron and Hermione about the prophecy.Īt the Weasleys' Harry tells his friends about the prophecy, and receives his OWLs (a sort of standardized test). First they stop at the hiding place of a friend of Dumbledore's, Horace Slughorn, where Harry almost accidentally convinces Slughorn to come to teach at Hogwarts. Harry is first seen in the third chapter, when Dumbledore comes to Privet Drive to escort Harry to the Weasley's house. We also see Black sisters Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy visit Hogwarts Potions teacher Severus Snape, where Narcissa makes Snape take an unbreakable vow (you die if you break it) that he will help her son, Draco, in a task he is about to go on (it is unclear what Draco is doing). The book opens with the Prime Minister (not specifically Tony Blair) meeting with the sacked Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge and the new Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimgeour and talking about Voldemort. Muggles are beginning to notice signs of the war spilling over from freak accidents and whatnot.
Relationships (if you're into that): Harry Potter ends up dating Ginny Weasley, it appears that Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger get together, Bill Weasley and Fleur are going to get married, and Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks are also together. Hogwarts is probably going to be closed but Harry announces he won't be returning anyway he will attempt to finish the work he a Dumbledore started, destroying Horcruxes so Voldemort can be destroyed. Draco, Snape, and the Death Eaters escape afterwards. Snape turns up after Draco cannot kill Dumbledore and kills Dumbledore. It turns out the Death Eater that overheard the prophecy and told it to Voldemort (leading to Harry's parents' deaths) was Severus Snape. Harry and Dumbledore try to get one, but the aftermath leaves Dumbledore weak and unable to fight off the Death Eaters. There are Seven pieces of his soul (two already destroyed) including the one in Voldemort. Draco was supposed to kill Dumbledore, but finds himself unable to.ĭumbledore and Harry explore Voldemort's past, learning about Horcruxes, which are divisions of Voldemort's soul, making him immortal until they are all destroyed. Draco manages to sneak Death Eaters into Hogwarts using a pair of vanishing cabinets. Harry rightly suspects Draco Malfoy of being a Death Eater. Half-Blood refers to the fact that his father was a muggle (Tobias Snape) but the Prince part refers to his mother's maiden name (Eileen Prince). The Half-Blood Prince turns out to be Severus Snape. The Half Blood Prince is a name found in a used Advanced potions book Harry uses that gives helpful potions tips and spells, one of which is extremely dangerous. The new teacher at Hogwarts, Horace Slughorn, teaches Potions (Snape's old subject). Snape is the new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher.