The Other Minister: I love, love, love this chapter. I think it is a clever way to present the recap and I love viewing all this from the view of the Prime Minister. The recounting of Fudge's first visit when he gave away the gerbil to try to forget about it makes me laugh every time. I love the Prime Minister's responses to everything. And Fudge is more likable here than in any other book in the series, IMHO. We're introduced to Scrimgeour, who apart from being quite brusque I like very much at this point, although this won't last. I love Fudge's line as he leaves that the other side can do magic too.
Yes, I noticed that too. One can see why Fudge did okay as a Minister until the chips started falling - he has this somewhat condescending but quite amiable way with people, very Minister-y.
Yes. I almost forget reading this passage what a terrible person Fudge became in the last book. Almost.
It's a bit of a shame there's no follow-up to this that I can remember, though, the Muggles are ignored again from here on out...
Muggles are referred to, but not talked to again. You're right, it's kind of a shame but considering everything that is in the next book I can see why there is no time for it. I think Rowling does a good job reminding us in places though.
Spinner's End: I finally start to respect Narcissa here a little. I don't really understand her, whether she is a supporter of Voldemort's of her own volition or if she is simply following Lucius in the beginning until Voldemort goes after Draco, but she has gone all mamma bear now and I like that. I have no idea why Snape lives in his parent's old house considering how miserable he was there, but I love Snape in this chapter. I love how he is so kindly to Narcissa but lays into Bellatrix when she continues to interrupt the conversation. Part of me wishes I felt sorry for Wormtail, but I can't say that I do. I do feel sorry for the fox though, which is really kind of messed up when I think about it.
I think she and Lucius are actually pretty much on the same page - they are very alike in many ways, down to the hair colour. They were both brought up in Dark pureblood families, with the notion that they were better than most everyone else, and so they chose Voldemort's side, but never with the fanaticism or fervour that some of the others had. At the end of the day they're opportunists, moving with the flow. And because they care more about each other and about Draco than about their ideology, they end up on the good side in the end, more or less.
Kind of by default, you're right.
Bellatrix of course is the other extreme, she obviously has some affection for her sister, but other than that she's pretty much a psychopath, as is clear from her statements about sacrificing any sons she might have to Voldemort. Though of course Azkaban might have had a lot to do with that. I felt sorry for the fox, too, but it fits Bellatrix well: the paranoid and trigger-happy mentality, and her total lack of uneasiness about the AK.
Will and Won't: One of my favorite chapters of the series. Dumbledore messing with the Dursley's is awesome. I think now that he knows his days are numbered he feels a certain amount of freedom about calling things like he sees them. One of the defining aspects of Dumbledore's character is his focus on being polite at all times, while here he is still polite he is "instructing" them throughout this chapter and I think it's brilliant. I won't quote all the lines here, but his exchanges are full of wonderful one liners. I love the glasses bouncing off the Dursley's heads (and a subtle introduction to the fact that Dumbledore likes that mead for later in the book). And then he gets so serious. It really has a lot more gravity because we've been laughing our way through the situation until now. He really lets them have it with both barrels while remaining calm. No one has really called them out yet and it is beautiful. This is a defining Dumbledore chapter, and you really walk away with the impression of his power and the fact that he just gets things.
Yeah, the closing line especially was brilliant, as Camilla said. Good catch about the mead. As for the Dursleys sermon, yes, but I still have a somewhat uneasy feeling about the whole thing because of what I noted in the previous book - that their initial treatment of him was so over the top that it worked in a children's book, but feels off when the series grows to more adult levels. The Dursleys are made a bit more human in these later books, you sometimes feel sorry for them or see where they're coming from, but then there's that cupboard under the stairs thing that keeps making that difficult. I don't know, it bothers me.
With regard to your closing sentence, I find it interesting that you make that observation - which I don't disagree with - right after we'd agreed at the end of book five that Dumbledore's infallibility had ended for good with Sirius' death and his failure to keep Voldemort from possessing Harry. That was the end of Dumbledore the demi-god, this is the beginning of Dumbledore the kick-ass but quite human hero. If that makes any sense.
It makes a lot of sense, and I agree. He has lost his air of infallibility, but he is still without a doubt one of the wisest and most intelligent people in that world. And he knows it but isn't arrogant about it. He also knows and has been very painfully reminded that the fact that he is so brilliant means he is susceptible to much larger mistakes. He referred to this at the end of the last book and is very up front about it in this book. I think Dumbledore had to be humbled a bit so we would believe the end of this book. And frankly, the more human he is the more I respect what he has accomplished. I like the human Dumbledore a lot more.
The Great Harry Potter Re-read: Book Six, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
18/10/2010 06:12:40 PM
- 2750 Views
General comments on the book.
18/10/2010 06:14:10 PM
- 1598 Views
Suggestions.
18/10/2010 06:18:46 PM
- 1645 Views
*cough*
09/11/2010 09:24:21 AM
- 1521 Views
Chapters 1-3: The Other Minister, Spinner's End, Will and Won't.
18/10/2010 06:21:55 PM
- 1862 Views
Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
18/10/2010 06:25:12 PM
- 1871 Views
Re: Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
18/10/2010 06:55:06 PM
- 1864 Views
Re: Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
19/10/2010 01:07:59 AM
- 1879 Views
(minor book seven spoilers)
19/10/2010 11:27:53 AM
- 1826 Views
Re: (minor book seven spoilers)
19/10/2010 05:26:50 PM
- 1597 Views
*spoilers for book 7* an assortment of characters
19/10/2010 01:01:35 AM
- 1819 Views
Plotting and writing.
18/10/2010 06:27:40 PM
- 1367 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
- 1633 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
- 1598 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
- 1694 Views
Anything else? *NM*
18/10/2010 06:28:16 PM
- 796 Views
Dumbledore-centered.
19/10/2010 01:03:05 AM
- 1738 Views
Chapters 4-6: Horace Slughorn, An Excess of Phlegm, Draco's Detour. *NM*
20/10/2010 03:44:39 PM
- 950 Views
Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
20/10/2010 03:46:47 PM
- 1782 Views
Re: Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
20/10/2010 05:27:26 PM
- 1792 Views
(Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur...
20/10/2010 09:25:20 PM
- 1821 Views
Re: (Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur...
20/10/2010 09:46:08 PM
- 1735 Views
Re: Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
20/10/2010 10:15:58 PM
- 1756 Views
Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
20/10/2010 09:23:04 PM
- 1646 Views
Re: Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
20/10/2010 09:56:28 PM
- 1621 Views
Re: Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
20/10/2010 10:17:23 PM
- 1800 Views
Anything else? *NM*
20/10/2010 03:48:07 PM
- 789 Views
So. Inferi are zombies aren't they? I just realised. Ick. Do they eat brains? *NM*
20/10/2010 09:24:03 PM
- 854 Views
I was kind of disappointed that Harry didn't remark on that fact.
*NM*
22/10/2010 07:24:11 PM
- 902 Views

Chapters 7-9: Slug Club, Snape Victorious, The Half-Blood Prince *NM*
22/10/2010 07:23:03 PM
- 941 Views
Characters *NM*
22/10/2010 07:23:24 PM
- 897 Views
Harry, Romilda, Malfoy (in luuuve), Snape, Lavender Brown, McGonagall, Hermione and Slughorn.
22/10/2010 07:26:19 PM
- 1778 Views
Love is in the air, evidently.
22/10/2010 07:54:35 PM
- 1718 Views
Slytherin had been in need of new blood for a long time. (And assorted other comments.)
22/10/2010 10:34:49 PM
- 1731 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
- 1450 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
22/10/2010 07:23:37 PM
- 889 Views
Dumbledore, patronuses and the DADA job.
22/10/2010 07:27:23 PM
- 1661 Views
Anything else? *NM*
22/10/2010 07:23:50 PM
- 905 Views
I believe in Wrackspurts, too. And some questions.
22/10/2010 07:28:04 PM
- 1532 Views
I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
22/10/2010 09:58:27 PM
- 1624 Views
Re: I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
23/10/2010 05:34:25 PM
- 1629 Views
Re: I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
25/10/2010 10:35:43 AM
- 1671 Views
Chapters 10-12: The House of Gaunt, Hermione's Helping Hand, Silver and Opals. *NM*
25/10/2010 05:00:02 PM
- 940 Views
Characters: The Gaunts, the Trio, Hagrid, and many more. *NM*
25/10/2010 05:02:07 PM
- 909 Views
Harry's continued insistence about Malfoy really irritates me (even though he's right).
25/10/2010 06:15:23 PM
- 1810 Views
*lol*
25/10/2010 06:39:19 PM
- 1666 Views
Re: Harry's continued insistence about Malfoy really irritates me (even though he's right).
26/10/2010 09:23:09 AM
- 1583 Views
Trelawny, Ogden, Gaunt, Ron, Hermione, Ron and Harry
25/10/2010 10:23:55 PM
- 1600 Views
Plotting and writing.
25/10/2010 05:03:16 PM
- 1664 Views
Amazing amounts of accurate guesswork here, in hindsight.
25/10/2010 05:37:28 PM
- 1702 Views
Re: Amazing amounts of accurate guesswork here, in hindsight.
26/10/2010 09:46:47 AM
- 1601 Views
Anything else? *NM*
25/10/2010 05:03:32 PM
- 731 Views
Dumbledore still sounds like Stephen Fry. And reflections on the nature of Potions class.
25/10/2010 05:11:24 PM
- 1520 Views
It's like baking, I think.
25/10/2010 05:32:42 PM
- 1649 Views
Yes, exactly like baking - and advanced baking involves experimenting, substituting, improvising.
25/10/2010 06:42:42 PM
- 1719 Views
Also, Parseltongue - is Harry that thick, or is it a magic thing?
25/10/2010 05:18:41 PM
- 1633 Views
I think it's a magic thing.
25/10/2010 05:34:09 PM
- 1622 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
- 1586 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
- 1616 Views
parseltongue
25/10/2010 10:24:46 PM
- 1733 Views
Interesting how many of our remarks are along similar lines.
*NM*
25/10/2010 10:27:30 PM
- 773 Views

Chapters 13-15: The Secret Riddle, Felix Felicis, The Unbreakable Vow *NM*
27/10/2010 04:16:28 PM
- 901 Views
Characters: The Trio, Ginny, Tom Riddle, Draco,... *NM*
27/10/2010 04:17:12 PM
- 884 Views
Dumbledore, Voldemort, Ron & Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Luna
27/10/2010 10:31:39 PM
- 1603 Views
My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
29/10/2010 01:47:20 PM
- 1580 Views
Re: My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
29/10/2010 09:06:16 PM
- 1572 Views
Re: My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
29/10/2010 11:02:15 PM
- 1630 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
27/10/2010 04:17:26 PM
- 702 Views
plot and writing.
27/10/2010 10:30:14 PM
- 1632 Views
Anything else? *NM*
27/10/2010 04:17:42 PM
- 732 Views
Re: Anything else?
27/10/2010 10:30:55 PM
- 1779 Views
I wonder if that's actually true, though.
28/10/2010 10:39:20 AM
- 1759 Views
Re: I wonder if that's actually true, though.
28/10/2010 10:44:22 AM
- 1621 Views
Crabbe and Goyle show us what happens when you fail (most of? all of?) your OWLs.
29/10/2010 02:10:39 PM
- 1748 Views
Chapters 16-18: A Very Frosty Christmas, A Sluggish Memory, Birthday Surprises *NM*
29/10/2010 05:40:39 PM
- 872 Views
Characters: The Trio, Fleur, Scrimgeour, Percy, Remus, Slughorn,... *NM*
29/10/2010 05:43:02 PM
- 960 Views
Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour
29/10/2010 08:51:58 PM
- 1764 Views
Re: Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour
02/11/2010 06:23:04 PM
- 1653 Views
Anything else? *NM*
29/10/2010 05:44:04 PM
- 768 Views
Chapters 19-21: Elf Tails, Lord Voldemort's Requests, The Unknowable Room *NM*
01/11/2010 02:00:22 PM
- 667 Views
Characters: The Trio, the elves, Draco, Dumbledore,... *NM*
01/11/2010 02:00:56 PM
- 990 Views
the twins, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Voldemort, Draco and Tonks
01/11/2010 02:08:32 PM
- 1497 Views
Anything else? *NM*
01/11/2010 02:01:27 PM
- 791 Views
I want to hear the joke about the hag, the Healer and the Mimbulus mimbletonia. *NM*
01/11/2010 02:10:11 PM
- 1373 Views
Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
03/11/2010 09:52:12 PM
- 1694 Views
Re: Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
03/11/2010 09:54:05 PM
- 1971 Views
Re: Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
08/11/2010 01:54:59 PM
- 1631 Views
Chapters 22-24: After the Burial, Horcruxes, Sectumsempra
03/11/2010 09:50:17 PM
- 1898 Views
Characters. *NM*
03/11/2010 09:50:33 PM
- 912 Views
Malfoy, Ron & Hermione, Slughorn, Voldemort, Snape and Ginny.
04/11/2010 12:12:57 AM
- 1658 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
03/11/2010 09:50:50 PM
- 805 Views
Harry wrong again, house elves, horcruxes, free will, well hidden clues and some irony *DH spoiler*
03/11/2010 10:35:20 PM
- 1622 Views
Re: Stuff.
04/11/2010 04:28:04 AM
- 1677 Views
Re: Stuff. *spoilers for book 7*
04/11/2010 09:10:19 AM
- 1693 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
- 1528 Views

Chapters 25-27: The Seer Overheard, The Cave, The Lightning-Struck Tower
05/11/2010 05:37:42 PM
- 1519 Views
Characters: Harry, Trelawney, Dumbledore, Draco, Snape. And maybe some other people. *NM*
05/11/2010 05:38:19 PM
- 778 Views
Romilda, Snape, Trelawny, Draco, Dumbledore, Voldemort, Harry *spoilers book 7*
05/11/2010 07:34:01 PM
- 1618 Views
Anything else? *NM*
05/11/2010 05:39:43 PM
- 812 Views
I like how good magic is not flashy. Also, a Tolkien thing
05/11/2010 07:55:27 PM
- 1605 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
- 1848 Views
Chapters 28-30: Flight of the Prince, The Phoenix Lament, The White Tomb. *NM*
09/11/2010 02:13:12 PM
- 912 Views
Characters. *NM*
09/11/2010 02:13:25 PM
- 749 Views
Snape, Lupin, Hermione & Ron, the Order, Mrs Weasley & Fleur, Luna & Neville, Scrimgeour, Ginny *DH*
09/11/2010 02:20:01 PM
- 1534 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
09/11/2010 02:13:40 PM
- 879 Views
Spoilers.
09/11/2010 02:26:38 PM
- 1534 Views
Re: Spoilers.
09/11/2010 04:49:06 PM
- 1591 Views
I'm assuming not even the Ministry knows 100% what she did.
13/11/2010 12:26:14 AM
- 1685 Views
Very true.
15/11/2010 01:48:36 PM
- 1680 Views
Not much, no, but there's one fairly crucial mention.
15/11/2010 04:37:23 PM
- 1646 Views
With my keen attention to detail, I somehow missed that.
Another good catch!
15/11/2010 09:36:37 PM
- 1822 Views

Anything else? *NM*
09/11/2010 02:13:53 PM
- 758 Views
We did the Harry Potter marathon thing on Sunday
09/11/2010 02:28:08 PM
- 1657 Views
This is definitely the most painfully altered of the movies.
09/11/2010 04:34:33 PM
- 1683 Views
Re: This is definitely the most painfully altered of the movies.
09/11/2010 04:36:29 PM
- 1660 Views
I just watched OotP again Saturday night... quite shocking there as well.
15/11/2010 04:45:48 PM
- 1769 Views
Re: I just watched OotP again Saturday night... quite shocking there as well.
15/11/2010 04:50:57 PM
- 1587 Views