Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - Post Release Discussion [Part Two]

[Nick Danger]

I finally read the book. I don't know why so many people thought it was boring. I thought it was great.

I'm surprised that no one in this thread has mentioned the luck potion. The first time the potion was used, Harry got Slugworth's memory, but also Ginny broke up with Dean, Lavender broke up with Ron, and Katie got cured at St. Mungos. As a result, Dean left the quiddich team, Katie rejoined, and Gryffindor won the cup. Harry got Ginny, Ron and Hermione got together, and related the social entanglements were undone. Everybody in Harry's inner circle is acting as a team again.

This is kickass stuff.

The second time the potion was used, four members of 'Dumbledore's Army' took it. There was sufficient delay for Snape to reach Dumbledore and kill him before any Death Eaters arrived, although the whole operation was specifically designed to get Dumbledore. There has got to be a relationship when four people dedicated to destroying Voldemort take a luck potion and Dumbledore gets killed.

Also the way was cleared for Fleur to marry Ron's brother.

Both of us agree that Dumbledore was dying anyway, and that Snape (as his physician) knew it. Throughout the book Dumbledore is frail, his arm is withered, and now he's just drunk a dozen cups of poison.


Anyway, Dumbledore had to die. No one can be a hero when his mentor is still offstage, always ready to save the day.

Edited to remove theory that isn't supported by book.

[namrfumot]

Thats a vaild point Nick....The fact that the potion was used and still the Death Eater's won makes it look like that was how Dumbledore wanted it

[Ephemeral_Life]

I don't remember the details of book 2, but I can't help but wonder why they didn't do a bit of time traveling to avert Dumbledore's death...

[boogieman03]

I don't remember the details of book 2, but I can't help but wonder why they didn't do a bit of time traveling to avert Dumbledore's death...

All the Time Turners were destroyed in The Order of the Phoenix.

[Ephemeral_Life]

All the Time Turners were destroyed in The Order of the Phoenix.

That would make sense... Thanks for clarifying that for me.

[Nick Danger]

Time turners:

I think Rowling realized that giving her characters the ability to go back in time to undo adverse events sapped the story of any drama. Think of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, where they escaped capture by later coming back in time and dropping a wastebasket over the cop's head.

I made a mistake in my post above. Snape arrived after the Death Eaters arrived, but just when the Death Eater said to Malfoy, "Stand aside, boy. I'm going to kill Dumbledore right n. . ." What a coincidence!