Chapter 29: The Phoenix Lament

Surprisingly, I'm more upset about the idea that Fawkes would leave Hogwarts than Dumbledore's passing.  I was going to write that I still don't like R/T, but that doesn't seem to matter of Fawkes is leaving.

 

What if they close Hogwarts...might that be why the age of majority needs to be 17?  So Harry can live alone after Hogwarts closes?

Chapter 28: The Flight of the Prince

I called it.  I called lots of other things too, but I called it.

 

I can't for the life of me figure out who R.A.B. is though.  Unless it's Regulus Black?  Or one of the two guys who own the dark objects store?  (Borgin and Birks?)

Chapter 27: The Lightning-Struck Tower

It happened.  Full exposition.  In my desire not to see it happen, I didn't quite put the pieces together properly.  Must keep reading.

 

Snape for HBP, unless it's Eileen.

Chapter 26: The Cave

Can't stop, mid-action, Inferi showed up, expecting the worse, what was that liquid, what was up with the water, how will we find out how it all happened??????

Chapter 25: The Seer Overheard

We're in mid-action now so I don't have much to say.  I think it's going to happen though.  And I'd think Harry was mistaken about Malfoy if it weren't for Chapter 2, although we still don't know Malfoy's mission.

Addendum

I propose that Hephzibah (sp?) Smith, from whom Voldie steals the Hufflepuff and Slytherin objects, is related to Zacharias Smith.

Chapter 24: Sectumsempra

Damn.  SQ must be happy, but Harry/anyone just doesn't do it for me.  JKR handles it well - Harry isn't over-aware of his own feelings and we don't see a lot of snogging, but meh. 

 

So we know that the HBP knows some terrible evil dark spells, which, once again, points me to Voldie.  UNLESS UNLESS UNLESS the book contains another Horcrux.  Harry is being stupid again by not turning in this book!

 

We don't know what Draco's doing, we know he'll fail at it.  I hope this means that either Draco or Snape will die.  I have this terrible mental image of Harry and Dumbledore going out Horcrux hunting and only Harry coming back because he took some Felix Felicis.

 

Unless Draco's mission is to find the HBP's book, and now Harry has put it right into his hands by leaving it in the Room of Requirement.

Chapter 23: Horcruxes

Answers.  So so many answers.  The little thing the Chamber of Secrets.  The glimmer of triumph.  "In essence divide."  Harry leaves this chapter prepared to kill.

 

And there are still over 100 pages left.

 

I'm scared for Dumbledore.  Harry isn't usually this informed when there's 100 pages left, and the Big Battle always takes place in the last 100 pages.

 

Also, because I forgot to blog it when I read it, "Sectumsempra".  The curse indicated in the Half-Blood Prince's book as "for enemies"  (the more I read this, the more the back of my mind keeps thinking the HBP is Voldemort).  We don't know what it does, unless Harry's Latin is better than mine.  When I read that, I felt ominous.  I think Harry is going to try the spell and hurt someone unintentionally.  it is the title of the next chapter, so let's see.

Chapter 22: After the Burial

The burial is Aragog's burial.  I had to skim a couple of pages, but I think this chapter is arachnophobic safe.  Just start skimming if you get uncomfortable - it's not too graphic.  Thank you JKR!

 

So I'm glad Harry put the Felix Felicis to good use, I still feel sorry for Lavender, and now that Harry has the memory I want to get back to reading so I can find out about it!

Chapter 21: The Unknowable Room

Theories: 

 

1.  Yes, hints of R/T again

2.  Perhaps Tonks is Imperiused or otherwise under the influence of something

3.  Perhaps Tonks is under the influence of her aunts

4.  Perhaps the Trio are wrong about their Draco/Crabbe&Goyle/Polyjuice/Room of Requirement theory

5.  Perhaps Dumbledore was bitten by a werewolf, and that's what's wrong with his hand

 

Questions:

 

Is the fact that Harry  has not yet been trained in legilimency/occlumency important?  Perhaps he'll ask for occlumency lessons from Slughorn then "accidentally" invade his memory like he did Snape?

Chapter 20: Lord Voldemort's Request

This is so interesting!  So it's quite possible that Voldie cursed the DADA position!  Which means Snape might die because of the Unbreakable Vow!  And Voldie wanted to teach!  Why?  Because of something that is at Hogwarts?  Horcruxes?  So how is Harry going to get this information out of Slughorn, and why does it have to be Harry to do it? 

Chapter 19: Elf tails

Don't worry, Ron's not dead, just temporarily poisoned. 

 

I now think that Malfoy's mission is to take out Slughorn.  Except that wouldn't explain the two girls UNLESS he was trying to get them to poison Harry through Imperius!

 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that Kreacher is there for a reason!  I thought there might be a purpose, but forgot to blog that.  EXCELLENT JKR!  And very resourceful use of house-elves Harry!

 

I feel sorry for Lavender Brown though.  Poor girl, she doesn't deserve to be used like that :(  I do enjoy that the adolescent attempts at romance are awkward because that is so realistic, but they do have feelings too :(

 

We're more than 2/3 of the way through, and Katie Bell is still out.  Perhaps she is the death?  Actually, there could be plural deaths, now that I think about it.  We've already had several peripheral deaths (all women, did you notice?)  I was just basing my assumption that there is A Big Death on Jim Dale's statement "I know who dies."  But "who" can quite easily be plural!  And Mrs. Weasley's joy at the fact that Harry has saved three Weasleys lives is rather ominous, especially considering the way the Burrow was described just as he Flooed away from it...almost as if it would be the last time he saw it...

Chapter 18: Birthday surprises

Rapid-fire theorizing because I HAVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!

1.  OMG, Ron is dead! (maybe?  We don't know yet, but that was my first thought)

2.  Slughorn tried to poison Ron

3.  Slughorn tried to poison Harry and Ron got it instead

4.  Someone is tricking and/or Imperiusing Romilda Vance into poisoning Harry, and Ron got it by accident

5.  Someone gave Romilda love potion that is really poison

6.  Romila Vane is evil

7.  Slughorn has fake Beozars

 

Back to reading!

 

PS:  What if the Half-Blood Prince is Lily?

Chapter 17: A Sluggish Memory

Another Pensieve chapter with lots of good answers!  And a wee mission for Harry!  YAY!  I do find myself wondering if Dumbledore understand Parseltongue though, and if so, why? 

 

My theory about how Dumbledore got the ring has been negated, however.

 

I know this is a short entry.  I assume everything here has deeper purpose, I just can't guess what it is so I'm not even going to try at this point.

Chapter 16: A Very Frosty Christmas

Well, that was strange.  It should also mess up any bets anyone might have about Percy - home for xmas, but not entirely eagerly?

 

I see a few R/T hints here.  I hope I'm misinterpreting that.

 

What if Greyback is the Half-Blood Prince?  Wasn't the name Greyback mentioned earlier?  I'd check the Lexicon, but it's full of spoilers and I don't want to be spoiled for anything I haven't read yet.

 

It also occurs to me that Snape could be The Big Death, via the Unbreakable Vow.  That would nicely open the way for a new DADA teacher next year, no?

Chapter 15: The Unbreakable Vow

Dun dun DUN!  The plot thickens!  I'm surprised JKR put gropey teenage boys in the book, although, again, it is age-appropriate.  I am rather glad to see the kids acting so immature about relationships, and I've noticed that Harry's asking-out skills have improved significantly since GOF.  Really though, I'd rather have more Pensieve action.

Addendum

The thought did cross my mind that perhaps Draco's mission is not to do anything specifically, but rather to distract people by making people think he IS doing something evil, so they pay attention to him and not to whatever Voldie's real plan is.

Chapter 14: Felix Felicis

Well, the shippers should enjoy this one.  I'm glad to see some of the characters are being dorks about this at least.  I realize I'm not the target audience, but adolescent romance doesn't appeal to me and I find it one of the drawbacks of the books, although I have to admit it is quite age-appropriate.  At least there was some Quidditch! 

 

I've noticed Romilda Vane's name has been mentioned a lot.

addendum

1.  It occurs to me that the Prefects' bathroom might be important.

2.  And why, exactly, isn't Malfoy a Prefect?  I can think of several reasons - which is the actual reason?

3.  What if Katie Bell is the Big Death?  I can't help thinking that wouldn't be so bad...which is probably a good reason why she won't be.