Alright everyone. It's time to leave your review of HBP. Since we've discussed all of the books, feel free to include your assessment of the entire series. Predictions of what you think will happen in HBP are, of course, encouraged.

Classes and examinations have been canceled. Students are being whisked away from Hogwarts by frightened parents. Ministry officials are staying at Hogwarts. Everyone is waiting for Dumbledore's funeral.

Harry spends his time with Ron, Hermione and Ginny, repeating his horcrux mantra, the locket...the cup...the snake...something of Gryffindor's or Ravenclaw's..., wondering what evil Voldemort is subjecting Draco to and dreading his inevitable break-up with Ginny. Hermione spends her time in the library looking for R.A.B. because what is a Harry Potter book without a Hermione research and revelation project? Unfortunately, the only thing she reveals from her research is her insatiable need to be right. She finds out that Snape's a half-blood, his mother was a witch and his father was a Muggle. His mother must have owned the book at one point so she was right, in a way, about the Prince. Harry forgets his irritation with Hermione as he dwells on evil Snape and all but vows to kill him when he sees him next.

Over two hundred people have turn out to pay respects to Dumblegod. Hagrid brings Dumbledore's body, wrapped in purple, and lays it on a table at the edge of the lake. A random wizard begins the eulogy as Harry's mind wanders over his memories of Dumbledore. When the little wizard stops, white flames erupt around Dumbledore's body, the smoke spiraling into strange shapes before vanishing and leaving a white tomb encasing Dumbledore and the table on which he rested.

Harry breaks up with Ginny and reiterates to Scrimgeour that he's Dumbledore's man and not a ministry lackey. Ron and Hermione pledge to follow Harry no matter what and Harry looks forward to Bill and Fleur's wedding, his final day of happiness before setting off to destroy Voldemort.

Numb. Disbelief. Grief. Anger. Lament.

The chapter opens with Ginny retrieving Harry from beside Dumbledore's still body, and leading him to the hospital wing. There, we find another form of grief: Bill has been savaged by Greyback, and his wounds will not close. Remus is unsure of the after-effects of an untransformed werewolf's bites, though the wounds are cursed (discussion point: Then how do werewolves' wounds ever heal on anyone?)

The gang's all there, and the autopsy of the evening's events begins. Everyone fills everyone else in on what transpired in the castle, in the dungeon, at the Astromony Tower. The common point is disbelief and growing anger at Snape's apparent duplicity and murderous action. Guilt is shared; regret is thick in the air.

The only bright point in the chapter is the appearance of the Weasleys and Fleur, who surprises everyone by declaring her unchanged love for Bill, despite his ravaged face. Her faithfulness changes Molly's opinion of her and for a brief moment, there is reconciliation. It is at this point we find out that Tonks has been pining away for Remus, who has been pushing her away.

Finally, McGonagall calls a meeting of the heads to decide what to do next, but includes Harry. Harry does not tell what he and Dumbledore had been up to, even as she insists. The staff debates issues of closing the school, where Dumbledore should be laid to rest, and whether to send all the students home early. Harry makes a hasty exit from the meeting when Scrimgeour threatens to walk through the door.

Back in Gryffindor Tower, Ron and Harry quietly discuss the night's events; he tells Ron about the fake horcrux. And finally, he becomes aware that Fawkes has stopped singing, and realizes that Dumbledore has "left the school, left the work...had left Harry." (US ed, p 632). *sniffles*

Sorry about the timing. Too much on my plate at the moment. I completely forgot that I had a summary to do until I saw Chapter 26 on my f-list. So so sorry. *begs for forgiveness*

Harry apparates himself and Dumbledore back to Hogsmeade after the adventure in the cave. Harry notices Dumbledore isn't feeling so hot, so he tells Dumbledore that they'll have to find somewhere for him to rest while Harry goes to get Madam Pomfrey Severus (at DD's insistence). While they are... Arguing? Madam Rosmerta totters down the street to them, and informs the pair that the Dark Mark has been set over the school. Suddenly, and strangely, energized, Dumbledore orders Harry to Summon Rosmerta's broomsticks, and they streak off to the castle.

Once inside the Astronomy Tower, they realize it was a trap. No one is there. Dumbledore orders Harry to go and wake Severus (and reminds him that he swore to obey orders), but before Harry can open the door, he is immobilized by... Expelliarmus? No. That can't be. Oh, now I see. Dumbledore silently immobilizes Harry while Ferret-Malfoy bursts through the door, disarming Dumbledore. Clever. We spent all this time learning about silent spell-casting, only to have it used to keep Harry "in the know."

Dumbledore attempts to convince Draco that he is not a killer (well, he isn't!). They go back and forth for a while (and discover how Malfoy introduces Death Eaters to the school -- truly genius), then some other Death Eaters arrive (Greyback included -- his stench made ME sick!), and Dumbledore, clearly on his death bed (from the potion, of course), is still his usual snarky self (manners, indeed).

Finally, the show gets started...

Snape appears, and the Death Eaters begin to inform him that there is a problem. That's as far as Amycus gets, though, because Dumbledore cuts in quietly, pleading.

"Severus... please..." (pg 595 US ed.)

Snape, hatred and revulsion etched into every line of his face, raises his wand, and issues the killing curse. Dumbledore rises into the air, and falls slowly to the ground beneath the Astronomy Tower.

It's over.

Ah, the sea... right...
Harry finds himself on a rocky outcrop near the same beach the orphans were taken on holiday. Dumbledore suggests a swim...
The pair swim out to a cave. Dumbledore finds the way in and, to Harry's shock, opens the "door" with his own blood. The cavern is immense and eerie. A vast, black lake stretches as far as they can see. Dumbledore warns Harry not to step in the water and they set off in search of a way across. Harry attempts to Accio the Horcrux and, instead, calls something up to breach surface that he can't quite identify before it submerges. After a bit of searching, Dumbledore finds the chain that pulls a small boat to shore. After a bit of discussion on the amount of "Wizard Weight" that may be allowed on the boat, they set off across the lake. To add to the eeriness, Harry glimpses a pale hand below the surface of the water. And then he sees a dead body. they reach a small island in the center of the lake. Dumbledore warns Harry, yet again, not to touch the water. There is a stone basin on a pedestal in the middle of the island. It's full of emerald liquid and has an invisible barrier over it that allows no hand to touch what's inside. Dumbledore concludes that the liquid must be drunk in order to empty the basin. He makes Harry promise to make sure Dumbledore drinks every drop despite whatever happens. And then he drinks. He managed 3 and a half goblets before something happened. He wants to stop. He doesn't want to drink any more. Harry, true to his word, the rest of the liquid down his throat one cup at a time promising relief and even death after every gulp. finally, Dumbledore collapses. Harry revives him and Dumbledore ask for water. Harry tries to fill the cup but the water vanishes. The only water he can take is the black water of the lake. Pale, dead hands reached out to grab Harry as dipped the cup in the lake. More corpses rose from the water as Harry did his best to fend them off. Dumbledore called a ring of fire and they escaped to the boat with the locket. Harry helped Dumbledore out of the cave and back into the icy water. Dumbledore getting weaker by the moment but strong enough for a few simple words.

Current Mood: blah

Harry tells Ron and Hermione about the horcruxes during charms. Ron is so astounded that he makes it snow which leads to the first time JKR uses a non-aggressive adverb in describing Hermione talking to Ron. SCORE! Of course, Lavender can tell that Hermione is talking "patiently" instead of snapping, berating, or otherwise belittling Ron and she bursts into tears. Poor Lavender, you should have ducked to miss that anvil. Harry finds out that while he was with Dumblegod learning about soul splitting that some hearts were being broken in Gryffindor Tower. Lavender broke up with Ron, much to his relief, and Ginny and Dean broke up, much to Harry's relief. Harry has an internal argument with himself about Ginny being Ron's sister and Hermione basks in the glow of a lovely day on the walk back to the Common Room.

There they find a recovered Katie Bell who tells them that the last thing she remembers before waking up at St. Mungos is pushing open the door of the bathroom at the Three Broomsticks, telling our intrepid trio that it must have been a girl that put the Imperious on Katie. Harry immediately thinks of Crabbe and Goyle and wants to take a swig of Felix and have a go at the Room of Requirement. Hermione tells him no, that they'll need that plot device later on in the book. Ron suggests making more of the potion (good idea!), but they discovers that it'll take 6 months to brew (typical). While looking up the potion, Harry notices the Sectumsempra spell 'for enemies' and decides to test it on McGlaggen the next time he sneaks up on him.

Katie's back so Dean's off the team. McGlaggen's off too and two weeks speed by with some exceptional Quidditch practices with Ginny providing the comic relief and being the life and soul of the team. Which just made Harry love her all the more. After a couple of rather dull pages, Harry decides that they had to win the final Quidditch match and the Championship and in the post game euphoria he'd make his move.

Just when you thought this was going to be a total love chapter, Harry finds Malfoy in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom where he is being consoled by the ghost. Malfoy sees Harry and they start throwing hexes at each other. Harry yells Sectumsempra at Malfoy and blood erupts from the Heir of Evil as if he'd been slashed with a sword. Malfoy's dying in a pool of blood and Harry's wondering what he's done when Snape arrives and mends Draco's injuries. Snape takes Malfoy to the hospital wing, orders Harry to stay, which he does, probably the first time in history he's obeyed Snape.

Snape returns and uses Legilemency (however you spell it) to see that Harry has the Half-Blood Prince's book. Snape orders him to bring him all of his books immediately. He runs off to get his book, all the while blaming the Prince for writing such a spell in his book. He decides to save his arse, and his book which had become a guide and a friend. He takes Ron's potions book, goes to the Room of Requirement to hide the Prince's book.

Snape finds the wrong potions book, knows Harry's lying and gives him detention for the rest of the school year. On Saturdays. Which means that Harry will miss the final Quidditch match.

Harry's vilified by the school for cursing Malfoy, McGonagall berates Harry for 15 minutes, Hermione repeatedly tells Harry "I told you so" about the book and Harry defends the book, like the complete and total idiot that he is in this chapter. Ginny sticks up for Harry, snaps at Hermione and, despite the fact that he almost killed a student, has detentions for the rest of the school year and has put his Quidditch team at a decided disadvantage because of his stupidity, Harry is cheerful because of it.

During detention, Snape makes him organize files of past wrong doers, like the Marauders. After detention, Harry goes to the common room, which is amid a roaring celebration of their victory. Harry kisses Ginny in front of the entire common room. Dean shatters a glass, Romilda Vane holds back the bile, Hermione beams and Ron shrugs. Harry pulls Ginny out of the common room for a 'walk' around the lake.

After a throw-away scene with the Fat Lady and Nearly Headless Nick, Harry runs up to Dumblegod's office to give him Slughorn's memory. They journey into the pensieve and see the same memory as before, this time with substance instead of mist. Turns out Slughorn did tell Riddle about horcruxes and how they are created. Riddle is most interested in the idea of splitting your soul into more than one horcrux, seven to be exact, since it is the most powerful number. Slughorn is horrified and Riddle leaves quickly with an evil expression of wild happiness.

Of course, Dumblegod suspected this all along. The pertinent information from the memory is the idea that Voldemort was interested in splitting his soul seven times. Technically six since the seventh portion of his soul was what kept him alive for 13 years. Harry destroyed one in the Chamber, Dumblegod with his "prodigious skill" (HP 503) destroyed one, which leaves four that must be destroyed before Harry can destroy the one that resides in Voldie's body.

Now comes the brainstorming part of the chapter. What are the last four horcruxes? Dumbledore's theory (and he's always right, you know) is that Voldie tried to use an artifact for each founder: the locket (slytherin), the cup (hufflepuff). If he found one for Ravenclaw, DD doesn't know, but he knows that the last relic of Gryffindor is safe in his office: the ruby encrusted sword that Harry used to kill the Basilisk.

Harry asks if he can go in search of the next horcrux and Dumblegod agrees, much to Harry's astonishment.

Next we come to the confusing part of the chapter, where Dumblegod tells Harry that he's setting too much store by the prophecy, you know, that thing that the entire previous book centered around. Well, apparently, prophecies are only significant if they are acted on. Since Voldemort acted on the prophecy, he fulfilled it. If he would have ignored it, then Harry would be just like any other kid. Basically, Voldemort created his own enemy.

But! Harry doesn't have to kill Voldie because of the prophecy. He has to kill him because he (Harry) won't reast until he's tried, to avenge all of the people that Voldemort has killed and the horrible things he's done. Harry has a choice. But, the fact that Voldie is going to hunt Harry down until he's dead might have something to do with it, too.

*skids into class late*

I forgot!!!

Chapter 22: After the Burial

Harry's really feeling the pressure to get the memory about the horocruxes from Slughorn as the chapter opens. Ron suggests that he use the "lucky potion." Though reluctant to use it (because he was saving it for sometime involving Ginny--hormone alert!!), he decides to take a swig if he still can't get Slughorn to give it up after Potions class. So, while Ron & Hermione go off to take the Apparition test, Harry, Malfoy, & Ernie are the only ones left to brew. Harry delivers yet another perfectly crafted potion with the aid of the Prince, much to Slughorn's delight (and Malfoy's distaste), but not enough to get the prof to talk to him.

So bolstered by Felix Felicitis, Harry goes off to attend the funeral of Aragog with Hagrid and --surprise!--Slughorn. Everyone has an agenda, except poor Hagrid who only wants some support while he buries his first pet. Yeah, whatever. Slughorn is perfectly oily and Harry is perfectly smooth. (Man, where can I get me some of that stuff?!?) Poor Hagrid is beside himself with grief, but they manage to give the beast a proper send-off. The three return to the cabin and begin drinking (well, Harry doesn't) Slughorn's house-elf-tested booze, and keep on drinking thanks to Harry's perfectly pulled-off Refilling Charm (Gotta learn that one!)

And the predictable happens--Hagrid and Slughorn get toasted, start singing awful songs about death, and poor Hagrid passes out. But Slughorn is played big-time by should-have-been-Slytherin Harry. He uses his mother's death to wheedle and connive Slughorn into giving him the missing memory.

"I am the Chosen One. I have to kill him. I need that memory."

..."You are the Chosen One?"

Of course I am, said Harry calmly. (pg 490)

Oooh, Harry's good, ain't he?

Mod Note: We've had a mix up in the summaries so we'll be playing catch-up over the next couple of entries. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Chapter 20 Cliff's Notes Version:

1. Ron and Harry get to leave the hospital wing escorted by Hermione.


2. Luna hands out notes from Dumbledore and Gurdyroots which amuses Ron.


3. Hermione looks over finishes Harry's Herbology essay so he can go be accosted by Trelawney meet Dumbledore.


4. Dumbeldore chatises Harry for not getting Slughorn's memory.


5. Harry hangs his head in shame.


6. Dumbledore tells Harry about Tom asking Dippet for the DADA teacher job.


7. They watch the memory of Hokey the House Elf where Tom sees the Hufflepuff cup and Slitherin locket in Hepzibah's collection.


8. Dumbledore tells Harry how Hepzibah was murdered 2 days later, how Hokey thinks she did it accidentally, and that the cup and locket went missing.


9. Dumbledore shows Harry his own memory of Tom coming back to ask for the DADA job and being denied and that Dumbledore knew of Tom's Death Eaters even then.

Current Mood: rushed

Harry, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny gather around Ron's bed int he hospital wing. Fred and George had been in Hogsmeade to look into buying Zonko's and to surprise Ron on his Birthday. Well, um... Surprise! They all speculate on what could have happened, Ron croaks -_-' and Hagrid makes a hasty entrance. (He was reading to Aragog.) Harry recounts, yet again, the events leading up to Ron's current state and they speculate some more on what might have happened. Hermione pops up with the idea that the 2 attacks were linked and Ron's parents come bursting in. The Weasley's add up the number of times Harry has saved one of them. (3 down, 6 to go.) Harry and Hermione quickly leave the Weasley's to themselves and Hagrid follows them out. They talk some more about what happened and ask if Dumbledore knew anything or had any guesses. (Nope.) Hagrid lets it slip that Dumbledore is angry with Snape. Hagrid tells them about hearing Dumbledore argue with Snape and about investigations and not wanting to do "it" anymore. Hermione warns them just in time to stop before Filch turns the corner. Hagrid and Filch have a bit of a falling out and Harry and Hermione beat a hasty retreat.

Hermione tells Harry goodnight and leaves him to ponder the new information. Then McLaggen rises from his chair like the creature from the black lagoon and immediately pounces on the fact that Ron won't make the next match. Such a kind and considerate boy... Harry is obsessed with Malfoy and can't seem to get Mclaggen or Lavender out of his hair. Poor Harry. On the day of the next Quidditch match, after visiting Ron in the hospital wing, Harry meets Malfoy heading to the castle instead of the Quidditch pitch like everyone else. Harry's torn between following him and making it to the match on time. He decides to head to the game and gets a beater's bat to the head for his trouble. Good thing Luna was doing the commentating or the game would have been a total loss.

Harry swims back to the light and finds himself in the hospital wing next to Ron. Ron catches him up on what's been going on including highlights from what he could hear of Luna's comments. Harry fills Ron in on seeing Malfoy. Harry mulls it over and suddenly has an idea. He calls for Kreacher. Both Kreacher and Dobby appear. And they appear to be fighting. Ron and Harry haul them apart after Harry plugs Madam Pomfrey's ears and glues Peeves' tongue to the roof of his mouth. Harry orders Kreacher and asks Dobby to watch Malfoy around the clock and report back to Harry.

"Elf Tails" get it? harhar -_-' guh...

Current Mood: working