HP and the Half-Blood Prince

[therealmarajade]

Better than book 5, one of my favorites books in the series, but I do have some...issues with it - but only minor ones because they are shipper-related.

But important, character and plot-related things first!

I LOVE HARRY! He has grown up and matured SO MUCH since the last book! I loved how he dealt with Scriemgeour! "Dumbledore's man through and through"...PERFECT! So different from the last book...loved him!

Btw, Rufus? When I read the first chapter, I thought he was WAAAAAAAY better than Fudge, and he is, but he is a politician, and his want to have as the Ministry's mascot was very Fudge!like.

I LOVE DUMBLEDORE! But I KNEW he would die, the same way that Dumbledore and Gandalf and all characters similar die, and especially because being the last obstacle between Voldie and Harry, he had to be dealt with - in other words, killed. So, I was prepared for his death, but I cried all the same...OH, and HIS was a DECENT death scene, unlike Sirius allegdly(sp?) death. But it must have crushed him to die knowing that he was the one to blame because he had trusted Snape blindingly - he had been more than warned about Snape.

The "lessos" that Dumbledore gave Harry, showing him Riddle's past? Probably the BEST parts of the book, and the most illuminating! Loved this, all the detail, all the thought out evolution of the character, his past and relatives, everything! And the HORCRUXES! OMG! Somewhat similar to the changelling hipothesis, but not quite, a great way that enabled Voldie to survive, and the promise of a very exciting book 7!

Horace Slughorn: quite an annoying character, but not an unbearable one, and since it was part of his personality...I prefer him over Umbridge ANY DAY! Which reminds me: I was caught completely by surprise when Dumbledore announced that Horace was going to be the POTIONS master, and that SNAPE was going to be the DADA teacher.

Speaking of Snape, the second chapter was AWESOME! This book had one of the best beginnings of the whole series, what if the Prime Minister and Fudge talk, then Snape and the Black Sisters, and later Dumbledore at the Dursley's! The only problem was that I figured out that Snape was going to kill Dumbledore because of chapter 2. But, anyway, Snape...great chapter, but...HE KILLED DUMBLEDORE! Treacherous bastard! Though I'm divided...was he really a bastard, all the time faithful to Voldemort, or was he forced to kill Dumbledore against his will because of the Unbreakable Vow? He did have a hatred look on his face, and as far as we know, he didn't know up to this moment that Draco's mission was to kill Dumbledore. I don't know. I think I will go with the bastard for the time being.

And since we are talking about Draco: I knew he would join the DE, but I knew he wouldn't have the nerve to act like them - or kill Dumbledore. N ice development of his character, though I wonder what will happen with him in the next book.

In fact, I wonder what will happen in the next book! Apparently, we are not going back to Hogwarts, but will Harry only count with Ron and Hermione next to him, or will Ginny help as well, despite what he told her? And Neville and Luna?

Now, about the shippers: this book undoubtely is the book with the most shippers! Declared or implied (or imagined by my addled mind!). And the only problems I have with book 6 are shipper related. The shippes that come to mind, in no particular order: R/H, H/G, B/F, Neville/Luna, Dean/Ginny, Draco/Ginny, Draco/Myrtle, Snape/Narcissa, and my two greatest complaints: Ron/Lavender and R/T

B/F: OMG! OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGSQUEEEEEE! THEY ARE GOING TO GET MARRIED! My minor ship is REAL! HOwever, I do have to say that Fleur was annoying me during most of the book with her vanity - I only admired her at the end, when she said she would still love an marry Bill despite his appearance - btw, POOR BILL! Did he have to get his face completely destroyed? Well, at least he is not dead! ;) Back to Fleur...I can't help but prefer AtE!Fleur and I have to admit that had it been NOT After the End, I probably would never have shipped B/F, because Canon!Fleur is a...well...Phlemg.

R/H: JKR is SO MEAN! She gave us all the taste of R/H when Hermione invited Ron to Slug's Christmas' party - I was SURE they would get together in this party - just to take the sweet Sugarquill taste of R/H out of our grasp by making Ron act like a prat! Out of jealousy of KRUM he started snogging Lavender, and I always HATED R/L because it's the common pairing for Ron - when he isn't killed or a traitor - in H/H fics. But, I have to say that, after this book, there can't be NO DOUBT that the OTP is R/H - I just hope they get to kiss each other in book 7! There were so many little hints - and blatant insinuations - that Hermione likes Ron and Ron likes her! Comments, fights, Hermione Confunding McClaggen, Ron being jealous of Krum and dating Lavender to "get even" with Hermione, the flushes both had because of the other, especially Hermione's when Ron said "I love you, Hermione" - yes, it was because of her helping him with his homework, but it could also be a safe way for him to tell her he loved her without arousing many suspicions and testing to see how she reacted. And the end, with Ron and Hermione embracing each other while they cried over Dumbledore's death...if they aren't together right at the beginning of book 7...I don't know what I will do.

H/G: OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOGMOGMOMGOMGSQUEEEEEEEEEEE! I was always more of a R/H shipper than a H/G shipper, but one nonetheless. And this was dealt with SO WONDERFULLY! From the moment Harry associated the flowery scent of the love potion with Ginny to the moment when he kissed her in the common room after Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup. LOVED the monster inside Harry and his reactions to Ginny! And Harry's fear of Ron! However, it was obviuos that he would break up with her to shut her out and prevent her from being attacked by Lord Voldemort, but I wish he hadn't...though I doubt that will prevent her from caring about him and joining the trio in the next book.

R/T: Oh, the insanity of it! GAH! I HATE THIS SHIP! And the way that Tonks declared himself on THE most inappropriate time, and in front of everybody! GAH! I know we would never EVER have a confirmation of the OTW, but to have R/T made CANON?????? GAH! I can't help but kid myself that when Remus said he was too old, too poor and too dangerous to be with Tonks, he chose not to add "too gay"! AND Harry was under a wrong impression: Tonks and Lupin were NOT holding hands! And if they were, it was because Remus confidentially confessed his undying love for Sirius, and she decided he would be her best gay friend! Humpf!

*looks up* Ok, I know I wrote A LOT! Sorry about that...and I KNOW I'm bound to remember more things to comment later, but I will not prolong this post any further. :)

ETA: I KNEW I would forget something! The cave scene? It gave me the creeps! Wonderfully written, an completely sinister! Also, R.A.B.? Regulus A. Black, IMHO. ;)

ETA 2: HOW could I forget to comment on the identity of the HBP? XD Well, probably because since I saw the name written on a potions book, I immediately associated it with Snape, so...that's what I have to say about it, I thought of Snape right at the beginning. But didn't see the Eileen Prince AKA Snape's mother bit coming. ;)

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[therealmarajade.livejournal.com]

Going to! ;)