HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE

PREDICTIONS AND FINAL RESULTS

It was a bit of a wait but now that the sixth book in the Harry Potter series is on the bookstore shelves many of our questions have been answered… as well as many of our clues either confirmed or squashed.  Check out the updates I have added below so far based on my take of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.”  More updates to come. 

BOOK COVER ART CLUES AND THEORIES ** Update:   July 28, 2005 

MORE BOOK COVER ART CLUES AND THEORIES ** Update:   June 28, 2005 

what happens when and to whom** Update:   June 28, 2005 

Half-Blood Prince winner  ** Update:   June 28, 2005 

Budding Relationships? ** Update:   June 28, 2005 

BOOKCOVER ART CLUES AND THEORIES **  Update:   July 28, 2005   

What do the three new book covers tell us about what's on the pages inside?  There are definitely some clues to consider.  Taking a look at the UK Adult Cover first (left).  It very simply shows an old and worn advanced potions book, aptly named "Advanced Potion Making."  So we can fairly say with confidence that Harry passed his potions OWL exams and will be back in Potion’s class, something that I know neither Harry nor Snape expected.  

Next, once again we can ask is Snape the half-blood prince since the title of the book and the artwork that we can associate with Snape is neatly offered up to us in plain view?  The Answer is YES!  The book in the cover art is very worn out so it's undoubtedly very old.  Could it be Snape's book from his earlier years?  Yes, again.  Could it have been passed down to Snape from his mother… Elienne Prince?   Yes again… and that three out of three correct!

Okay, let's take a look at the Child's UK Cover (middle).  We see a powerful and angry looking Dumbledore just behind a determined looking Harry.  Swirling snake like flames encircle them.  Are these flames from Dumbledore or Harry's wands or has someone else conjured the searing coils to entrap our heroes?  I believe they represent a powerful bonding spell… and I think you will agree that Harry and Dumbledore are forever bound together in life and death.   Harry and Dumbledore are facing whatever menace together.  That indicates to me that the anger Harry felt towards the Great Wizard at the end of OOTP has passed and they are now working together, closer and in sync.  Dumbledore has taken Harry under his wing rather than just keeping an eye on him from afar. 

And now the third book cover art for the U.S. edition by Mary Grandpré --  Varying shades of green make up the color palette this time.... green as in Avada Kadavra... We see Harry and Dumbledore gazing into a pensieve, and we can assume it is Dumbledore's.  But is there another stone basin somewhere with other secrets to reveal?  Harry again has his wand raised as if in anticipation of something about to happen.  Light  is emanating from the stone bowl and there are swirls of smoke encircling our two brave wizards this time.  Dumbledore appears to be showing Harry an important memory... but whose?  We've been privy to several of Dumbledore's memories in the other books... and one very major Snape memory.   The key to the future in revealed it the past…

What we don't see on the US book cover is the rest of the picture.  Scholastic has created a HBP stand up poster and there is more to see including Ron, Hermione and (in my opinion) Ginny staring up towards Harry and Dumbledore.  What we also discover is that the green swirling mist clears to reveal the sparkling image of the a green skull with a serpent slithering out of its mouth aka The Dark Mark.

So what do we make of these newly revealed clues?  Obviously Ron and Hermione are part of the whole picture (which is also a metaphor for the whole story) but where their placement on the cover is, as well as Ginny's placement, I think is significant.  Ron and Hermione are side by side and are actually separated from Harry, Dumbledore, and Ginny.  I think that this means that finally we will see their more than platonic interest in each other will blossom.  They are also on the same side of the page as Dumbledore and the Dark Mark.  Ginny on the other hand is literally on the other side of the pensieve and on the same side as Harry.  She appears to be looking straight up, full-face, at him.  (Our perspective of Ron and Hermione is three-quarter view.)   I personally feel that now that her feelings for Harry are out in the open and  (thanks to Hermione at the end of OotP) in full view of Harry, he will perhaps discovers that he too has deeper than just friendship feelings for his best friend’s sister.  And speaking of up-turned faces... Ginny, Ron and Hermione are all looking up at Dumbledore and Harry as if looking up to them for leadership, guidance and protection.

And finally we get to the Dark Mark, Voldemort's death icon.    It is menacingly coiled around both Dumbledore and Harry separating them from their friends.  It is also threateningly close to our great and ancient Headmaster.  I have often worried about the fate of our dear Albus Dumbledore and I hope this doesn't  foreshadow his doom.  (For a definite answer to his thought, check out Absolute Spoilers.) Of course Harry has from day one been pursued by the dark lord.  Their final duel is not so far off in the future, and it seems pretty clear to me that Harry's future depends as much on Dumbledore's life and it is chained to Voldemort's death.

Summing up the information from all three book covers I see both Snape and Dumbledore being very significant in Harry's life in book six... more than in any of the previous books. 

MORE BOOK COVER ART CLUES AND THEORIES ** Update:   July 28^th  

Another treat and teaser ~ We are now privy to the back cover and spine artwork for the Bloomsbury children’s edition of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.”  WooHoo!

Again, a pensieve.  It looks similar to the pensieve that Harry and Dumbledore are looking into in Mary Grandpre’s HBP cover, no?  But where is this gothic stone bowl and claw-footed pedestal located; and are those claw feet supposed to represent a griffon’s taloned feet or…?  Perhaps it is located deep beneath the halls of Hogwarts in the Chamber of Secrets or somewhere even more secret?  Could it have belonged to Godric Griffindor, Salazar Slitherin… or Voldemort?  Well, wherever it is, based on the various book covers, Dumbledore and Harry have to take a boat to get to it.  It’s interesting that the little sea craft also glows with a greenish light. 

Now it may be a slip of the artist’s brush, or more likely, my over-active imagination is playing tricks upon my squinting, searching eyes, but when I look at the boat’s reflection in the water I think I see people’s heads, even though the boat appears to be empty.  I’m not laying odds on this one, (Oh yes I am…) but could our two wily wizards be under Harry’s invisibility cloak so that they are unseen in the boat… but from whom or what? If not then just send me packing to St. Mungo’s and I’ll be good ol' company for good ol’ Gilderoy.

Moving on…

Look at the interlocking hands.  (We can all see those.)  One is that of a young person; the other belongs to an older person:  Harry and Dumbledore seem like the likely arm wrestlers.   A fiery coil entwines their right hands together, and I am reminded of the encircling gold bands of light that came out of Harry’s and Voldemort’s wands that fateful night in the graveyard (GoF).  Remember Harry’s warning to himself? “Don’t break the connection.”  Here too I think it is imperative that Harry and Dumbledore do not break the connection.  There is powerful magic emanating from this band of fire, and doubly so because it is being fed from the combined forces of Harry and Dumbledore.   Perhaps this result s in something like a Vulcan mind meld?

The Ring ~ Take a closer look at this piece of jewelry.  It is a gold band with what appears to be a gem setting and the stone is cracked.  It sort of looks like it’s in the shape of a lightning bolt, but don’t be too sure.  Whatever the type of stone and its condition, it holds powerful magic… and this time you can be sure.  The question is what type of magic, good or evil?  

what happens when and to whom: **  Update:   July 28, 2005   

Summer:

*Harry will have to deal with his grief regarding Sirius.  CORRECT

*Harry will find out his score on his OWLs.  CORRECT

*He may end up going to:

        Lupin's aka possiby Spinners End  WRONG… Snape lives at Spinner’s End and Harry doesn’t visit Lupin’s or Snape’s residence.

The Burrow CORRECT

#12 Grimmauld Place  WRONG

or Neville’s WRONG

*Hermione may visit Viktor in Bulgaria. WRONG

*We need to be aware of the Shrunken Head threat.Only the one Crabbe tried to smuggle into Hogwarts the Filch confiscated.

*Will Hermione and Ron decide they like each other this year… more likely to happen in Book 7.  SORTA… at the very end of HBP they finally come to terms with each other but the romance will take off in book 7.

*Several of the escaped Death Eaters were recaptured in the Department of Mysteries.  Harry, *Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, and Neville deserve the reward money.  Not sure how many were recaptured, possibly eleven.  NO MENTION OF REWARD MONEY AT ALL IN HBP.

*Fudge will either run for it or be ousted from his job.  CORRECT… HE WAS SACKED FROM BEING MINISTER BUT STILL WORKS AS A CONSULTANT FOR THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC.

*Lucius Malfoy will take over as Minister of Magic... (or will it be Umbridge?)  BIG WRONG…

BACK TO THE TOP 

Back at Hogwarts:  

Classes will include:  Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid  WRONG

Charms – with Flitwick  CORRECT

Transfiguration:  Harry will learn to apparate and disapparate.  CORRECT

May also learn he is metamorphagus.  WRONG (BUT MAYBE LATER?)

Potions:  Will Snape let him return to this class… yes if that is what Dumbledore wants.  YES, BUT ONLY BECAUSE SNAPE DOESN’T TEACH POTIONS IN HARRY’S 6^TH YEAR.

Defense Against the Dark Arts – new teacher – McLagan?  WRONG.  MCLAGGEN IS A STUDENT.  HORACE SLUGHORN IS THE NEW POTIONSTEACHER.  SNAPE IS FINALLY DADA TEACHER... BUT ONLY FOR ONE YEAR.

History of Magic – Pay more attention to the Goblin Wars  WRONG… FAILED OWL AND NOT REQUIRED TO BE AN AUROR.

Divination with Firenze... but Harry doesn't have to take it this year...  WRONG… FAILED OWL AND NOT REQUIRED TO BE AN AUROR.

Astronomy - WRONG

Herbology - CORRECT

Quidditch:

Harry will be back as Seeker and possibly Captain BOTH CORRECT

Ginny will be a Chaser CORRECT

Katie Bell will be a Chaser  CORRECT

Ron will be Keeper  CORRECT

And the rest of the team?  Now we know.

Demelza Robins – new Chaser  (Seems to be good enough to replace Angelina…)

Ritchie Coote – new Beater (Not quite George but he’ll do.)

Jimmy Peakes – new Beater (Not quite Fred, but he’ll do, too.)

Other Studies/Activities:

Occlumency:  who will teach Harry?  Dumbledore or Snape?  NEITHER ONE.

Auror tutoring by McGonagall  NOPE.

More D.A. lessons  DON’T NEED ‘EM SINCE EVERYONE KNOWS “HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED” IS BACK… THEY CAN PRACTICE IN THE OPEN.

Harry will finally see his parents graves in the cemetery at Hogwarts.  NOT THIS YEAR, BUT LOOKS DEFINITE IN BOOK 7.

BACK TO THE TOP 

Students other than Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny

Neville

New wand  YUP.

Chewing Gum Wrapper Clues  NOPE.

Parents in danger  EVERYONE’S IN DANGER…

Gran in danger…  NOT YET.

Luna

What happened on the summer expedition to Norway?  DON’T KNOW IF SHE EVEN WENT.

More Quibbler articles  NOTHING SPECIAL AT THE MOMENT.

What special abilities does she have? HER FRANK HONESTY.

Will she be someone’s girlfriend?  WELL… I STILL HAVE HOPES FOR LUNA AND NEVILLE, BUT THAT IS YET TO BE SEEN.

Draco will be pretty smug when his father takes over the Ministry of Magic.   WELL, MALFOY SR. WILL HAVE TO GET OUT OF PRISON FIRST.

Seamus:  Will he encounter Banshees?  NOPE

Dean Thomas  … ASK GINNY.

Colin and Dennis Creevey  IN THE BACKGROUND.

Justin Finch Fletchley  IS HE STILL AROUND?

Ernie MacMillan  STILL AROUND AND REMINDING US ALL IN A NICE WAY THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNIE.

Hannah Abbott  POOR HANNAH, HER MOTHER FELL VICTIM TO THE DEATH EATERS.

Susan Bones  POOR SUSAN, HER AUNT AMELIA ALSO BECAME A VICTIM.

Michael Corner  HISTORY… BUT STILL ALIVE.

Cho Chang  STILL FRIENDS WITH MARIETTA BUT DOESN’T TALK TO HARRY.

Marietta Edgecomb  STILL USING PIMPLE MEDICINE

Zacharias Smith  CAN NEVER REPLACE LEE JORDAN COMMENTATING THE QUIDDICH MATCHES.

Instructors:

Dumbledore will be looking at Harry this year?   TEACHING, MOREOVER.

Will Hogwarts become a fortress unto itself acting outside of the New Ministry Regime?   IT IS BEING PROTECTED BY MANY MORE SPELLS AND CHARMS, BUT WE’LL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL BOOK 7 FOR THE REST OF THE ANSWER.

Will students leave or will parents come to live there too?  THAT IS THE QUESTION RAISED AT THE END OF HBP… WE’LL HAVE TO WAIT FOR BOOK 7.

McGonagall – teaching transfiguration and tutoring Harry in potions?  TRANSFIGURATION: YES.  TUTORING HARRY: NO.  HARRY HAS A DIFFERENT TUTOR FOR POTIONS…  GUESS WHO?

Snape – getting more and more acidic toward Harry.  His role as spy for the Order will be more intense.  IS HE A DOUBLE, TRIPLE, QUADRUPLE AGENT?

McLaggan – New Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?  NO… HE’S JUST A BIG GUY WITH A BIG HEAD.

Trelawney – will keep teaching but won’t teach Harry or Ron.  CORRECT

Firenze – teaching Divination also?  YUP.

Sprout – Herbology  YUP.

Binns – History of Magic  (Being an expert on the Goblin Rebellions he might be handy to have with they rebel this time around.)  DRONING ON, AS USUAL, I’M SURE BUT SINCE HARRY DOESN’T HAVE TO TAKE ANY MORE HISTORY OF MAGIC WE MAY NEVER HAVE TO LISTEN TO PROFESSOR BINNS DRONE ON AGAIN  EITHER.

Filius Flitwick – Charms  YES, HE’S STILL A CHARMER.

Madame Hooch – Quidditch Coach  YUP

Sinistra – Astronomy  HEAVEN’S, I IMAGINE HE’S STILL TEACHING.

Vector – Arithmancy  I’M SURE HERMIONE WOULD HAVE TOLD HARRY AND WRONG IF PROFESSOR VECTOR WAS MISSING… AND SHE DID’NT

Ancient Runes Instructor :  SAME ANSWER AS ABOVE.

Hagrid – Care of Magical Creatures  YES, HAGRID IS STILL TEACHING BUT NOT HIS FAVORITE STUDENTS.

Will his relationship with Madame Maxime grow more serious? WE CAN ONLY HOPE.

Will he show Grawp to everyone?  YES.

Will he ask Aragog for help?  WE MUST SAY GOOD-BYE, INSTEAD.

How will he deal with the Centaurs?  ALL RIGHT, I GUESS.  HE DIDN’T SAY.

BACK TO THE TOP

Half-Blood Prince winner  *** Updated July 28,, 2005

 I’m still not sure he’s not a Vampire, but regardless, snape  is the HBP winner because he is half muggle and half wizard.

Budding Relationships? ** Update:   June 28, 2005 

Ron and Hermione  A very slow bud.

Harry and Hermione  Nope.

Krum and Hermione   Once upon a time.

Harry and Luna  Just friends

Harry and Ginny  Yes… and yet.

Ginny and Dean Thomas  Yes… and yet.

Neville and Ginny  Nope.

Neville and Luna Nixed by JKR.

Hagrid and Madame Maxime  Yes.

Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour  Yes… they’re engaged as of HBP

Charlie Weasley and Tonks  Nope

Tonks and Remus  Maybe.

Dobby and Winky  Haven’t been to the Hogwarts kitchen lately so I don’t know.

Grawp and ???? 

Percy and Penelope Clearwater  Nothing new to tell you.

Lee Jordan and Angelina Johnson  Don’t know.

Draco and Pansy Parkinson  Yes.

BACK TO THE TOP 

***

Harry will face off with Voldemort again and win... again… and again… and again.