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Chapter 1: The Other Minister

The story starts with a meeting between the Ministry of Magic and the United Kingdom's Muggle Prime Minister. The previous Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge has been forced to resign, replaced by a new minister Rufus Scrimgeour. The Prime Minister recalls how, just after being elected, Fudge came to visit him and informed him of the existence of the wizarding world, and that the Ministry of Magic was its governing body in the UK. He then recalls several other visits by Fudge over the past few years. Arriving at the prime minister's office via the Floo Network, Fudge introduces Scrimgeour, and the prime minister is informed that several recent disasters in the Muggle world are connected to Voldemort and his followers. The Prime Minister is quite displeased with the wizarding world leaking in to the muggle world.

Chapter 2: Spinner's End

Bellatrix Lestrange and her sister, Narcissa Malfoy go to a house on a street named Spinner's End to find Professor Snape. Because her son Draco has been assigned a task by Voldemort that is far above his ability to accomplish, Narcissa wants Snape to help him, and do it for him if it looks as though he will fail. Bellatrix appears not to trust Snape, based on the fact that he has been working for Dumbledore ever since Voldemort was first defeated. Snape is able to explain his actions to Bellatrix, in such a way that she does not stop her sister from confiding in Snape. In the end, Snape takes an 'Unbreakable Vow' to prove his honesty and willingness to do as Narcissa asked.

Chapter 3: Will and Won't

Dumbledore turns up at the Dursley's house and tells Harry that 12 Grimmauld Place, Kreacher, Buckbeak and all of Sirius's possessions now belong to him. Harry sends Kreacher to work at Hogwarts and gives Buckbeak (now renamed Witherwings) to Hagrid for caring. Before parting, Dumbledore reminds the Dursleys to expect a short visit from Harry before his seventeenth birthday. Dumbledore and Harry leave his aunt and uncle's house.

Dumbledore also now has an injured hand, a product of his 'slowing reactions'; however, he does not tell Harry exactly how he got the injury.

Chapter 4: Horace Slughorn

Harry apparates alongside Dumbledore, but instead of going to The Burrow, they end up in a village. Dumbledore tells Harry that they need a new staff member (presumably for the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher) and go off to convince one Horace Slughorn (an old colleague of Dumbledore) to join up.

Slughorn is an obese former head of Slytherin house. He is reluctant to go, but they succeed in convincing him to join the staff. Dumbledore then transports himself and Harry to the Burrow and tells Harry he will take private lessons with him (Dumbledore).

Chapter 5: An Excess of Phlegm

Arthur Weasley is head of the new Office of Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects. In short, it means he finds and takes fake defence items like potions that protect others from danger or Sneakoscopes that serve as tracking devices for the Death Eaters.

Fleur Delacour is also staying with the Weasleys, and she and Bill Weasley are getting married. Hermione is also staying at the Burrow. The chapter title comes from Hermione and Ginny's derogatory nickname for Fleur, an obvious pun on her name (only one sound different)

Harry, Ron and Hermione get their O.W.L results. It is revealed that Troll is an actual grade, not Terrible as one might imagine. Harry's grades are:

Astronomy: Acceptable (A)

Care of Magical Creatures: Exceeds Expectations (E)

Charms: E

Defence Against the Dark Arts: Outstanding (O)

Divination: Poor (P)

Herbology: E

History of Magic: Dreadful (D)

Potions: E

Transfiguration: E

These results are good, but Harry believes his dreams of becoming an Auror are gone. He needed an 'O' in Potions for Snape to accept him into Advanced Potions, and Potions is one of the N.E.W.T subjects required for Aurors.

Ron receives similar grades (fails in History of Magic and Divination) but has no 'Outstanding's, while Hermione, not surprisingly having done well, receives 10 'O's and one 'E' (in Defence Against the Dark Arts).

The three of them have passed into N.E.W.T level.

Chapter 6: Draco's Detour

There are regular deaths and disappearances now. Igor Karkaroff is dead, killed by Death Eaters, and Ollivander (the wand maker) is missing.

Harry is also made Quidditch Captain, which according to Hermione, gives him the status of a Prefect (she states that he can use their bathroom, although whether there are other benefits is unknown).

The entire family goes shopping in Diagon Alley, where they meet up with Hagrid and have a nasty encounter with Draco Malfoy and his mother Narcissa. Harry sees Malfoy at Madam Malkin's and his suspicions are aroused when Malfoy pulls away from the dressmaker when she tries to pull up his sleeve. Harry believes Malfoy may be hiding a Dark Mark, a sign that he is a Death Eater.

The family then go to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, a joke shop with a booming trade, not only with the joke items but because they are selling enchanted Shield Hats,Pygmy Puffs, Cloaks and Gloves to the Ministry (presumably for the war effort, since the items deflect spells).

Draco takes a detour to Knockturn Alley where he visits the shop Borgin and Burkes. He threatens Borgin, saying a 'family friend', Fenrir Greyback, will pay him a visit if he 'doesn't repair this item'. Malfoy also tells him to reserve an item for later purchase, and not to tell anybody about it.

Chapter 7: The Slug Club

Harry reveals his suspicions to Ron and Hermione that Draco is now a Death Eater. Harry mentions to them how when Madam Malkin tried to roll up Draco's sleeve, he yelled and yanked it away; he also showed Borgin something that made him take Malfoy seriously. It is just a suspicion so far, but the reader knows Narcissa mentioned something about "Draco being sent on a task".

Ginny Weasley also has a new pet, a Pygmy Puff called Arnold.

Later, on the Hogwarts Express, Harry and Neville are invited to have lunch with Professor Slughorn. They arrive and find a large gathering of people, including Ginny Weasley and Blaise Zabini, a Slytherin in Harry's year. The students here are all connected to famous wizards and witches, except for Ginny, who was invited because Slughorn liked the curse she cast earlier. Slughorn interrogates them all (Harry, Neville, Ginny, Zabini, Cormac McLaggen and Marcus Belby) and sends them off, confident they will live up to their relatives. Leaving the carriage, Harry takes the opportunity to tail Zabini back to the Slytherin carriage to eavesdrop on Malfoy.

Malfoy lets slip that he might not be at Hogwarts next year, because he's moved on to "bigger and better things". The other Slytherins are surprised, and Zabini asks what he could do for Voldemort if he isn't even qualified. Malfoy retorts by saying the job the Dark Lord wants him to do doesn't require qualifications.

They arrive at Hogsmeade Station, but Harry is discovered alone by Malfoy. Malfoy petrifies him and breaks Harry's nose by stamping on his face. Malfoy then throws the invisibility cloak over Harry, which, coupled with the petrification, means that he might not get to school this year.

Chapter 8: Snape Victorious

Harry is rescued by Tonks, who mends his broken nose and conjures a Patronus, different from her previous one, to send up to the castle to notify the others that Harry is safe. She is still very troubled by Sirius's death and looks very pale. When they arrive at the Hogwarts entrance, Snape opens the doors and escorts Harry back to the Great Hall, deducting 70 points from Gryffindor along the way. Harry does not report Malfoy's action for shame and pride.

After the feast (which Harry misses by a few seconds), Dumbledore announces a huge appointment. Professor Horace Slughorn is to be the new Potions Master which means Snape will get the Defence Against the Dark Arts post.

Chapter 9: The Half-Blood Prince

Harry's hopes of becoming an Auror are real again. With Slughorn teaching potions, he can get in with an 'E' grade. Unfortunately for Hagrid, Harry and Ron are not continuing Care of Magical Creatures. They still share the rest of their subjects. Professor McGonagall also hands Harry a list of new Quidditch recruits for him to do trials with.

In the Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, the class learn silent magic, spells which can be cast without speaking. Harry gives Snape cheek after knocking him down with a Shield Charm and lands himself a detention. Luckily he is saved by Dumbledore's request for him to take a private lesson at the same time.

Potions is much more enjoyable now that Snape is gone, with Hermione earning Gryffindor thirty points. Slughorn (ex-Head of Slytherin) is pleased that Hermione is a good witch, even though she is Muggle-born; Lily Potter was also one of his favourite students (he prefers pure-bloods, though).

Slughorn has also brewed a potion on his desk; Felix Felicis (meaning "luck of luck" in Latin), which (as the name suggests) is liquid luck. Take one tablespoon at breakfast and you will have a perfect day. It is banned in competitions, examinations and elections, and excessive consumption will cause giddiness, recklessness and death if overdosed. For the first lesson, whoever brews the best Draught of Living Death will win a tiny flask of Felix, enough luck for twelve hours.

Harry brews his potion with the help of his tattered, borrowed second-hand copy of the book Advanced Potion Making. The textbook, however, has helpful hints written in the margin, and Harry manages to beat the entire class in creating the potion, even Hermione. He tells Ginny, Ron and Hermione at dinner that he has been following instructions from the book like Ginny did in her first year, but a check reveals no dangers to the book. Knocking it over, Harry picks it up and sees a note written on the back page: This book belongs to the Half-Blood Prince...

Chapter 10: The House of Gaunt

Hermione is angry about the book, suggesting to Harry that the 'Prince' may be female (the writing in the book looks more like a woman's). Harry retorts by saying, "how many girls have been Princes?" This exchange may mean that Lily Potter could have been the original owner (Slughorn himself says Lily was masterful at Potions).

Harry also goes off on his first private lesson with Dumbledore. Dumbledore says he will not learn spells; instead, they will do investigative work in trying to guess Voldemort's intentions. Dumbledore extracts a vial full of memories from Bob Odgen, who worked as a Magical Law Enforcer before he died. He pours them into the Pensieve and he and Harry go inside.

They visit a town called "Little Hangleton" (with a church, a graveyard, a manor and a small copse) where the House of Gaunt lies. Odgen goes into the house and tries to arrest a man called Morfin, who speaks in Parseltongue. His father, Marvolo, reveals that they are the last descendants of Salazar Slytherin and that they hate Muggles and mudbloods. His daughter Merope (Voldemort's mother) fancies a Muggle living in town, and when Odgen comes back with reinforcements to arrest the father and Morfin, she is set free. Merope bewitches the Muggle, Tom Riddle Sr., and they get married. However, when she releases him from the enchantment, he leaves her while she is pregnant. Dumbledore ends the lesson there and tells Harry that he will explain more to him later, as well as how he received his hand injury.

Chapter 11: Hermione's Helping Hand

Classes resume as normal, with the trio still trying to do incantation-less spells. Harry resolves to go and speak with Hagrid, as he is ignoring them in the grounds. He also has to go to Quidditch trials and pick a new team. Meanwhile, Hermione makes an offhand comment about how Harry has "never been more fanciable" (a prod in the direction of a Harry & Hermione relationship), also saying "it doesn't hurt that you've grown about a foot over the summer". In response, Ron says "I'm tall" (Hermione is expressing interest in Harry now, much to Ron's displeasure). Harry starts to feel hot, even though the weather is miserable.

On more serious tones, Knight Bus driver Stan Shunpike has been arrested for discussing the Death Eaters' plans, and Dumbledore hasn't been seen since Harry's private lesson. Eloise Midgen has been taken out of school due to parents' concerns over her safety, and Hannah Abbott's mother was found dead recently.

When the trio pass Parvati and Lavender, Parvati nudges Lavender, who smiles at Ron. He smiles back uncertainly and Hermione becomes colder and more distant, not even wishing him 'good luck' in the trials.

The trials are a bit of a fiasco, but Harry picks Katie Bell, Ginny and a new player called Demelza Robins as chasers, Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie Coote as beaters, and Ron as keeper, much to Cormac McLaggen's dismay. Incidentally, Lavender Brown wishes Ron good luck as he flies up for his trial. Hermione picks this up and tells Ron he did brilliantly, leaving Lavender frustrated. Ron is quite happy to receive Hermione's praise.

Afterwards when they are walking to Hagrid's hut, Ron says McLaggen looked liked he was Confunded during the last goal shot. Hermione blushes, but Ron doesn't notice.

The talk with Hagrid is awkward, but eventually they make up after Hagrid tells them that Aragog is dying and the trio tells him (untruthfully) that Professor Grubbly-Plank is an awful teacher.

Horace Slughorn catches the trio before dinner and invites Harry and Hermione to a "little party, just a few rising stars", while resolutely ignoring Ron all the while. Harry says he's got detention with Snape and can't come. Slughorn will try to persuade Snape to let him out.

Later that evening, before Harry's detention, Hermione says that Arthur Weasley searched the premises of the Malfoys' residence, but didn't find anything, and that Malfoy couldn't have smuggled in whatever he wanted repaired because everything is checked by Dark Detectors. All this time Ron was staring at Lavender Brown.

Demelza passes Snape's message to Harry that he is expected at Snape's office, no matter how many parties he's been invited to.

Chapter 12: Silver and Opals

Harry lies in bed reading the Half-Blood Prince's textbook, which is full of spells that are quite handy. Harry casts a non-verbal one to levitate people, much like his father had done in Snape's memory. He pushes the suspicion that his father was the Half-Blood Prince out of his mind, as his father was pure-blood.

Dumbledore schedules another lesson on Monday night, which clashes with Slughorn's regular parties. Slughorn is determined to have Harry over along with Hermione and Ginny, but he is constantly thwarted by other appointments.

The first Hogsmeade trip is on as well. After fobbing off Slughorn's invitation, they encounter the bartender from the Hog's Head and Mundungus Fletcher, who has a case full of stolen goods, including a goblet with the Black crest on it. Harry seizes Mundungus by the throat and tries to take it back, accusing Fletcher of stripping the house when Sirius died. Fletcher blasts Harry away and Disapparates. Tonks also appears and says it's no use.

The trio spend time in the Three Broomsticks, but decide to go home. They follow Katie Bell and her friend Leanne back to the castle, until Katie and Leanne argue about a package. Leanne tries to take it and it tears, after which Katie rises six feet up into the air and screams before falling on top of all of them, writhing and screaming. Hagrid comes and takes her away, and Ron tries to touch the package but is stopped by Harry. The package contains a necklace that was in Borgin and Burges, with a label that read 'cursed'. Leanne tells them that Katie behaved strangely after she got out of the toilet, with a package she had to deliver. She suspected Katie was acting under the Imperius Curse, so she was trying to take the package when it tore and Katie touched it. Professor McGonagall comes and takes them away to her office, where Harry tells her he suspects Malfoy. McGonagall quashes the notion by saying Malfoy was doing detention with her, but Harry thinks it must have been an accomplice. Ron and Hermione ignore Harry every time he mentions Malfoy.

Chapter 13: The Secret Riddle

Harry attends his second lesson with Dumbledore. The last time they were in, Merope (Voldemort's mother) was expecting. She needed money as she didn't have the will to perform magic to feed herself, so she sold a golden locket that once belonged to Salazar Slytherin to Caractacus Burke, one of the founders of Borgin and Burke's. He only gave her ten galleons for what was an extremely pricey artifact.

In this lesson Harry is going into Dumbledore's memories. The young Dumbledore had auburn hair and beard, just as long as they are today.

Dumbledore visits a Muggle orphanage to speak to the eleven-year old Tom Riddle. After speaking with the matron, who says Riddle is a strange boy, Dumbledore talks to Tom directly. Even at the tender age of 11, Riddle has manipulated other children, strangled rabbits, hurt people and spoken in Parseltongue. The young Dumbledore is worried about his ambition, his cruelty, his thieving and other such things and resolves to keep an eye on him.

Back in the office, Dumbledore reveals he didn't know at the time that that young boy would grow up to become the most feared Dark Wizard for centuries.

Chapter 14: Felix Felicis

The trio are doing Herbology, tackling a plant called Snargaluff which has many tentacles and produces grapefruit-sized pods. Hermione tells Ron and Harry that the 'Slug Club' suppers are quite fun, and that Harry has to come to the Christmas one, as Slughorn has chosen a day when Harry is not busy. Ron gets angry and tells Hermione to "get off with McLaggen" so they can be "Slug King and Queen", Hermione hotly replies she was going to invite Ron, but as he's being so stupid she won't bother. The argument stops when Harry accidentally smashes his bowl.

Harry thinks to himself that, sooner or later, if Ron and Hermione get together a break-up could create an unbridgable gap between them that Harry couldn't close, or that the two would become so close they would shut Harry out. He tells himself he'll wait and see what will happen with the both of them under the influence of Butterbeer in the dimly lit room.

Meanwhile, Katie Bell is still in the hospital, which means the Gryffindor team is short of an excellent Chaser. Harry, after some thinking has to choose Dean Thomas, as he was next best flyer. Dean is happy and runs off to tell Ginny (his girlfriend and fellow chaser) the good news. Seamus, however, feels rather nonplussed. Harry gets some lip from the rest of the house over his decision to put a classmate on the team, but Harry is confident what with Dean's excellent showing at match practice. The beaters are also doing well.

Ron, however, is a different story. His old nerves have returned, making him so nervous he punches Demelza in the mouth. Harry encourages Ron and he visibly felt better until halfway towards the Gryffindor common room, Harry and Ron stumble across Dean and Ginny locking lips in a corridor. A monster grows inside Harry seeing Dean there, but Ron is angry with his sister.

Dean quickly hurries off, and Ginny and Ron start screaming at each other. They draw wands and Harry shoves Ron into a wall, causing him to narrowly miss his sister. Ginny insults Ron by saying all of his friends and family has kissed someone at sometime and that Ron has the "experience of a twelve-year old" and "the best kiss Ron's ever had was from our Aunt Muriel". Ginny storms off and Harry and Ron go back to the common room.

Along the way, Harry tells himself that he's angry because he saw a classmate kissing the sister of his best friend, but his real thoughts betray him. Harry sees himself in that corridor in place of Dean, kissing Ginny, with Ron storming in and shouting at Harry. He then sees himself alone with Ginny, with no Ron to interrupt.

Ron becomes aggressive and Harry drifts off to an uneasy sleep, trying to keep his mind off of Ginny. He tries to convince himself that he was feeling brotherly protectiveness.

The next day Ron lashes out at everyone around him, cold-shouldering Dean and Ginny and sneering at a hurt and confused Hermione. Hermione goes to bed quickly after being hurt and Ron stalks off to bed after swearing at some first-years. Ron doesn't get better, missing all the saves during the last Quidditch practice before the game with Slytherin and shouting so much he brings Demelza to tears. Ron almost resigns before Harry snaps him out of it. However, he is dejected through the rest of the evening, Harry's encouragement and shouting not making him feel any better.

Harry has a stroke of genius during the night, and the next day he wakes up feeling happy with a clear blue sky. Lavender tries to encourage Ron but he ignores her. Harry gives Ron some pumpkin juice at breakfast after spiking it with something (the Felix). Hermione is angry and tells Harry off, but then storms off after Harry makes a nasty comment.

Apparently, the Felix worked as Slytherin's best goal scorer is too sore to play and Malfoy got off sick as well. Harry suspects Malfoy is planning something, but Ron realizes that Harry must've put the Felix in his drink. Harry doesn't say anything and they play.

The new commentator is Zacharias Smith who takes every opportunity to insult Harry's team. After 30 minutes, Gryffindor is leading sixty to zero, Ron having made some spectacular saves (thanks to the luck potion) so Smith starts insulting the Beaters. After some more time and some more spectacular saves, Gryffindor is up 100-to-zero and the Slytherin Seeker sees the Snitch. Harry manages to distract him for a few seconds and catches it, winning easily. Back in the changing room, the atmosphere is jubilant; there would be a party later in the common room. They all leave except for Harry and Ron. Hermione bursts in at that moment and tells Harry off and how she should go to a teacher. Harry smiles at the two of them and tells Ron he didn't really put anything in at all and shows them the sealed flask. Ron is so happy he yells at Hermione and storms out, Hermione crying and following him after.

Harry is miffed that his plan to get them together backfired and stalks back. In the party, Ginny tells him that Ron is in the corner with Lavender. Harry finds Ron, who, according to Ginny, is "trying to eat her face". Harry spots Hermione going out and follows her. He tries to console her after finding Hermione in a room with conjured birds flying around her head. She had spotted Ron and was almost at a loss for words. Ron barges in with Lavender, who ducks out of the room. Hermione says goodbye to Ron and shoots the birds at him, which begin to attack him. She then runs out sobbing.

Chapter 15: The Unbreakable Vow

Ron is now spending every evening kissing Lavender Brown who "seemed to regard any moment that she was not kissing Ron as a moment wasted". Hermione is becoming increasingly bitter, and Ron says she should be satisfied as she has kissed Viktor Krum before.

Meanwhile Harry is still making good on the Prince's notes in his book of Advanced Potion Making. Hermione says he should be careful but Harry (who thinks he might lose his voice because he hasn't used it for so long) replies he has learned more from the Half-Blood Prince than from Slughorn or Snape. Hermione angrily tells him she wasn't talking about the "Prince", she was talking about the girls who have been infatuated with Harry for the entire year trying to slip him a Love Potion. She suggests that he invite someone so the girls will be discouraged. Harry tries, unsucessfully to not think about Ginny who "kept cropping up in his dreams in ways that made him devoutly thankful Ron could not perform Legilimency".

Harry brings up Malfoy and the necklace again, only to be told by Hermione that the Secrecy Sensors would definitely pick up a powerful curse, just not a love potion being disguised as a cough potion (Filch has banned all items in Weasley's Wizards Wheezes). Suddenly Harry is attacked by the insane Madam Pince who tries to claw Harry after seeing the Prince's writing in the textbook. Harry and Hermione escape and Harry expresses his thoughts that Pince and Filch may have a relationship.

In the Common Room, one of Harry's would-be lovers offers him a Gillywater and a box of chocolates which he quickly declines. Hermione was going to sit down until she sees Ron and Lavender entwined in the same armchair (after which she hurries off to bed).

The next day in Transfiguration, Hermione and Ron have a row, with Hermione running off crying. She is comforted in the bathroom by Luna Lovegood, who meets up with Harry. Hermione runs off straight away after she collects the things she left behind in class from Harry. Luna tells him that Ron says funny things sometimes, but sometimes hurtful things as well. Harry thinks to himself Luna has a knack for telling the awful truth. Luna also says Ginny sticks up for her and stopped two boys calling her "Loony" and Harry asks Luna to come with him to Slughorn's party. Luna is quite happy, as nobody has ever invited her to a party before. Peeves suddenly appears and taunts "Potty lurves Loony".

Soon, of course, everyone knows Harry asked Luna and Ron berates Harry, telling him he could've asked anyone but Loony. Ginny scolds him for that. Hermione is sitting alone, playing with her stew and Harry and Ron sit down. Soon, the other Gryffindor girls come and Lavender starts hugging Ron. Parvati feels guilty about laughing at Hermione, and asks her about the party. Hermione, as a way of attacking Ron, says she is taking McLaggen. Parvati is amazed and says Hermione really likes her Quidditch players, first Krum and now McLaggen! Hermione emphasises she only likes good Quidditch players.

Harry ponders the depth that girls would sink to to get revenge.

On the night of the party, Harry learns from Luna that Rufus Scrimgeour is coming to the party and Luna also says he's a vampire. Not knowing whether to believe her or not, they set off.

In the party, Slughorn introduces Harry to an expert on vampires and his vampire friend, Sanguini. The Weird Sisters are also there, along with Professor Trelawney who is still drinking. Snape is also present, and Slughorn lets slip that Harry is a natural, just like his mother. Snape says he didn't think he'd taught Harry anything over the past five years so Slughorn says it must be natural talent. Harry tells Slughorn that he is doing all the Auror subjects, after which Slughorn booms that Harry will be an excellent one and Luna mentions a conspiracy theory involving dark magic and gum disease.

Harry is having a great time with Luna and Slughorn when Malfoy is dragged in by the ear, by Filch who says Malfoy was trying to gatecrash. Slughorn laughs and tells him off, but will let him stay this time. Instead of looking pleased, Malfoy looks angry, Filch also and Snape slightly scared. Snape calls Malfoy off to have a word and Slughorn says not to be too hard on him, but Snape takes him anyway. Harry tells Luna he's going to the bathroom and eavesdrops on Snape.

Snape is trying to probe Malfoy for information about Katie Bell, but Malfoy stops him. Snape remarks that Aunt Bella must have been teaching young Malfoy Occlumency. Malfoy was wandering around upstairs, concocting some plan of his. Snape tries to help Malfoy and tells him that he took an Unbreakable Vow to protect him, but Malfoy won't have it. He storms out of the room, almost hitting Harry who was listening in his cloak.

Chapter 16: A Very Frosty Christmas

Harry and Ron are at the Burrow, enjoying Christmas. Harry wants to tell as many trustworthy people as he can about the conversation between Snape and Draco. He gets his chance on Christmas Eve, telling Remus Lupin and Mr. Weasley. They both say Dumbledore trusts Snape, and that's good enough for them. Lupin tells Harry that Snape prepared his Wolfsbane Potion perfectly during his tenure at Hogwarts, but the bitterness between them (and Harry) cannot be healed. They should trust Snape, however.

Harry asks Lupin what he has been doing lately. Lupin tells him that he's been underground, living among the werewolves and spying on them for the Order. He says they are on Voldemort's side because they can be free under his rule, and it is hard to argue with Fenrir Greyback, the head and most vicious werewolf alive. It was Fenrir that bit Lupin, when he was a child. Fenrir targets children to raise them to hate wizarding kind. He also wants to bite enough people for the werewolves to take over.

Lupin finishes his sad tale and drinks his eggnog. Harry then asks him about the Half-Blood Prince who had invented the Levicorpus spell that James once used on Snape. Lupin says he has no idea because it wasn't James, Sirius or Lupin. Lupin tells Harry to find out how old the book is in order to get an idea of the identity of the Prince.

Harry and Ron receive Christmas presents the next morning. Among them was the usual jumpers, a disgusting necklace from Lavender for Ron, and a package full of maggots from Kreacher to Master. The family (along with Fleur and Lupin) spend Christmas eating, until Percy and the Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, turn up. Rufus says hello to everyone and tells Mrs. Weasley that they were in the neighbourhood working when Percy "decided" to drop in for a visit. Scrimgeour really wants to talk to Harry, however. They go outside and Harry appreciates his battle-scarred, tough appearance over Fudge's portly nature.

Rufus wants Harry to make regular visits to the Ministry, to appear as the "Chosen One", a big hero who is approving of the Ministry. Harry says this will not work, as he does not approve of them locking up Stan Shunpike. Rufus turns very cold and tries to get information about Dumbledore from Harry. He won't tell and, after warning Rufus not to mess with Dumbledore, strolls off back to the house.

Chapter 17: A Sluggish Memory

Harry, Ron and Ginny go back to Hogwarts after Christmas. In the common room, Harry meets Hermione, who is ignoring Ron. He tells her everything, including the conversation with Rufus. She says the same thing as Mr Weasley and Lupin, but reminds Harry about Fenrir Greyback. Malfoy was threatening Borgin with him, and now they know who he is.

A sign has been placed up on the noticeboard, announcing Apparition training for anyone who will be turning 17 before the 31st August, which includes the trio. Everyone is excited about the lessons and they ask Harry about the sensation (he's the only sixth year to have done it before). Eventually Harry fobs them off for his third lesson with Dumbledore.

Harry tells Dumbledore the whole story, Snape's conversation with Draco, Rufus Scrimgeour's meeting with him and what happened over Christmas. Dumbledore tells Harry that Snape's conversation does not worry him, and that he had indeed argued with Rufus over Harry. Dumbledore displays a rare flicker of emotion as Harry reveals his reaction to Scrimegeour dubbing him "Dumbledore's man through and through." This suggests an even deepening relationship between the two, a sharp contrast to the distance maintained by Dumbledore in the fifth novel.

But now, they must go into the memories. Dumbledore recaps; Riddle had been let into school and sorted into Slytherin, where he learnt of Salazar's ability to converse with snakes. The staff did not expect much from Riddle; he was a polite, good-looking and ambitious orphan, so many took pity on him. Dumbledore describes how the forerunners of the Death Eaters gravitated around Riddle in his school days but admits difficulty obtaining memories of Riddle at Hogwarts. Riddle became obsessed with his parentage.

The first new memory is one of Morfin's. Riddle arrives at the Gaunts' house, converses with Morfin in parseltongue, and the memory abruptly ends. Morfin did not remember anything after that point, until he woke the next day and his ring had been taken. Dumbledore explains that at the same time, Riddle Senior and his parents were found murdered. The Ministry fingers Morfin, who readily confesses. Harry and Dumbledore speculate that Riddle had stupified his uncle Morfin, performed the murders, and then placed the false memories in Morfin's head.

The second memory is Slughorn's. He and the slug club of Riddles time are chatting. There are two times during the memory that everything gets inexplicably foggy, and only Slughorn's voice is heard (notably when Riddle asks Slughorn about Horcruxes, and in the fog Slughorn responds that he doesn't know a thing about them).

Dumbledore explains that Slughorn's memory has obviously been tampered with and charges Harry with obtaining the true memory from Slughorn.

Chapter 18: Birthday Surprises

Harry confides in both Hermione and Ron the assignment Dumbledore has given him regarding Slughorn's memory.

Slughorn sets Harry's potions class with the difficult task of brewing the antidote for various poisons. The notes written in his textbook provide no assistance in this difficult task, but with two minutes left, he finds scrawled on a page a note, "Just shove a bezoar down their throats". Harry remembers that Snape said in their first year and first potions class that a stone taken from a goat (which is a bezoar) will protect from most poisons. He rushes to the cabinet and finds one. No one in the class succeeds in making an antidote, but when Slughorn comes around to his table, Harry simply holds up the bezoar. Slughorn is amused, yet impressed, telling Harry that he thinks like his mother. (Hermione is not amused.)

Harry lingers after the class and asks Slughorn about Horcruxes, but Slughorn sees what Harry is up to immediately and insists there was nothing more to the memory he'd given to Dumbledore.

Students sit their first Apparation course with a Ministry wizard. The students attempt to apparate just a few feet. After several attempts no one succeeds in accomplishing anything, except for Susan Bones, who splinches herself on the fourth attempt (she leaves a leg behind).

During the lesson, Harry overhears an argument between Malfoy and his lackeys and decides to start watching Malfoy using the Maurauders Map.

It is Ron's birthday, and while opening presents, he mistakes the box of chocolates containing a love potion that Harry had received from Romilda as one of his gifts. After eating several, Ron developes an obsessive love for Romilda, and when Harry realizes what has happened, takes Ron to see Slughorn. Slughorn is able to create an antidote for Ron, and then decides they should toast Ron's birthday, and opens a bottle of mead. Ron drinks his first and it is quickly obvious that he has been poisoned. Slughorn is a bit slow on the uptake, but Harry finds a bezoar and forces it into Ron's mouth.

Chapter 19: Elf Tails

Ron is rushed to the Hospital Wing and his parents arrive there. It turns out that he will recover with rest.

In the next quidditch match, Cormac McLaggen replaces Ron as Keeper. However, in the process of trying to micromanage the team, he borrows a Beater's club and hits a bludger at Harry, cracking his skull, so Harry ends up in the Hospital Wing too.

While Harry is still in the Hospital Wing, he comes up with a plan to find out all of Malfoy's doings. He summons Kreacher, the late Sirius Black's house-elf. Kreacher appears, but Dobby the house-elf is with him, and they are fighting, apparently because Kreacher was insulting Harry in Dobby's presence. Harry and Ron manage to pull the two elves apart, and Harry tells them of his plan.

He instructs Kreacher and Dobby to trail Draco Malfoy everywhere, telling them to "stick to Malfoy like a couple of wart plasters". Harry tells the elves to give him regular reports on where Malfoy goes and what he does.

Chapter 20: Lord Voldemort's Request

Harry has another lesson with Dumbledore. There are just two memories. The first is of a 20 something Voldemort working as a buyer for Borgin and Burke. He visits the house of an elderly rich woman, named Hepzibah Smith (a possible relative of Zacharias Smith), who claims to be distantly descended from Helga Hufflepuff. Hepzibah shows her two treasures. The first is a cup that once belonged to Helga Hufflepuff. The second treasure is a locket, which was seen earlier in the possession of Merope Gaunt, and which, of course, was once owned by Salazar Slytherin.

The second memory is of Dumbledore as headmaster meeting with Voldemort. He has travelled a long way to apply to become a Hogwarts teacher. Dumbledore confronts him about his true motives and some of his rumoured behaviour. Finally, Dumbledore refuses to give him the job.

Chapter 21: The Unknowable Room

Harry finds a new curse in his potions textbook called Sectumsempra, and wishes to test it. Kreacher and Dobby report to Harry on Malfoy's doings, including those regarding Malfoy's regular use of the Room of Requirement. When Harry tries to enter the room, he finds that the door disappears and the room is gone from the map.

Chapter 22: After the Burial

Hagrid informs Harry that Aragog, the former's giant pet spider, has died, and wishes that Harry attend the funeral. Harry drinks some of the Felix Felicis, and goes out to persuade Professor Slughorn to reveal his memory of Voldemort. However, the potion instructs him to go to Hagrid's hut. On the way, he meets Slughorn, and Slughorn is interested in getting some acromantula venom so he meets Harry at Hagrid's. After an emotional burial, Hagrid and Slughorn get drunk, and Harry uses this to his advantage, knowing that Slughorn will not remember the incident the morning after. He manages to persuade Slughorn to give him the memory of the Dark Lord by using Slughorn's fondness of Harry's mother, Lily Evans, to persuade him to reveal it.

Chapter 23: Horcruxes

Horcruxes are items that contain a piece of a person's soul. A limited number of people have cast a spell to leave half their soul within an item. No one has done more than just divide their soul in half. Dumbledore's theory states that Voldemort, desirous of achieving immortality, has done what no wizard has done: divided his soul into seven pieces; he cannot be killed while any of the horcruxes remain. It is believed by Dumbledore that Voldemort had unique objects as horcruxes, objects that had a deep history, so that nobody would want to destroy them. The seventh piece is evidently in himself, so there are six still out there. Two of Voldemort's horcruxes have been destroyed: his diary (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) and a ring once belonging to Marvolo Gaunt, Voldemort's maternal grandfather. Dumbledore reveals that his destroying the ring is what injured his hand. Dumbledore further explains to Harry that should he locate any more Horcruxes, Harry will be permitted to assist him in the quest.

Chapter 24: Sectumsempra

Harry, shadowing Draco yet again, finds him sobbing to Moaning Myrtle: whatever it is he's planning, he's scared he can't do it, and fears for the lives of his parents (and himself) if he fails. Quickly, however, he spots Harry. Faced with a Cruciatus Curse from Malfoy, Harry uses the Sectumsempra spell from the Half-Blood Prince's book, not knowing what it will do. The spell injures Draco badly, spilling his blood everywhere. Professor Snape responds swiftly and saves Draco's life. Having used Dark magic to cause serious harm, Harry is assigned detentions by Snape for the rest of the year and has to miss the Quidditch finals; Ginny replaces him as Seeker and Dean Thomas replaces her as Chaser. When Harry returns to the Gryffindor common room, he finds that the Gryffindors have managed to win the match and the quidditch cup. In the excitement, Harry kisses Ginny; Ron seems to offer his grudging consent.

Chapter 25: The Seer Overheard

Harry and Ginny are very happy together, laughing about the rumours going around school about them. Ron doesn't seem to have any problems with their relationship. Hermione reveals her theory regarding the 'Half-Blood Prince'. Harry is summoned, again, to Dumbledore's office, but on his way there, he encounters Professor Trelawney, who is unsuccessfully trying to access the Room of Requirement to stash away empty liquor bottles. Apparently, someone is inside already and won't let anyone else in. She hears a 'whooping' sound which makes Harry believe that Malfoy has finally succeeded in achieving what he was after. She eventually reveals to Harry the identity of the person that overheard the "Harry-Voldemort" prophecy at the inn: Snape! Realising Snape gave Voldemort the information which prompted Voldemort to kill Harry's parents, an enraged Harry confronts Dumbledore. After a fiery exchange, Dumbledore calms Harry down, and they embark on their quest to retrieve one of the Horcruxes.

Chapter 26: The Cave

Dumbledore Apparates himself and Harry to a cliff on the sea. It is here Tom Riddle, in his orphaned youth, led two younger orphans on a horrifying trip. The cave is submerged so Dumbledore, followed by Harry, must swim underwater until there is an air space. Here they ignite their wands with the Lumos charm to produce light. Dumbledore feels around for some sort of an opening. He articulates Voldemort's motives and decides Voldemort likes his enemies to be weakened. He then sheds blood, to Harry's protest, on the wall. An opening appears and Harry and Dumbledore find themselves overlooking a giant underground lake, with a strange green glow coming from its centre. Harry tries to use the Accio spell to summon the Horcrux, but this fails, and something large emerges from the water momentarily. They edge their way around and Dumbledore, using a form of magic instinct to recall an boat on an initially invisible chain. They reach the centre of the water which is a small island. There is a basin with a liquid in it. They presume the Horcrux to be submerged in this liquid at the bottom of the basin. Because they are unable to touch the basin or its contents, Dumbledore decides he must drink the substance. He produces a goblet and drinks the substance. He continues to suffer pain and in the end even says for Harry to kill him. But because Dumbledore made Harry promise to make him (Dumbledore) drink every last drop, Harry persists and Dumbledore finishes. The corpses start arising when Harry tries to give Dumbledore water at Dumbledore's request. However Dumbledore frightens them off with magical fire. They get the locket and the weakened Dumbledore and Harry row back to the bank of the underground lake. They safely get out of the cave and Harry apparates them to Hogsmeade.

Chapter 27: The Lightning-Struck Tower

Harry and Dumbledore return to Hogsmeade. Madame Rosmerta lends them brooms and they fly to where the Dark Mark is floating over the castle above the Astronomy Tower. Chaos reigns around them in Hogwarts. Draco enters the tower; Harry is frozen by Dumbledore and unseen under his invisibility cloak, while Draco reveals that the task set upon him was to kill Dumbledore. He also reveals that he has snuck other Death Eaters into Hogwarts via two Vanishing Cabinets. He had the broken Vanishing Cabinet that Montague was shoved into during Book 5, and the other was the Vanishing Cabinet at Borgin and Burkes.

Dumbledore calmly reasons with Malfoy to give up and join the side of good. Malfoy falters, unable to accomplish the task, even when joined by his fellow Death Eaters. Snape enters the room and pauses to take in the situation. Dumbledore says his name softly. Snape gazes at Dumbledore for several moments, a look of revulsion and hatred on his face. Dumbledore verbalises a plea to Snape, but never explicitly states what he's asking for. Snape kills him, sending his body over the parapet.

It is an idea amongst some fans that Dumbledore was pleading Snape to go through with a plan they apparently made, in which Snape would kill Dumbledore. However, it is still a mystery why Dumbledore wanted himself dead...

Chapter 28: Flight of the Prince

Having killed Dumbledore with the Avada Kedavra curse, Snape flees with Malfoy. Harry pursues them (through a melée of Death Eaters fighting Hogwarts students, faculty, and Order of the Phoenix members). Meanwhile, Hagrid has intercepted Malfoy and Snape. Because of his giant blood, he is resisting the spells that Snape is aiming at him. Harry catches up with them and tries to kill Snape, using spells (including Sectumsempra) that he found in the Half-Blood Prince's book, but fails because Snape is able to anticipate them. Harry attempts the Cruciatus twice on Snape but fails. Snape then reveals that he created those spells himself – he is the Half-Blood Prince! Snape and the Death Eaters escape, but not before Snape prevents the other Death Eaters from killing Harry (as his death belongs to Voldemort).

Harry and Hagrid approach a crowd standing around Dumbledore's twisted corpse. Harry takes the locket from Dumbledore's pocket, and in it finds a mysterious note "To the Dark Lord," indicating that the locket was not, after all, a Horcrux, but that the Horcrux had already been stolen. The author of the note hopes that he in some way contributes to Voldemort's downfall. The note is signed "R.A.B."

Chapter 29: The Phoenix Lament

Ginny reveals to Harry that no one else (with the exception of one Death Eater) were killed in the battle, thanks to Ron's, Hermione's and Ginny's partaking of the Felix Felicis. The Order of the Phoenix begins preparations for Dumbledore's funeral. The Heads of Houses meet in Dumbledore's office to discuss the recent events. Fawkes (Dumbledore's phoenix) vanishes.

Bill has been bitten by a werewolf, but since the werewolf was not transformed at the time, he is only scarred and may have wolfish features for life. Despite this, Fleur still plans to marry him and this unites her and Mrs Weasley. Harry realises that Tonks is in love with Lupin, who was hesitant because of his being a werewolf. Mr. Weasley changes his mind after Fleur announces she still loves Bill.

Chapter 30: The White Tomb

Hermione tells Harry that Eileen Prince, the woman she had found before as a potential candidate for the owner of the book, was Snape's mother. Hermione discovered in the library that Prince married a Muggle named Tobias Snape and later gave birth to... Harry interrupts with the words "a murderer". Severus Snape is a Half-Blood, just like Voldemort (both of whom feel betrayed by their Muggle fathers) and Harry (though Harry is only considered Half-Blood because his mother was Muggle-born[1]).

Dumbledore is laid to rest in a white tomb overlooking the lake. Many previous and minor characters attend the funeral, as well as the merpeople and centaurs, who did a salute by firing arrows,(although they stay on the edge of the Forbidden Forest).

Harry breaks off the relationship with Ginny, as he is worried for her safety. Ginny accepts Harry's decision, but seems hopeful for their future after Voldemort is killed.

Scrimgeour asks Harry where he and Dumbledore had been that night, and Harry says he has nothing to say to him and repeats that he's "Dumbledore's man, through and through".

Harry, under questioning from Hermione and Ron, asserts that he will not return to Hogwarts, even if it remains open. He plans to return to the former home of his parents, and also to Privet Drive briefly to fulfill Dumbledore's wish that he remain protected, and vows to destroy the other Horcruxes and bring down Voldemort. Ron and Hermione pledge to stand alongside him and the three of them plan to go searching for the Horcruxes; the story ends with him comforted at the thought of spending one last peaceful day with them, at Fleur and Bill's wedding, before he returns to the war.