Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Half-Blood Prince/Chapter 15
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Chapter 15 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: The Unbreakable Vow
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[edit] Synopsis
Hogwarts prepares for Christmas, and Harry does his best to avoid giggling girls and mistletoe clumps. Ron now spends every evening kissing Lavender Brown who, "seemed to regard any moment that she was not kissing Ron as a moment wasted." Ron and Hermione continue to ignore each other, while Harry and Hermione frequently study in the library together. Harry once again has found himself best friends with two people who are not speaking to each other.
Meanwhile, Harry continues doing well in Potions using the Prince's notes. In the library, Hermione warns him to be careful, but Harry says he has learned more from the Half-Blood Prince than from either Slughorn or Snape. But Hermione says she is referring to the girls who are infatuated with Harry—they might try to slip him a Love Potion. Filch has banned all Weasley's Wizards Wheezes items, but Love Potions aren't jinxes, curses, or concealment charms, so Secrecy Sensors won't find them, and simply putting them in perfume bottles will hide them from Filch. Romilda Vane is particularly determined to go to Slughorn's party with Harry. Hermione suggests that Harry invite someone to discourage the other girls.
Harry mentions Malfoy and the necklace again, but Hermione says the Secrecy Sensors would detect any powerful curse. Suddenly, Harry is clawed at by an outraged Madam Pince, the Librarian, after seeing writing in the Potions textbook. Harry and Hermione escape, and Harry wonders aloud if Pince and Filch have a relationship. Hermione is still angered by Harry's refusal to give up using the book.
In the Common room, Romilda Vane offers to share a Gillywater with Harry which, catching a warning glance from Hermione, he quickly declines. Vane also pushes a box of chocolates on him (Chocolate Cauldrons with Firewhisky centers), which he takes and stashes unopened in his trunk.
The next day in Transfiguration, Ron accidentally gives himself a handlebar moustache, causing Hermione to laugh. In retaliation, Ron rudely imitates Hermione whenever she answers a question, finally sending her running off crying. Harry cannot wait to leave for the Burrow, hoping the distance will help heal Ron and Hermione's relationship. Harry finds Hermione in a nearby bathroom, being comforted by Luna Lovegood. Hermione collects her things that Harry brought and leaves.
Luna tells Harry that Ron sometimes says funny things, but hurtful ones as well. Harry thinks Luna has a knack for telling unpleasant truths. Luna says she misses the D.A., as she felt she had friends there. She also says Ginny sticks up for her and stopped two boys from calling her "Loony." Harry decides to invite Luna to Slughorn's party—although he makes sure to say it is just as friends. Luna is surprised and quite happy, as nobody has ever invited her to a party before. Peeves suddenly appears hanging upside down from a chandelier and taunts, "Potty lurves Loony".
Soon, everyone knows Harry has invited Luna. Ron rebukes Harry, telling him he could have asked anyone. Ginny scolds Ron and comments approvingly to Harry. Hermione is sitting alone, and Harry and Ron sit down. Soon, the other Gryffindor girls arrive and Lavender starts hugging Ron. Parvati and Hermione talk about Slughorn's party; Hermione brightly comments that she is going with Cormac, and says she likes good Quidditch players, before leaving to get ready. Harry ponders the depths to which girls will sink to get revenge.
Luna wears silver-spangled robes to the party, eliciting giggles from some girls. Harry, relieved she is not wearing her Butterbeer-cork necklace or radish earrings, thinks she actually looks quite nice. He tells her a Vampire will be at there; Luna thinks he means Rufus Scrimgeour as the Quibbler was about to print a story that Scrimgeour is a vampire, but the Ministry quashed it. At the party, Slughorn introduces Harry to vampire expert, Eldred Worple, and his vampire friend, Sanguini. Worple offers to write Harry's biography; Harry declines, as he has just noticed Hermione is sitting between what looks like two of the Weird Sisters. Hermione has just escaped McLaggen's attempts to take advantage of the mistletoe. She steers Harry and Luna to the refreshments table, where she can see if he is approaching. Professor Trelawney is there, still drinking. Snape is also present and Slughorn lets slip that Harry is a natural at Potions, just like his mother. Harry tells Slughorn that he is taking the required Auror subjects, after which Slughorn booms that Harry will make an excellent one. Luna then mentions a conspiracy theory about Aurors using Dark Magic and gum disease to take down the Ministry of Magic.
Harry is having a great time with Luna and Slughorn when Malfoy is dragged in by Filch, who caught Draco gatecrashing. Slughorn laughs and reprimands him, but lets him stay, although Malfoy looks angry. When Snape asks for a private word with Malfoy, Harry excuses himself to go to the bathroom but instead eavesdrops on Snape and Malfoy. Snape probes Malfoy for information about Katie Bell, but Malfoy blocks him. Snape remarks that Malfoy's Aunt Bella must have been teaching him Occlumency. Snape knows Malfoy has been upstairs, working on some project. He offers to help, citing his Unbreakable Vow to protect him, but Malfoy says nothing and storms out, nearly hitting Harry under his Invisibility Cloak. Although Harry knows Snape is a double agent working for the Order, he still distrusts him.
[edit] Analysis
When Harry overhears Snape questioning Malfoy regarding his secret activities, it appears Snape is clueless about what Draco's mission is, and Draco refuses to divulge anything, even though Snape has sworn an Unbreakable Vow to assist him. However, Draco's refusal to confide in Snape (which indicates he distrusts him) does little to convince Harry that Snape is not a Death Eater, despite Dumbledore's repeated assurance that he is loyal. Harry's stubborness and emotions often overrules his judgment and logic, and his hatred for Snape refuses to allow him to consider other possibilities regarding Snape, while, ironically, Draco apparently does. It also appears that Harry's suspicions regarding Malfoy may be correct.
Harry seems unaware that he is appealing to the opposite sex. His interest in girls was mostly confined to one person, Cho Chang, and he seldom considers pursuing other relationships up until this book, when he develops feelings for Ginny. That he ignores girls interested in him may show a lack of confidence, or that he is so preoccupied by more serious matters that it never occurs to him to seek female companionship other than Hermione or Ginny, his platonic friends. To discourage girls' attention, Harry invites Luna Lovegood to Slughorn's party, partly because he considers her "safe," but he also feels bad that she is mistreated by other students. Nor has he forgotten her participation in the battle at the Ministry of Magic (in Order of the Phoenix). Although Harry knows other students, including Ron, will mock him for inviting "Loony" Luna, he has matured enough that he considers his peers' disapproval is outweighed by one individual's needs. While Hermione and Ginny express their approval, Ron's deplorable behavior not only shows his immaturity, but also his insecurity about himself; he shuns the unpopular students, afraid that associating with them will reflect badly on him.
Luna's observation that Ron often says funny things, but also hurtful ones, is accurate and insightful; considering how Luna risked her own life to help Harry and Ron during the battle at the Ministry of Magic, Ron's rudeness towards her is deplorable and inexcusable. Ron has previously demonstrated poor behavior not only wth Luna, but also Hermione. His difficulty with girls in general and unresolved feelings for Hermione in particular results in him lashing out at her for any perceived misstep. After learning that Hermione kissed Viktor Krum the previous year, he retaliates by having a relationship with Lavender Brown, a girl he never particularly liked. Ron's motive appears to be to hurt Hermione and make her jealous. In that end, he has apparently succeeded.
[edit] Questions
- If Snape is magically bound to help Draco accomplish his secret task, why does Draco refuse to confide in him?
- Why did Voldemort never tell Snape what Draco's task is?
- Why does Harry invite Luna to Slughorn's party? Why does Ron object?
- Why does Ron mock Hermione? Was it deserved?
- Why did Hermione invite Cormac McLaggen rather than another student?
- Is Luna right that Ron sometimes says funny things, but also hurtful ones? Explain. What does Harry think?
