Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Half-Blood Prince/Chapter 30
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Chapter 30 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: The White Tomb
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[edit] Synopsis
Over the next few days, some students leave the school with their parents. Others, like Seamus Finnigan, refuse to go until they pay their last respects to Dumbledore. Meanwhile, wizards and witches pour into Hogsmeade to attend the funeral. Harry and Ginny, Hermione and Ron now spend all their time together. They visit the Hospital Wing often. While Neville is healed, Bill remains under constant care. Apart from being permanently disfigured, the only lasting effect seems to be a preference for very rare steaks.
Later, Hermione shares that her library research uncovered that Eileen Prince is the Potions book's original owner and Snape's mother. Prince "married a Muggle named Tobias Snape and later gave birth to..." Harry interrupts, "a murderer." Harry is maddened that Snape, unknown and unknowingly, was helping him. He sees a similarity between the half-blood Lord Voldemort and his assumed title, and the Half-Blood Prince and his adopted moniker. How could Dumbledore have missed it?
At Dumbledore's request, he is laid to rest at Hogwarts in a glorious white tomb overlooking the lake. Many students and the staff (apart from Severus Snape) attend the funeral, as well as the Merpeople and the Centaurs, who fire arrows into the air in salute.
Harry ends his relationship with Ginny—for now. Harry realizes that Voldemort attacks him through those he loves, his parents, Sirius, Dumbledore, and by ending their romance, he hopes to protect Ginny.
Scrimgeour takes Harry aside and asks where Harry and Dumbledore went the night Dumbledore was killed. Harry tells Scrimgeour that is between him and Dumbledore, and asks Scrimgeour again whether he has released Stan Shunpike. Harry repeats that he is "Dumbledore's man through and through."
Harry tells Hermione and Ron he is leaving Hogwarts, even if the school remains open. Finding the remaining Horcruxes and killing Voldemort are his only focus now. He intends to visit his parents' former home in Godric's Hollow after a brief stay at Privet Drive to fulfill Dumbledore's wish that he remain under his mother's protective charm. Then he will find and kill Snape. Ron and Hermione pledge to join his quest, despite Harry's preference to go it alone. Harry finds comfort in spending one last peaceful day with his friends, and he looks forward to Bill and Fleur's wedding.
[edit] Analysis
Unlike the first five books, the story ends with Dumbledore's funeral, rather than the students arriving at Platform 9 3/4 in London on the Hogwarts Express and bidding each other goodbye for the summer. If Harry follows through on his mission, which seems certain, the next book will probably also deviate from the traditional opening with students headed back to school in the fall. However, without Dumbledore, Hogwarts will be a far different place than before. His affect on the school has not only been deeply significant but, as seen by the many magical creatures that attended his funeral, far-reaching. For Harry, Hogwarts has always been a source of comfort and security. Without Dumbledore, it may have been too much for him to return. One thing seems certain—the Dursleys will probably make an appearance, as Harry must make one last visit to Privet Drive to enforce his mother's protective charm that ends on his next birthday. This will be the Dursleys' final opportunity to reconcile with Harry, although their mutual loathing is probably too deep to bridge.
Ron and Hermione informm Harry they are joining the Horcrux mission, whether he wants them to or not. Their decision is an affirmation of their love, friendship, and loyalty for their friend. Although Harry intended to search for the Horcruxes alone, wanting to protect those he cares about and still driven by the need battle Voldemort alone, he has finally accepted that it takes unity, support, and cooperation to defeat evil.
Harry unhappily ends his relationship with Ginny to protect her from Voldemort, though she is probably still in grave danger. Harry never mastered Occlumency, and it is possible that Voldemort could penetrate his mind and see images involving Ginny, although he has found that being inside Harry's consciousness is an extremely unpleasant place for him, and he may not attempt this again.
We learn that Snape, Voldemort, and Harry share an important characteristic: they are all half-bloods. Snape, however, apparently grew up connected to the wizarding world, unlike Harry and Voldemort, although his home life was certainly just as unpleasant. As much as Harry always disliked and resented Snape, he is now driven solely by hatred and vengeance. This vigilante desire to avenge Dumbledore's death has clouded Harry's judgment; rather than seeking justice, Harry is consumed with inflicting revenge. This could jeopardize his mission to find and destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes. Harry will need to overcome his extreme emotions if he is to succeed.
It is ironic that Harry's least favorite and ineffective teacher (Snape) is also his most admired and influential mentor (the Half-Blood Prince), someone who inspired him and from whom he has learned so much. This conflict will continue to affect Harry.
[edit] Questions
- Where does the portrait of Dumbledore come from?
- How can the portrait help Harry?
- Why would Dumbledore want to be buried at Hogwarts and in a white tomb?
- What does Harry mean when he says he is, "Dumbledore's man, through and through"?
- Why does Harry end his relationship with Ginny? Is it likely they will reunite in the future?
- Why did Harry not want Ron and Hermione to join his search for the remaining Horcruxes?
[edit] Greater Picture
As the book ends it is unclear if Dumbledore was truly dead or merely in some deathlike state. This led to much speculation among readers as to whether or not he would return in some form in the next book. Voldemort is not the only one who knows how to create Horcruxes, and it was possible that there were other magical means for a resurrection in Book 7. There were certainly many clues that he could return. Dumbledore was acting uncharacteristically when he pleaded with Snape just before he killed him. Was Dumbledore begging for his life or asking Snape to strike him according to some prearranged plan? Readers noticed that the Avada Kedvra curse that Snape used reacted differently than others seen in the series. Also, Dumbledore has always been closely associated with a Phoenix, a bird that dies and is reborn from its own ashes. The smoke from Dumbledore's funeral pyre appeared to have briefly assume the image of a Phoenix. Whether that symbolized a corporeal resurrection or only a spiritual one, Dumbledore does return in some form in the next book.
Also, it is unknown where Dumbledore's portrait appeared from or how it was hung in the office. Presumably, no one had entered the office since his death, and yet it is already hanging on the wall when Professor McGonagall and Harry arrive there. However, it is highly possible that the portraits magically appear when a headmaster or headmistress dies. It is also unclear how closely associated portraits are with those they represent. They may merely be talking autobiographies of their subjects, or they may retain their essence, including the ability to develop mentally and/or gain new insights. Later evidence does suggest that portraits remain able to think and reason, as it seems that the portrait of Dumbledore is still advising Snape and Harry in the final book of the series.
J. K. Rowling had stated, following this book's publication, that Dumbledore was definitely dead, although readers still held out hope for a resurrection; while we do see him again, it is now known that he is definitely not resurrected.
