tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845713942442113471.post3529364202868762874..comments2022-11-11T07:08:58.715-05:00Comments on The Screaming Axe: Notes on The Half-Blood Prince (book version)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845713942442113471.post-28546465884067870532011-11-22T14:51:42.191-05:002011-11-22T14:51:42.191-05:00Good points.
You're probably right about Slug...Good points.<br /><br />You're probably right about Slughorn being afraid of Voldemort, but then I don't see why Voldemort wouldn't just have him killed rather than risk him giving up his memory - once the memory has been passed on, Slughorn's no longer a singular threat to Voldemort. Of course, telling it would incur Voldemort's wrath, but if Voldemort ever got a hold of him, I think he'd be dead either way.<br /><br />You have reminded me that Dumbledore never did get around to telling the story about the ring, and how he hurt his hand. I can guess, but I was hoping to hear what it was like for Dumbledore to defeat the Horcrux. I was thinking that it was a lapse of judgment that Dumbledore didn't make sure Harry realized how to destroy a Horcrux, since he must have figured it out himself to have vanquished the ring. I was also wondering how more or less convenient the timing of Dumbledore's murder is - not just at the end of the school year, which makes it a good conclusion to the story, but after Harry has been taught enough about the Horcruxes to at least stand a chance. I wonder what would have happened if Draco had completed his task earlier than expected, before Dumbledore imparted as much of his knowledge to Harry. Would he have then stepped in and stopped Draco, though? Questions, questions.<br /><br />When Draco was holding Dumbledore hostage on that tower, I felt that after the first few moments, it started to become pretty uncomfortable. Draco should have killed Dumbledore and been done with it, but the way he stalled, while pretending as if he could do it at any time (which was an obvious facade), as Dumbledore's strength waned, it almost seemed a pathetic situation for such a great wizard to be pushed into. I guess I'm glad Draco didn't have it in him (actually, I think I'd like Draco a lot more if he had some balls), and it was great to have a chance, as a reader, to hear about Draco's plan and how he pulled it off, but Dumbledore went down in such an inglorious manner. I guess that's part of the tragedy of it all.zharthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3845713942442113471.post-15378278408704009492011-11-22T08:53:23.269-05:002011-11-22T08:53:23.269-05:00As far as point of view goes, I THINK (not certain...As far as point of view goes, I THINK (not certain) the introduction is the point where we may see something of the wide world, and then return to Harry's skull. The opening of book 1, for example, has McGonagle watching over Privet Drive and Dumbledore with the De-luminator, iirc. <br /><br />Never thought of it before, but I'd suspect another aspect of Slughorn's resistence was fear of grave retribution from Voldemort's side. The horcruxes were, without a doubt, Voldemort's number one most sensitive secret, knowledge he did not entrust to any of his followers (even when he gave the diary horcrux to Lucious), and it was fear of retribution from the dark lord that initially made Slughorn apprehensive of joining Hogwarts, so we know it's a concern on his mind.<br /><br />I confess to not necessarily understanding Snape & Dumbledore's plan here. Because of the curse that Dumbledore recieved in destroying the ring, he was doomed to die, regardless of any factors. So his sacrifice here was relatively minimal. But to go so far as to... allow death eaters to waltz right into Hogwarts, turn a blind eye to a plan that could have been undone at any moment, a plan so blatant that even Harry discovered it? Brash...<br /><br />I suspect that this grand scheme was done to protect Malfoy. Poisoned though he is by his upbringing, he is still a child and he deserves a chance at a good life. I'm not convinced that Voldemort really needed any convincing as to how loyal Snape was... but your theory makes a LOT more sense, in so far as risking other students' lives for Malfoy? I'm not sure that's entirely moral. But since I consider Malfoy the point of this scheme, you can see now why I was so eager to see Malfoy make a genuine redemption (Dumbledore gave his life, after all), instead of remaining the same worthless self-serving assfuck he's always been.<br /><br />Couldn't agree more with what you said at the end. I'd have to rank Snape as one of the all-time tragic characters. He wouldn't probably make my top 10 for favorite charas in the series, but he's the most interesting and probably the most worthwhile character in the series hands down. Should the time come for the mythology to be continued, I hope Snape is the main character.Tenzin Swifthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05925867097747621833noreply@blogger.com