Hogwarts Herald

Yesterday at midnight fans turned out in record numbers to see the latest Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, at midnight at theaters across the United States. The movie earned $22.2 million yesterday just from midnight showings of the movie based on the 6th book in the Harry Potter series. The revenue was earned from showings on over 3,000 screens across the country. The previous record holder for earnings from midnight releases was The Dark Knight, which earned $18 million from midnight showings on its release day last summer. The $22.2 million figure is also almost twice as much as the last Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, made in midnight showings, as that movie made $12 million with midnight showings.

This afternoon we went to the first showing that we knew about here in the middle of nowhere Georgia where I am currently on my summer long cross country baseball trip. I am not disappointed to have gone and seen Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince the first day in the theater, however, I was appalled at how different it is than the book. Click read more below for my sort of spoiler review. DO NOT Click if you do not want to spoil seeing the movie for yourself without already knowing some of the differences between the book and movie.

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About a week ago I bought the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince video game for the Nintendo DS. I thought it would be a fun adventure game to enjoy before the movie came out, but I was sorely mistaken. I still have not beat the game, but I hear it is not that hard to do. Personally I found it too boring to keep at it. The worst thing is that it really does not even seem to be about the 6th book or movie and could very well just be a general Harry Potter game just about exploring the world of Harry Potter.

The game is mostly about you going around Hogwarts completing various tasks, which for the most part involve finding items or trading for them to complete missions. There are some mini games along the way, such as Quidditch (pathetic tapping version), Exploding Snap (basically an okay matching game), Gobstones (just marbles), and Skittles (a poorly constructed pinball like game). Basically the game becomes a tedious one of plots loosely tied to events in the book/movie, but actually are just plain old regular things that the space or time is never devoted to in the book or the movie.

I could live with the tasks aspects being added in, as it is what gives you something to do in the game. Partially, though, it is a rather sad game because of the lack of the magical aspect. Sure you do spells to get items out of bookshelves and such, but in the actually tasks you never use spells unless you count the simplistic duels. The only magical world of Harry Potter thing I found somewhat recreated was the feel of running around Hogwarts and using the secret passageways.

The last straw for me, though, was finding several things entirely inaccurate to at least the book’s plot. It is not exactly excusable that they skip some major parts like the whole Dumbledore taking Harry from the Dursleys and going to see Slughorn, but it is entirely unexcuseable when they totally changed the plot. The first major thing is Luna unpetrifies Harry on the train and makes the whole incident not seem so dramatic as it is in the book with him almost going back to London, but Tonks finds him.

Overall this is a very sad game and I do not even recommend it for die hard Harry Potter fans. It just is a sad excuse for a game, especially when I remember the games for the first two movies being so much fun. Partially I had lower standards back then for games, so maybe they were not that awesome, but I do not think it is too much to expect them to be better and improve as the years go by. It is really disappointing that the games related to the movie releases have become like the majority of games based on movies that are not worth buying and only rarely worth renting. It really used to be in the minority worth buying instead of renting, but it suddenly has gone to not worth either. Perhaps the console versions are better, but I have heard the PSP version is at least basically the same, so equally worthless I imagine.

Chapter Thirty of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is called “The White Tomb.” The term was abruptly ended with no more classes and no exams. Some parents had already pulled their kids out of Hogwarts before the funeral. Many witches and wizards arrived in Hogsmeade for the funeral. The Minister of Magic and his delegation of officials remained at Hogwarts for the funeral and Harry kept avoiding them in order to not have to answer about the excursion with Dumbledore.

Hermione has been trying to find out who R.A.B. is, but has had no luck, yet. Harry has not been all that curious, but he knows they must figure out if the Horcrux is really gone or not in order to know how many he still has to find and destroy. While looking for R.A.B. Hermione discovers Snape’s mother was Eileen Prince a pure-blood and his father Tobias Snape was a Muggle.

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Chapter Twenty-Nine of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is called “The Phoenix Lament.” Ginny gets Harry up from Dumbledore’s body and leads him back to the castle. Ginny takes him to the hospital wing. She explains no one is dead and that Draco had stumbled over her brother, Bill, but he will be alright, although he was attacked by Fenrir the werewolf. Ginny informs Ron, Hermione, Luna, Tonks, and Lupin, who all around Bill, that Dumbledore is dead. Harry confirms the story and explains how Snape killed Dumbledore.

McGonagall arrives and Harry explains that Snape was the one that killed Dumbledore. They all had wondered about Snape, but Dumbledore always trusted Snape. McGonagall begins to blame herself because she is the one that summoned Snape to defend against the Death Eaters and if she had not she does not think he would have gotten involved.

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Chapter Twenty-Eight of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is called “Flight of the Prince.” Snape rushes the Death Eaters out of the tower after the killing Dumbledore. Harry soon realizes that the magic holding him paralyzed is gone now that Dumbledore is dead. He shoots of a Petrificus Totalus spell paralyzing the last of the Death Eaters trying to leave the tower. He then rushes down the stairs into the midst of the battle of Death Eaters vs. D.A. and Order of the Phoenix members.

Fenrir tries to attack Harry, but Harry uses Petrificus Totalus. He then jinxs the Death Eater battling with Ginny. He then continues through the battle trying to catch up to Snape and Malfoy. Harry catches up to Snape on the grounds.

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Chapter Twenty-Seven of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is called “The Lightning-Struck Tower.” Harry successfully aparrates back to Hogsmeade with him guiding Dumbledore this time. Harry tries to leave Dumbledore in Hogsmeade while he goes and gets Madam Pomfrey, but Dumbledore insists he needs Snape. Before Harry can leave him Madam Rosmerta of the Three Broomsticks rushes out and explains that the Dark Mark is now above Hogwarts and Harry cannot go there alone.

Harry summons Rosmerta’s brooms and Dumbledore has her warn the Ministry of Magic. Harry pulls on the Invisibility Cloak and they fly off to Hogwarts. On the way Harry worries one of the D.A. or worse his friends was the one murdered to cause the Dark Mark to be put over the castle. After they land atop the astronomy tower, Dumbledore orders Harry to go and bring Snape to him.

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Chapter Twenty-Six of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is called “The Cave.” Dumbledore and Harry plunge in the water to swim to the cave that Voldemort took the other two orphans when he was young. Inside the cave Dumbledore discovers the entrance to the inner chamber requires a payment of blood. Harry offers his blood, but Dumbledore refuses saying Harry’s is more valuable.

Inside is a black lake. Harry follows Dumbledore around the edge of the lake. Dumbledore believes the item is in the middle. Dumbledore finds a hidden chain that raises a boat from the bottom of the lake. The boat is only big enough really for one, but Dumbledore is sure it will stay afloat as long as there is only one true wizard in it. Harry does not count as a wizard because he is still under age.

As the boat glides to the center of the lake and the glowing green light, Harry notices that there are dead bodies in the lake. Dumbledore assures they will probably remain peaceful until they take the Horcrux and that they can easily be kept away with light/fire.

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The movie soundtrack for the latest Harry Potter movie is being released on July 14, 2009, which is a day before Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince comes to theaters on the 15th of July. The soundtrack features 28 tracks, which offers over 60 minutes of music from the movie. The score for the 6th movie was done by Nicholas Hooper, who also worked on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. This release is the first Harry Potter film soundtrack that is an enhanced CD. This means that it comes with a free digital download of the soundtrack as well as exclusive bonus content.

Chapter Twenty-Five of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is called “The Seer Overheard.” Ginny’s relationship with Harry finally is a reality. His performance in potions has suffered because of hiding the Half-Blood Prince’s book in the Room of Requirement, but Slughorn attributes it to being lovesick. Hermione comes in to the common room one night with an idea on who the Prince is. She found a photo of an Eileen Prince, Captain of the Hogwarts Gobstones Team. Harry does not believe it though and Hermione does not really have any proof that Eileen was even a half-blood.

Harry gets a note to see Dumbledore right away. On his way to Dumbledore’s he runs into Professor Trelawney outside the Room of Requirement. She had just gone in to try and hide something, but someone was already in there. She heard a male voice gleefully whooping before being hurled out of the room. Harry thinks she should tell Dumbledore, but she is hesitant at first because Dumbledore has been ignoring her information including a lightning struck tower (this foretells the major thing that happens in a few chapters, but I did not notice this the first time through).

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Chapter Twenty-Four of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is called “Sectumsempra.” The next day in Charms Harry fills Ron and Hermione in about him getting the memory from Slughorn and the Voldemort’s Horcruxes. They fill Harry in about Ron and Lavender breaking up as well as Ginny and Dean.

Harry has an silent battle with himself about going out with Ginny or not, but soon forgets that issue when they find Katie Bell has returned from her stay at St. Mungo’s. With the final Quidditch game approaching the practices go well with Ron and Katie back, although Harry keeps being distracted by Ginny. This all with the Quidditch game easily determining them to be the Quidditch Cup winners (if they win by more than 300 points) or finishing at the bottom for the first time in two centuries (if they lose by more than 100 points).

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Chapter Twenty-Three of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is called “Horcruxes.” As Harry returns into the castle the Felix Felicis wears off and finds out that the common room password has changed. The Fat Lady says he can take it up with the headmaster if he wants, but Harry thinks Dumbledore is still gone. Nearly Headless Nick says that he just returned an hour ago, though. As Harry rushes off to see Dumbledore the Fat Lady calls after him that she lied and the password was still tapeworm.

Dumbledore is surprised to see Harry, but happy to hear that he obtained Slughorn’s true memory. They quickly go into the memory. The memory is very similar at first, but then the foggy parts are clear this time. The first foggy part is Slughorn saying he has never been wrong about a student and thinks Tom will become Minister of Magic. The major foggy part is when Slughorn explains to Tom what Horcruxes are. They are a very dark magic. A horcrux is an item that a person puts part of their soul in. Slughorn explains that you split your soul and then put half in the object, so when your body is destroyed you are not actually destroyed, however the existence is worse than death.

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Chapter Twenty-Two of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is called “After the Burial.” Harry gets a note from Hagrid about Aragog having died. He asks Harry, Ron, and Hermione to sneak out at night to attend the burial. Ron does not want to go because he did not like the giant spider. Hermione does not think it is a good idea to try and sneak out.

Hermione tells Harry to try to soften Slughorn up while he is one of the few in potions class because most are taking their apparition test that day. Harry says “Fifty-seventh time lucky, you think?” and both Ron and Hermione get the idea that Harry should us the luck potion to get the memory from Slughorn. Harry agrees if he cannot get the memory after class he will use the Felix Felicis to get it that night.

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Chapter Twenty-One of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is called “The Unknowable Room.” Harry is still trying to figure out how to get the memory from Slughorn. He keeps searching the Prince’s potion book to perhaps finding something of use. He notes a spell called Sectumsempra noted for enemies.

The three discuss apparition for a little. The test date for those 17 on or before April 17 had been announced. Ron is worried because he has not successfully done it, yet. Hermione is more confident because she has done it twice. Harry has done it once, but he will not be old enough to take the test.

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Chapter Twenty of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is called “Lord Voldemort’s Request.” Harry and Ron get out of the hospital on Monday and they go to breakfast with Hermione. On the way she explains that Ginny and Dean had a fight about Dean laughing at McLaggen hitting a bludger at Harry. Harry likes the idea that the two might be breaking up, as he still has a secret crush on Ginny. At breakfast it seems Ron and Lavender are also about to break up.

Harry goes to another lesson with Dumbledore. As he arrives Professor Trelawney is about to leave. Dumbledore is disappointed that Harry has been distracted by Malfoy and has not spent much effort at getting the true memory from Slughorn about the Horcruxes. He then says he has two last memories to show Harry.

Before they go into the memories Dumbledore explains how Voldemort left Hogwarts. He explains how many had high expectations for Voldemort in his seventh year that Slughorn tried to get him interested in working at the Ministry of Magic. Voldemort, however, ended working at Borgin and Burkes. Dumbledore explains that Voldemort’s first job choice was to be a professor at Hogwarts teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. Dumbledore thinks he wanted to because he was attached to Hogwarts, wanted to continue to find the secret ancient magic in the castle, and he would have influence over young witches and wizards. The headmaster at the time (Professor Dippet) told Voldemort no, but to reapply in a few years. Dumbledore warned against ever hiring Voldemort.

Working for Borgin and Burkes Voldemort was sent to obtain treasures to sell in the shop and he had a skill for getting people to part with their items. At this point Harry and Dumbledore go into the memory of Hokey the house elf. The memory is of Voldemort visiting Hokey’s master (Hepzibah Smith) to make an offer on goblin armor. Hepzibah trusts Voldemort to see her most prized possessions as long as he does not tell Mr. Burke she has them.

The house elf brings the items in leather boxes. Inside one box is a golden cup with a badger on it, which means it was Helga Hufflepuff’s. Inside the other is something she had bought from Burke. It is golden locket with an S (i.e. the locket that Voldemort’s mother sold to Burke when she was pregnant with him).

Back in Dumbledore’s office Dumbledore explains that Hepzibah was found poisoned two days later. The house elf took the fall, as she remembered putting something the cocoa that turned out to not be sugar, but rather a rare poison. Dumbledore suspects it was Voldemort again changing memories and having another take the fall for the murder. The woman’s family did not find out about the missing possessions until much later and by then Voldemort had left the shop and disappeared.

There is a ten year gap between that memory and the last Dumbledore has to show Harry. The last memory belongs to Dumbledore. The memory is of Voldemort coming to visit Dumbledore, who is already the Headmaster in this memory. He had come to ask once again to be a teacher at Hogwarts. Dumbledore refuses because he thinks that Voldemort will try to get students to become Death Eaters, which exist by now, but Voldemort did not expect Dumbledore to know about. Dumbledore wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job and ever since he was refused Dumbledore has not been able to keep a professor in that job for more than a year. Dumbledore does not divulge why he thinks Voldemort might have come back to ask for the job. He says he will after Harry gets the true Horocrux memory from Slughorn.