Hogwarts Herald

The eleventh chapter of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is called “Hermione’s Helping Hand.” Lessons in their sixth year are proving demanding and challenging even for Hermione. They are struggling to learn to do nonverbal spells. Because they have been busy they have not had time to go see Hagrid, thus they decide to go see him after Quidditch try outs.

While still at breakfast the owls arrive with mail and Harry receives his copy of the potions textbook. He switches the covers to keep the Half-Blood Prince one as his own and to give the new one to Slughorn as the borrowed book. Hermione gets a copy of the Daily Prophet in the mail and the news includes Stan Shunpike, conductor of the Knight Bus, being arrested on suspicion of being a Death Eater.

Harry begins Quidditch try outs be having the team hopefuls fly around the Quidditch field, which eliminates a lot of the potentials because many cannot even fly on a broom or where not even in Gryffindor. After two hours he finally chooses Katie Bell to return as a Chaser along with Demelza Robins and Ginny Weasley. Next he chooses Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie Coote as the Beaters. Last is the Keeper try outs and Ron barely wins by saving five and McLaggen (one of the few in the Slug Club) saving four.

After try outs Hermione, Ron, and Harry head to Hagrid’s. Hagrid slams the door on them and Harry threatens to blast down the door. Hagrid is upset with none of them taking his class. It turns out he is even in a worse mood because the giant spider Aragog is dying. Hermione asks if they could do anything for Aragog. Although Hagrid refuses he does end up in a better mood at them at least appearing to be willing to help.

As they return to the Great Hall Hermione admits that she confunded McLaggen on his fifth shot. As they enter the Great Hall Slughorn asks Harry and Hermione (new addition to the Slug Club) to have a little party with him. Harry says he cannot because of detention with Snape. Back in the common room after dinner Hermione reads about Mr. Weasley searching the Malfoys house, which is related to the top Harry gave him after the Knockturn Alley encounter. Harry begins to think the object is at Hogwarts since it was not found at the house. Ron huffs off somewhat disappointed as his friends and Ginny being part of the Slug Club and not him. In the end Harry gets word to meet Snape for detention at 8:30pm no matter the party invitations he has received.