Hogwarts Herald

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.

In potions class Slughorn tells them the only three in the class (Harry, Draco, and Ernie) to make an amusing potion of their choice. Harry notices that Draco does not look well and suspects that the mission he was assigned is not going well. Harry decides to make a potion to induce euphoria that he thinks he might be able to have Slughorn taste to put him in a good enough mood to give up the memory, but Slughorn quickly disappears after class.

Hermione passes the apparition test. Ron fails because he left an eyebrow behind. At dinner the three discuss Harry taking the luck potion. He takes a gulp of it after sunset. Rather than go see Slughorn, he first decides to go to Aragog’s burial. On the way to Hagrid’s Harry decides to go through the vegetable patch and finds Slughorn there. Harry takes the invisibility cloak off and reveals himself to Slughorn.

Slughorn questions why Harry is out of the castle after dark. Harry explains about Hagrid and the death of Aragog having Hagrid upset. Slughorn decides to come to give the spider a proper send off and sneak some of its valuable venom. While Hagrid weeps about Aragog, Slughorn sneaks some of the venom into a bottle. They then bury Aragog with Slughorn saying some words in memory of him.

After the burial Slughorn and Hagrid drink the wine Slughorn brought, while Harry only pretends to drink it. Harry uses a non verbal spell to keep the wine bottles full. As the two drink and toast they eventually toast to Harry Potter, which leads to the untimely death of his parents. Harry makes Slughorn uncomfortable when he says his mother did not have to die, as Voldemort just wanted to kill Harry, but his mother gave her life for him. Slughorn really liked Harry’s mother and this is when Harry makes Slughorn feel guilty by saying that she gave her life for him, but Slughorn will not give Harry a memory.

Harry knows Slughorn will not remember the evening the next day, so he tells Slughorn he is the Chosen One and needs the memory to kill Voldemort. Slughorn is not proud of what happens in the memory and Harry tells him that he can make amends by giving up the memory. Slughorn finally does give up the memory and then falls asleep.