Horcruxes revealed

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Chapter 23

Quick random thoughts as I was trying to fall asleep last night after reading this chapter and finally discovering the mystery of Horcruxes:

• Wow!
• Talk about selling your soul to the devil.
• Like, how many times now does this mean Harry has to kill Voldemort? Gonna have to go back through the chapter tomorrow when I write about it. Too much to remember.
• What would it be like to do a Zoom meeting with each piece of Voldemort's soul? Would they get along? Would they plot? Would they just hiss at each other?
• Will there be a sixth "Diehard" movie. You could just call it "Diehard 6" to represent the six Horcruxes. Bruce Willis could play Sirius and come back from a faked death as John McClane. You know you'd go see it. 
• Finally, someone should create a phone app game called "Whack-A-Vol."

Didn't you just love it that Dumbledore didn't care what time it was or how tired he was when Harry showed up with Ol' Sluggy's memory? How could either of them have slept anyway?

Sluggy is so gullible and naive, so undone by flattery, so bribeable. Or does he love how it makes him feel important to impart such secrets as he did with Tom Riddle long ago and now with Harry? He's like an anonymous source. Most anonymous sources love the power it makes them feel when they tell a reporter something they shouldn't. Sluggy is a complicated wizard, so take your pick.

As the plot moves we have aha moments. This chapter is obviously an aha, and it's one on which it seems much of the story going forward will pivot. Harry had an aha moment when the memory caused him to remember something Voldemort said during their encounter two years ago: "I was ripped from my body, I was less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost ... but still, I was alive."

Only someone with no love in them could even contemplate the murders it would take to subdivide his soul into seven pieces like a farmer might do with a large plot of land. The way he was talking with Sluggy it seems obvious his decision to chase immortality was made then. What better way — in his twisted, sociopathic mind, heart and soul — to survive a war to "purify" the magical race. Each Horcrux is like an escape tunnel, like another life in a video game, another way to pay back his mother for making him a mudblood. This is fiction, but it makes you shudder to think someone could pursue such evil.

On to the quest to find and destroy the Horcruxes and ultimately Voldemort himself when he has nowhere left to hide or Death Eaters to protect him. Here we go with a countdown so I will get this straight and will have a reference point to look back on should I get confused, which is more than possible.

• Voldemort, we learn from Dumbledore, created six Horcruxes through murders he committed. This is why, when Voldemort's curse to kill Harry backfired it didn't completely kill him off. When Wormtail helped Voldemort regenerate his body from his wandering piece of soul, that allowed the seven pieces of his soul (six of them Horcruxes) to be Voldemort again.
• Harry is reminded that he destroyed the first Horcrux when he stabbed Tom Riddle's diary. That leaves five.
• Dumbledore destroyed a Horcrux when he worked his magic on Marvolo's ring and was left with a withered hand. That leaves four.
• There are theories about what objects could contain the four remaining disembodied pieces of Voldemort's wretched soul. 
• One could be the Slytherin's golden locket Voldemort stole from Hepzibah.
• Another could be Hufflepuff's golden cup Voldemort also stole from Hepzibah.
• There's a complicated theory that involves the snake Nagini as a possible Horcrux (more on that coming).
• And then maybe something that belonged to Ravenclaw or Gryffindor or both.

Dumbledore has been quite the researcher, but he is puzzled by the day Voldemort killed Harry's parents and tried to kill baby Harry. Dumbledore said he thought that murder would be the creation of the sixth Horcrux, but Voldemort's first body, so to speak, died that day. His best guess is that when Voldemort returned he created No. 6 in Nagini when he killed a Muggle man. That's possible, but I don't think Dumbledore is convinced.

That brings us to the discussion of the prophecy, which comes across more like a suggestion the way Dumbledore explains it. Voldemort, he said, created the enemy of Harry because he believed the prophecy of the "Chosen One." Confusing, I know.

I like what Dumbledore says about tyrants fearing the ones they oppress. That is so true of all tyrants from leaders of nations to selfish politicians to insecure bosses.

In the end, it seems Voldemort has set in motion his own downfall in a classic battle of a being with no ability to love vs. a human being with a remarkable ability to love and truly more to fight for.

Now that we know all the stakes, the Order of the Phoenix can go on offense. At least that's what I think will happen. And sadly I don't think Sirius was the final death we will see for the good guys.

Let the Horcrux search-and-destroy mission begin. (And I would like to know for sure who the Half-Blood Prince is.)

Love is in the mist

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Chapter 14

Hermione loves that Harry is learning the traits of a young and psychopathic Voldemort. As she says, Harry just might discover some of the Dark Lord's weaknesses. But that's a competition for another day.

We learn in this chapter that competition definitely brings out something in people. Not sure it's always the best. In fact I'm sure it's not.

However, the Quidditch match did bring out the best of the Gryffindor team in its domination of the Slytherins. Nice motivational technique by Harry. Ron, of course, would succumb to the placebo trick. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if Ron's confidence disappears before the next match. It doesn't take much to send Ron into spiraling self-pity. Harry might have to slip the mickey for real next time.

The true competition in this chapter concerns hormones and snogging.

Hermione likes Ron, and Ron likes Hermione. But neither will admit it or do anything about it. This relationship has your typical rom-com plot written all over it. Ron's fling with Lavender Brown will end as quickly as it began. Will Ron and Hermione be snogging in the final scene? Grab the tissues.

While the Ron-Hermione match is no secret to Harry, he suddenly has a big secret. His gut quite literally tells him that he has special feelings for Ginny. He is denying it, of course, and I'm quite sure he will continue to do so for quite some time. Even when he admits it to himself, he won't want anybody to know. Harry has to have a secret to carry around of some kind or else he wouldn't be Harry.

So where does all of this teenage angst lead in the cold, misty air of Hogwarts? Will love potions be slipped into pumpkin juice? Will love spells be cast?

Hagrid, Quidditch, Detention: Just a typical Saturday

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Chapter 11

So N.E.W.T level classes are kinda like grad school. More difficult and the busiest you've ever been. Been there, done that, don't want to do it again.

Yet, you do allow yourself to make time for things you really love. At Hogwarts that means old friends and Quidditch.

Making amends with Hagrid -- even if they didn't do anything wrong -- was obviously important to the dream team. Their cautious, patient approach was wise. When a guy gets upset over a giant spider facing death and has empathy for dumb giant, you must tread lightly. The bigger they are, the harder the emotions are to overcome.

Being Quidditch captain stresses Harry as much as anything else. But he shows the firmness a captain/coach has to show.

For Ron's sake -- and I'm not typically empathetic toward Ron -- I hope he never finds out that Hermione helped him earn his spot on the team. I will give him this: Ron deserves props for being willing to be on the team and face the Slytherin hate. Haters gonna hate, and apparently Ron doesn't care so much anymore.

Of course, that doesn't stop Ron from moping about not being invited to a party that the others don't want to attend. At least he doesn't have to endure detention with Snape sorting rotten flobberworms from good ones.

Ick.

Enough slugs for one day

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Chapter 7

For a guy who had to be "talked into" coming out of retirement, Horace Slughorn sure likes forcing attention on himself. As with most new professors throughout this series, I suppose we'll be hearing a lot from Slug this school year.

Will he be an ally for Harry? Possibly. He likes to be associated with successful people and ride their robetails, so I could see him being helpful to "the chosen one." He might even buy Harry's theory that Draco Malfoy has the Dark Mark and is a future Death Eater. Of course, with a mom and pop loyal to the Dark Lord it only makes sense.

Malfoy sounded convinced that Voldemort will rise to supreme power, and Malfoy couldn't bear being on the losing side.

Which brings us to Harry's foray into the Slytherin compartment. He is desperate to convict Malfoy and is willing to risk much (including a physical beating) to get the evidence that his rival is indeed loyal to Voldemort. He said as much even though he didn't say too much.

Because I chastised Hermione for her lack of spy craft in Knockturn Alley I should do the same with Harry for getting caught. Hastily devised plans often fail.

School is about to start, and it looks like from the chapter names that I'm only two away from learning why this book is titled "The Half-Blood Prince."

I've ridden the Hogwarts Express at Universal in Orlando, but I've always wanted to ride a real train to real places and see real countryside. Add that to the bucket list.

Where's the justice?

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Chapter 19

Been gone 13 months
Just had to rest for a spell
The magic is back

The lesson for today, class, is that actions have consequences, but you can say whatever you please.

Belittle a fellow student with stupid little crowns on your chest. Embarrass him with a stupid song from the Quidditch stands. Hurl insults only a Malfoy could appreciate.

And the faculty is deaf the whole time?

Come on people. It's time to hold Slytherins accountable for their forked tongues. Or are y'all just afraid of Snape?

Not that I'm condoning violence, but no wonder Harry and George had to impress their feelings about the situation on Malfoy's spineless frame.

I support some level of punishment to fit the crime, but the lifetime ban Dolores handed down is as oversized as her fake smile. It's not like they're taking steroids.

This is just more support for the coup that must take place before Dolores turns Hogwarts into a daycare.

In a class by themselves

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Chapter 16

You have to wonder what kind of trouble having an underground class is going to get these kids in to. I wonder if Umbridge's classroom is big enough to keep them all in detention at the same time. But maybe they will be able to keep it a secret from her royal highness The High Inquisitor.

You can't blame them for wanting  to learn how to defend themselves against dark arts. Knowing that V-Voldemort is out there and not knowing how to defend yourself is a vulnerable feeling, so I say good for them. What is tyranny if not something to fight against. One side will call it treason, the other will call it self-defense.

Give Hermione credit for knowing how to run a meeting. First, she picked an out-of-the-way place off of Umbridge's turf, which every good spy knows to do. Then, as soon as others got them off topic, she brought them back to the question of when and where to hold the class. They ought to meet at Hagrid's place. Umbridge won't have any surveillance cameras there. And Harry should break out that map that GPS tracks everybody during class time so they will know where Umbridge is at all times.

What they must be wary of is a snitch. Keeping the Slytherins away would be a good start.

Ready for a long winter's nap

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Chapter 10

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
People were stirring, watching "It's a Wonderful Life"
I was hanging out in a recliner in the next room
Reading about Harry Potter and his broom ...

Well, that's enough effort on my poetry skills, or lack thereof. After a long winter's drive and some soup to warm the tummy, I settled down in a comfy recliner and read Chapter 10.

About time those kids went off to school. There's nothing quite like the beginning of school. There are always changes, some welcome, but  most  not. Harry has to deal with his friends and Malfoy being prefects, no sight of Hagrid, somebody named Luna Lovegood, seeing those "horse things" for the first time, and still not knowing what his future holds.

It ought to be another interesting year full of trouble from all things Slytherin, more attempts on his life by Voldemort and probably girl trouble. Gotta throw some of that in there, I suppose.

Harry and his gang sprang to their carriage
And away they all flew off to the castle
And I heard them exclaim, 'ere the rode out of sight
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Triumph and tragedy

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Chapter 15

So the end is near for Buckbeak. Is there no justice for framed hippogriffs? More on this later.

Hermione is obviously ready for summer vacation. I don't condone violence, but I sure hope her face-slapping of Malfoy is in the movie. Next time she should wave her wand in his general direction and say something like, "Off with your tongue!"

Next, she forgets to go to Charms class, then walks out of Divination. Somebody buy her an ice cream cone. That's always the best chill pill.

Not sure what seeing Crookshanks and a big hairy dog is all about for Harry, but I've been keeping a watchful eye on that cat since it entered the story. You can't be too careful with cats.

And you can't be too careful when playing Slytherin for the Quidditch Cup. No surprise they chose dirty tactics over relying on skill. It was like they put all the goons on the ice at once. But fair play and talent won out.

When Malfoy grabbed Harry's broom I decided that Malfoy and Dudley must have been separated at birth.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Chapter 16

Finals week is always a mix of anxiety and anticipation. And if your name is Harry Potter there is always the unexpected.

When Trelawney is channeling Voldemort - knowingly or not - questions are raised. Why is he telling Harry? And what is Black breaking free from? Is he trapped inside Hogwarts somewhere? Has it been not that he can't get in past the dementors, but that he can't get past them to get out?

More likely, it's something I haven't thought of, but it's fun to speculate.

Two things we don't have to speculate on anymore is what happened to Scabbers and will Hagrid win the appeal for Buckbeak?

Scabbers lives - and by the way he was acting there seems to be some purpose to his disappearance - and Beaky dies. Chalk one up for the Malfoys. It's unclear why they cared, but I don't think they need a reason to be mean.

Another happy ending

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Chapter 17

This book has been a lot like an NBA game for me. The first three quarters are played to get to the fourth. That's when - if it's going to get exciting - it gets exciting. Maybe it's because it was the second book and the novelty is wearing off or maybe it just moved more slowly and cryptically than the first, but the payoff at the end was worth it. I found myself reading faster than usual.

So I guess from now on I will always suspect that Voldemort/Quirrell/Riddle/????? is behind whatever threatens to close Hogwarts, threatens Harry or anyone close to him, threatens any student or just generally causes mayhem of any sort.

Voldemort's problem is his cockiness. How many times have we seen it in movies when the villian wants to make his prey suffer and delays the deed. Goldfinger could've shot Bond, but he had to elaborately try and kill him with some kind of laser-beam thing. "Do you expect me talk?" asks OO7. "No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die." And Goldfinger walks out of the room and Bond escapes. The Dynamic Duo did this all the time. It is a fatal flaw for fictional felons. It's not enough for them to kill. They have to make you suffer.

So the Dark Lord (don't get confused with Star Wars here) is revealed to be a former Head Boy at Hogwarts aptly named Riddle, the heir of Slytherin and once again inept at killing his nemesis. When it comes to killing Harry, Voldemort is as inept as GilLo.

BTW, did I laugh when Professor Gilderoy Lockhart de-memorized himself? LOL, for sure on that one. Now he can't take credit for making the school a Voldemort-free zone. Excellent.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Chapter 18

This chapter could've been anticlimactic, but after the Weasley reunion and the usual Dumbledore debriefing and the Hagrid homecoming, we get to see Lucius Malfoy taken down a few notches on his self-importance scale. I think he's trying to make up for not being the heir.

When Harry tricks Malfoy into freeing Dobby, he displays a more observant side to go with his resourcefulness and bravery.

It is nice to know that Dobby really was trying to help Harry. He's no Phoenix, that's for sure, but maybe he will be of more use in the future.

I would tell Harry to enjoy his summer, but that won't be easy where he's headed. Maybe being a Prisoner of Privet will prepare him for the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Pass the Polyjuice

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Chapter 8

Trying to buy a championship - as Malfoy's daddy is trying to do with state-of-the-art brooms that have bought his boy a spot on the team - doesn't often work. But the Gryffindors had better buy into Wood's plan to outwork Slytherin - even if Wood is exercising a Patton complex - or they will be swept to the proverbial Quidditch curb.

But there are much more serious and sinister things going on in the hallways of Hogwarts. (BTW, say Hogwarts to yourself over and over and see how funny it begins to sound.) Harry is hearing a voice, and I don't think it's a ghost because they are all partying with Nearly Headless Nick. After seeing the first movie, I hear John Cleese's voice every time he speaks.

Now that the Chamber of Secrets has been revealed and something about an heir, it will be time again for our detective trio to figure out how to save somebody or something.

And I hope I don't have nightmares about Mrs. Norris or any other cat hanging from anywhere. If I had seen that, it would have time to fetch the smelling salts.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Chapter 9

So is the legend of the chamber fact or fiction? Well, obviously it's fiction, but you know what I mean. Binns is kind enough to enlighten us about the legend, and he certainly didn't convince Harry and company that it is just a legend.

When you hear things like Harry has, you're going to think it's true. So it probably is, unless we're in the middle of a Scooby-Doo episode and at the end of the book they remove Filch's mask to find Dumbledore and he says, "And I would've gotten away with it too if it hadn't been for you meddling kids."

But I don't think that will happen. I do hope the Polyjuice attempt works. Sounds like fun, especially if it's Lockhart they try to trick. A little bit of flattery should go a long way.

School's out for the summer

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Chapter 17

So Dumbledore outsmarted them all. Or should I say outmagicked them. He allows the praise to be heaped on Harry and his sidekicks at the banquet, but it was Humbledore's forethought of how to handle the mirror that ultimately stumped Quirrell and Voldemort ... or is it Voldemort and Quirrell.

Every good story has a good conclusion that answers lots of questions, and this one did.

• Snape is not the enemy but not quite a friend.
• Warped thinking is revealed: "There is no good and evil, there is only power ...
  
• Quirrell/Voldemort find Harry to be too hot to handle.
• The manifestation of Voldemort was as creepy as you had hoped.
• Dumbledore has answers, but he keeps the biggest answer from Harry and us.
• Gryffindor wins the cup. It would have been a downer had Slytherin won. The author wants us to put the book down completely happy with the outcome.
• We haven't seen the last of Voldemort in any form.
  

So now Harry gets to spend summer vacation with Dursleys. He will soon think of the school year as vacation despite his plans for Dudley.

I would say poor Dudley, but I won't.