Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, released on 16 July 2005, is the sixth of seven

novels from British author J. K. Rowling's popular Harry Potter series. Set during Harry
Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts, the novel explores Lord Voldemort's past, and Harry's
preparations for the final battle amidst emerging romantic relationships and the emotional
confusions and conflict resolutions characteristic of mid-adolescence.

The book sold three million copies in the first 16 hours after its release, a record at the
time which was eventually broken by its sequel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.[1]

Contents
[hide]

• 1 Plot
• 2 Development
o 2.1 Prequels and sequel
o 2.2 Pre-release controversy
 2.2.1 Right to read controversy
• 3 Film
• 4 Translations
o 4.1 Textual changes
• 5 References

• 6 External links

[edit] Plot
 This plot summary may be too long or overly detailed. Please help improve it
by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (July 2009)

As Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters commit crimes in both the magical and Muggle
worlds, Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge is replaced by Rufus Scrimgeour. Professor
Snape, appearing to have rejoined the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort, is visited by
Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange. A terrified Narcissa tells Snape that her son,
Draco, has received orders from Lord Voldemort, and asks Snape to make an
Unbreakable Vow to protect her son and complete the task for him should he fail.

Harry Potter accompanies Albus Dumbledore on a trip to persuade retired Hogwarts

professor Horace Slughorn to return to teaching. Harry notices one of Dumbledore's
hands is withered and burnt black, and he is wearing a ring with a distinctively-marked
stone. Harry spends the remaining holiday at The Burrow with the Weasleys and
Hermione, where they receive their O.W.L. results. Harry and Ron must take N.E.W.T.
level Potions to become Aurors, but their O.W.L.s in the subject are too low to enrol in
Snape's Potions class.

At Hogwarts, Snape is named the new Defence Against the Dark Arts instructor, with
Slughorn becoming the Potions teacher. Slughorn's requirements are lower than Snape's,
so Harry and Ron are able to enrol in his class, but do not have textbooks. Slughorn loans
them copies; Harry's book has notes and corrections that yield better results than the
textbook's instructions, winning him a vial of Felix Felicis, a potion that infuses luck, on
his first day in class. His book is inscribed as having previously belonged to the "Half-
Blood Prince".

Ron's brother, Bill Weasley, is engaged to Fleur Delacour, of whom his mother
disapproves. Auror Nymphadora Tonks makes comments suggesting she may harbour
feelings for her now-slain cousin Sirius Black. However, it is eventually revealed that she
has fallen for Remus Lupin, and, despite his protests that he is unworthy of her, they
marry over the summer.

Ron and Ginny join the Gryffindor Quidditch team, which Harry now captains, as Keeper
and Chaser respectively. This puts Harry in frequent contact with Ginny, who for a long
time harbored an attraction to him. Now, however, she is dating Dean Thomas—
unexpectedly making Harry jealous. This is exacerbated when Dean also gains
membership on the team, replacing original member Katie Bell who is almost killed
while attempting to deliver a cursed necklace under the influence of the Imperius Curse.
Ron is displeased with his younger sister dating anybody, forcing Harry to ignore his
attraction. After an argument with Ginny in which Ron's dating inexperience is made
clear, Ron takes up with Lavender Brown, creating a divide between him and Hermione.
This rift is only mended when he accidentally consumes a love potion attracting him to
Romilda Vane, and then poisoned mead which almost kills him.

Dumbledore privately tutors Harry, using his Pensieve to show Harry memories of
Voldemort's past. Dumbledore asks Harry to retrieve a key memory from Slughorn
regarding Slughorn's conversation with a sixteen-year-old Tom Riddle. Harry uses his
vial of Felix Felicis to acquire the memory.

The memories reveal that Voldemort splintered his soul into six fragments attached to
objects called Horcruxes, while leaving a seventh piece in his body, in order to achieve
immortality. As long as any of the Horcruxes exists Voldemort cannot be killed. Two
Horcruxes have been destroyed - Tom Riddle's diary by Harry in the Chamber of
Secrets[HP2], and Marvolo Gaunt's ring by Dumbledore. Three of the remaining Horcruxes
are a locket formerly owned by Salazar Slytherin, a cup formerly owned by Helga
Hufflepuff, and the snake Nagini. Dumbledore speculates that the sixth unidentified
Horcrux may be something associated with Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, as Riddle would
have wanted something from each of the houses of Hogwarts, which he regarded as his
home.

After seeing Harry cast an unusual curse, "Sectumsempra" (a dark curse which leaves
deep gashes) against Draco Malfoy, Snape attempts to confiscate the Half-Blood Prince's
Potions book, but Harry gives him Ron's copy instead and hides his copy in the Room of
Requirement. Harry gets detention from Snape and misses the Quidditch finals, but
Gryffindor wins the Cup. During the victory celebration Harry spontaneously kisses
Ginny, and with Ron's grudging approval they begin dating.

Dumbledore locates another Horcrux and asks Harry to accompany him to destroy it.
They travel to a cave to retrieve a locket. Dumbledore is weakened after drinking a potion
to obtain the Horcrux. Harry retrieves the Horcrux and guides Dumbledore to safety in
Hogsmeade, but as they arrive they see the Dark Mark over the Astronomy Tower at
Hogwarts and hurry back to the school.

Dumbledore and an invisible Harry are confronted atop the tower by Draco Malfoy, and
before Harry can reveal himself, Dumbledore immobilises Harry before Malfoy disarms
him. Draco admits that he was behind two attacks on Hogwarts students (Katie Bell's
cursing and Ron's poisoning), with both objects intended for Dumbledore, whom
Voldemort had ordered Draco to kill. Dumbledore offers Draco protection from the
Death Eaters, and Draco cannot bring himself to kill Dumbledore, even with the urging of
fellow Death Eaters once they arrive. Instead, fulfilling his Unbreakable Vow, Snape kills
Dumbledore. Harry, enraged and freed from immobility by Dumbledore's death, pursues
Snape, who reveals that he is the Half-Blood Prince and fends off Harry's attacks until he
gets outside Hogwarts grounds and Disapparates.

Harry recovers the locket from Dumbledore's body, only to discover it is a fake left by
someone with the initials R. A. B., who stole the real Horcrux and left a note about his
opposition to Voldemort. The school year ends with Dumbledore's funeral. He and his
wand are buried in a tomb beside the lake on Hogwarts's grounds. Harry vows not to
return to school but to hunt for the remaining Horcruxes instead. Harry breaks up with
Ginny to keep her safe from danger during his quest, and Ron and Hermione pledge to
accompany him.
[edit] Development

Potter fans wait in lines outside a Borders for the midnight release of the book

[edit] Prequels and sequel

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the sixth book in the Harry Potter series.[2] The
first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was first published by
Bloomsbury in 1997 with an initial print-run of 500 copies in hardback, three hundred of
which were distributed to libraries.[3] By the end of 1997 the UK edition won a National
Book Award and a gold medal in the 9 to 11 year-olds category of the Nestlé Smarties
Book Prize.[4] The second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was originally
published in the UK on 2 July 1998 and in the US on 2 June 1999.[5][6] Harry Potter and
the Prisoner of Azkaban was then published a year later in the UK on 8 July 1999 and in
the US on 8 September 1999.[5][6] Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was published on
8 July 2000 at the same time by Bloomsbury and Scholastic.[7] Harry Potter and the
Order of the Phoenix, the longest novel in the Harry Potter series, was released 21 June
2003.[8] After the publishing of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the seventh and
final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was released 21 July 2007.[9] The
book sold 11 million copies within 24 hours of its release: 2.7 million copies in the UK
and 8.3 million in the US.[10]

[edit] Pre-release controversy

The record-breaking publication of Half-Blood Prince was accompanied by controversy.

In May 2005 bookmakers in the UK suspended bets on which main character would die
in the book amid fears of insider knowledge. A number of high value bets were made on
the death of Albus Dumbledore, many coming from the town of Bungay where, it was
believed, the books were being printed at the time. Betting was later reopened.[11] Other
controversies included the right to read Potter books inadvertently sold before the release
date, environmental concerns over the source of the paper used in the printing of millions
of books, and fan reactions to the plot developments and revelations of the novel.

[edit] Right to read controversy

In early July 2005, a Real Canadian Superstore in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada,
accidentally sold fourteen copies of The Half-Blood Prince before the authorised release
date. The Canadian publisher, Raincoast Books, obtained an injunction from the Supreme
Court of British Columbia prohibiting the purchasers from reading the books before the
official release date or from discussing the contents.[citation needed] Purchasers were offered a
Harry Potter T-shirt and an autographed copy of the book if they returned their copies
before 16 July.

On 15 July, less than twelve hours before the book went on sale in the Eastern time zone,
Raincoast warned The Globe and Mail newspaper that publishing a review from a
Canada-based writer at midnight, as the paper had promised, would be seen as a violation
of the trade secret injunction. The injunction sparked a number of news articles alleging
that the injunction had restricted fundamental rights. Canadian law professor Michael
Geist posted commentary on his blog;[12] Richard Stallman called for a boycott,
requesting that the publisher issue an apology.[13] The Globe and Mail published a review
from two UK-based writers in its 16 July edition and posted the Canadian writer's review
on its website at 9 a.m. that morning.[14] Commentary was also provided on the Raincoast
website.[15]

[edit] Film
Main article: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)

The film based on the sixth book was originally scheduled to be released on 21
November 2008, but was pushed back to 15 July 2009.[16][17] The screenplay was written
by Steve Kloves, and David Yates directed the film.[18] The film is 153 minutes long,
making it the third longest Harry Potter film of the series.[19]

[edit] Translations
Along with the rest of the books in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Half-
Blood Prince was translated into 67 languages.[20] A translation into Scots Gaelic is
planned to be released by Bloomsbury in July 2009.[21]

[edit] Textual changes

As with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the United States version of the novel
has slightly changed text from the British version. One particular section has been
remarked upon, where the alteration makes the nature of Dumbledore's offer to Draco
Malfoy before Snape kills Dumbledore in the Half-Blood Prince explicit. The reason for
the editing of the following text has not been explained on the author's webpage, but the
British edition is more ambiguous. The text can be found in chapter 27, "The Lightning-
Struck Tower". The U.S. text was changed to match the UK version with the publication
of the paperback edition.[22] The parts added in the hardcover United States version have
been highlighted in bold, below:
"[...] He told me to do it or he'll kill me. I've got no choice." "He cannot kill you if you
are already dead. Come over to the right side Draco, and we can hide you more
completely than you can possibly imagine. What is more, I can send members of the
Order to your mother tonight to hide her likewise. Nobody would be surprised that you
had died in your attempt to kill me — forgive me, but Lord Voldemort probably
expects it. Nor would the Death Eaters be surprised that we had captured and killed
your mother — it is what they would do themselves, after all. Your father is safe at
the moment in Azkaban [...]"