Happy "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" Release Day!

[tracilicious]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Spoiler:

Oh, and I too am a bit annoyed that Harry keeps drifting along through school, using all kinds of cheats. He doesn't have to be as brilliant as Hermione, but jeez, can he at least earn normal grades on his own? It's the one trait I do not like about Harry.

Absolutely! I think if I had to fight Voldemort I would be working day and night to be the most powerful wizard that I could be. Harry seems content just to float along, copying off of Hermione most of the time. Slacker.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

They focused less on what was going on in classes, this time. I think their O.W.L.S. were supposed to be evidence of their abilities (and weaknesses). So we're to assume that Harry, all appearances to the contrary, is actually a very good student.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by Eliza Hodgkins 1812

They focused less on what was going on in classes, this time. I think their O.W.L.S. were supposed to be evidence of their abilities (and weaknesses). So we're to assume that Harry, all appearances to the contrary, is actually a very good student.

I can see that I suppose, but doing absolutely nothing in Potions, all freakin' year? I guess you could say that he learned a lot from the HBP notes, but still...

[wendybeth]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

I can see that I suppose, but doing absolutely nothing in Potions, all freakin' year? I guess you could say that he learned a lot from the HBP notes, but still...

Well, his social life is picking up....

All I can say is- if Hermione has to come in and save his ass at the end, and probably die trying, then I'm gonna be pissed.

This is the first volume I am actually making an effort to index. There are potentially dozens of clues and red herrings, and it will give me something to do over the next two years to do so. Why must JK insist on a life?

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

I can see that I suppose, but doing absolutely nothing in Potions, all freakin' year? I guess you could say that he learned a lot from the HBP notes, but still...

I would have totally learned the HBP's way of doing things. I don't see a difference between learning the book way or learning a better way from another student who was probably better at potions than the person who wrote the textbook. There are potions makers and potions inventors, after all. If you came across a food recipe in a book, and next to it were some notes on additional spices, etc. that would make the meal even better, wouldn't you make the meal with the spices? You may not be the chef, but you can still be a good cook.

Some people are just naturally good at following directions, while others are brilliant and can come up with an entirely new way to go about something. Not all scientists are inventors. Some are just lab techs.

Spoiler:

Hermione made some good points. I wouldn't disagree with that. But she was also pretty jealous, I think. And frustrated that she wasn't coming up with ways to improve upon the potions. In some ways Snape is totally right to criticizing her for quoting books word-for-word. That may be learning, but it's not necessarily thinking.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by Eliza Hodgkins 1812

Spoiler:

Hermione made some good points. I wouldn't disagree with that. But she was also pretty jealous, I think. And frustrated that she wasn't coming up with ways to improve upon the potions. In some ways Snape is totally right to criticizing her for quoting books word-for-word. That may be learning, but it's not necessarily thinking.

Now I'm unsure what to put in tags and what not to, so I'll just use tags.

Spoiler:

Right. I guess what gets me is when Harry got credit for the HBP's potions, as if Harry had come up with them himself (or inherited his talent from his mother etc).

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Now I'm unsure what to put in tags and what not to, so I'll just use tags.

Spoiler:

Right. I guess what gets me is when Harry got credit for the HBP's potions, as if Harry had come up with them himself (or inherited his talent from his mother etc).

Spoiler:

Yeah, I suppose he was taking too much credit for another person's work. I suppose he could have at least said, "Well, actually, it's this book I've got here." Still, it seemed like a teenaged thing to do. It's probably what I would have done. Let the teacher think what he must, my friends would know I was just copying from instructions.

I also found it rather odd/funny that Snape didn't make more of a fuss when Slughorn told Snape, in front of Harry, that Harry might even be better than eh (Snape) was when he was 16. You'd think Snape's eyebrow would have immediatly shot up at that. I mean, he taught Harry for 5 years. He'd certainly know there was no way Harry was that good. Then again, it was a comment made by the star ****er of Potions Teachers, so Snape probably figured that Slughorn was just sucking up to Harry.

Oh, I just LOVE how much I read into these books. I'm even irritating myself at this point, and yet I cannot stop.

[Keelboat Captain]

Hello All, Saw this on the Mugglenet web site,
http://www.mugglenet.com/mugglecast/