On the other hand, maybe the other characters simply heard what happened to Ron when his birthday was mentioned, and petitioned Rowling not to have their own included, too….

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, chapter eighteen: ‘Birthday Surprises’

These chapters are also a big part of the reason that this is the first book in which Ron isn’t the second most-mentioned character after Harry (it’s Dumbledore instead; Ron is third). The focus of the series is turning away from the kids and towards the adults, and finally resting squarely on Voldemort.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, chapter seventeen: ‘A Sluggish Memory’

Of course in the seventh book the second most-mentioned character isn’t Dumbledore OR Ron, or Voldemort for that matter. Trivia question of the day – who is it?

At any rate, I have a distinct memory of the first time I read this chapter. It was when we lived in Charlotte, NC, and I was sitting on the futon in our second bedroom. And the reason I remember that that was where I was is because when I read the last line of the chapter – where Harry declares himself to be “Dumbledore’s man,” turns his back on the Minister of Magic, and walks back toward the house – I jumped up on top of the futon and screamed, proclaiming Harry’s awesomeness to anybody who happened to be in a neighboring apartment. I’d had this sort of reaction before with Dumbledore (i.e. Phineas’s “I disagree with Dumbledore on many counts, but you cannot deny he’s got style.”), but this was the first time I’d had it with Harry – and it really marks, I think, Harry’s coming into his own as a wizard, as a person, and as a force in the wizarding world. Amazing.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, chapter sixteen: ‘A Very Frosty Christmas’

There are so many things about this chapter that I love. I love Harry’s having to elude all the girls who are in love with him – and then asking out the only one who seemingly isn’t. I love Slughorn’s party (I mean, there are so many reasons an event like that wouldn’t happen in most modern schools). And I love the fact that Harry follows Snape and Malfoy to discover that – for a change – he was right about something! Such mystery and intrigue, and also the official halfway point of the book. Here goes nothin’….

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, chapter fifteen: ‘The Unbreakable Vow’

When the book was released, this chapter was something of a gift to a small but vocal segment of the fan population, for whom the relationship drama (that had thus far been fairly slow to develop) was by far the most important outcome of the characters’ lives. Some feelings were certainly hurt – including by Rowling herself, who had a laugh with some interviewers about the “delusional” nature of fans who had incorrectly predicted the future of her characters. But when the dust settled, this small but important subplot had jumped a long way forward, and we could all settle down, move on from our distraction, and get back to fighting Voldemort again.

Not unlike Harry and his friends, come to think of it. ;)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, chapter fourteen: ‘Felix Felicis’

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, chapter thirteen: ‘The Secret Riddle’

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, chapter twelve: ‘Silver and Opals’

This next chapter is something of a table-setter; there’s not a lot of action (though the Quidditch trials are certainly entertaining) but loads of plotlines are set up for the remainder of the book. As a result, while there’s not a lot to be said about it in the moment, it’s still worth paying close attention to…. ;)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, chapter eleven: ‘Hermione’s Helping Hand’

The complicated part, though, came in the morning, when she had a 6am flight to Boston, whereas I was staying behind at home. I had only gotten through about two-thirds of the book by this point, but had to give her the copy we’d bought so that she could read it – and I spent the rest of the morning waiting for FedEx to show up with the second copy. Thus I spent many hours that morning trying to sleep and instead thinking about Harry, Dumbledore, and, of course, our newfound knowledge of Tom Riddle, wondering what Dumbledore’s excursions into the Pensieves were all about.

The book finally showed up around 1pm (after an excruciating seven hours – I couldn’t go online either, for fear of spoilers!), and I started over and read it cover to cover when it arrived. But to this day, one of my favorite parts of the book is Dumbledore’s giving Harry the backstory of Tom Riddle’s life, which I spent the better part of that morning thinking and wondering about. The pensieve scenes are fascinating, for so many reasons, and so important to the rest of the story. And I still think of that morning every time I read one. :)

Enjoy! Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, chapter ten: ‘The House of Gaunt’