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Oct 30, 2016Nymeria23 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
What on earth was I thinking, not reading these books sooner. I'm ashamed of myself, they are amazing. Sirius is gone and Harry is still reeling from the loss of his godfather. In the midst of his anguish comes Dumbledore, back to Privet Drive to fetch Harry along on an adventure (but not before ensuring that Harry can come back next summer to get a renewal of the love protection spell that hie Aunt Petunia gives him). Off they go, Apparating into the current residence of Horace Slughorn, whom they recruit as the new Potions teacher. After visiting the Weasley's, Harry and his friends head to Diagon Alley to prepare for their upcoming school year and to visit Fred and George and their amazing joke shop. However, Harry spots Draco acting very strangely and him, Hermoine and Ron follow his to Borgin and Burke's to eavesdrop. Hermione is certain that Draco isn't up to anything but Harry disagrees, thinking that Draco is up to something nefarious and might even be a Death Eater. Shrugged off by his friends on the idea, they end up in Hogwarts, where Snape is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and where Ron and Harry can once again take Potions now that the entry-level OWL grade has been relaxed. Not having been prepared for this class, Ron and Harry find that they must use the old versions of the class textbook. Opening up his ragged copy, Harry finds that his has been signed as Property of the Half-Blood Prince. Curious, he follows the instructions and annotations the Prince has made in the book and soon becomes one of the top Potions students of his year, much to Hermoine's chagrin. Wanting to know who the Half-Blood Prince was, trying to navigate through the memories that Dumbledore continues to show him about Voldemort's past, coming to grips with his feelings for Ginny, and tiptoe-ing around the fragile friendship of Hermoine and Ron once Ron gets a girlfriend, Harry knows his suspicions of Malfoy may have to be put on the back-burning. Until a cursed necklace incapacitates a student, and a poisoned drink nearly kills Harry's closest friend. Harry must discover what is going on and how to stop both Voldemort and whatever Draco's planning before it's too late, and the key may lie within Professor Slughorn's memory. This is a story of Horcruxes, friendship, crushes, betrayal, mystery, regret and sacrifice. Beautifully written.