Harry Potter, #6
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
by J.K. Rowling
Contents
Chapter 8 — Victorious Snape
Overview
Tonks frees Harry from Malfoy’s jinx and delivers him to Hogwarts, where Snape humiliates them and confiscates points. At the feast, Dumbledore names Slughorn Potions master and Snape Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and warns of heightened dangers. Harry confides Malfoy’s boasts to Ron, while Hagrid reveals Grawp’s progress; the trio have dropped his class.
Summary
Paralyzed and hidden under the Invisibility Cloak, Harry lies abandoned on the departing Hogwarts Express until Tonks finds and frees him, mends his nose, and sends a Patronus to alert the castle. They trek to Hogwarts’ locked gates, where Snape arrives, opens them, and pointedly belittles Tonks’s new, weaker-looking Patronus before escorting Harry up.
As they climb, Snape mocks Harry and deducts heavy points for lateness and attire, forcing Harry to enter the Great Hall conspicuously mid-feast. Harry rejoins Ron and Hermione, conceals specifics, and hopes rumors skew heroic. He notices Trelawney at the staff table and Malfoy mocking him from Slytherin.
Dumbledore welcomes students, downplays his injured hand, bans joke items, and announces appointments: Slughorn resumes Potions; Snape finally becomes Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Outraged, Harry recalls the job’s jinx. Dumbledore then warns of Voldemort’s rising threat and stricter security, urging vigilance.
After the feast, Harry privately tells Ron how Malfoy ambushed him and had boasted of serving Voldemort, but Ron dismisses it as showing off. Hagrid arrives, asks after Harry’s lateness, happily reports Grawp’s improvement and new mountainside home, and invites them to visit Witherwings. Harry and Ron admit they, and Hermione, have dropped Care of Magical Creatures, dreading Hagrid’s reaction.
Who Appears
- Harry PotterStunned and hidden by Malfoy; rescued by Tonks; publicly penalized by Snape; learns Snape will teach Defense.
- Severus SnapeOpens Hogwarts gates, taunts Tonks and Harry, deducts points, and is announced as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
- Nymphadora TonksFinds and frees Harry, heals his nose, sends a Patronus; appears subdued; assigned to Hogsmeade security.
- Ron WeasleyReunites with Harry at the feast; doubts Malfoy’s claims; drops Care of Magical Creatures.
- Hermione GrangerCleans Harry’s face, fulfills prefect duties, reacts to staff changes; has dropped Care of Magical Creatures.
- Albus DumbledoreLeads feast, reveals blackened hand, announces staff changes, and warns of heightened security against Voldemort.
- Draco MalfoyMocks Harry at the feast; earlier stunned and hid him, fueling Harry’s suspicions.
- Rubeus HagridShares Grawp’s progress and new home; invites visits to Witherwings; unaware the trio dropped his class.
- Nearly Headless NickEavesdrops and boasts of being a ‘Potter authority’ among ghosts before Dumbledore’s speech.
- Horace SlughornIntroduced as returning Potions master, upending assumptions about Defense Against the Dark Arts.
- Sybill TrelawneyUnusually attends the feast; noticed by Harry but plays no active role.
- Argus FilchReferenced in Dumbledore’s ban on joke items; not directly involved in events.