PRINCE, BLOOD,HALF

Jen Reese stevejjen at earthlink.net
Wed Jul 28 14:18:39 UTC 2004


No: HPFGUIDX 107968

Snow:
> I really liked something, Jen Reese, had said a short time after 
we 
> found out the name of the sixth book. Instead of half blood prince 
> maybe it is the "prince of the half bloods". When I saw this 
> statement I immediately thought yes, this is the best title for a 
> background book of all the characters, most of which are half 
blood. 

Jen: Thanks for the citation, Snow! I read that from someone else 
(to be fair), and don't remember who--it gets hard to trace back. 
But yes, I wholeheartedly believe the Half Blood Prince will be a 
half-blood himself and be the prince of half bloods as well.

Snow:
> But who then would be best suited for the position as the prince 
of 
> the half bloods? Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.  Where 
did 
> a common muggle-type name such as Brian come from? It appears that 
at 
> some point in time Albus's bloodline may have been tainted with 
the 
> disgraceful muggle blood, which would make Albus himself a half 
> blood. I do feel that Albus is the heir of Godric Griffindore who 
> could be seen as the king to Albus's possible prince status.  

Jen: This relates back to Dumbeldore's defeat of Grindelwald and 
the 'champion of mudbloods and muggleborns'. Dumbledore has made it 
his mission in life to do the 'saving people' thing. He safeguards 
creatures at Hogwarts, gives opportunities to the downtrodden, and 
apparently has sacrificed his personal life in exchange for saving 
the WW. He was the only person in the WW with a power equal to 
Voldemort and therefore, the only person who could really be chosen 
to hear the prophecy, safeguard Harry, and attempt to be selfless in 
the process.

Snow:
> > Albus appears to be the savior of many who reside at the school 
under 
> his protection like Hagrid who is half-giant or Lupin who is half 
> blood and werewolf. Albus has also been called a muggle lover and 
> has, unlike his fellows, followed the muggle news. Albus appears 
to 
> be well versed in his muggle awareness, acceptance and protection 
for 
> the half bloods who find comfort in the safe haven of his castle. 


Jen: I laugh about Dumbledore's warnings re: the Forbidden Forest---
I think he's trying to safeguard the creatures in the Forest as much 
as he is the kids! It's no accident that Centaurs, Thestrals, 
Unicorns et. al., live in that forest--they are there because 
Hogwarts, under Dumbledore, is the only sanctuary left in the WW. 
Lupin, Hagrid, Trelawney, even Snape are there because Dumbledore 
has asked them to be there. He has done tremendous things, 
everything in his power and more, to protect people and creatures of 
the WW and I'm ready to hear the backstory on him. 

Besides the literal reasons for Dumbeldore to be the HBP, there's 
the symbolic and alchemical reasons. We're entering the albedo 
stage, after the nigredo in book 5, and who better to represent the 
stage of purification than Albus? 

I *hope* he's the HBP, but then I always get surprised by the twist 
and turns JKR takes!

Jen R.





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