CHAPDISC: HBP 27, The Lightning-Struck Tower

[Beatrice23]

No: HPFGUIDX 162997

CHAPTER DISCUSSIONS: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 
27, The Lightning-Struck Tower.

Please note that all page references are from the cloth U.S. edition.

Summary: Harry and Dumbledore emerge from the water outside of the 
cave.  Harry hoists a weakened DD unto the nearest boulder and takes 
him via side-along apparition to Hogsmead (Q1). When they arrive, 
Harry briefly imagines that he sees Inferi lurking in the street and 
realizes that he has a "searing stitch in his side" (580) (Q2). 
Despite DD's condition, Harry is triumphant.  "We did it, Professor

We got the Horcrux!" (580-1).  

Triumph is immediately replaced with concern as Harry sees DD's 
fragile state.  DD has difficulty holding his balance after 
apparating and he looks even more ashen in the lamplight.  Harry 
inquires about DD's health.  DD replies that he has "been better" and 
that the potion was "no health drink."  (580) (Q3).  Harry indicates 
that DD must be taken to Madam Pomfrey.  DD indicates that he cannot 
walk that far and that it is Severus Snape, not Madam Pomfrey, who is 
needed.  Harry looks for a place for DD to wait in safety and 
reiterates his intention to find Madam Pomfrey, only to be gently 
rebuked by DD's instance on seeing Snape (Q4).

Harry hears footsteps, and Madam Rosemerta is hurrying toward them 
wearing "high-healed, fluffy slippers
and a silk dressing gown 
embroidered with dragons" (580) (Q5).   She indicates that she saw 
them apparate as she was pulling her bedroom curtains.  She notices 
DD's condition and stops short.  Harry asks her to shelter DD while 
he returns to Hogwarts.  Madam Rosemerta quickly points out that 
Harry cannot go to Hogwarts alone as the Dark Mark is hanging over 
the school.  Turning in the direction of Hogwarts, Harry is filled 
with trepidation, knowing that the Dark Mark is left behind when DEs 
have entered a building and someone has been murdered (Q6).

DD takes command of the situation.  He asks Rosemerta a few questions 
and then inquires after transportation.  Harry accios two brooms from 
behind Rosemerta's bar.  DD orders Harry to put on his Invisibility 
Cloak, and Harry and DD speed off toward the castle.  DD, who seemed 
so frail moments ago, (Q7) flies over the grounds with a firm 
purpose, lifting the enchantments surrounding the castle and its 
grounds to allow Harry and himself to pass.  On the trip, Harry 
wonders if a member of the DA has been killed and if so would he be 
responsible for the death of another friend (Q8)? In a short time, 
they arrive on the Astronomy Tower under the Dark Mark.  

They find the tower deserted and after a brief look around, DD orders 
Harry to wake Snape as quickly as possible without speaking to anyone 
or removing his cloak (Q9).  Harry begins to obey when he hears 
footsteps on the other side of the door.  The door bursts open and 
someone yells, "Expelliarmus!" (584).  Harry is instantly immobilized 
and confused; then he understands: DD froze Harry and in the moment 
that it took to do so was disarmed and now faces Draco Malfoy (Q10).

Malfoy, spotting the extra broom, demands to know who else is 
present.  DD declines to answer asking Malfoy, if he is acting 
alone.  Malfoy indicates that there are DEs below.  DD praises 
Malfoy's ingenuity for finding a way past his defenses.  They have a 
long exchange where DD recounts Malfoy's attempts to kill him 
throughout the school year. All the while he maintains that Malfoy is 
not a killer and does not have the heart to complete his task (Q11).  
Malfoy continues to talk, hesitating to murder DD.  He reveals that 
Voldemort has threatened his family, the plan to use the two 
vanishing cabinets to gain access to Hogwarts (Q12), how he used the 
cursed necklace, and poisoned the mead.  DD acknowledges these 
attempts and admits that not only was he aware of Malfoy's actions, 
but that Snape has been watching Malfoy under his orders all year.  
Malfoy sneers at DD rejecting this idea and claims that Snape's 
loyalties lie with Voldemort (Q13).

DD then asks the question that Malfoy has yet to answer: Who has been 
helping him outside of the castle?  But even as he asks, DD knows.  
Rosemerta is Malfoy's co-conspirator.  She has been under the 
Imperius Curse and Malfoy has used enchanted coins to communicate 
with her.  DD is gradually weakening.  Malfoy confesses that "they" 
put the Dark Mark over the tower to lure DD up here.  Meanwhile we 
learn that a battle rages below between the Order and the DEs and one 
person may be dead.  DD offers to help Draco, to hide him and his 
family.  He states, "He (LV) cannot kill you if you are already dead

we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine" (592) 
(Q14).  DD also indicates that LV fully expects Malfoy to fail in his 
attempt and to die in the process.  

Malfoy states, "[Y]ou're in my power. . .I'm the one with the 
wand. . . You're at my mercy. . ."

"No, Draco," said Dumbledore quietly.  "It is my mercy, and not 
yours, that matters now"  (592)  (Q15).

The door bursts open and four DEs enter (Amycus, Alecto, Fenrir and a 
fourth unnamed person).  Dumbledore is familiar with at least three 
and they begin taunting him.  DD expresses his surprise that Draco 
would invite Fenrir (a known werewolf with a penchant for children) 
into the castle.  Draco claims that he was unaware that Fenrir would 
be present (Q16).  Fenrir indicates his bloody mouth, and states that 
he has been sampling the prey below.  DD expresses surprise as it is 
not the full moon.  Fenrir indicates his willingness to finish DD for 
Draco.  The unnamed DE intervenes.  He indicates that they have 
orders to let Draco finish DD.  Members of the Order are heard 
shouting below in their attempt to access the tower.   It seems as if 
the stairs have been blocked.  The DEs urge Draco to finish his 
task.  Fenrir attempts to finish the job himself, but the unnamed DE 
blasts him out of the way (Q17).  Harry, panicked and frustrated, 
witnesses the scene while paralyzed.  He wishes he could aim a curse 
under his cloak.  Suddenly the door bursts open and Snape erupts onto 
the scene.  DD softly calls "Severus..0." (595).

Harry is chilled by the pleading sound in DD's voice (Q18).  Snape 
pushes his way toward DD with "revulsion and hatred etched in the 
harsh lines of his face" (595).  DD again pleads "Severus
please
" 
(595).  Snape shouts "Avada Kedavra" (596).  The spell knocks DD into 
the air.  DD rises up and falls over the wall and out of sight (Q20).

QUESTIONS:

1.	If Harry is able to apparate to Hogsmead from the nearest 
boulder, why couldn't they have apparated closer to the cave and 
saved themselves the climb and the tiring swim?
2.	On page 580, after they return to Hogsmead from the cave, 
Harry notes that he has a "searing stitch in his chest."  Is this a 
cramp from exertion or could it be something else?
3.	Are you reassured by Dumbledore's wry humor about the potion 
in the cave ("That was no health drink")?  How grave is his 
condition?  Is there any possibility for recovery?
4.	Harry wants to bring DD to Madam Pomfrey (or vice versa), but 
DD insists on seeing Snape.  Harry's reluctance is understandable, 
but what do you make of DD insistence that he see Severus?  
5.	What do you make of Rosemerta's sudden appearance?  Her 
attire?  Is there any indication at this point of her (albeit 
unwilling) duplicity? 
6.	When you first read that the Dark Mark was flying over 
Hogwarts, what was your initial reaction?  Did you think that someone 
had been murdered?  If so, who?  Did you believe that the "major 
death" had already occurred or were you prepared for something more?
7.	Did you see Dumbledore's strength on the flight back to the 
castle as a sign that he might recover from his injuries? Or simply a 
rally due to adrenaline? 
8.	On page 583, as they speed toward the Dark Mark, Harry 
wonders if he would again be responsible for the death of a friend.  
What death(s) does Harry feel responsible for?  Is he really 
responsible?  
9.	Upon reaching the deserted tower, Dumbledore orders Harry 
again to wake Severus and bring him to DD.  If there is a possibility 
that DEs are in the castle, why send Harry into the castle on an 
errand?  Why not accompany him?  Why does he order him to talk to no 
one?  Why not alert some one like McGonagall or Hagrid, if Harry 
should meet them along the way?
10.	Why does DD immobilize Harry?  How can he be sure that Harry 
will be safe under his cloak?  Doesn't this ultimately leave Harry 
defenseless?  Is this a mistake?  Is Harry ever in danger on the 
tower?
11.	What do you make of the exchange between Draco and DD?  Is DD 
stalling?  Why would he praise Draco's plan to get DE's into the 
castle?  Is DD right about Draco not being a killer?  Might he become 
one?  
12.	The vanishing cabinets have been around for awhile, at least 
since CoS.  Is it possible that someone else is aware of their 
connection?  Why does DD conclude so quickly that there must be a 
pair?
13.	Draco and DD disagree about who Snape is working for
Well, I 
am going to ask again: Where do Snape's loyalties lie?  Okay, okay 
you don't have to answer that – just see the last 10,000 posts.
14.	 This has also been covered at length, but just for 
consistency's sake, who else might be in hiding?  Might LV also have 
someone in hiding?  
15.	How are Draco and Dumbledore using the term "mercy?" Why is 
it Dumbledore's mercy that matters now?
16.	Dumbledore indicates his surprise that Draco would 
allow/agree to let Fenrir Greybeck enter the castle.  Why is it that 
Draco might want to prevent Fenrir from coming?  This is the second 
time we have been reminded of Draco's connection to Greybeck.  Why?  
What is the connection?
17.	The DEs are insistent that Draco finish the job himself, or 
at least the unnamed DE is.  Why is this important?  Does it really 
matters who finishes the job?  Will there be consequences for Draco 
or Snape since Draco did not ultimately murder DD?
18.	Again a common question: Why does DD plead with Snape?  What 
is he pleading for?  Why does his tone frighten Harry more 
than "anything he had experienced all evening?" 
19.	 And again, sigh: What is the hatred and revulsion on Snape's 
face?  What revolts him?
20.	Why is this Avada Kedavra spell different from the others we 
have seen? (Note: Cedric simply crumples to the ground). Or is it?  
Why does DD's body fly up in the air and then fall slowly back toward 
the earth?  

Thanks to everyone in advance for their thoughtful responses.  I look 
forward to the ensuing discussion and to the next chapter. Also, I 
would like to thank Shorty Elf for her helpful editing suggestions 

Beatrice.

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