Favorite chapter in The Half Blood Prince.

[Geoff]

No: HPFGUIDX 192553

Geoff:
Just a few notes to enlarge on some of the thoughts recently expressed.

Liz:
> Dumbledore was dying during the HBP book. He had obtained and worn 
> the ring sometime during the summer or first term (can't remember 
> which!) and Snape had managed to stop the curse temporarily. 

Geoff:
Just for clarification, it was certainly before the new term and thus 
possibly during the school holidays. Looking at canon, Dumbledore wrote 
to Harry:
`If it is convenient to you, I shall call at number four Privet Drive this 
coming Friday at eleven p.m. to escort you to The Burrow, where you have 
been invited to spend the remainder of your school holidays.'
(HBP "Will and Won't" p.46 UK edition)


and later: 
`As he replaced his wand in his pocket, Harry saw that his hand was 
blackened and shrivelled; it looked as if his flesh had been burned away.
"Sir- what happened to your- ?"
"Later, Harry," said Dumbledore.'
(ibid.p.50)

Liz:
> Dumbledore had a year to live at most. When Dumbledore learnt of the 
> task Draco had been set, to kill Dumbledore, he had arranged with Snape 
> to kill him instead. This was to protect Draco from killing, and the damage 
> that did to a young mind. And more importantly to prevent the Elder wand 
> from having a new master. An arranged death would mean Dumbledore 
> wasn't defeated, the Elder wand would remain loyal to Dumbledore and it's 
> true power would never again be able to be used. Sadly, Draco disarmed 
> Dumbledore before Snape killed him, so the plan failed, as Draco defeated 
> Dumbledore by disarming him.

Geoff:
Following Liz's train of thought, Dumbledore didn't quite "arrange"; he 
forced Snape to agree to kill him – by applying a little arm-twisting in the 
shape of an Unbreakable Vow. This was to protect Draco who, if he had 
managed to kill Dumbledore would have had his soul split but also to 
ensure that the wand would remain faithful to him as he had willingly 
allowed Snape to win.

As we ultimately saw, this plan failed but in the long run, it worked to 
Harry's favour because Draco became master of the wand and then Harry, 
after he disarmed the former at Malfoy Manor. Voldemort worked on the 
wrong presumption and although it cost Snape his life, Voldemort did not 
become aware of the danger to himself until the very last moments of the 
duel in the Great Hall, his hubris leading him to think that he could not 
be beaten.

Alanna:
> I always wondered about the dying from the cursed ring thing. Why
> couldn't Fawkes heal him? I just finished re reading the series and I
> don't recall Fawkes even being brought up and/or rejected as an option.

Geoff:
It was never suggested that Fawkes could heal everything. Dumbledore's 
comment about phoenix powers was: 
"Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, 
their tears have healing powers and they make highly faithful pets" (COS 
"The Polyjuice Potion" p.155 UK edition).