Flight of the Prince
Snape forces Draco Malfoy back down the tower stairwell, followed by other Death Eaters. Harry, released from the paralyzing spell by Dumbledore's death, petrifies the last one and charges down the steps after them. At the bottom is a melée of Hogwarts students, teachers, and Order of the Phoenix members fighting Death Eaters. Ginny is dueling Amycus Carrow. Harry Jinxes Amycus, sending him cannoning into a wall. The remaining Death Eaters, hearing Snape's signal, break away and run. Harry, following, wonders if they will head for the Entrance Hall or the Room of Requirement. Seeing a bloody footprint, Harry deduces that they have gone to the Front Hall and takes a short cut there.
Reaching the entrance, Harry sees a Death Eater on the grounds, Snape and Draco further away. The large blond Death Eater casts multiple curses at Hagrid, but his massive body deflects them. Harry hurls the Prince's spells at Snape, but Snape easily blocks every one, proclaiming he created them—he is the Half-Blood Prince. Although Snape deflects every curse Harry casts, he does nothing to harm him and continually tells him what he is doing wrong. Amycus and Alecto catch up to Harry, and one curses him. Snape blocks the curse, and prevents the other Death Eaters from attacking Harry, claiming he belongs to Voldemort. Harry dares Snape to kill him, calling him a coward. Enraged, Snape jinxes Harry before escaping with Draco and the other Death Eaters.
Harry chases Snape in a blind rage and with one intent: to kill him. Snape, who easily eludes him, has every opportunity to murder or capture the outmatched Harry. Instead, he merely deflects Harry's ineffective curses. Snape continually does nothing to harm Harry, and actually tells him what he is doing wrong and how to correct it. He also prevents the other Death Eaters from cursing him. Why? Although he claims he wants to leave Harry for the Dark Lord, he could easily have stunned and presented him to Voldemort. By leaving Harry at Hogwarts, Snape not only risks having the determined and vengeful Harry single-mindedly hunting him down, but also the Dark Lord's deadly wrath by letting his number one enemy remain alive and free. For Harry, learning that his admired mentor (the Half-Blood Prince) is actually his hated nemesis is shocking and revolting.
It is interesting to note Snape's reaction when Harry called him a coward. Snape become enraged, even though murdering the unarmed Dumbledore would seem to be an extremely cowardly act, as would his subsequent running away. One must wonder if there is something beyond what Snape has actually done, some way in which Snape can still see himself as honourable and living up to some form of standard.
Harry learns that someone with the initials R.A.B. stole the true Horcrux from the cave. However, in that chapter, it was learned that two people were needed to recover the locket from the basin on the island. R.A.B. must have had some assistance. Although R.A.B. is probably dead, if another person was involved, it is possible he or she may still be alive and could provide valuable information. It also appears that R.A.B. may have known about the prophecy, as that person refers to Voldemort meeting his match. However, it also seems that R.A.B. may have mistakenly believed that the locket was the only Horcrux, as he seems to assume that destroying it will be sufficient to make Voldemort mortal once more.
Reaching the entrance, Harry sees a Death Eater on the grounds, Snape and Draco further away. The large blond Death Eater casts multiple curses at Hagrid, but his massive body deflects them. Harry hurls the Prince's spells at Snape, but Snape easily blocks every one, proclaiming he created them—he is the Half-Blood Prince. Although Snape deflects every curse Harry casts, he does nothing to harm him and continually tells him what he is doing wrong. Amycus and Alecto catch up to Harry, and one curses him. Snape blocks the curse, and prevents the other Death Eaters from attacking Harry, claiming he belongs to Voldemort. Harry dares Snape to kill him, calling him a coward. Enraged, Snape jinxes Harry before escaping with Draco and the other Death Eaters.
Harry chases Snape in a blind rage and with one intent: to kill him. Snape, who easily eludes him, has every opportunity to murder or capture the outmatched Harry. Instead, he merely deflects Harry's ineffective curses. Snape continually does nothing to harm Harry, and actually tells him what he is doing wrong and how to correct it. He also prevents the other Death Eaters from cursing him. Why? Although he claims he wants to leave Harry for the Dark Lord, he could easily have stunned and presented him to Voldemort. By leaving Harry at Hogwarts, Snape not only risks having the determined and vengeful Harry single-mindedly hunting him down, but also the Dark Lord's deadly wrath by letting his number one enemy remain alive and free. For Harry, learning that his admired mentor (the Half-Blood Prince) is actually his hated nemesis is shocking and revolting.
It is interesting to note Snape's reaction when Harry called him a coward. Snape become enraged, even though murdering the unarmed Dumbledore would seem to be an extremely cowardly act, as would his subsequent running away. One must wonder if there is something beyond what Snape has actually done, some way in which Snape can still see himself as honourable and living up to some form of standard.
Harry learns that someone with the initials R.A.B. stole the true Horcrux from the cave. However, in that chapter, it was learned that two people were needed to recover the locket from the basin on the island. R.A.B. must have had some assistance. Although R.A.B. is probably dead, if another person was involved, it is possible he or she may still be alive and could provide valuable information. It also appears that R.A.B. may have known about the prophecy, as that person refers to Voldemort meeting his match. However, it also seems that R.A.B. may have mistakenly believed that the locket was the only Horcrux, as he seems to assume that destroying it will be sufficient to make Voldemort mortal once more.
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