Page Title

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
by J. K. Rowling

published: July 16, 2005

Notes and facts about the book:

This is the title of the sixth book of the series. In the Lexicon, the abbreviation is HBP.

Although when she first put the title on her website it was written "Half Blood" Prince, she has now changed the title in the text-only section of the site with the more grammatically correct "Half-Blood" Prince. I'll edit the Lexicon to add that little hyphen as I find the references.

The first chapter of the book has been discussed by Rowling on her website. Here's what she says about it:

I have come close to using a chapter very like this in 'Philosopher's Stone' (it was one of the discarded first chapters), 'Prisoner of Azkaban' and 'Order of the Phoenix' but here, finally, it works, so it's staying. And that's all I'm going to say, but when you read it, just know that it's been about thirteen years in the brewing.

Rowling revealed the titles of three of the chapters on her website as a Halloween treat, Oct 31, 2004. They are:

Chapter 2: Spinners End

Chapter 6: Draco's Detour

Chapter 14: Felix Felicis

The title does not refer to either Harry or Voldemort (JKR)

The title of the sixth book is not "The Truth." Here's an email we've gotten a lot of lately along with Penny's repsonse:

Your site said book six is going to be THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE. On JKR's web site it says the title is THE TRUTH. Has her site just not been updated. Which one is it?

Yes, the title is "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." The reason that the news blurb relating to this matter is entitled "The Truth" on Rowling's website is somewhat complicated. In short, someone claimed to have broken into Rowling's website and discovered that the title for Book 6 was "Harry Potter and the Pillar of Storge." This rumor circulated wildly for at least three days before Rowling finally addressed the issue on her website. The real title was given behind the door that only opens for short periods of time.

Her blurb about this matter in her "news" area was titled "The Truth," which is where the confusion comes from. That's the title of the news item about the new book, not the title of the book itself. In other words, the "Truth" refers to Rowling confirming that the book is not titled Pillar of Storge, as rumored. You are not the first person to write us with this confusion. If we could ask Rowling to edit her website, believe me, we would! But, the title has been confirmed by Rowling and all reliable Potter news sources as Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

Assuming that things take their usual course, here's some of what we can look forward to in the book:

Harry will be in his sixth year at Hogwarts in book six. The events of book six will presumably take place between July, Y16 and the end of June, Y17.

Muggles will be noticing unusual events without realizing that they are the result of Voldemort's return.

Calliope: Are the Muggle and Magical worlds ever going to be rejoined?

JK Rowling replies -> No, the breach was final, although as book six shows, the Muggles are noticing more and more odd happenings now that Voldemort's back (WBD).

Neville will need another wand to replace that which was broken in the Department of Mysteries.

At the end of June Y16, Hermione's year-long ban on Rita Skeeter's writing will end.

We'll learn more about the circumstances of Voldemort's birth in this book (WBD).

"Ministry...guides to elementary home and personal defense... will be delivered free to all wizarding homes [by the end of July] (OP38)."

In July Y16, each of the returning sixth year students will receive an owl with their Ordinary Wizarding Level results (OP31).

If the Quidditch season takes place as usual, the Gryffindor team will hold tryouts for at least two Chaser positions. If Harry has been reinstated as Seeker by then, Ginny Weasley plans to try out for Chaser at that point (OP26). Gryffindor will also need a new team captain. The team as it currently stands (assuming that Harry is allowed to play and that Ginny is made a Chaser) is as follows:

Keeper - Ron Weasley

Seeker - Harry Potter

Chasers - Ginny Weasley and Katie Bell (one spot open)

Beaters - Jack Sloper and Andrew Kirke

In the coming school year, Ron and Hermione will turn seventeen, and will therefore be of age in the wizarding world and old enough to obtain a license to Apparate. Hermione will turn 17 just a few weeks after the start of school.

Harry will turn 16 at the beginning of the book. Neville will turn 16 on July 30, a day before Harry.

Ginny will turn 15 on August 11. (JKR)

According to Rowling, there will be a new Minister of Magic, but it won't be Arthur Weasley (JKR)

We will meet Grawp again, and this time around he'll be a bit more controllable (WBD)

This book, Rowling has stated, will be almost part one of a two-part book, the second half being book seven. The war has begun and the saga is now moving toward the ultimate confrontation. NOTE: This doesn't mean that book six is not its own complete story or that it will take two books to cover Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts.

Harry will spend some time in Privet Drive, but JKR has said that this will be his shortest stay yet.

Before arriving at school, Harry will encounter or hear about someone who will be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher (this has happened in each book so far, usually before he even leaves on the train).

On September 1, Harry and his friends will travel to Hogwarts aboard the Hogwarts Express. On September 2, which will be a Monday, they will start their classes.

At the Welcoming Feast, Harry and his friends will meet their new DADA teacher, find out if both Firenze and Trelawney will teach Divination, and hear a new Sorting Hat song

Harry will start NEWT-level classes, which will very likely include Potions but not Divination. We'll also learn what career paths Hermione and Ron have chosen. [NOTE: Harry will take Potions if he follows through with his intention to become an Auror. This also seems likely as the animosity between Harry and Snape is a standard motif in the books and it seems unlikely that this will be marginalized]

In Transfiguration, the sixth years will start learning human transfiguration spells (OP).

We will learn more about Peter Pettigrew and Rowling does not leave out the possibility of redemption for him:

Rita: What about Wormtail? Is there hope for redemption?

JK Rowling replies -> There's always hope, of course. You'll find out more about our rat-like friend in book six (WBD).

As June rolls around, Harry will find himself once again in a one-on-one confrontation with Voldemort or the Death Eaters.

Rowling's comments about the book as she's writing:
Aug 15, 2004:

At the moment, I really like how the sixth book is going. A lot happens in the sixth book and a lot of questions are answered. I really have a sense that we are nearly there and it is time for answers, not more questions and clues, although obviously there are a few clues as I am not quite finished yet. I hope that that is sufficiently frustrating for you, knowing that you can't read it yet! (EBF)