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Of course, community isn't static, and relationships can change. And in Half-Blood Prince we see a certain, familiar hormonal buzz take over Harry and his friends at Hogwarts. Though they've long been dealing with the adult matters of fighting against dark magic, with this movie Harry and Ron and Hermione shed their childishness and emerge charged with a newfound romantic appreciation for the opposite sex. And with that newfound appreciation comes an equal measure of angst and unrequited emotion. In this case, Ron and Hermione dance around each other with other partners, while Harry and Ron's little sister, Ginny, get more directly to their budding romance.

Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy

All the while, Harry is picking up magical tips from a mysterious character known as the Half-Blood Prince—a previous owner of the used Potions textbook Harry is now using. This so-called "prince" didn't put his real name on the book, but certainly left his mark—by writing his own helpful notes and spells in the book's margins. Some of these tips come in handy for Harry along the way, to the scowling disapproval of the by-the-book Hermione.

Meanwhile, Voldemort is always lurking just off stage left, so romance takes a backseat when Dumbledore and Harry dash off on a dangerous mission and the Death Eaters stage a dramatic attack on Hogwarts in their absence. During this attack, the Dark Mark appears above the castle, only to be eradicated by the light from hundreds of wands held aloft by the faculty and students of the school—a vivid example of light overcoming the darkness, a recurring theme in the books and films.

Adapting the Harry Potter novels for the screen is largely a thankless task. The source material is rich and has a devoted following. Everyone will be able to impugn some sort of misstep to each screenplay. And so too here, there are some frustrations with pacing and the chosen highlights on the narrative arc. The last ten minutes of the movie delivers an emotional sucker punch with little to no space given to exorcise those feelings, sending fans out into daylight with little more than an ellipses.

Jim Broadbent as Professor Slughorn

But I would contend the sins here are mostly those of omission. If you watched the five preceding movies leading up to Half-Blood Prince, you still might want to go back and read book six to remind yourself of so much of the detail and plot that are only hinted at on the big screen.

I was skeptical when it was announced that the seventh and final book in the series will be adapted in two movies. I figured it was just a move by the studio to milk as much money from the franchise as possible. But after Half-Blood Prince I can say that I'm relieved to know that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows will be getting such expansive treatment. I, for one, am already looking forward to November 2010. And I doubt I'm alone.

Talk About It

1. Horace Slughorn is enamored with people he considers important. Have you ever had a teacher who seemed to have a similar way of interacting with students? How did that affect your ability to learn? Talk about the ways Slughorn's pride and interest in celebrity affected his life. Do you think he was a good professor? Why or why not?
   
   
2. Dumbledore calls one of Slughorn's memories a lie. Have you ever been so ashamed or embarrassed about something you've done that you've convinced yourself it didn't happen or that it happened differently? How did you realize this behavior? How did you recover the memory and make amends (if needed)?
   
   

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Related Elsewhere:

Is Harry the Chosen One?	Printer view
As Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince opens, we are once again reminded of the characteristics that make him something of a Christ figure.