Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Chapters - J. K. Rowling
Chapter 1: The Other Minister
The Muggle Prime Minister endures a visit from outgoing Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge, who reveals that Voldemort has returned and is behind a string of disasters affecting both worlds. Fudge introduces his successor, Rufus Scrimgeour, who arranges Auror protection for the Prime Minister. Harry and Dumbledore are referenced but do not appear on-page.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Cornelius Fudge, Rufus Scrimgeour·Mentioned: Albus Dumbledore, Lord Voldemort, Percy Weasley, Hedwig, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Amelia Bones, Emmeline Vance
Chapter 2: Spinner's End
Bellatrix and Narcissa Malfoy visit Snape at his home on Spinner's End. Narcissa begs Snape to protect Draco, who has been given a dangerous task by Voldemort as punishment for Lucius's failures. Snape makes the Unbreakable Vow to watch over Draco and carry out the deed if Draco fails.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Severus Snape, Bellatrix Lestrange, Narcissa Malfoy, Fenrir Greyback·Mentioned: Draco Malfoy, Lord Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy, Albus Dumbledore
Chapter 3: Will and Won't
Dumbledore arrives at Privet Drive to collect Harry, informing him he has inherited Sirius's house and the house-elf Kreacher. Dumbledore firmly addresses the Dursleys about their treatment of Harry and secures his return for one more summer. Harry notices Dumbledore's blackened, shrivelled hand before the two depart together into the night.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Albus Dumbledore, Kreacher·Mentioned: Rubeus Hagrid, Bellatrix Lestrange
Chapter 4: Horace Slughorn
Dumbledore takes Harry via Side-Along Apparition to the village of Budleigh Babberton, where they persuade retired Potions master Horace Slughorn to return to Hogwarts. Dumbledore reveals that Voldemort is using Occlumency against Harry, and discusses Inferi and the current state of the war during their walk.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Albus Dumbledore, Horace Slughorn·Mentioned: Lord Voldemort
Chapter 5: An Excess of Phlegm
Harry arrives at The Burrow, where Molly and Arthur Weasley greet him warmly. Tonks is present but looks drawn and unhappy. The next morning Ron, Hermione and Ginny catch up with Harry, and the household adjusts to Fleur Delacour's presence ahead of her wedding to Bill.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Molly Weasley, Arthur Weasley, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Nymphadora Tonks, Fleur Delacour, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Pansy Parkinson, Madam Malkin·Mentioned: Albus Dumbledore, Fred Weasley, George Weasley
Chapter 6: Draco's Detour
Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny visit Diagon Alley with the Weasley parents and Hagrid as security. They encounter Draco and Narcissa Malfoy at Madam Malkin's, then visit Fred and George's thriving joke shop. Harry follows Draco into Knockturn Alley, where he overhears a suspicious conversation with Borgin.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Rubeus Hagrid, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Molly Weasley, Arthur Weasley, Narcissa Malfoy, Tom (Leaky Cauldron)·Mentioned: Bellatrix Lestrange
Chapter 7: The Slug Club
Harry tells Arthur Weasley his suspicions about Draco before boarding the Hogwarts Express. On the train, Harry sits with Neville and Luna, then attends Slughorn's lunch where he meets Ginny. Harry spies on Draco under his Invisibility Cloak and overhears him boasting about a task for Voldemort.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Ginny Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Arthur Weasley, Molly Weasley, Cormac McLaggen, Romilda Vane·Mentioned: Lord Voldemort
Chapter 8: Snape Victorious
Harry is found paralysed on the Hogwarts Express by Tonks after Draco attacked him. Snape meets them at the gates and escorts Harry to the feast, deducting seventy points from Gryffindor. At the start-of-term feast, Dumbledore announces Slughorn as Potions master and Snape as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Ron, Hermione and Hagrid greet Harry warmly.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Nymphadora Tonks, Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, Albus Dumbledore, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Rubeus Hagrid, Minerva McGonagall, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom
Chapter 9: The Half-Blood Prince
Harry and Ron begin their first day at Hogwarts, where McGonagall sorts their N.E.W.T. timetables and Neville is advised to take Charms. In Snape's Defence Against the Dark Arts class, Harry earns a detention for cheek. Harry discovers the Half-Blood Prince's annotated Potions textbook and achieves brilliantly in Slughorn's class, winning a bottle of Felix Felicis.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy, Argus Filch, Mrs Norris, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Seamus Finnigan, Nearly Headless Nick, Peeves, Filius Flitwick, Pomona Sprout, Madam Hooch, Sybill Trelawney, Sorting Hat, Cho Chang, Crookshanks·Mentioned: Rubeus Hagrid, Albus Dumbledore, Madam Pince, Oliver Wood
Chapter 10: The House of Gaunt
Dumbledore gives Harry his first private lesson, using the Pensieve to view Bob Ogden's memory of visiting the Gaunt family. Harry witnesses the wretched state of Voldemort's maternal relatives - Marvolo, Morfin and Merope Gaunt - and learns how Merope's infatuation with the Muggle Tom Riddle led to Voldemort's birth.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Albus Dumbledore, Merope Gaunt, Marvolo Gaunt, Morfin Gaunt, Bob Ogden, Caractacus Burke·Mentioned: Lord Voldemort, Severus Snape
Chapter 11: Hermione's Helping Hand
Harry holds Quidditch tryouts, selecting Ginny as Chaser and Ron as Keeper after a tense competition. Afterwards, Harry, Ron and Hermione visit Hagrid, who is upset they dropped his subject and distraught over his ailing spider Aragog. Harry later realises Hermione secretly Confunded McLaggen to help Ron win the Keeper spot. Arthur Weasley's raid on the Malfoy home is reported in the Evening Prophet.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Rubeus Hagrid·Mentioned: Severus Snape, Arthur Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Albus Dumbledore
Chapter 12: Silver and Opals
Harry, Ron and Hermione visit Hogsmeade, where Harry confronts Mundungus Fletcher for stealing from Grimmauld Place and Tonks intervenes. On the way back, they witness Katie Bell being cursed by an opal necklace. Hagrid carries Katie to the castle, and McGonagall questions them. Harry accuses Draco, but McGonagall reveals Malfoy was in detention with her.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Nymphadora Tonks, Rubeus Hagrid, Minerva McGonagall, Pigwidgeon·Mentioned: Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasley, Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore
Chapter 13: The Secret Riddle
Dumbledore shows Harry his own memory of visiting the young Tom Riddle at a London orphanage. The boy who would become Voldemort reveals disturbing abilities - making things move, controlling animals, and hurting people at will. Dumbledore identifies key traits in young Riddle: his contempt for the common, his desire for self-sufficiency, and his magpie-like habit of collecting trophies from his victims.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Albus Dumbledore, Lord Voldemort, Mrs Cole·Mentioned: Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy
Chapter 14: Felix Felicis
Harry tells Ron and Hermione about Dumbledore's lesson during Herbology alongside Neville. Hermione invites Ron to Slughorn's Christmas party, and Harry notices growing tension between them. Harry replaces the injured Katie Bell with Dean Thomas as Chaser. After catching Ginny and Dean kissing, Ron is furious, and Ginny retaliates by mocking his inexperience.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Ginny Weasley, Dean Thomas, Lavender Brown, Phineas Nigellus Black·Mentioned: Albus Dumbledore, Lord Voldemort
Chapter 15: The Unbreakable Vow
Harry is caught between Ron and Hermione, who have fallen out after Ron begins dating Lavender Brown. Harry asks Luna to Slughorn's Christmas party. At the party, Harry encounters Snape, and Draco is dragged in by Filch. Harry follows Snape and Draco under his Invisibility Cloak and overhears Snape offering to help Draco with his task, revealing his Unbreakable Vow.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasley, Eldred Worple, Sanguini, Lavender Brown·Mentioned: Bellatrix Lestrange
Chapter 16: A Very Frosty Christmas
Harry spends Christmas at the Burrow, discussing the overheard conversation between Snape and Draco with Ron, Lupin and Mr Weasley. Lupin reveals he has been living among werewolves on Dumbledore's orders and tells Harry about the savage Fenrir Greyback. The Minister for Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, arrives with Percy and tries to recruit Harry as a Ministry mascot, but Harry refuses and declares himself Dumbledore's man.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Molly Weasley, Remus Lupin
Chapter 17: A Sluggish Memory
Harry returns to Hogwarts and tells Hermione about Snape and Draco. In his lesson with Dumbledore, Harry views memories of the teenage Voldemort visiting his uncle Morfin, murdering the Riddle family, and stealing Marvolo's ring. Dumbledore then shows a tampered memory from Slughorn about Horcruxes and tasks Harry with obtaining the true version.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Albus Dumbledore, Lord Voldemort, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, Rufus Scrimgeour, Fenrir Greyback, Cormac McLaggen, Morfin Gaunt, Argus Filch, Percy Weasley, Hedwig·Mentioned: Rubeus Hagrid, Walden Macnair
Chapter 18: Birthday Surprises
Harry clumsily asks Slughorn about Horcruxes after Potions class but is rebuffed. On Ron's birthday, Ron accidentally eats love-potion-spiked Chocolate Cauldrons and Harry takes him to Slughorn, who gives him an antidote but then accidentally poisons him with tainted mead. Harry saves Ron's life with a bezoar. Fred, George, Hermione, Ginny and Hagrid visit Ron in the hospital wing.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Rubeus Hagrid, Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom, Romilda Vane·Mentioned: Severus Snape
Chapter 19: Elf Tails
Harry visits Ron in the hospital wing and deals with the fallout of the poisoning, while Hermione deduces a connection between the attacks on Katie and Ron. Hagrid lets slip that Dumbledore argued with Snape. The disastrous Quidditch match against Hufflepuff features Luna commentating and McLaggen cracking Harry's skull with a Beater's bat.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Rubeus Hagrid, Molly Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Draco Malfoy, Minerva McGonagall, Poppy Pomfrey·Mentioned: Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore
Chapter 20: Lord Voldemort's Request
Harry leaves the hospital wing and receives a note from Luna inviting him to another lesson with Dumbledore. In the Pensieve, they watch a memory of the adult Voldemort returning to Hogwarts to request the Defence Against the Dark Arts post from Dumbledore, who refuses. Dumbledore explains that Voldemort's true purpose was likely to hide a Horcrux or search for a founder's relic within the castle.
POV: Harry Potter·On page: Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Albus Dumbledore, Lord Voldemort, Luna Lovegood, Hepzibah Smith, Hokey, Lavender Brown, Poppy Pomfrey