HBP - Chapter 9 The Half Blood Prince
Chapter 9 - The Half Blood Prince or Harry's first day of classes, year six
There's no need to call me 'sir,' Professor."
Ah, probably the best line of the series - definitely the highlight of this chapter. We are greeted with the requisite trip to the Great Hall for breakfast, Ron's bad table manners and McGonagall inexplicably setting schedules as she goes down the table. Erm, if their schedules weren't, you know, already determined, how did they know what books and supplies to buy? *ponders* So, maybe it's a thin plot device, but we get the most Neville interaction of the entire book, so why complain? Hermione goes off to some class or other and Ron is in raptures that he appears to have more free time than classes their first day.
Ron and Harry arrive at their first class (after a free period!), Defense Against the Dark Arts. Snape's teaching methods don't improve now that he's finally able to teach the subject that he loves. He snaps at Hermione, glares at Harry, winks at Draco (okay, that's only a guess), Snape's robes billow as he walks and Hary gets in the best insult ever. Snape, of course, gives him detention. What a shocker. Oh, and the students try to cast spells without saying the incantation. Of course, Snape doesn't tell them how to.
Next is Potions with Slughorn. Harry and Ron both get temporary books from Slughorn, who then shows them four potions, Veritserum, Polyjuice, Amortentia and Felix Felicis. When Slughorn sets them to making a potion, Harry notices and uses, the instructions written in the margins of his book, to great effect and Hermione's irritation. He is the only one of the class that does the potion right and, as such, wins a vial of 'pure luck.'
There's no need to call me 'sir,' Professor."
Ah, probably the best line of the series - definitely the highlight of this chapter. We are greeted with the requisite trip to the Great Hall for breakfast, Ron's bad table manners and McGonagall inexplicably setting schedules as she goes down the table. Erm, if their schedules weren't, you know, already determined, how did they know what books and supplies to buy? *ponders* So, maybe it's a thin plot device, but we get the most Neville interaction of the entire book, so why complain? Hermione goes off to some class or other and Ron is in raptures that he appears to have more free time than classes their first day.
Ron and Harry arrive at their first class (after a free period!), Defense Against the Dark Arts. Snape's teaching methods don't improve now that he's finally able to teach the subject that he loves. He snaps at Hermione, glares at Harry, winks at Draco (okay, that's only a guess), Snape's robes billow as he walks and Hary gets in the best insult ever. Snape, of course, gives him detention. What a shocker. Oh, and the students try to cast spells without saying the incantation. Of course, Snape doesn't tell them how to.
Next is Potions with Slughorn. Harry and Ron both get temporary books from Slughorn, who then shows them four potions, Veritserum, Polyjuice, Amortentia and Felix Felicis. When Slughorn sets them to making a potion, Harry notices and uses, the instructions written in the margins of his book, to great effect and Hermione's irritation. He is the only one of the class that does the potion right and, as such, wins a vial of 'pure luck.'