Half-Blood Prince 28: The Flight of the Prince
In which Snape, Draco, and the Death Eaters flee.
Harry enters the ongoing battle in a corridor downstairs and then pursues Snape across the castle grounds. They duel for a moment, Snape parrying all Harry's curses. When a Death Eater uses Crucio on Harry, Snape intervenes, saying that the Dark Lord wants Harry for himself. Before he departs, Snape tells Harry not to use his own curses, the Half-Blood Prince's, against him. Harry's accusation of cowardice finally seems to spark Snape's anger, but Buckbeak protects Harry, and Snape escapes.
Hagrid finds Harry, and Harry tells him of Dumbledore's murder. Hagrid refuses to believe him. They make their way back to the castle and discover Dumbledore's lifeless body at the foot of the tower. The locket they had taken from the cave earlier that evening had fallen out of Dumbledore's pocket, and Harry opens it and discovers a slip of parchment with a note addressed to the Dark Lord, signed RAB. The note says that RAB has taken the real Horcrux and destroyed it in an effort to make Voldemort mortal once more.
Previous chapter: Half-Blood Prince 27: The Lightning-Struck Tower
Next chapter: Half-Blood Prince 29: The Phoenix Lament
Harry enters the ongoing battle in a corridor downstairs and then pursues Snape across the castle grounds. They duel for a moment, Snape parrying all Harry's curses. When a Death Eater uses Crucio on Harry, Snape intervenes, saying that the Dark Lord wants Harry for himself. Before he departs, Snape tells Harry not to use his own curses, the Half-Blood Prince's, against him. Harry's accusation of cowardice finally seems to spark Snape's anger, but Buckbeak protects Harry, and Snape escapes.
Hagrid finds Harry, and Harry tells him of Dumbledore's murder. Hagrid refuses to believe him. They make their way back to the castle and discover Dumbledore's lifeless body at the foot of the tower. The locket they had taken from the cave earlier that evening had fallen out of Dumbledore's pocket, and Harry opens it and discovers a slip of parchment with a note addressed to the Dark Lord, signed RAB. The note says that RAB has taken the real Horcrux and destroyed it in an effort to make Voldemort mortal once more.
Previous chapter: Half-Blood Prince 27: The Lightning-Struck Tower
Next chapter: Half-Blood Prince 29: The Phoenix Lament