Question: This question could be for the movie and book since I don't remember it being answered in the book. Why has Snape continued to live in his childhood house? It's in a predominantly Muggle neighborhood, and his childhood was unhappy.
raywest
2nd Sep 2023
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
21st Mar 2022
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: I know that in the book Harry strongly regretted that he almost killed Malfoy. But why didn't he regret it in the film? In the novel he even states that he regrets it but in the movie there is no mention that he feels remorse or regret for almost killing Draco.
Answer: It can only be speculated as to why Harry didn't verbalize his regret in the film. While it's implied that he regretted his actions, was confused, and unable to process how he felt, it was vague and neutral enough that it keeps the audience in doubt about how the two truly feel about each other and what their future interaction will be.
3rd Feb 2010
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: When Ron, Hermione and Harry are in the Three Broomsticks, and Ron mentions to Hermione about how she has a bit of foam from her butterbeer above her lip, why does she seem so upset and embarrassed?
Chosen answer: Because she doesn't want to look silly in front of Ron, who she's in love with. Teenage romance, it's a minefield...
Answer: Because at the start of the film, she gets all flustered when she has a bit of toothpaste on her mouth, and Ron leans over to wipe it from her face. She obviously thinks about this moment a lot because when she smells the love potion during Slughorn's class, she mentions spearmint toothpaste. In the Three Broomsticks she's upset because she has foam on her mouth and instead of maybe wiping it away like he had done at the Burrow, he just gestures to her that she has something on her mouth.
25th Feb 2019
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: Anyone know the story behind why the MPAA rated this movie PG instead of PG-13? From Sectumsepra to the Horcrux cave with the Inferi to Dumbledore's death, there seems to be just as much stuff a young child might find scary/traumatizing in this movie as in the others in the series that actually were rated PG-13.
Answer: Half-blood Prince was certainly darker and edgier than the previous HP films, but still within the PG guidelines. Also, audiences had grown use to the more sophisticated and mature content building over the entire series, so it was not completely unexpected. Filmmakers dislike having a PG-13 rating imposed on their movies as that can limit the audience and lower profits. No doubt the Warner Bros. Studio was careful not to exceed the PG rating guidelines in order to protect their bottom line.
24th May 2018
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: If Voldemort wants Dumbledore dead, then why didn't he just kill him, instead of giving the mission to Draco?
Answer: It's a little complicated. Voldemort never intended that Draco would succeed in his mission to kill Dumbledore. He wanted Dumbledore dead, but it was also his plan to punish Lucius Malfoy for his failure to retrieve the prophecy at the Ministry of Magic (in Order of the Phoenix). Any follower who failed the Dark Lord suffered severe consequences, often fatal. Voldemort intended to execute Draco when he failed to kill Dumbledore. His purpose was to devastate Lucius by taking his son's life.
24th May 2018
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: Why is Voldemort afraid of Dumbledore?
Answer: Voldemort knew Dumbledore was not only an extremely powerful wizard with loyal allies, but that he had no fear of the Dark Lord. Dumbledore knew Voldemort better than anyone else, his strengths and his weaknesses, having known him since he was the young Tom Riddle. Dumbledore could always predict what Voldemort's intentions were.
2nd Nov 2017
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: Why did Slughorn even tell Tom Riddle about Horcruxes in the first place?
Answer: Because he made a foolish mistake, not realizing what Riddle intended to do. He was assuming at the time that it was a hypothetical conversation. Horcruxes were not a secret, and there was no reason not to tell a student about different types of Dark magic, and Riddle already knew much about it. He was seeking additional information.
12th Aug 2017
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: Who is Dumbledore talking about "who made all the wrong choices"? Is it Voldemort or Draco? I don't think it's Draco, because he is the "Boy who didn't have a choice."
19th Jul 2017
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: Instead of using the Pensieve to view Voldemort's and Slughorn's memories, wouldn't it have been much easier for Dumbledore to simply tell Harry of his first meeting with Tom and Harry simply asking Slughorn what he knew?
Answer: The purpose of the Pensieve is to preserve the memory exactly as it was recorded. Telling Harry something years after an event occurred is not as effective or as accurate as seeing. It is more impactful if Harry can watch events exactly as they unfolded. Regarding Slughorn, he had refused to give his complete memory because he was ashamed of the unintentional part he played in Voldemort's plan to create the Horcruxes. He was duped by Riddle, but he still did not want anyone to know how foolish he was.
Answer: Dumbledore went to great lengths to recover the modified memory from Slughorn and convince him to return to Hogwarts as a teacher. Asking Slughorn about the memory upfront would greatly reduce their chances of getting the rest of the memory. It was important for Harry to charm Slughorn because that was one of his weaknesses. He held Harry's mother in high regards, so Harry really was the only key to getting the memory.
Answer: It would have been pointless for Harry to simply ask Slughorn about Riddle because, as Slughorn previously did, he would react angrily, simply refuse, lie, or alter or delete facts as it was too painful and he was too ashamed to admit what he'd done. Even if Slughorn did tell him, memories are tricky, and, over time, people recall facts differently than what actually happened. Dumbledore needed the pensieve for both his and Slughorn's memories so Harry would have an accurate as possible picture of what happened. This is also J.K. Rowling's magical world. It would be pretty dull, literary-wise, to simply have Dumbledore or Slughorn tell Harry what happened.
16th Dec 2016
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: Before this year, why did Snape repeatedly apply to teach "Defence Against Dark Arts" if the position was cursed (in the fifth book, when Dolores Umbridge questions him, he admits that he applies every year)? I understand that he really wanted to teach the subject, but everyone knew that the position was cursed. Why put himself in danger, no matter how much he wanted the job?
Answer: There was never any explanation given in the books or the movies as to why Snape continually applied each year. He so coveted the position that most likely his ego was such that he believed his skills and abilities were superior enough to overcome any curse. Also, it was never specifically known that Voldemort had cursed the position. Dumbledore only surmised that he did because from the time Tom Riddle (Voldemort) first applied and was turned down, it was from that point on that no instructor lasted more than one year.
10th Oct 2016
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: When Harry sees into the past of Dumbledore's meeting with young Tom Riddle, Tom admits that he hurts people if they are mean to him. Since Tom openly admits this with obviously no guilt or remorse, why would Dumbledore take him to Hogwarts to learn magic instead of leaving him at the orphanage?
Answer: Leaving an untrained young wizard, who obviously has some behavioral issues and has no idea he is magical, alone in the Muggle world would be extremely dangerous. Dumbledore does not yet know that Riddle will become evil, but like any teacher, he wants to give a troubled youth an opportunity to find a new path in life.
6th May 2016
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: Why did Draco want to gate-crash Slughorn's party? It seems to have something to do with his mission to kill Dumbledore, but Dumbledore was not there.
Answer: He wasn't gate-crashing. Draco was caught in the halls, where he should not have been. He was en route to the Room of Requirement where he was secretly working on repairing the vanishing cabinet. The "gate-crashing" was an excuse he came up with when Filch happened to catch him outside where Slughorn's party was being held.
Answer: Draco poisoned Slughorn's present for Dumbledore.
9th Nov 2015
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: When Harry and Dumbledore find the locket horcux, why did Dumbledore drink the liquid instead of just dumping it out by using the bowl?
27th Jul 2015
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: Why wouldn't Dumbledore let Professor Snape teach Defense Against Dark Arts before this year? Snape says in the book that Dumbledore was afraid of him being tempted to relapse into his Death Eater ways, but he says this to Bellatrix and Narcissa, who falsely think that he is on their side. Also, he probably wouldn't feel tempted to become a Death Eater again after Voldemort killed Lily. And Dumbledore repeatedly insists that he completely trusts Snape.
Answer: While Dumbledore did trust Snape, he knew that his being immersed in teaching the Dark Arts could have an effect on him. Also, many years before, Voldemort had placed a curse on the position of the Dark Arts instructor after Dumbledore turned him down for it. After that, no instructor lasted more than one year. He didn't believe that Snape could last any longer than the others had, and he couldn't risk losing his strongest ally.
15th Jan 2015
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
5th Dec 2014
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
15th Sep 2014
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: Does anyone know what town/city the scene at Snape's house was filmed in?
Answer: The scene is set in the fictional village of Cokestown. Based on some Internet research, there does not appear to be an actual town where this was filmed. According to Helen McCrory, the actress who played Narcissa Malfoy, the street scene was filmed before a blue screen. Most likely, the aerial view consisted of CGI composite shots to simulate a late-19th Century Northern England industrial town. Snape is supposed to have lived in an area of abandoned row houses on Spinner's End street. There was also information that some footage may have been filmed near Black Country near Birmingham, Tyneside or the Clyde area in Scotland.
25th Jun 2014
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: When Snape tells Dumbledore that he "doesn't want to do this anymore", does he mean his spy work in general or just the agreement to kill Dumbledore?
4th May 2011
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: What is the sole purpose of a Death Eater?
Answer: Their sole purpose is to serve Lord Voldemort. They are his most trusted and faithful followers and do his bidding without question or hesitation. They also make up his inner council, acting as advisors and gathering information that will help the Dark Lord conquer the wizard world. Once someone has entered the Dark Lord's service, there is no leaving it alive.
19th Dec 2009
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: Is Aragog smaller in this film, than in the Chamber of Secrets?
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Answer: Interesting comment. I live in my childhood home, which I love and will never sell, even though it was not a particularly happy childhood. I've always separated family issues from other good memories and the house itself. Maybe Snape does the same and finds some comfort in familiar things. It was his father who was abusive, not his mother, so he may associate the house with her or even with Lily, his childhood friend he came to love.
raywest ★
I think Lily is a big reason. They grew up in the area, and they probably spent summer holidays together before Lily ended their friendship.