Chapter Eleven: Hermione’s Helping Hand
In chapter eleven of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Hermione breaks some major rules but yet refuses to follow notes in a textbook.
(Please be advised that this is a reread and I will be discussing book and movie spoilers.)
Hagrid is mad at our trio for ditching his class and not telling him (me too Hagz, me too) and Ron is being kind of gross about it, calling Grawp Hagrid’s “gormless brother” which seems a bit harsh, no?
Hermione points out Quidditch tryouts are only so popular now that Harry’s interesting and hawt or something while Ron gags and comments about he too is hawt right Hermione? Right? He’s tall too Hermione! He got those sexy brain scars! He’s got that flying car for dates, girl! He’s as attracted to Viktor Krum as you are! He told Snape to not call you know-it-all that one time, remember? Notice him, Hermione!
Speaking of Hermz, she’s still really pissed about the potions book which is RICH considering what Hermione is about to do during tryouts. Lavender is suddenly crushing on Ron, and hold your chest monsters, because one of our next horrific romantic subplots of this book is incoming.
We’ll get to Hermione’s mind control soon but we must pause for a particularly obnoxious moment of Ginny 2.0 is the Best for Harry Let Me Beat You Over the Head With It:
“Harry had found himself three Chasers:…and Ginny Weasley, who had outflown all the competition and scored seventeen goals to boot.”
JKR, I adore you, I’d probably blubber if I ever met you, and I think you’re brilliant. But Ginny scoring SEVENTEEN goals and being the bestest eva is some Ebony Dark’ness Dementia Raven Way shit.
But let’s get to Hermione’s transgressions, because I am really conflicted and want to hear some other thoughts on it. Hermione decides to confund McLaggen on his fifth trial goal and he fails, making sure Ron makes the team. Now…this moment is…interesting, no, for a girl who is shrilly declaring that Harry not take tips like “crush with knife instead of cut” for a potion? McLaggen is awful no doubt. He’d be a poor member of the team. So on one hand, I find Hermione’s behavior
but the more I think about it, this is fucked up. Forget cheating and the team…McLaggen wanders around confunded for ages, so addled he runs repeatedly into a door frame. Someone could easily do something awful to him in this state. I do love that Hermione is complex. I like complicated characters. If she always did the noble thing she’d bore me. In fact, it’s this streak of occasional messed up behavior from Hermione that makes me find her so interesting and wonderful. So part of me LOVES this. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Hagrid and the trio make up, Harry ducks a Slughorn invitation (good BINGO square for this book btw) and dear GOD NO why am I being forced to endure more Harry is Totally Right That Malfoy is a Death Eater But Ron and Hermione Refuse to Believe?
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Is Hermione right about why everyone’s attracted to Harry now?
Let’s talk about Hermione confuding McLaggen.
Should Harry or Hermione ever tell Ron the truth about McLaggen’s Quidditch trial?
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