Hey everyone,
Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory.
Today, we’re going to be discussing 10 things you might have missed in the Half-Blood Prince
MOVIE.
The Half-Blood Prince introduced us to a whole new side to Voldemort that we had rarely seen
before: Tom Riddle’s past.
Thanks to Dumbledore’s memories, and Professor Slughorn’s recollection, we were granted
a glimpse into Voldemort’s early years as a wizard… and how he eventually learned
the secrets of creating Horcruxes.
Throughout the film, though, you might have missed some of the smaller details that make
the wizarding world so rich.
So today, let’s take a deep dive, and check out 10 of the smaller bits from the Half Blood
Prince that might have snuck by you.
Let’s get in to it.
10.
Why Harry Was Sick
Learning how to apparate was actually quite the skill.
During the time of Newt Scamander, the Magical Congress of the United States regularly hired
officials to oversee Apparition exams and judge wizards and witches on their skill level.
And the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry weren’t too different.
Under the direction of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, the students of Hogwarts learned apparition
in their sixth year, but it wasn’t a main part of the curriculum.
It was an optional class that many chose to enroll in.
By the time wizards and witches turned seventeen, they could finally test themselves in an apparition
test, and receive a license.
But during the events of the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter’s own inexperience with the
spell was put on display when he became sick immediately after taking a journey via apparition.
9.
7 Stones for 7 Horcruxes
We received a rare glimpse into Voldemort’s past when Albus Dumbledore shared the memories
of his visit to the young wizard’s orphanage, decades earlier.
While there, Dumbledore heard the tr*oubling tale of the boy known as Tom Riddle.
And when the aged wizard went to Riddle’s room, to talk to the young sorcerer one on
one, he learned even more.
But if you looked carefully at Riddle’s private quarters, you might have noticed that
there was a nod to the seven horcruxes he would eventually produce after learning about
the relic at Hogwarts.
On his window ledge, Tom had collected a series of seven stones.
As you might have heard me mention before, the number 7 has special significance in the
magical community , and was even proven to be more powerful than other integers by a
famous 13th century witch.
The fact that Voldemort had collected 7 stones was no coincidence.
8.
Minerva McGonnagall’s other battle
Minerva McGonagall was forced to help lead Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
during Harry Potter’s sixth year at the institute.
For much of the film, Albus Dumbledore was busy chasing down Voldemort’s horcruxes
across the British countryside.
And on a more personal note, the wizard was consumed with fears about his eventual death.
He had foolishly worn Marvolo Gaunt’s ring… an item that cursed Albus Dumbledore with
an unbreakable curse.
Albus knew he would die soon… but he wasn’t sure if Harry Potter, and the brave wizards
he would leave behind, were strong enough to defeat Voldemort in his absence.
But, while Professor McGonagall did double duty as an administrator, the actress who
portrayed her, Maggie Smith, fought her own battle.
During the filming of this sixth Potter movie, Smith had been diagnosed with breast cancer,
and in between shooting scenes, she underwent procedures that would allow her to eventually
put the disease into remission.
7.
Harry Potter’s Son Appears
Casting in the Harry Potter films has always been a bit wonky.
Unlike other massive cinematic universes, where the casts were primarily made up of
adults, the Harry Potter films were composed of young, British actors.
That presented its own series of challenges, and oftentimes, would result in the filmmakers
double dipping.
At times, the same exact actor or actress, would be called back to portray a completely
different actor, in later Harry Potter films.
This much was true when Arthur Bowen was cast as a nameless extra in the Half Blood Prince,
and later, assumed the role of Albus Severus Potter in the Deathly Hallows - Part 2’s
epilogue.
6.
Ginny Weasley’s Artwork
The Burrow was the name for the Weasley family’s house.
Although it was a tall, towering, uneven structure, you’d be wrong to think that it was any
less of a home than Ron’s friends and peers.
Within the Burrow, the Weasley parents, Arthur and Molly, raised their motley crew of children,
and even brought Harry Potter in as one of their own.
During the creation of the sets for the home in the Half-Blood Prince, some of the actors
who portrayed the Weasleys, even helped decorate the house.
Namely Bonnie Wright, the actress behind Ginny Weasley, helped set designers bring The Burrow
an actual, lived-in feeling.
5.
Horcrux Easter Egg
While watching Albus Dumbledore’s memories of a young Tom Riddle, you’ll find more
than a callback to the 7 horcruxes that Voldemort would eventually produce.
On one of the walls of Riddle’s room, there’s a black and white photo of a dangerous chunk
of ocean where Voldemort would hide one of his horcruxes.
To those familiar with the British coast, you’d recognize that the picture captured
the Cliffs of Moher, the place where the Potter filmmakers decided to place the Cave that
held the inferi.
4.
Slughorn’s Wand
Professor Slughorn was one of the newest members of Hogwarts’ staff during the events of
the Half Blood Prince.
Infamously, Slughorn was one of the professors who foolishly trusted the young Tom Riddle,
and even divulged some of the secrets of the dark arts that Voldemort would later use to
create his Horcruxes.
But… despite all the mistakes in his past, Slughorn never really seemed like the malevolent
sort.
Instead, much like Gilderoy Lockhart, Slughorn was motivated by his own ego.
He wanted to be venerated as a great master of magic, and he wanted to surround himself
with the smartest up and coming magic users that he could find.
Seemingly showcasing his good nature, Slughorn’s wand wasn’t particularly terrifying.
It was a simple, gaudy piece of wood, with a slug’s head at the very tip.
While other wizards might have tried to flee from such a strange name, Slughorn embraced
it.
3.
Slytherin’s Green
When Professor Slughorn revealed the secrets of dark magic to a young Tom Riddle, did you
happen to notice what color the memories were filled with?
It doesn’t take a discerning viewer to note that the room was cast in a green hue.
Just like the filmmakers had utilized green in past films, the color was specifically
placed in this scene to emphasize Voldemort’s role in Slytherin’s legacy.
Not only was he the school co-founder’s heir, but he was also the greatest Dark Wizard
that would come out of England, and perhaps, all the world.
2.
Voldemort Actors Are Related
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince showcased Lord Voldemort at multiple periods in his
life.
The oldest, and most terrifying, version of the villain was portrayed by Ralph Fiennes.
But did you know that he was actually related to one of the other actors who was cast as
Tom Riddle?
The younger Voldemort was actually portrayed by Hero Fiennes Tiffin.
Hero is Ralph’s nephew, and since he’s several decades younger than his uncle, he
was the perfect age to fulfill the part.
Thankfully, Hero’s acting chops were more than up to the challenge, as his version of
a young Tom Riddle was bone-chillingly scary.
Slughorn calls Ron “Rupert”
This list of things you might have missed is filled with small factoids about Professor
Slughorn, so I thought we’d finish out with one more about the infamous instructor.
If you watched the film, you might have noticed that Slughorn tried to get close and cozy
with the most promising students at Hogwarts.
As we already mentioned, Slughorn’s ego was the only really evil thing about the man,
and he would often count the accomplishments of his students as his own… in a way.
So he tried to collect as many up and coming wizards and witches to his side as possible,
so that he could bring up their accomplishments in conversations in the future, and casually
let people know that he was their teacher.
But with so much time and attention given to the smartest children at Hogwarts, Slughorn
couldn’t spare much time for the mediocre.
So when Ron Weasley came to Slughorn, alongside Harry, it wasn’t uncommon for the professor
to completely forget who the youngest Weasley boy was.
At one point, he even called Ron, “Rupert”, which was a sly joke by the filmmakers…
since “Rupert Grint” was the actor who portrayed him.
Well, there you have it, 10 things you might have missed from Harry Potter and the Half
Blood Prince.
How many of these did you know?
How many of them were completely unknown?
Let me know in the comments below.
And as always, I’m sure there is quite a bit more in this film for you to discover.
So make sure you share your findings with us as well.
And that’s it for this video!
If you enjoy the content please be sure to LIKE the video and SUBSCRIBE to the channel.
Until next time
Remember
Happiness can be found, even in the DARKEST of times, if one only remembers to turn on
the light