After the Burial

Calendar and Dates

The entire chapter takes place on the day of the Apparition tests, which we know from HBP21 to be 21 April. According to the date and day of Ron's birthday in HBP18, this day would be a Monday.

Interesting facts and notes

There were only three of them in Potions that afternoon: Harry, Ernie, and Draco Malfoy.

This implies that the birthdays of every other sixth-year Potions student in the class fall on or before 21 April, since the absences today are presumably all due to the Apparition test. It also implies that Ernie and Draco have birthdays between 21 April and 1 September.

Euphoria, I take it?

Slughorn's expertise is actually being reinforced in an understated way, here; he can recognize the potion by its smell and appearance, before reeling off his evaluation of Harry's work.

I do thank you for taking the time, Pomona

Contrast Slughorn's courtesy with Professor Sprout with Lockhart's arrogance four years earlier.

I'll be reporting that man, he's more concerned about litter than about proper security if you ask me...

At least Slughorn has his priorities in order (not surprising in a man who spent a year on the run and imitated an armchair to avoid Death Eaters).

Had a house-elf taste every bottle

As Harry immediately reflects upon hearing this, this says a great deal about Slughorn's attitude toward house-elves.

your friend Rupert

We've been hearing a lot about this at the Lexicon. Since Slughorn is shown throughout the book as having difficulty remembering Ron's name, apart from the fact that it begins with an 'R', this isn't a typo. Yes, we know the name of the actor cast as Ron in the films.

Exceptional character moments

Professor Slughorn reveals (while intoxicated) that he wouldn't give Dumbledore his memory concerning horcruxes because he was afraid Voldemort would find out he told someone and because he was ashamed of what he said.

Slughorn also displays that Slythern's can use kindness as well as cunning to achieve what they want. He is kind to Professor Sprout when she is helping him collect leaves. He also does not report that Harry is out of the castle. After getting the Acromantula venom, he stays to talk with Harry and Hagrid.

Memorable lines

"You didn't meet him, Hermione. Believe me, being dead will have improved him a lot."

"Had a house-elf taste every bottle after what happened to your poor friend Rupert."

"To friendship! To generosity! To ten Galleons a hair!"

"'...terrible,' Hagrid grunted and his great shaggy head rolled sideways on to his arm and he fell asleep, snoring deeply. 'Sorry,' said Slughorn with a hiccough. 'Can't carry a tune to save my life.'"

Words and phrases

• Blimey
• Mate
• Mental
• Invisibility Cloaks
• Merlin’s Beard

Other Canon Notes

It seems that when Aragog is present (alive or dead) Harry finds the important information he is searching for. In CS15, Harry and Ron follow the spiders on Hagrid's suggestion and they enter the Forbidden Forest. They are looking to find out who opened the Chamber of Secrets. They need information from Hagrid, which he is unable to give them because he was taken to Azkaban. Aragog gives them the knowledge of what happened 50 years before and Harry and Ron learn of Hagrid's inncence.

In this chapter, Harry needs to retain a memory from Slughorn that he is refusing to give. He takes the Felix Felicis, heads towards Aragog's funeral and meets Slughorn along the way. Because Slughorn is in a good mood after receiving rare Acromantula venom, he is opened to having a drink with Harry and Hagrid. After discussing Aragog's death, the discussion moves to Lily and James' deaths and Harry is able to convince Slughorn to reveal his memory.

Characters Introduced

• Montgomery sisters
• Odo the Hero