‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,’ Ch. 29-30

Hello! (Yeah!) And welcome to Binge Mode! Mallory Rubin and Jason Concepcion continue their exploration of the Harry Potter universe by diving deep into Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, chapters 29 and 30. To help guide you on that journey, here is a map of the 43rd episode of Binge Mode: Harry Potter. It’s not quite as detailed as the Marauder’s Map, but don’t fear: The podcast is just as magical.

1. Mallory and Jason start their journey, of course, on the Hogwarts Express, providing a brief refresher on what actually happened in these two chapters. Harry and friends recuperate after the battle, attend Dumbledore’s funeral, and discuss their next steps in the fight against Voldemort.
2. They continue by diving into the Pensieve, where they analyze the central theme of this section of the book: assuming the mantle.
3. Next, they sneak into the Restricted Section so Jason can teach us everything we need to know about werewolves.
4. After reemerging from that section of the library, Mallory and Jason discuss the Seven, where they share their seven favorite insights and observations from this swath of chapters. Here, they examine a Game of Thrones connection, hints about Dumbledore’s family history, and more.
5. Finally, they award the House Cup to a worthy winner of the two chapters. This episode’s recipient is Fleur Delacour, who provides humor and strength in a dark time and shows the true meaning of love.

Mallory and Jason return soon for Episode 44 of Binge Mode: Harry Potter, in which they will break down the film version of The Half-Blood Prince. For the full podcast, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts, and follow along on Twitter and join the Facebook group, which is just for Binge Mode fans. We await your digital Owl Post!