Harry Potter magic still there in new book

Catherine Kohler

Harry Potter books have been part of my childhood since I was 8, and I couldn't wait to get each of the new additions to the series.

It was so cool to open the book for the first time and wonder what was going to happen to Harry, Ron and Hermione this time.

I had all the Harry Potter books - I even had a Harry Potter diary, jewellery, and games. I was a bit of a Potter fanatic. Now I'm older I'm not into it so much, but I still really enjoy each new book.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince begins differently from the others. Normally it's Harry at the Dursleys, or something connected with Harry, but instead it begins in the Muggles' world.

A big surprise comes in the first few pages when you find out that the Muggles know more about the wizards than you thought. The Half-Blood Prince plot seems more complex, and Muggles and magic are more mixed up than in the other novels, as events in Harry's magic world affect them.

There's a new defence against the dark arts professor at Hogwarts - but you won't believe who it is. And who is the half-blood prince? I don't want to give too much away but, halfway through, the action really starts to hot up (in more ways than one).

It looks like one of the goodies has returned to the dark side - or has he? Harry and Ron have a visit to the Hogwarts hospital wing again, and you might want a box of tissues.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY