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Chapter Six
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Choices, Redemption, and Morality
Grief and Coming of Age
Knowledge and Power
Mortality and Sacrifice
Friendship, Community, and Resistance
Summary
Analysis
Ron shakes Harry awake from a dream in which Harry was looking for a man who can solve his problem. Ron tells Harry that he was muttering "Gregorovitch," a name that neither of them can place. Realizing he's seventeen now, Harry starts performing magic and accepts Ron's present, a book on how to woo witches. Downstairs, Mrs. Weasley directs Harry to the present on the top of the pile. It's a watch, which she explains belonged to her brother and is a traditional gift for a seventeen-year-old. Harry hugs her. Hermione gives Harry a Sneakoscope, while the twins give Harry joke merchandise. Hermione grabs Harry's presents to pack them as Ginny calls Harry into her bedroom.
Receiving the watch from Mrs. Weasley does two things. First, it reinforces Harry's role as a surrogate son of the Weasleys, as this seems to be a gift that comes from a parent or other important family member. Second, it's a gift that marks that Harry has come of age in the eyes of the Wizarding world. Taken together, the watch then allows Harry to take his place as an adult member of the Weasley family and to truly understand that they love him, care for him, and will stand by him no matter what.
Themes
Ginny meets Harry's eyes and says she had no idea what to get him that he'd be able to take with him, so she wants to give him something to remember her by. She kisses him, but Ron bursts in and interrupts. Harry feels as though Ron reminds him of all of the reasons Harry broke up with Ginny in the first place. He follows Ron and Hermione outside, where Ron turns on Harry and tells Harry to stop groping Ginny. Ginny ignores Harry for the rest of the day.
Ron's attempt to "protect" Ginny is misguided—it's not like Ginny didn't want to kiss Harry—but the attempt shows that Ron is extremely loyal to those he loves and wants them to be happy. However, like Mrs. Weasley, Ron doesn't always use the appropriate tools to show this love, hence this awkward moment.
Themes
Charlie, Lupin, Tonks, and Hagrid arrive for Harry's birthday dinner. Mrs. Weasley carries out a cake decorated like a Snitch. Lupin looks oddly unhappy. Hagrid gives Harry a moleskin pouch, which won't let anyone but its owner access the contents. Everyone waits for Mr. Weasley until his Patronus arrives, saying that Scrimgeour is coming with him. Lupin drags Tonks away and, a moment later, Mr. Weasley and Scrimgeour arrive. Scrimgeour requests to speak with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They go to the sitting room and the trio refuse to speak to Scrimgeour individually. He explains that he's here because of Dumbledore's will, and Hermione scathingly says that the Ministry has probably been going through Dumbledore's things for the last month, after which they have to give them up.
Presenting a united front to Scrimgeour allows Harry, Ron, and Hermione to reaffirm their friendship with each other and make it clear to others that breaking them up will be impossible. As obnoxious as this is in Scrimgeour's eyes, this shows the reader that the trio are committed to being there for each other and defending each other and their friendship in front of adversaries. This also gives them practice in working together without having a plan in front of people like Scrimgeour.
Themes
Scrimgeour ignores Hermione and asks Ron if he and Dumbledore were close. Ron says they weren't, and Scrimgeour wants to know why Dumbledore left him anything. Scrimgeour pulls out the will and reads that Ron should receive his Deluminator, an item that looks like a cigarette lighter that sucks lights out of a place. Scrimgeour pulls out a book titled The Tales of Beedle the Bard for Hermione. Finally, Scrimgeour gives Harry the Snitch that he caught during his first Quidditch match. Scrimgeour asks if there's more to it, and Hermione points out that Snitches have "flesh memories;" Dumbledore could've left something inside that only Harry could access. Harry touches the Snitch but nothing happens. None of them can explain why Dumbledore left them these objects.
For Scrimgeour, the fact that Dumbledore left three teenagers these odd things throws it in his face that Dumbledore didn't trust him—and instead, trusted teens with, possibly, the information on how to do away with Voldemort. Scrimgeour's interest in cracking this mystery, however, suggests that, though he is Harry's adversary in this moment, he also understands the importance of seeking information rather than just bullying people around, like Voldemort does.
Themes
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Finally, Scrimgeour says that Dumbledore also left Harry the sword of Gryffindor, which he says wasn't Dumbledore's to give. He angrily asks if Dumbledore thought Harry could use it to kill Voldemort, but Harry suggests that the Ministry try killing Voldemort with swords instead of covering up Azkaban breakouts. Harry and Scrimgeour both stand and Scrimgeour pokes his wand at Harry's chest, leaving a small burn in Harry's shirt. Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley burst in and Scrimgeour steps back. He tells Harry that they should work together, but Harry refuses. Scrimgeour leaves.
Calling Scrimgeour out on covering up the Azkaban breakout allows Harry to advocate for telling the truth rather than obscuring information. This shows that Harry understands that the only way forward is to create an environment in which people can trust what they're hearing, which means that the Ministry needs to admit that it's failing in places—something that Scrimgeour's pride won't let him do.
Themes
Over dinner, the guests pass around the objects from Dumbledore. They eat quickly and then Harry, Ron, and Hermione meet in Ron's bedroom. Harry puts the Marauder's Map, the shard from Sirius's mirror, and the locket into his moleskin bag. Ron plays with the Deluminator and Hermione points out that they could've gotten darkness through other means. They agree that Dumbledore knew the Ministry would search the contents of his will, but can't figure out why he didn't tell them about these things in life. Harry admits that he didn't try to open the Snitch in front of Scrimgeour; this is the Snitch he almost swallowed. He puts it to his lips and it doesn't open, but the words "I open at the close" appear.
The fact that Dumbledore didn't tell the trio his intentions in leaving them these objects adds to Harry's sense that he didn't actually know Dumbledore well at all. This creates even more mystery surrounding Harry's relationship with Dumbledore and, indeed, makes Harry feel as though he wasn't actually friends with Dumbledore in the first place—a consequence of not having open communication with his former headmaster.
Themes
Harry feels like he should be able to figure out the riddle, and that he should know why Dumbledore didn't give him the sword when he had the chance last year. Ron is shocked that Harry and Hermione haven't heard of Beedle the Bard, the author of classic Wizarding children's tales.
While The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a collection of children's stories, it's worth keeping in mind that there are often important lessons to learn from kids' stories—something that Dumbledore, no doubt, is well aware of.
Themes
