Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Chapter Two: Spinner’s End Summary & Analysis

Far away, on the dreary bank of another dirty river, a  cloaked woman appears out of thin air, followed by another. Seeing something moving in the bushes, the second woman shoots a jet of green light from her wand – but it’s just a fox, which falls dead into the grass. She runs after the first woman, who brushes her away and tells her to return home. Still walking together, the women arrive at a neighborhood of shoddy brick houses. The second woman is disgusted at the prospect of entering “this Muggle dunghill,” but the first proceeds into an alleyway, seeking out a specific house.

The second woman grabs her counterpart’s arm, saying that she if she talks about “the plan” to anyone, she’ll be betraying the Dark Lord’s trust. The first woman draws her wand; when the other asks if she would curse her own sister, she says desperately that “there’s nothing I wouldn’t do anymore.” Pursued by her sister, she runs deeper into the maze of houses until she reaches her destination and knocks on the door.

The door opens and Severus Snape greets the first woman as Narcissa and the second, more coldly, as Bellatrix. They enter into a small, inhospitable sitting room, and Narcissa asks if they’re alone. With a wave of his wand, Snape causes a hidden door to fly open and reveal a small man listening to their conversation; but Wormtail, he says, will bring them drinks and then return to his room. When the small man returns with three glasses of wine, Snape raises a toast to the Dark Lord.

With a deep breath, Narcissa says that Snape is the only person who can help her, even though she’s been told not to discuss “the plan” with anyone. Bellatrix bursts out that it’s a mistake to speak to Snape, but Snape calmly invites her to explain the reasons for her mistrust. Passionately, Bellatrix asks where Snape was when the Dark Lord fell and how he spent so many years living “in Dumbledore’s pocket,” doing nothing to help his previous master or kill Harry Potter.

Smiling, Snape responds that the Dark Lord has asked him each of these questions. He asks if Bellatrix really thinks that she is wiser or cannier than “the greatest wizard” of all time. Snape says that during all the years he’s spent at Hogwarts, he’s been a spy for Voldemort. After Voldemort fell the first time, he believed him dead – as did many of the other followers working for him today. Now, Snape points out, he has sixteen years of information to give the Dark Lord, while Bellatrix can only present tales of woe from Azkaban.

Next, Snape explains why he seemed to be aiding Dumbledore throughout the years of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts education. He thwarted Quirrell because he didn’t know that Quirrell was an agent of Voldemort, and when Voldemort finally summoned him with the Dark Mark, he returned late in order to prove his “loyalty” to Dumbledore. By appearing “unfaithful” in these ways, he’s been able to continue his valuable work as a spy. It’s not his fault that Voldemort doesn’t choose to explain this to Bellatrix.

Enraged, Bellatrix insists that she is Voldemort’s favorite disciple. Smirking, Snape asks if this is still the case after the recent disaster at the Ministry; Bellatrix blames these recent events on Lucius Malfoy, and Narcissa interjects that no one should blame her husband.

Finally, Bellatrix demands to know why he hasn’t killed Harry Potter yet. Snape admits that, like many of Voldemort’s followers, he once thought that, by defeating him, Harry might have proved himself the next great dark wizard. Of course, when the boy arrived at Hogwarts, he revealed himself as “mediocre to the last degree,” but by that time Snape was relying on Dumbledore’s protection to stay out of Azkaban.

Skeptically, Bellatrix asks if Dumbledore still has no idea of Snape’s true loyalties. Snape responds that Dumbledore’s “greatest weakness” is his insistence on thinking the best of people, which has made him vulnerable.

Turning to Narcissa, Snape asks what kind of help she needs. Falteringly, she explains that the Dark Lord has entrusted her family with a plan about which she’s not about to speak. Snape interrupts that she must obey his commands, provoking a triumphant shout from Bellatrix; however, he continues that he already knows about the plan, and thus can speak of it. When he says he can do little to help her Narcissa begins to cry, whimpering that Draco is her only son. Haranguing her sister, Bellatrix says that she should be proud, and that Draco himself is excited to “prove himself;” but Narcissa points out that he’s only sixteen and has “no idea what lies in store.”

Narcissa is sure that the Dark Lord has chosen Draco for this project in order to punish Lucius. Snape confirms that the Dark Lord is very angry with Lucius over his failure at the Ministry, and Narcissa falls at his feet, begging him to carry out Draco’s appointed task. Calmly, Snape says that he can’t contravene the Dark Lord’s will; meanwhile, Bellatrix jeers that she would be “proud” to give up her sons to the Dark Lord.

Picking Narcissa up and returning her to her seat, Snape says that he might be able to help Draco along the way. Kneeling before him again, Narcissa begs him to make an Unbreakable Vow to protect Draco, and Snape agrees. He takes Narcissa’s hand and, with Bellatrix skeptically performing the magic rituals, promises to watch over Draco, protect him from harm, and if necessary carry out his task. Thick red flames spring from Bellatrix’s wand, binding together their clasped hands.