'Will you, Severus, watch over my son Draco as he attempts to fulfil the Dark Lord's wishes?' Narcissa Malfoy

Suspicion and fear blow through the wizarding world as news of the Dark Lord's attack on the Ministry of Magic spreads. Harry has not told anyone about the future predicted by the prophecy in the Department of Mysteries, nor how deeply what happened to Sirius Black affected him. He's desperate for Professor Dumbledore to arrive and take him away from the Dursley's - but Hogwarts may not be the safe haven from Voldemort's Dark Forces that it once was.

In his sixth year, the names Black, Malfoy, Lestrange and Snape will haunt Harry with shades of trust and treachery as he discovers the secret behind the mysterious Half-Blood Prince - and Dumbledore prepares him to face his own terrifying destiny.A special new edition in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, with a stunning new cover illustration by Caldecott Medalist Brian Selznick. The war against Voldemort is not going well; even Muggle governments are noticing. Ron scans the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses. And yet...As in all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate - and lose a few eyebrows in the process. The Weasley twins expand their business. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never straightforward, though Harry receives some extraordinary help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.