Bit of Ivory

Why Remus Lupin is Almost Certainly NOT the Half Blood Prince

Four relevant JKR quotes:

What was the original working title of Chamber of Secrets?
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I quite liked that title, unfortunately the story bore no relation whatsoever to the title by the time I’d finished.(BBC Newsround interview, October 2002)

I was delighted to see that a hard core of super-bright fans knew that the real title was once, in the long distant past, a possibility for ‘Chamber of Secrets’, and from that deduced that it was genuine. Certain crucial pieces of information in book six were originally planned for ‘Chamber of Secrets’, but very early on (first draft of Chamber) I realised that this information’s proper home was book six. I have said before now that ‘Chamber’ holds some very important clues to the ultimate end of the series. Not as many as six, obviously, but there is a link. (jkr.com, News, June 29, 2004, emphasis mine)

Siriusstar: Is Remus a pureblood?
JK Rowling replies -> Half blood. (World Book Day Chat, March 4, 2004)

The first book will always have a special place in my heart, because it was the first book I ever published. However, I prefer the plot of CHAMBER OF SECRETS. And just to confuse the issue, I was looking forward to writing the third book from the start of the first because that’s when Professor Lupin appears, and he is one of my favorite characters in all seven books. (Barnes&Noble.com chat, September 8, 1999, emphasis mine).

If the title for CoS wasn’t changed until after she’d started writing the *second* book, and she’d looked forward to writing PoA since the *first* book, there’s no way Lupin could have been planned to be in CoS. So unless she’s completely changed the identity of the HBP, Lupin’s right out.

This is for my dad:

The significance of the place where Harry and his parents lived – the first name…
Godric Gryffindor. Very good, you’re a bit good you are aren’t you. I’m impressed.

You’re not going to tell me but ….
My editor didn’t, I said to her – Haven’t you noticed the connection between where Harry’s parents lived and one of the Hogwarts houses? And she said no, no – I’m not being rude about Emma, she’s a brilliant editor, the best ever. But no she didn’t pick that up either, you’re a bit good you are. (BBC Newsround interview, October 2002)