Harry and Ginny are happy, finally realizing they were meant to be together. However, their happiness may be short-lived: the book's mood is becoming markedly darker, especially when Harry learns it was Snape who betrayed his parents. Also, Harry knows that whatever task Draco has been working on appears to be completed. Just what this task is and how it will affect Hogwarts is still unknown, and Harry is exceedingly frustrated that his warnings about Draco's suspicious activities have been repeatedly ignored by Ron and Hermione, and apparently also by Dumbledore. However, it is actually unlikely that Dumbledore hasever ignored Harry's warnings, rather we suspectand he islikely wellknows awarewhat ofhas what isbeen happening within his own school. Harry fails to realize that a Headmaster cannotis unable to divulge sensitive information to a student, even Harry. There have already been hints that Dumbledore assigned Snape to investigate Draco's suspicious behavior. And while Harry continues to suspect Snape, Dumbledore here reiterates thathis hecomplete truststrust in Snape completely.
Many story lines in this book seemare to berapidly coming to a rapid peak in this chapter. We finally learn definitively who itIt was that carried Trelawney's prophecy that was conveyed to Voldemort, and we learn that Draco has apparently completed a major partportion of his mission. In the midst of thisAlso, we also learn that Dumbledore is preparing to leave the school with Harry, in order to hunt down oneanother ofHorcrux. Because VoldemortDraco's Horcruxes.project Ithas is because Draco hasapparently reached this point that, Harry no longer feels that the guards placed by [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Major Events/Order of the Phoenix|the Order of the Phoenix]] willguards bepatrolling sufficient.are Innow particular,insufficient. theyThey willare naturally beonly guarding the school's perimeter, and the known entrances tointo Hogwarts, while; Harry feelssuspects thatthe therethreat is aDraco, threatand possiblyalso comingSnape, from Draco ininside the Room of Requirement. His instructions to Ron and Hermione relateare tobased theon threatthat he perceives from Draco and from Snapesuspicion.
At least one reader has commented that Madam Rosmerta is acting out of character in this scene: we have been led to believe that she generally runs an orderly pub, and should not have to resort to physically ejecting wizards, and yet here she is doing exactly that. Of course, we have never before been in Hogsmeade ofduring an evening, so we don'tdo not know what goes on at that time of day.
