Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince sees the wizarding world ravaged by the ongoing war against Lord Voldemort. Harry struggles with his feelings and must decide whether he should act on the prophesy that he will be the one to eventually defeat the dark lord, or if he should instead be focusing on his education and his friends. Meanwhile, Harry's relationship with Dumbledore grows increasingly complex as the young wizard tries to understand the parallels between his own life and that of the former professor himself.