'HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE' | The wizard and his mentor get serious as they prepare for the daunting task of taking out Voldemort for good

There are certain rites of passage in a young man's life. There's first love, confusion about the future and the moment when you have to pick up your wand, stand alone and wizard up.

Harry Potter does all of the above in the most serious and sober installment of the popular movie and book franchise.


In a pivotal scene in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," opening Wednesday, Harry is joined by his schoolmates, who raise lighted wands to his inevitable destiny: the ultimate battle of good vs. evil.

"It's truly one of the most moving moments in any of the Harry Potter films," says Daniel Radcliffe, who plays the most famous young wizard at Hogwarts. "When the wands are raised in salute, an ominous dark mark in the sky is eroded by this white light. It was exactly about good trumping evil."

It also marks the passing away of a beloved member of Hogwarts Academy.

"It was a hard scene for me because at the time of filming, I had never lost anyone close to me," Radcliffe says. "You can never imagine what Harry feels like when he loses someone close to him at Hogwarts. If it came even a third of the way close to being real, then I'm happy."

"In this movie, I burst through the water and I'm circled by fire," Radcliffe says. "It was kerosene that was actually ignited on the water. It was horrible, but also great fun. I got to climb up on an island and see Michael Gambon [as Dumbledore] circling fire overhead like he's Moses.

"It was one of those moments where I said, 'No matter how many films I do, I will never have this scene again.' "

"The difference in Harry this year is his relationship with Dumbledore," Radcliffe says. "Previously, it was very much teacher and student. Now, it's a general with his favorite lieutenant. Harry is a foot soldier in this movie.

"In all the other ones Harry just says, 'Oh, we're going to get Voldemort.' He never really does anything about it. Now he's doing something about the ultimate destruction of Voldemort."

Harry is also feeling a love connection and budding romance with Ron's not-so-baby sister, Ginny.

"Harry is this great wizard and crap with women," Radcliffe says. "But he's in love and it's pure. It's all that matters to him."

Adds Watson, "You've seen quite a strong Hermione -- a girl-power girl, the brains behind the organization. In this one you see a much more vulnerable and fragile Hermione. She's experiencing her first heartache. It was a challenge for me to play this much more emotional and vulnerable person."

Watson says the dating part of the movie was a nice release.