Slughorn

Okay, I am a bit confused. McGonagall told Slughorn to take his students to the Great Hall & she said if he resisted he would be killed. Then the book mentioned him dueling with Charlie (p. 734) & then mentioned him again helping to duel against Voldemort. Which side was he on???

I don't remember the McGonagall line. Where is it?

page 734 "And now there were more, even more people storming up the front steps, and Harry saw Charlie Weasley overtaking Horace Slughorn, who was still wearing his emerald pajamas."
The word "overtaking" just means that Charlie was faster climbing the steps.

The McGonagall quote is on pages 601 and 602.

It says "If you wish to leave with your students, we shall not stop you. But if any of you attempt to sabotage our resisitance or take up arms against us within this castle, then, Horace, we duel to kill."

Then during the Last Batttle so to say, it says that Voldemort was dueling McGonagall, Slughorn and Kingsley all at once! on page 735.

So, Slughorn was fighting FOR Hogwarts!!!!!!!!

THEN why was he battling against Charlie Weasley??

He was NOT battling against Charlie.

page 734 "And now there were more, even more people storming up the front steps, and Harry saw Charlie Weasley overtaking Horace Slughorn, who was still wearing his emerald pajamas."

The word "overtaking" just means that Charlie was faster at climbing the steps.
They were walking (running?) up the steps and Charlie passed Slughorn.
They were not dueling.

two cars are driving... one car overtakes the one in front....

it just means to get there faster, thus passing someone in front of you.

is this a 'US English' v 'UK English' moment here?

I think it very well may be! The first time I read it I read it as "overwhelming" Charlie. This was obviously confusing (the pajamas were cute, and JK didn't make any of the DE cute) - and so I realized she meant "passing".

If so, is it used more in the UK or the US?
It makes sense in my area (Eastern US).

It made sense in my area too (western US) but the initial interpretation was "overwhelm" - a two second reassessment fixed it.

this was cleared up for me in that second time threw
He was running w Charlie and he was fighting Voldy moldy