Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
July 17, 2005 | Harry Potter
So… anyone else read it yet?
I bought my copy late Saturday morning, there were loads of copies available, and a rather miserable looking witch handing them out. I bought my copy in Bexleyheath, which is fairly close to where I live, and Alan Rickman was due to make an appearance and sign copies of the book. I couldn’t be bothered to wait around (he was already late when I decided to go home) but I must admit, having now read it, there are a few questions I would like to ask him.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (HBP) was up to JK Rowlings usual standard. The story was incredibly easy to read (one of the reasons I finished it so quickly), and very well written.
Before we meet up with Harry (chapter 3) there are a couple of chapters that fill in gaps and refresh you on events that have happened in the previous books, it’s certainly a very different start to any of the other stories in the series. Considering the fear surrounding the return of Voldemort and the Death Eaters (sounds like a goth band) I felt things seemed a lot lighter than the miserable darkness that enveloped the previous book, things seem better in Harrys world anyway. Harry has stopped shouting at everyone and is starting to enjoy life again, his joy is short-lived though and once you finish the book you will realise that the final book will be very different to anything that has come before.
Everyone knows that someone is going to die in this book, it’s been well publicised, and before I started I was convinced I knew who it would be. Unfortunately my suspicions were proven correct. In fact more than one person is killed but, with the Death Eaters on the rampage, that’s to be expected. The main death is a lot sadder and more final than Sirius death in the Order of The Phoenix (OOTP). To tell the truth I thought the way Black was killed in OOTP was a bit of an anti climax and didn’t seem very final at all. The death in HBP is anything but and you know this person won’t be coming back; at least not in a physical way…
The Half Blood Prince is something (someone) else entirely, I entertained a lot of thoughts about the identity of this character including the person it turned out to be, but it was still a little surprising to find out who it was. I think the reveal, like Blacks death, was a bit rushed though and more of an after thought than anything.
There are plenty of other questions still to be answered, although a lot of the things mentioned in past books have now been resolved. The big one though concerns 3 initials, R.A.B, who could this be? I’m pretty sure I know, although it could be considered a spoiler, so I’m going to blank out my brain farts below (highlight if you want to know what I’m thinking)
R.A.B = Regulus Black - we know he was killed by Voldermort/ his supporters and I can’t see R.A.B being someone we haven’t had any mention of before, there is no way a new character would be used for something as important as this. Of course this is my gut feeling and I’m probably way off the mark, only a year or three to wait and see if I’m right… sigh.
I didn’t think about it until I had finished the book but I can now see what Rowling meant when she said that some of the themes in HBP were originally going to be in Chamber of Secrets. I think she made the right decision keeping these things until now, the overall story would have been very different if they had been revealed earlier.
Feel free to comment away but be warned that I will remove any spoilers posted, I don’t want to ruin other peoples enjoyment - at least not yet. Ok - I give up - anyone who didn’t hilight the content above, DON’T read the comments, it seems like lots of people agree with me 
Comments
July 18, 2005
I think RAB is Sirius’s brother. Take away the middle inital, and the name works. Regulus Black. I know Regulus is a coward, but maybe finding out about the Horcrux made him that coward that made him get killed by Voldemort or on Voldemort’s orders? Maybe, the cowardly black brother destroyed the horcrux, or maybe, convieniently, it’s hidden at #12 Grimmauld Place?
July 18, 2005
So you agree with me then - I’m guessing you didn’t highlight the empty patch above?
July 18, 2005
I agree that R A B has got to be Sirius’s brother. I assume Harry wil have to get the truth out of Kreacher (with the help of Dobby?).
Wild guess but I reckon one of the Horncruxes (the goblet) will be at Malfoys home - perhaps even Draco is turned away from the Dark Arts and even helps HP?
So just the final showdown with Voldemort and the snake Nagini (plus the Death Eaters, werewolves,etc) - well HP’s knowledge of Parseltongue could come in handy.
July 18, 2005
loved the book finished it within 5hours of buying it! jk rowling has a brilliant way of making you laught one minuet and then making you cry the next! book was both hilarious and sad! i had the exact same thought about who RAB was am just trying to find out if there is any mention of this persons middle name or anyone in his family he could have been named after! sooo sad at the end i am such a big girl and cried my eyes out! and the identity of HBP i had an inkling that it would be this person! bring on book 7! but i do wish that harry could have stayed with his new girlfriend! plus ron snogging!!! lol never laughed so much in my life!
July 19, 2005
I did highlight on both; it makes a lot of sense. Especially with the further mention of him being killed so quickly after getting out of Azkaban, and the other DE taking nearly a year to be found. We’d heard only casual mentions of him before this and she made the especial point of mentioning him being killed and when.
July 19, 2005
Rowling does indeed enjoy returning characters from the supposed grave. And additionally, she leaves many semi-obvious clues as to the direction of her writing.
Having just finished HBP last evening, I’ve been re-reading for clues, along with some data-mining.
The author here does a little astronomy research and finds, what I believe is an incredibly important bit of information. Sirius (the star) is in the constellation Canis Major, canis is latin for dog. Regulus happens to be a star in the constellation of Leo, which as we all know, is a lion.
Based on those 2 facts and a little faith in Rowling’s writing style, I put forth the theory that Regulus, like Harry, was given the option of Slytherin or Gryffindor House, and chose Slytherin. His heart however, was true to the spirit of Gryffindor and when he realized exactly what Voldemort and the Death Eaters were, his true self won out and he set himself on the task of finding Voldemort’s horcruxes. Thus, yes, he is “R.A.B.”. Again, based on Rowling’s penchant for surprise appearences, I would posit that Regulus is alive and still hunting down the horcruxes.
July 19, 2005
rab go figure haven’t read anyone with those initals or its probably briefly mentioned in a previous book im gonna go look happy reading!
July 19, 2005
Not only do I agree with you that RAB is Regulus Black but I also agree that the Horcrux was at #12 Grimmauld Place, that is until Mundungus “stole” it. If you reread the section of Order of the Phoenix where Harry helps clean out the house you will find a section where Harry and the others empty out on old cupboard. Inside they find, among other things, a locket that no one can open. I believe this may be the locket Regulus took and it is now in the possession of an unsuspecting Mundungus.
July 19, 2005
I agree with Kesh about who R.A.B. is. Also…. SPOILER ALERT (maybe) and I don’t know how to make it highlightable so DON’T READ IT IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW IT… I think R.A.B. is most likely who Kesh said but IF NOT it might be Borgin or Burke.
July 19, 2005
I completly agree with you i was reading the book and just as i read the RAB initials i thought the black family. So (not being as…. familiar with their family heritiage) i went on the internet and found Regulus Black on the family tree. Also before he dies dumbledore mentions to Malfoy that he can “not be killed if he is already dead” and elaborates that to get away from Voldemort he could allow the Order to hide him. I think perhaps Regulus Black could have been hidden in a similar way when he tried to leave the Death Eaters. Or as kesh said he could have obtained the Horcrux before he died and then be kill That is just my thoughts though they are probably WAY OFF
July 19, 2005
very much agreed– RAB has to be Sirius’ brother.
July 19, 2005
It took me about a day, but I think you’re right about R.A.B.
July 19, 2005
I was searching various HP sites, and went to a page headed “Dark Objects” or something like that. I was skimming the page looking for possible Horcruxes, and there was a list of various objects from Number Twelve Grimmauld Place and came across “a locket that refused to open.” I also have suspicions that R.A.B. is Regulus, so this could definately mean something. (Remember that the false Horcrux was a locket.) The locket from Grimmauld Place is not described, though I am going to look for it in HP Prisoner of Askaban as soon as I find my copy.
July 19, 2005
aha its probably regulus black but its all speculation
July 19, 2005
I also agree (I stared at R.A.B. for ages before thinking of him) mainly because I can’t think of anyone else who has those initials..
July 19, 2005
I think that RAB could possibly be Regalus Black (you know… Sirius’ brother) But, in the books it said that Regalus was killed by Voldemort himself. I think I’m jut repeating what you said already… Sorry.
July 19, 2005
Well, it would kinda make sense… if he was a coward he wouldn’t stand out much in school, which explains why Hermione can’t seem to find him in the school’s records. But on the other hand, how would he have enough courage to get through drinking the poison in the cave? I mean, you’d think if Dumbledore couldn’t get through it alone, nobody could. So he would have to have had a partner… which leads us to yet another question… who?
July 19, 2005
Since two people were needed to fetch the locket what about the possiblity of the A standing for AND.
July 19, 2005
I agree with what’s printed above- for some reasons.
I always thought this was the case and I’m glad some agree with me.
1. In the message, it says the “Dark Lord”. As Harry points out in OotP, only Death Eaters call Voldemort that.
2. He says I ‘face death’ as though this was definitely going to happen. How could he know he was going to die unless he betrayed Voldemort? And secondly, the remainder of the sentence is “in the hope that he will be mortal once more” means he want to see him vanquished thus adding more weight to the reason printed above.
3. Sirius says his family was ‘dark’ and how could R.A.B know what a Hocrux is if he hadn’t the exposure to powerful Dark magic.
July 19, 2005
I think Harry is hot
July 19, 2005
if you read the OOTP chapter ‘most noble and anciet house of black’ (or something like that), it says Regulus was killed by Voldemort himself, or at his orders. I don’t think he was a coward, i think Voldemort found out what he was up to. If it isn’t Regulus, this info seems superfluous…. I think JK was laying the ground work for a later reveltion, isn’t taht what she usually does?
July 19, 2005
Looks like everyone agrees
July 19, 2005
I agree with you on the fact that RAB might be Regulus but when Sirius is telling Harry that he was killed by Voldemort or on his orders he makes it sound like the latter was much more probable due to Regulus not being important enough. Having said that, seeing the way JKR likes to “reveal”characters she has already touched upon this element of the unknown probably makes Regulus the more likely.
July 19, 2005
What about Snape? Is anybody here who still thinks he is trustworthy? I believe he is and his “deed” was a kind of fake
July 19, 2005
I wonder if Snape, like Harry, was told by Dumbledore to do what he had to. I believe Dumbledores last words were a plea for Severus to do what he had to do rather than a plea for help.
July 19, 2005
its soo sad tht dumbledore died…i wonder wut the horcux from gryffindor or ravenclaw is??
July 19, 2005
Me too, I think Snape is doing what he had to do. He knew he had to kill Dumbledore and didn’t think he could do it.
July 19, 2005
RAB if its Regulus Black is the alter ego of Sirius. Harry is the alter ego of Voldemort (what does voldemort mean? perhaps reverse death?). Is Regulus Sirius’s brother- or is it Sirius himself?
I was thinking that maybe RAB should be read BAR… Maybe we should consider a time twisting thing too- that somehow the scene of the locket and the death of dumbledore will all be played again or has been played before - that the next time we see it there will be s different outcome.
But what I really think is related to something said in the HBP that you have to keep fighting evil all the time- that it never ever goes away. So I believe that Harry is a horcrux- carries some of Voldemort within him and has to overcome that evil within himself and it is that that he will do in the last book. He hates snape but he has to overcome his hate and forgive him. He won’t kill voldemort completely because then both of them will die- he will vanquish all the other bits of voldemort but he himself will retain the bit within himself and good will out balance evil in Harry
July 19, 2005
I also think it’s Regulus Black because I had this notion ever since I read Book V when Sirius was talking about him. I got really curious at what he meant by ” From what I found out after he died, he got in so far, then panicked about what he was being asked to do and tried to back out…”
What do you think Lord (Insert-name-here) tried to make him do?
I also want to stress out James’s case because I really believe that RAB stands for Regulus (Insert-any-middle name-with-an-initial-A-here) Black
July 19, 2005
Hi, if RAB is Regulus, how did he get the Horcrux on his own? Sure dumbledore couldnt have even got it on his own, and he said it would take 2 people so harry did well, so how did he???? is he working with someone?
July 19, 2005
I agree that R.A.B. is Regulus Black. One because his name fits the initials at least the first and the last. I don’t believe it is a Bones because most of the have been killed as we found out in HBP. I also don’t believe it could be Borgin or Bourkes.
As Regulus was also a former death eater i believe that he may have found out about the Horcruxes. But the reason for destroying them and killing Voldemort i am not sure, maybe he was part of the department of mysteries and even his family didn’t know about it. Also possibly discovering about the Horcruxes could have got him killed and therefore because Sirius says he was killed on Voldemorts orders or by him it must have been an extremely bad for Voldemort who hardly ever kills death eaters personally
I also have a theory then on where or what the missing horcrux could be. If Regulus was high enough he may have been asked to hold the Horcrux for Voldemort or possibly someone even more loyal Bellatrix who could have asked her cousin to hold onto it. Therefore by betraying the trust of Voldemort may have been killed
This leads me to believe that the Horcrux could have been a piece of the black family silver wear. The silver wear that was stolen by Mundungus. That is why this part of the book is relevant. The whole book is a set up book and the fact that Mundungus steals the silverwear has no importance in any other way but the happiness of harry and therefore would be irrelevant otherwise
July 19, 2005
I agree that Snape is acting on Dumbledore’s order. Dumbledore always hold his head up high and throw in a sense of humour when facing his enemy. Look at his attitude toward the other deatheaters compared to what he said to Snape. I think he really beg Snape to kill him for other’s good (including Snape’s, who’s on an unbreakable vow, and perhaps, Draco’s) Furthermore, think about what he said to Harry before Draco appeared: go and get snape, DON”T talk to anybody else (including other members of OotP???). Snape is definitely Dumbledore’s man. Another question, why does Snape have to throw Dumbledore of from the Astronomy Tower when he killed him? There must be a reason, right?
July 19, 2005
If there is still a Black family member alive, how could Harry get the elf?
July 19, 2005
Never mind… Kreacher went with RAB. RAB died from the poison. Kreacher took the locket back to the house…
July 19, 2005
I believe that it was Regulus’ mission to place the locket in the Pensieve, meaning he never had to drink the poison, he understood the meaning behind the horcrux and decided to make a switch.
July 19, 2005
Got another theory: Dumbledore is actually dead, but he ordered Snape to kill him. That’s what they were arguing about. By killing someone, Snape can then use a Horocrux. Snape is indeed a spy for Dumbledore, and Dumbledore knows that Snape has made the ultimate sacrifice by making the Unbreakable Vow - by saving a little piece of himself, Snape can then come back.
July 19, 2005
Ok, i firmly belive that the locket found in no. 12 grimmwould place was the horcrux. Why else would JK just randomly go into such detail about it. Its like the opal necklace. JK did mention it in the chamber of secrets. Its her style to go back to things that were left unanswered but to miniscule for the reader to care. Like when JK described the opal necklace in the chamber of secrets im sure nobidy thoght twice about it. Also the same with the locket in no 12. Grimm. Also if the locket found its way into no. 12 grimm. then it must have been taken by a member of the Black family. After all harry is the first non-black family member to won it. Also on the whole R.A.B subject, remember that there are still four (?) more to be found and destroyed. The locket, being only one, i think is not as big of a deal as say, when we find out what the horcruz is that dumbleodre was not certain of.
July 19, 2005
Does anyone know why Dumbledore was thrown of the astronomy tower after he was killed? Because harry was the last to leave the tower, so someone went back up. And heres some far fetched idea: Possibly the person who threw him off the tower also switched the real hocrux with the fake possibly to keep it safe because it was abviously meant to be destroyed. Also i think that a switch had to have been made because when the locket was taken from the bowl of poison, harry didnt do anything to tell us that is was a fake, meaning it was the real thing. but then again, while he took the locket he was being attacked by hundreds of dead bodies controlled by voldemort……………so maybe his mind was on other things than checking for authenticity.
July 19, 2005
btw, what are the other names of Rosmerta? is that a surname?
July 19, 2005
There is also “uncle Algie” who is mentioned a couple of times in connection with neville longbottom
neville might also have a future role to play
July 19, 2005
I was reading through the comments and i laughed my head off at the comment ” I think Harry is hot”.
I do think that RAB might be Regulus but I hope it isn’t because the 7th book might be ALL ABOUT RAB and I don’t want to read it if I know already who RAB is. (That sentence might have been a run-on.)
July 19, 2005
I am bummed that Harry broke up with Ginny. It is like Spider-man all over again. They have to get back together!!!
July 19, 2005
i think it is blacks brother… oviously it has to be someone who was already mentioned in the book atleast once… 2 out of 3 of the initials fit.. i dont think it was a conincidence that there was a locket at #12 GP….
this is the first time the thought that snape didnt want to kill DD has come to my mind.. it is really something to think about here… hm…. and about the astronomy tower… maybe DDs body that they found on the ground wasnt really his… its a lil far fetched (maybe im just in denile that hes really gone i_i *sniff* ) but i guess all is possible….
also i think HBP has all been ground work for the 7th one… there wasnt a big major battle in it, but alot of important events happened.. i think shes just getting everything in order to get us ready for the 7th one… whitch i am eager to see… can anyone believe its almost over ioi!!
July 19, 2005
i’m also very disappointed with the whole harry/ginny thing. (a whole bunch of shippers will soon set fire on my house…woops). i don’t know, it just seemed very sudden and not well developed. i guess the reason why i disliked it the most is because the original trio of harry, ron, and hermione kinda turned into a….quadro?…because now ginny is here and it’s the four of them talking about voldemort, the four of them hanging out…you know? i just always liked the thought of just the three. and the whole breakup between them seemed too…cheesy and overdone? but i was pleased with how jo ended the story with just the trio again, loyal as ever.
but don’t get me wrong…i LOVE the book, it’s just this little thing. so please, harry/ginny shippers, don’t set my house on fire….!!!
July 19, 2005
To pick up on what someone said about what Dumbledor said to Malfoy: “He can not kill you if you are already dead. … we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine … Nobody would be surprised that you died.
So … what if Dumblrdore is not dead but had Snape “hide him in death”, or a spell that emulates death? Dumbledore is rarely if ever wrog, why should we think he was wrong about trusting Snape?
July 19, 2005
harry&ginny have to get back together! they’re just soo cute!
does anyone else think that maybe snape was acting on dumbledors orders to kill him? maybe dumbledor knew he had to die inorder for harry to go on and defeat voldy. dumbledor knew about the unbreakable vow snape had made and ordered him not to break it and help draco kill him. this would mean that snape would still be able to gather info about voldy and also help harry out at the end during the final battle?????
July 19, 2005
Alright, so from what I’ve read, we all agree that regulus hid the locket, snape killed dumbledore cause he was ordered to (hence the arguing in the forest) and Harry and Ginny should get back to gether. I only got one question, does anyone know what dumbledore was talking about while drinking the potion “KILL ME”, it might be ireleveant but I’m just curious on your opinions.
July 20, 2005
ok…i am struck dumb, cant believe that hes gone…:(…my thoughts are that R.A.B. are regulas black…though i had always kinda thought of him as a scrub…but the letter said dark lord, which would make you think that he was a death eater…i also second the thought that there really would be no point in mundungus jacking the black heirlooms if it didnt matter later on…i wish that the above post was right about dumbledore just being hidden, but i think that fawkes would know if it was a fake….maybe dumbledores portrait could shed some light? like obe-1 use the force harry
July 20, 2005
I think that this is how it will play out in book 7: There will be a hunt for the remaining Horcruxs’ (obviously). The book will finish with HP’s scar as the penultimate Horcrux. Snape/HP will face off; Snape will reveal his unrequited love for Lilly (the only other who could match him in potions) and the fact that he has been working for Dumbledore all this time. Harry will be forced to choose between his hatred for Snape and his need for an allie against Voldemort. He will forgive Snape as he will recognise that love is stronger than hate even if that is Snapes love for his mother and in a final stupendous battle Snape will sacrifice himself so Harry can kill Voldemort. Harry returns to Godrics Hollow to live HFA with Ginny. The end.
NB I am not sure how to rationalize the scar into this story BUT I am sure that it is a (the eighth?) Horcrux. After all when Voldemort died at the same time the scar appeared - coincidence or not?
July 20, 2005
During Hary’s persuit of Snape. Snape was arguing with some one about not wanting to do it. Who has any opinoins about this?
July 20, 2005
I also think that RAB is Sirius’ brother, Regulus Black, so that would mean that the R is Regulus and the B is Black. The middle initial A could possibly stand for Alphard, who was an uncle of the Black brothers. the note left in the fake Horcrux was addressed to the Dark Lord, only the death eaters call Voldemort the dark Lord; Regulus was a death eater. Also the note says that the horcrux will be destroyed, but if it hasn’t i think that it is in #12 Grimmauls Place, as there is a sentence related to a necklace in the Order of the Phoenix
July 20, 2005
i think dumbs trusted snape so much because he made him take the unbreakable vow to protect harry when he first confessed to telling voldermort about the prophecy.
Also whats the deal with dumbledore and aunt pertunia?
July 20, 2005
Regulus is the first thing that popped into my head.
July 20, 2005
also i think that sirus black will return. his death was very different, i think jk rolwling left it likle that so he could return. also i think severus snape is not evil, he knew if he had not finished off dumbledore then his cover would be blown. - again siddy_2005@hotmail.com
July 20, 2005
I don’t think, to be honest, that the lightening scar is a Horcrux. If it were, Voldemort would have retrieved it when he took Harry’s blood since at that time he fully intended to kill Harry
The lightening scar is simply where Voldemort “marked him as his equal”…. although this is a fantasy series so anything could happen, eh? 
July 20, 2005
hey its me again! i’ve just had a crazy thought. maybe harry potter is linked to star wars. in star wars episode lV obi wan kenobi lets himself get struck by darth vaders lightsaber. in harry potter maybe dumbledore did what obi wan did, sacrafise himself to indiacate to harry to keep on continuing where he left off
July 20, 2005
It might be possible that Snape used his skills in Occlumency and Legilimens to make himself believable in front of Voldemort. He never really answers to Bellatrix as to why he never killed Harry when he could, only that he would be sentenced to Azkaban if he was found. This sounds rather weak an excuse.
Also in his final confrontation with Harry in the last pages of the book, he never harms him or causes him any pain, simply reflects away Harry’s spells, every time Harry attempts to unleash one. And he does so, while giving him the advice “blocked again and again until you learn to keep your mouth shut and your mind closed”. It is likely that he intends to warn him as to how to face stronger wizards in the times to come.
Finaly of all the insults of Harry there is one that Snape particularly seems to protest against: when Harry calls him coward. A death eater who has just killed Dumbledore wouldn’t care less for such an insult in view of his triumph. However, a man of Dumbledore who would have to decide to kill him on Dumbledore’s own orders is certainly not deserving the title “coward”.
Snape might be the man that Dumbledore worthly trusted.
July 21, 2005
Do you think Harry might have a part of Voldemort’s soul in him somehow? And in the end Voldemort can only be killed if Harry is killed as well! I know it’s grim but would be interesting!
July 21, 2005
alright so i agree that the locket mentioned in sirius’s old house is the horcrux that rab stole. i think that mundungus’s theivery was relevant because he’s gotten ahold of the locket and sold it. thoughts?
July 21, 2005
maybe there was no replacememtn for the gryffindor horcrux, there was just; the locket, the goblet, the snake, voldemort, ravenclaw, the diary and harry, instead of gryffindor. or maybe harry is like a distant relative of gryffindors, so technically, his scar being a horcrux could also be a horcrux of something of gryffindors
July 21, 2005
and i also wondered what dumbledore meant, when after drinking the potion, he started crying: Kill me instead, don’t touch them…
i’m sure that duml. is finally and resolutely dead, as the Fawex has sang the song and left the lands of Hogwarts.
Did Harry nad Ginny really split up?! I got it as if she refused to, and said, she would stay with him any way
i am afraid that in book 7 Ginny might be killed, and Harry drived berserd, on the rampage, will destroy the horcruxes and tear voldemort to pieces
July 21, 2005
maybe it’s the ghost teacher, Professor Binns..
not sure what his first name is.
July 21, 2005
also, in dumbledores memory when voldermort came to ask him for a job, harry was worried cause voldermort made a movement towards his wand.. maybe he cast a spell on the gryffindor sword in the office to make it a horcrux??
July 21, 2005
Also, Gryffindor sword cannot be a Horcrux. The Horcrux is created at the time of killing an innocent and it was alleged to be extremely difficult.
I do not think there is a seventh Horcrux, or if the seventh Horcrux is Harry’s scar (explains Harry’s powers and ability to see into Voldemort’s mind (soul)) then it immediately became six. Wouldn’t Voldemort have lost a soul when the curse backfired? Didn’t that soul die and he only survived because of those remaining?
July 21, 2005
I just read some other theories. I am impressed with, and agree with, the theory that Regulus was given the task of placing the locket in the cave. Voldemort, in his arrogance, would never guess that someone would not do his bidding and figure out the significance of the locket. Regulus placed the fake locket in the cave and kept the real one himself as leverage for when he wanted to leave the Death Eater’s. Then he dies. Locket is at house and either Kreacher has it in his cupboard or Mundungus stole it, and possibly sold it to Tom the barkeeper (Is that who he was talking to).
July 21, 2005
Hi there!
Tell me, if i’m wrong, but i’ve started quite a nice theory:
We know that Harrys mother died for him, so he could survive the avada curse from voldemort just by the love his mother gave when dying for him.
as dumby was probably quit sure that love is stronger than death, he must have know, that the only way to kill voldy, would be to let him kill himself.
as we’ve learned, you have to be a really bad person to do one of the 3 bad curses, and dumby surely didn’t want harry to become that evil.
so the only way harry could possibly win against voldemort would be to backfire the killing curse back to him.
the only problem with that theory is, that harrys mother died by the hands of the man that tried to kill harry as well (that is where her lovespell worked). dumby didn’t. the question is now, if you can die by the hands of anybody and still protected someone against spells of a certain wizzard.
voldemort came back to life with the help of harrys blood and probably thinks that he is save to kill him now that harrys mothers lovespell doesnt affect him anymore.
but noone of the deatheaters saw or could know that dumby died for the life of harry. and voldi is probably bold enough to think he wouldn’t do the same mistake twice
July 21, 2005
My last thoughts, Vold lost a soul when curse backfired (1). Then he used a horcrux to stay alive enough to take over Quibble and stay around in books 1-3 (2) Ring destroyed (3) Locket (4) Hufflepuff Cup (5) Ravenclaw (or snake) (6) Harry’s scar (7).
Not sure about the scar, but I cannot think of another object.
July 21, 2005
Alrite for one the only reason DD feels the horcruxes have something to do with all 4 houses is because that is the flare he usually adds. There is no reason it has to be that way. Whatever max said they went to hogwarts to kill dumbledore not harry your theory is bogus. Are you telling me none of the death eaters saw harry and had a chance to kill him.
July 21, 2005
Let’s see…the Horcruxes are for sure 1) the diary, 2) the ring, 3) locket?, 4) ravenclaw, 5) gryffindor, 6) hufflepuff… Are there 6 or 7 of them? I was wondering this because in order for Voldemort’s soul to be split up in seven parts, he himself would have to keep 1/7 of it, leaving 6 Horcruxes…..that’s why I don’t think that Harry’s scar is one, and then also to create a Horcrux he kills someone, and I just don’t think that Harry is the last Horcrux…. but yeah…just my thoughts haha.
July 21, 2005
Julie, I forgot about the diary, good point. Was the dairy definitely a horcrux? I agree that Vold would have to retain 1/7 of his soul, but I think he lost that portion when the curse backfired after trying to kill Harry. Leaving 6 souls now. So, if diary gone and ring gone, plus Vold current soul, that leaves 3. (1) Locket (2) Hufflepuff cup, and (3) Ravenclaw object, Griffyndor object, or the scar (but I agree that it is not likely the scar). But Vold did technically kill someone at the time the scar was created, himself (but that would not be the death on an innocent).
July 21, 2005
I have to recant a little,
If the snake is not a horcrux, there are 2 unkowns.
July 21, 2005
Additional thoughts about rab and the locket. As DD said, the task in the cave needs two people - one is the qualified, magically very strong wizard, and the other is the unqualified wizard, or can it be a creature whose power doesn’t qualify as the wizard’s? Than can mean that rab, Sirius’ brother, brought Kreacher along to help him - another reason HP should return to Hogwarts.
July 21, 2005
I may be completely wrong here, but when Vold was resurrected in book four, and there was that spell thing with wormtail’s arm and harry’s blood, and his father’s bones, was a horcrux involved then too??
July 21, 2005
You all forget that SNAPE KILLED DUMBLEDORE, he used a unforgivible spell. No matter what happens in the next book, im still going to hate snape.
Also, in the next book will harry come back to hogwarts? He said hes not going to, but it will be strange if he doesn’t.
Only the final book can answer all our questions
July 21, 2005
oh and i almost forgot…. my theory on the horcruxes:
Harry is or has a horcrux inside him. (scar)?
Maybe to defeat Vold, harry has to die?
Wouldn’t that be a twist eh?
July 21, 2005
OOP’s i left out the Snake in DD’s Suggestions
July 21, 2005
(Diary, Ring, Current Vold.)–Guarenteed
(Sly Locket, Huf cup)–almost Guarenteed
(Snake, Rav obj, Grif obj)–HP/DD’s Suggestions
(Harrypotter/Scar)– good suggestion
The objects from Rav and Grif are the 2 objects i doubt being one of the Horcrux’s the most
July 21, 2005
i think the last horcruxes could be one of the thnigs voldy stole as a child or p[ossibly his wand or somethnig like that
July 21, 2005
whatever it is though 9im sure its somethnig that is very personal to him, maybe sometnig to do wit his mother even…a lost heirloom maybe?
July 21, 2005
you know what the thing is - with dumbledores death we know that he wont come back in any phyical form, but i reckon sirus may come back, and that falling through the veil sent him to some other realm or something else but hje will return.
July 21, 2005
revulus.a. black resaons -
1. note said “to the dark lord” - only voldemorts supporters called him that.
2. the initials match.
3. voldemort himslef killed revulus. - and voldemort only killed people in person when they had done something really bad.
dumbledore could not have got the fake locket if harry hadn’t forced the potion into his mouth, i think revulus used kreacher for this and made him drink it, which is why kreacher is so weird, confused, brain damaged. kreacher is an important character because otherwise harry would not have inherited him, jk rowling did this so that now that kreachers master is harry he cannot lie to him and harry will find out kreacher nows something and question him.
ALSO HAGRID WILL DIE - THE GOOD PEOPLE THAT HAVE DIED ARE ALL SET IN A PATTERN.
SIRUS BLACK - (SURNAME MEANING COLOUR “BLACK”)
ALBUS DUMBLEDORE - “(ALBUS MEANING WHITE) - THE WHITE TOMB.
HAGRID - (RUBY RED)
and one of the horcrux is in well was in #12 grimmauld place, and the reason they showed mundugus selling the goods from sirus’s place is because he sold one of them.
July 21, 2005
Why did Dumbledore freeze Harry before he died? Harry could have possibly helped. This makes me think that Snape was indeed acting on Dumbledore’s orders. (and is not evil?)
Wishful thinking, perhaps…any other explanations for why he did it?
July 21, 2005
Ok…so Dumbledore said that he needed Harry to get to the amulet in the bottom of the water. So wouldnt it have taken 2 people (RAB) to get to it originally?
And if it was Black, dont you think he would have mentioned it to Dumbledore?
I’m thinking RAB = R and B since two people were needed to get to it. Could be “R” and “B” - B standing for Black.
July 21, 2005
waitingfor#7 doesnt know what he is talking about, but i do wish to know what dumbledore ment by kill me instead any ideas?
July 21, 2005
I like the theory posited by 34 and 35 which state that Kreacher went with him, but regulus couldn’t have been killed by the potion because he died at either Volde’s or a death eaters hands. Meaning that Kreacher drinking the potion would make sense. Then If regulus didn’t care much about the house-elf, he would not have disturbed the water to save him, but instead would have left without screwing up the water. Obviously he would need some skill just to get that far, even if he didn’t need skill to avoid the inferi.
July 22, 2005
Just a thought. DD states that the DADA position is in fact cursed. If this is the case, why would he let SS take the job unless he knew that he would be leaving at the end of the year. I think DD’s death had been planned to protect Snape and Draco. Bella was not the only one doubting Snape. I also think that DD is not dead. Harry thought he saw a Phoenix at the funeral while DD’s body (which we never really see) was burning.
Opinions?
July 22, 2005
i think “siddharth” is mad
he’s either JKR or RAB
July 22, 2005
i think RAB is
Riddle Albus Bellatrix
July 22, 2005
NEVILLE
I like Sidd arth’s analysis but everyone is forgetting Neville. Neville could easily have been ‘marked’- he is under some sort of spell but noone knows it- but it explains his inept behaviour. Afterall his parents were both Aurors which means his genes are good- there is a reason for his being how he is and its an imposed reason.
July 22, 2005
This is a very long stretch, but Rowling has been known to link names with animals (Sirius, Lupin, etc.). With all the references to his “lion-like” appearance, is it possible that the mysterious Rufus Scrimgeour could be Regulus in disguise? Even I highly doubt it; he’s too old, but you never know…
July 22, 2005
I believe (as well as many of you do, it would seem) that R.A.B is Regulus Black. Perhaps the A. could be from Uncle Alphard (see page 111, Order of the Phoenix), who, assuming that Regulus Black did desert Lord Voldemort, would be a fellow “blood traitor”? Nymphadora Tonks and Sirius Black have also commited acts that would make the Regulus suggestion plausable. Perhaps it is not one, but a whole generation or “blood traitors”? Finally, Kreacher never made any mention of or kept any trinkets formerly belonging to Regulus, who, you would think, he would hold highly. I apologize for the double posting and hope you don’t mind my intruding on this forum; I just thought you might like to take these thoughts into consideration.
July 22, 2005
The whole Snape killing Dumbledore thing could be fake, I agree. Perhaps the ultimate sacrifice by Dumbledore to keep Snape undercover? Also good point #86 about the pheonix. They are commonly associated with revival or renewal.
July 22, 2005
Well… just for fun.
R.A.B. could be someone else. That’s what I thought first. So I searched for people with b-names and to my surprise I found to persons who do have something to do with the cave.
The two kids Riddle took there when he was young. There names both start with “b”. I mean it could be one of there children, which could have magical powers. It’s possible. But I don’t believe in it as much as I do in the Regulus-idea.
Just wanted to show a new aspect…
July 22, 2005
Snape killed D- against his will but because D asked him to. Why- that is to be revealed.
BUT Snape is still protecting Harry…he wont let Harry perform an unforgiveable curse. Theres a crucial line in which he says so. Why not - only because he must keep harry good.
Someone above asks who threw D off the tower- he fell at the moment of death.
Is D dead? The connection with the Phoenix is too important for the matter of him reappearing to not be worth considering. The phoenix features very importantly- the tail feathers donated to TWO wands; the whole symbolism associated with a phoenix - the phoenix does not die when D dies…I reckon we have to wait for this to be explained.
But what abut Neville’s wand- cherry and unicorn. Its mentioned obviously- isnt Harry’s cherry and Phoenix? V’s is Yew and phoenix…. so there are still unexplored connections. What is Nevill’s role? I think its worth thinking about
July 22, 2005
Maybe Neville will take revenge for his parents. I mean Bellatrix can not live on just like that. I think she’ll die soon, as well as Wormtail…
July 22, 2005
Just a though…but the person who took the real locket would know about the prophecy. How many people actually knew what the prophecy said, either partial or in it’s entirety? Harry and Dumbledore knew the whole prophecy, but Voldemort (who heard a partial-recently revealed-from Snape?), Snape (who heard partial by listening at the door), and possibly Voldemort’s Death Eaters. Who else would have known about it when Voldemort went after Harry’s parents? If we can narrow the list, we might could figure out R.A.B.’s identity?
July 22, 2005
Also…I like the mention of the Phoenix representation of renewal/rebirth. The casket bursting into flames could represent Dumbledore’s rebirth. Dumbledore could have been an animagus, too. And the phoenix Harry say might have been Dumbledore? Another thought…why could Harry understand the merpeople’s song? I thought only Dumbledore could understand them? Could Dumbldore’s spirit have been reborn in Harry?
July 22, 2005
If RAB is Regulas Black, he must have taken the locket before Vold kililed him.
Could Vold have killed Regulas BECAUSE he was stealing the horcrux’s?
Does this mean the horcrux’s are back in Vold’s possession?
0.0
July 22, 2005
having another thought here, didnt Dumbledore think that voldermort was going to make the last horcrux at godricks hollow when he murder the potters but this was obviously not possible because the curse backfired, so i reckon he only suceeded in making 6 horcruxes rather than his intended 7…any thoughts?
July 22, 2005
post 66 has it right. That is what will happen no doubt in my mind
July 22, 2005
I think Harry is the 7th horcrux.
I know this theory has been stated, but it’s a good one. Not only is it possible, Lily being the innocent necessarily killed for the transposing of a portion of Voldemort’s soul, but it explains the reason behind Harry’s connection to Voldemort. The Parseltongue, angry snake-like feeling when confronting Dumbledore in OOTP, etc. I think it would be excellent for the climax of the 7th book to be an internal struggle for Harry, perhaps even after killing the corporeal Voldemort, and for Harry to defeat the evil residing inside of him his entire life once and for all.
July 23, 2005
Okay, i’m confused, i just finished, did harry break up with ginny in order to protect her. O and a question to everyone, do you think they’ll end up back at hogwarts if it reopens despite what they said?
July 23, 2005
Oh ya, and also i believe that harry himself is a horcrux. wouldn’t that be interesting, because he has the skills of voldermort, so it is very possible
July 23, 2005
And also, does Dumbledore have a portrait of the old headmasters and headmistresses, if so, harry can still talk to him
July 23, 2005
speaking of horcruxes, i believe that Dumbledore has one.
before you start saying “Dumbledore’s not a murderer!” think about this. he has a phoenix that keeps dying, and whenever phoenixes die, they’re reborn. i believe Dumbledore killed Fawkes, and once Fawkes was reborn, Dumbledore placed his horcrux inside of Fawkes, just in case circumstances didn’t turn in his favor.
and on the subject of Snape, i’m not convinced. as Snape was closing in on Dumbledore, Dumbledore was pleading for mercy. this is Dumbledore, for crying out loud. surely a man like himself would go down firmly, especially if it was planned.
July 23, 2005
I don’t think Harry is the Horcrux. Here’s why:
We don’t know what the 5th Horcrux is (remember, Voldemort himself is the 7th, and Nagini is very likely the 6th because it explains Harry witnessing the assault on Mr. Weasley), however, we do know that Dumbledore suspects that Voldemort was going to make his 6th Horcrux when he killed Harry. However, he failed. Therefore, the item that was originially supposed to be the 6th Horcrux should still be at the Hollow.
Therefore, when Harry goes there he will find an artifact of either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor (my guess is the latter). Whichever one he finds, that means the other is the 5th Horcrux. Here, then, is the Horcrux list, in likely order of separation (we’ll count Voldemort as the 7th):
1: Tom Riddle’s Diary, destroyed
2: Gaunt Heirloom Ring, destroyed
3: Slytherin Locket, last seen at 12 Grimmauld Place in Order of the Phoenix
4: Hufflepuff Cup, whereabouts unknown
5: Artifact of Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, likely former, whereabouts unknown
6 (original): Artifact of Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, likely latter, theorized last seen in the Hollow
6 (actual): Nagini, last seen with Voldemort, however, has been known to leave Voldemort’s presence
7: Voldemort his own self
July 23, 2005
When I say Snape was trying to TEACH Harry, I don’ think he made it obvious when they were fighting at the end. Although I think he was hinting at Harry that he had to master NON-VERBAL spells to really have the edge he will need later on. As I remember Snape kept deflecting Harry’s verbal spells so easily, and kept taunting and retorting with harsh feedback.
July 23, 2005
Ok here is what I think:
*We know that Snape is skilled in reading minds,(think its called legilimancy or something) and that Dumbledore is skilled in nonverbal communication (or simply projected his thoughts effectively enough for Snape to tap into them). Could have he told Snape to kill him?
‘Severus….’
‘Severus please’ etc.
*By Snape killing Dumbledore (his orders) TWO lives would have been spared in return (possibly more, explained next). It would have protected Draco (who hints at wanting to leave the dark lord), who would probably would have been killed by the other Death Eaters (and if not them, then certainly Voldemort) for not killing Dumbledore. Also there was also the possibility Voldemort would have Draco’s family if Snape had not killed Dumbledore (mission success for the dark lord).
*This would have explained Dumbledore’s “pleading,” as Rowling calls it. I can’t fathom Dumbledore pleading for his own life from ANYONE, even someone he trusts like Snape.
Furthermore, by Snape killing Dumbledore, Snape would also live, as he has carried out the necessary promise obligated via his ‘Unbreakable Vow’. This would allow Snape to continue his double-agent cover which could prove invaluable further down the light side. Could he have been “pleading” with Snape to kill him?
*Perhaps Snape was very much willing to sacrifice his life for Dumbledore. Which is why he made the Unbreakable Vow almost immediately.But what if Dumbledore tells him, no, that Snape must kill him so that Snape can continue to be a double agent so that Harry can be protected? What if Dumbledore tells him that, when it comes down to it, he must kill Dumbledore? Dumbledore knew he was fading, that his powers were already diminishing (his hand was already injured when Snape made the vow–Snape tells the sisters so at that time).
*Under this theory, the reason why Snape appeared so infuriated at the moment of killing Dumbledore might have been because he didn’t really want to kill him. He didn’t want to do it, even though Dumbledore told him he must (again, I think they could have been reading each other’s minds). This is when Dumbledore pleaded, assuring Snape that yes, his mind was made up and that he was ready to die. Snape was angry because he had to kill Dumbledore FOR Harry’s benefit.
* Also other things that add to this possible theory. During the fighting, Snape merely defended himself constantly from Harry’s VERBAL spells– -he did not ATTACK Harry per se. Even though he told the other that only Voldemort is to kill Harry - how could Snape’s boiling animosity not have been unleashed by at LEAST hurting Harry, he simply used shields and parries. One exception is his final spell, which blasted away Harry’s wand, however, was still defensive.
* Also remember the argument Hagrid overheard between Snape and Dumbledore - a very heated argument. Possibly about Dumbledore ORDERING Snape of such a possibility arising where he would have to ask Snape to kill him.
*My understanding is that Snape understands WHY Harry must be protected, and knows it must be done , but he doesn’t like it, because of his many issues with Harry and James. (explaining his infuriated look at Dumbledore asking Snape to kill him).
*And this is also implicated when Snape is absolutely enraged at being called a coward after doing what he was asked to by Dumbledore etc.
Hope you find this food for thought interesting.
July 23, 2005
Chris:
Harry’s breakup with Ginny, however cliched was (in Harry’s mind) his way of ensuring Ginny’s safety. In the sense as he explained ‘Voldemort uses people he loves against him’ etc. Whatever.
July 23, 2005
CBW, I think your ideas are apt, but I have some other possible theories. I don’t think DD’s death was planned - I believe Snape killing DD was a POSSIBILITY that he and Snape discussed if such circumstances arose (as they did). However, I believe Snape took the Vow knowing full well he might die, but was ready to sacrifice himself for DD. Remember DD asked for Snape and Snape alone when he arrived at Hogwarts. It was simply unlucky that Snape was caught in such a compromising situation (possibly a situation DD had discussed in the ‘heated’ argument). He simply followed DD’s orders which they could have possibly discussed earlier on if the sitation arose.
July 23, 2005
Snape’s taunt: ‘blocked again and again, until you learn to keep your mouth shut and your mind closed’
. Teaching Harry to develop his non-verbal spell casting and his skill in Occlumency before he can take on the deadly DE’s and V.
July 23, 2005
Harry Can’t be a Horcrux. The prohecy says one has to die. Technically He could have made the HOrcrux after killing his parents but Even Harry Said he saw green form The aveda Kedavra curse. So that means Voldemort Tried to kill Harry. Why make something you want dead a HOrcrux?
July 23, 2005
On the contrary, Harry can to be a horcrux. Despite what the prophecy says, One HAS to die, if harry is a horcrux he has to die in order for voldermort to die. Even if harry saw the green light from the aveda kedavra curse, it could be a memory of voldemort, Voldemort could of split his soul and harry’s soul and put it together to make harry who he is, Dumbeldore said, “That night, he somehow transferred some of his powers to you.” Having part of voldemorts soul inside harry’s body along with his soul would give the the memories, temptations, and powers that voldemort has. And also, Voldemort didn’t want harry dead in this book, the death eater said, Keep Potter alive, we must keep him alive, or something similar.
Just a possibilty
July 24, 2005
I agree HP can’t be the horcrux. in ootp voldy couldn’t even possess him without pain. plus voldy did not know that there was a connection between him and HP. and in GoF HP defended himself from voldy’s imperius curse. obviously HP is not controlled by voldy, unlike his real horcrux, Nagimi.
I wonder if there are really 7 of them. I think voldy planned to use killing HP the time to creat the horcrux. slughorn said there’s a spell to make it. if voldy had to say the spell after the killing, he didn’t manage it because the curse backfired. so 1) voldy, 2) nagimi, 3) diary, 4) ring, 5) locket, and 6) Huffulpuff’s cut. 3) and 4) were destroyed. 5) was last at 12 GP, so HP inherited it, unless Mundungus sold it already. the locket that has Slytherine’s mark and wouldn’t open - that means DE will be into getting it. if it’s still at 12 GP, most likely Kreasher(who helped rab get the locket from the cave) should know what won’t work to open it, so will help HP opening perhaps. as for Huffulpuff cup, i feel that getting it will involve what HP’s parents did for living somehow. also, to destory horcruxes, HP will need slughorn’s help - slug knows about voldy making them(from the memory), and i think he knows more about horcrux than what he told voldy. and he has connections.
Snape killed DD on DD’s order, and this will help the order ultimately. with his death DD’s portrait will be everywhere in magical world so that’s an advantage for the order. and by having Snap kill him, Snape has earned the ultimate trust of and access to Voldy, which can help the order find/destory the rest of horcruxes and killing voldy at the end. i also think DD’s tomb might have added some more magical power/protection to hogwarts and to HP so HP should return to school.
July 24, 2005
I’m pretty sure the locket was among the things that Kreacher stashed in OotP. Can anyone verify that?
July 24, 2005
I have few opinions also. I think that after Snape heard the prophesy and told Voldemort about it and came back to DD and confessed what he had done, DD made Snape to do unbreakable vow to help Harry defeat V or keep Harry alive or both. You remember how Snape was doing a countercurse in the first book during the quidditch game while Orave was trying to make Harry fell from the broom. He was doing his vow? And why Snape went back to DD? I bet Lily Potter was only person Snape had respect (because she was the only person who could beat him in potions [and that’s why JKR made Slughorn praise Lily the whole book ;)]). Maybe they were even friends and studied potions together? That’s why James was always breaking Snape’s balls. That’s why DD always trusted Snape. Snape want’s to revenge V that he killed Lily Potter and so he has to help Harry even if he hates him (or does he really? His hate towards Harry felt always very real..). That RAB and Kreacher theory makes sense! Sirius said that Kreatcher is like he is because he had been so long alone with the picture of her mother but that is once againg so JKR. I believed that was the case but now I think that poison theory makes much more sense!!
July 24, 2005
Perhaps Harry WAS a Horcrux - but Voldemort removed it from him when he returned to life at the end of book 4?
July 24, 2005
Snape really is acting on Dumbledor’s orders. Dumbledore told snape to kill him to win the trust of Voldemore, but they were arguing b/c snape didnt want to. also, THE REASON WHY DUMBLEDOR FROZE HARRY was b/c he didnt want hp to interfere while snape kills him. what do u hav to say about this?
July 24, 2005
I agree that Dumbledore made Snape take the Unbreakable Vow to protect Harry Potter. If he really hates him so much, he could kill him all these years and make it appear as if it were Voldemort. I also agree about Snape being in love with Lily. That’s the reason why he hates James so much. He stole the only thing he really loved. I cannot wait to read the last one and cannot believe it will be the last one, either. I refuse. I am rereading the previous books to see if I can verify if Regulus is actually R.a.b. I also thought about madam rosemerta.
July 25, 2005
Notice that Snape NEVER speaks of Lily to Harry. He ridicules James and Sirius and the Maruders, to get Harry’s blood boiling, but never talks about Lily.
Also notice “Snape’s Worst Memory”. We know that James and co. teased and messed with Snape on pretty much a daily basis, so what made this one special? Lily tried to help him, he called her a mudblood, and then she told him “Fine. I won’t bother in the future. And I’d wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus” The incident with Lily made this scene different.
JKR was asked in an interview if Snape had ever been loved. She said he had. -Was it by Lily?-
She was also asked: Was there anyone else present in Godric’s Hollow the night Harry’s parents were killed? JKR: No comment. -Oohh, thats exciting-
Also, I agree with Amrick- thats exactly what I thought/think.
July 25, 2005
except, why would V make Harry a horcrux, since he obviously wants to kill him, that would be automatically destroying 1/7 of his own (V’s) soul. He can’t keep Harry alive with him forever. Plus, Dumbledore said that it was really unusual and dangerous to make even something like Nagini a horcrux, because it is within a mind of it’s own, going where it pleases and having the power to kill itself or get itself killed! Good point?
July 25, 2005
lol and love to all harry potter fans snape suks and dumbledore dies this is a really dark and ad book
July 25, 2005
to theman1: i think your theory fits well although there was a flash in snape’s pensieve that harry saw when lily tried helping snape from james’ pranks then snape didn’t appreciate it. maybe it’s just me, but it seems like a loophole in your theory. just a thought.
no hard feelings.
July 25, 2005
oh yeah. i think that the guy’s regulus, too. and it MAY be hidden in number 12 OR it could be one of the things that mundungus stole. just a thought. lol
July 25, 2005
could smebody please tell me what hold DD has over aunt Pertunia to make her take Harry?
July 25, 2005
Raisa: If you were a talented wizard being teased by other wizards, and a female ‘witch’ attempted to save your ass - I think you would also feel at least slight emberassment and/or contempt? Just a thought. No hard feelings.
July 25, 2005
ezzy: He has no hold, except the memory of her sister Lily to tag her along unwillingly. Plus he put that spell over their family when he left Harry there if you read HBP. lol.
July 25, 2005
ezzy - as amrick said DD does’t have any hold on Petunia. as per hbp DD ASKED her and her family to take HP in. and as per ootp Petunia is the only one in the family who appreciates the seriousness of the matter involding Lily, HP, and Voldy. she clearly understood the consequesnces has she refused to take HP in.
July 25, 2005
I’m not sure if Lily loved Snape - he might have liked her but resented the fact that he did, because she’s a muggleborn. and I’m not sure about Snape making an unbreakable vow to DD to protect HP - can one make two unbreakable vows - even if they may work against each other?
anyway i’m dying to know what made Lily love James from hating him. Any thoughts?
July 25, 2005
I don’t know why Snape would’ve taken the Unbreakable vow for Harry, he doesn’t even speak well of “Potter” around Dumbledore when he wasn’t “dead”. I like the idea he could be an animagus, or that something sneaky happened, but I’m ready to accept that he’s dead. I also heard that Harry is going to die in the last book…any comments?
And I still think Snape is okay, not just because he’s sexy, I think Dumbledore has a secret just between him and snape that we all didn’t get to hear yet.
July 25, 2005
rickman-snape.com
July 25, 2005
has anyone else made the connection that lily died before james? in gof when the priori incantatum happens between the two swords, james comes out first and says “hold on your mother is coming.” this means he died after lily. any thoughts?
July 25, 2005
Does anyone have an answer to why didn’t Voldemort try to kill Neville instead of Harry after he heard the prophecy?
July 26, 2005
I think it was an arbitrary decision, unless there is some variable JK is going to reveal in #7.
July 26, 2005
in the book, I think it said that Neville had the Chosen One potential, but his life took a different direction and Harry ended up coming out on top, but Voldemort found out later. I don’t know why, but J.K. was in Harry’s head thinking that Neville could have been in his place, but something happened…I’ll reread that section.
July 26, 2005
mf #132 - James dies before Lily. The section you mention from GoF is a well known continuity error and it was fixed in later editions.
There’s been a lot of speculation on here and the post has been so popular I’m going to have a go at putting together my own consipracy theories.
July 26, 2005
I think that in that interview JK said that one horcrux (an unknown I guess) was already in HBP… I’m rereading the book to get an idea, but what do you think?
July 26, 2005
i think the horcrux that was in HBP was probably the hufflepuff cup? but i dont know?
July 26, 2005
i totally agree that RAB is Regulus, and that the fact it was Kreacher who assisted him in getting the locket. If you notice, only one of age wizard can cross to the island in the middle because the boat can measure how much magic is allowed, dumbledore explains. However Voldemort would not ever believe a house elf to get past his defence and definitely would not regard him as an equal therefore a house elf would be able to ride in the boat, aka kreacher with regulus. From there Regulus would order Kreacher to drink the liquid and he could not disobey, Bosch job done for Regulus.
July 26, 2005
me again. a theory my friend came up with was that Gringotts wizarding bank has got a bigger role to play in the story, and i agree. ive re-read PS and the emphasis they put on the security there is amazing. Fair enough this helps us know how dark the wizard must be who managed to try and thieve from there, but there were no dragons seen. YET they put so much emphasis on dragons being there as guards, aswell as other things. My friend and i was thinking how cool would it be if there was a horcrux in gringotts and harry or whomever had to retrieve it and escape in a scene which would be highly action-packed and written in only the way JK can write it? Any thoughts?
July 26, 2005
Post 85- Good stuff.
If Kreacher was used to drain the Basin so that Regulus could take the real locket then it would give added poignancy to something Slug says when they are drinking wine after Aragog’s (the big spider) burial. He says that he has had the House ELves taste all the wine to check for poison and Harry remarks on how annoyed Hermione would be if she knew Elves were being used for this purpose…..
July 26, 2005
What if the potion (from the cave) was a horcrux? Dumbledore would have been drinking part of Voldemort’s soul. He needed to be killed to get rid of the horcrux, and so he needed Snape immediately. DD froze Harry so he wouldn’t stop Snape. I really think that Snape deflecting Harry’s curses and telling him to keep his mind closed- he could have easily hurt Harry- could be an indicator that Snape is still good.
July 26, 2005
guzai 133 - i also think it was the decision Voldy made without much thoughts/knowledges as to which one to choose. the important factor about the prophecy is that voldy didn’t hear the whole thing of it and he made the decision based only on the part he heard from Snape. i feel that his decision making may have something to do with Lily and James, which may be revealed in book7. I will have to read that section on ootp, though.
July 26, 2005
i hav found out from someone that RAB is meant to be backwards e.g BAR I ALSO KNOW HE/SHE IS MENTIONED IN THE 3RD BOOK AND HE IS IN THE ORDER OF THE PHONIEX AND HE WORKS AT THE MINISTRY AND NOW WORKS CLOSE TO aRTHUR WEASLEY IN HIS NEW JOB
July 26, 2005
Does anyone else think that Aragog possibly has a larger role to play as well. I mean, he made appearances before, and I think that perhaps he is a Horcrus, because he was around the same time Voldemort was in Hogwarts. Didn’t Hagrid get expelled for having him? I think there is something significant about Slughorn getting the venom or whatever it was from Aragog after he died. It wasn’t really discussed much afterwards, and I think it still has a role to play.
July 26, 2005
I also agree with the Gringotts post. I was just rereading Sorceror’s (Philosopher’s) Stone last night and there was a quote that really stuck out to me. it was about if anyone has anything that they really want to keep sage, that they keep it at Gringotts. Now I can’t think of anything that I would want to keep more safe than a piece of my soul!!!!
July 26, 2005
YM #143: Thanks for the reply. Does anyone also know whether what is the age gap between Voldermort and Lilly/James/Snape? Is Voldermort of the same age as Lilly?
July 26, 2005
#144: That’s an interesting question, I was wondering the same thing.
For some reason I think Lily/James/Sirius/Lupin/Wormtail/Snape are younger than Voldemort…Flitwick was teaching during Lily and James, and Dumbledore was a teacher during Voldemort, and Hagrid was a third year when Voldemort was a…sixth year? To be honest, I don’t know, but I think it would be strange if Harry’s parents were any older than like 35-45 and I think Voldemort is at least in his 50s.
July 27, 2005
JKR has said Snape is 35 or 36. So that would make Lily and James pretty much the same.
How many years was it since that Chamber had been opened? We know Tom Riddle was at Hogwarts at that time.
July 27, 2005
Did we ever find out if the HBP’s (Snape’s) book was his mother’s? Could it possibly have been Tom Riddle’s and passed on to Snape?
July 27, 2005
I thougt Voldemort was about 60… in the 2nd book he was 16, and that was 50 years ago, wasn’t it, well that means… in the 7th… ahm… 71!
@Becca (#150)
Well, I thought it was his, wasn’t it. His mother was just mentioned because of the name… or am I wrong about this. Have to reread it soon…
July 27, 2005
Fifty some years ago Voldy was about 16, so he should be in his mid-60’s, and so is Hagrid, who was 13 when he got expelled. And if we suppose James and Lily got married in early 20’s), and HP is now 16, that’ll make James, Lily, Lupin, and Snape all in mid-30s. I don’t know how old DD could have been… as per Chocolate Frog wizard’s card, he’s known for the defeat of a dark wizard in 1948, by then he was already a well-qualified wizard. and he was already a teacher responsible enough when he got Voldy to come to Hogwarts, so I’d think he must have been close to 100. But i also think he might have been older - given he’s a friend of Nicolas Flammel, who knows if DD also took elixier of life when he was younger??
July 27, 2005
R.A.B IS Regalus Alphred Black
July 27, 2005
@151
I think it was mentioned that the book was 50 years old. That wouldn’t match up to be Snape’s if it was new, so it must have been second-hand. Since it did mention specifically that it was 50 years old, I thought it might be important. Maybe it was just there to throw us off in guessing who the HBP was. And maybe its just coincidence that that’s when Voldemort was at Hogwarts.
July 27, 2005
I think the book was published 50 years ago, but it belonged to the HBP - it was mentioned in GF that Snape was ragged when he and James were dueling. This suggests that the Snape family was money poor, and using second hand items. Perhaps the book belonged to Snape’s mother who would have then been at school with Tom Riddle. It would be an interesting sub-plot if Tom Riddle was at school with James Potter’s parents, Snape’s mother and such.
July 28, 2005
#153
TOM…… are you just guessing regalus’s middle name is alphred or was it in one of the books???
I cant find it anywhere x
July 28, 2005
No it’s the uncle of Regulus and Sirius…
July 28, 2005
Look at the chapter 6 of book 5, read it and you’ll see that his name is mentioned…
July 28, 2005
An Uncles name of Regulus was Alphard, wasn’t it? That may be the A., but I’m quite sure that wasn’t mentioned in one of the books…
Even, if that potion book once belonged to Voldemort, do you think he bewitched every little thing he posessed? Think its a horcrux?
July 28, 2005
No, that isn’t a Horcrux.. Well you see Voldemorts loves objects that are famous… And I think that potion book isn’t that famous… You know what I mean…
And Alpherd is mentioned in OotP…
July 28, 2005
Oh, I mean it’s not mentioned as Regulus second name, or is it?
I don’t believe that book is any special… but I may be wrong.
July 28, 2005
159 - the book can’t be the horcrux. it seems voldy has put strong protection on each horcrux. it was just sitting in the potion room and HP could use it without getting hurt.
July 28, 2005
It may be possible that regulus is still alive. You think there is any possibility that he is an unregistered animagi, and that he used the same trick pettigrew did? Of course pettigrew did fool death eaters and voldy for a long time, I have no doubt that regulus could do the same thing.
July 28, 2005
could one of the horcrux - possibly hufflepuff cup - be in the room of requirement? when HP hid HBP’s potion book, that room had a bunch of old stuff in it.. could that be why Voldy asked DD for a teaching position years later??
July 28, 2005
if voldy killed regulus himself, i’m not sure if voldy could have been fooled.. if Death Eaters killed him by voldy’s order, it may be possible that somehow regulus fooled death..
July 28, 2005
I am not sure, but didnt someone is the 5th book say that regulus was probably not important enpugh to be killed by voldemort himself
July 28, 2005
hey everyone, i love your guys theories except for the one that says harrys hot…lol….anyways two of them caught my eye, the one that says that dumbledore has snape make the unbreakable vow to protect harry and the one that says snape could be an animagus……is it possible that both of these are true and snape and hedwig are the same ppl? i mean think about it…hagrid gets harry hedwig for his 11th birthday (first year in hogwarts)…we all know that hagrid is very faithful to dumbledore and that he would do just about anything dumbledore would ask him to….hedwig and snape are never mentioned together and hedwig and snape would also do anything for lily potters son………and another thing, if dumbledore did make snape do the unbreakable vow to protect harry, then there had to be another wizard or witch with a wand(like bellatrix lestrange for snape and narcissa malfoy) there…..and if you do remember the only two people that 100% trust dumbledore are hagrid (who doesnt have a wand because he was expelled) and Remus Lupin who always agrees with dumbledores decision to trust snape….well tell me what you think about it
July 28, 2005
Sorry Mike but I definitely do not think that Snape = Hedwig. The people typically look somewhat like the animals they become. For example, Sirius had dark, long hair, and resembled a dog. Peter Pettigrew looked a lot like a rat. Therefore greasy snape would not look like a snowy owl. Plus, Snape seems like he has low self-esteem, and to make up for his low self-esteem, he’d probably turn into something super-macho like a dragon or a tiger…rawr. There could easily have been another person to make the Unbreakable Vow, perhaps Lupin, or another teacher at Hogwarts? Refresh my memory: were James and Lily killed the night of the prophesy?
July 28, 2005
im not sure if they were
July 29, 2005
i agree with the theory that it is R and B, meaning two ppl……it took two of them to get to it
July 29, 2005
i agree with #108
that guys got it all right
July 29, 2005
@Julie
Oh, I think the proph. was made before Harry was born and when his parents where killed, he was one year old. right? So it was not the same day.
July 29, 2005
Well think Snape is good and Dumbledore isn’t dead… If you want my explanitions about this; click at the link… It’s really smart and good:D..!
DumbledoreIsDead.com
July 29, 2005
Umm, Muschie, there is not one part of that unintelligble garble that is properly structured with relevant and/or convincing evidence. It is ALL mere conjecture, nothing else. Nothing in your whole analysis is even remotely possible. If you like, I can refute every single point you have made. Refer to MY posts above, #85, #86 and so on.
July 29, 2005
I think Dumbledore is definitly dead. Well, but just believe he lives as well as Sirius right?
It may be nice if such a person, many people like comes back, but maybe thats just a wish, hm?
July 29, 2005
yes…just a wish.
July 29, 2005
Does anyone reckon the Centaurs and the Merpeople will join up with the wizards against Voldy? How cool would it be, i mean they paid their respects to Dumbledore didnt they so maybe that got them a bit riled up you know.
Think about it, a war between wizards, dark creatures, the living dead, werewolves, giants, centaurs, merpeople, dragons maybe? Man thats gonna make one heck of a read.
July 29, 2005
DD is definitely dead - there’s no defending AK curse, and he was wandless. I don’t think it would matter too much anyway, though. I’m sure DD’s left some other ways to talk to him - portraits, memories, etc.
About Snape making the vow - the third person could be anyone, but not the members who are still alive. Lupin didn’t object DD’s trust in Snape, but it was only because he trusts DD, and the reason why DD trusts Snape doesn’t matter to Lupin. He didn’t sound like he knows why. Hadrid could be the one, but I doubt it. He does have a wand, by the way - at lease the half of it in his pink umbrella - but he was expelled at 13, and not qualified. i don’t think he could perform such strong spell like unbreakable vow.
July 29, 2005
177 - i think it’d be cool to have them join the war, too but i donno.. they paid respect to DD, but not to others. Especially centaurs don’t like humans in general. and in order to get merpeople involved, someone would need speak their language. cool idea though…
July 29, 2005
@174
I don’t know what you read, but when I clicked that link, it certainly wasn’t “unintelligible garble”. I read a sound argument as to why someone believes that Dumbledore is not dead. I believe he’s dead. So I can see how one wouldn’t agree. The evidence wasn’t necessarily convincing, but it was relevant.
??
July 30, 2005
@180
Thanks for proving my point - the evidence was not convincing.
July 30, 2005
Amrick, You can’t say it’s unintellegible… It’s a really really good theorie.. Maybe you don’t believe he isn’t dead.. But well if you look at the site there is a chance he is alive!
Did you read the clues about Snape…?
Well that’s why I think he is good you know:D
July 30, 2005
Enough about that site, its no good.
July 30, 2005
Having read all the theories so far, I think I should add another one to the equation!! I don’t think Harry is a Horcrux, someone has already pointed out that Voldemort has protected the Horcruxes, putting one inside a person doesn’t make it particularly well protected, and, if Harry is a Horcrux, why has Voldemort tried to kill him on more than one occasion? Plus, if Harry is a Horcrux, this means he has to die before Voldemort will become mortal again - in which case who would kill Voldemort? I think one of the Horcruxes is HARRY’S WAND. Ollivander has always been a bit dodgy and he mysteriously went missing in HBP. There weren’t a lot of spells guarding the wand as Voldemort had thought that the wand would only choose him because it had a part of his soul in it so it didn’t need protective spells. Unfortunately, as Voldemort somehow transferred part of himself to Harry when he tried to kill him - the wand then thought it was being held by Voldemort when Harry picked it up in Philosopher’s Stone. This means that Harry will have to destroy his wand to make Voldemort mortal but then will have no wand to kill him with - perhaps Neville will step in at the last minute and perform the final curse, killing Voldemort and making both Harry and Neville relevant to the prophecy…
July 30, 2005
#184 - Neville can’t be relevant to the prophecy… It’s about Voldemort and the boy whom he marked as his equal = Harry. Neville isn’t marked by Voldemort, so he’s got nothing to do with it.
How would Voldemort have been able to make Harry’s wand a Horcrux? Harry’s just got a wand that is similar to his, Voldemort didn’t even know that there existed such a wand.
July 30, 2005
I agree with Muschie, as it is quite a convincing read and all the clues add up, why else would snape have been arguing with dumbledore?? and DD isnt stupid he would have seen a trap that Malfoy used against him. Also when Malfoy asks DD whether he saw it coming, DD says “…yes and no…”, which means he had an incling that malfoy was up 2 something, in which case he would have left hogwarts with a lot more defence and enchantments!!:D
July 30, 2005
#185 You’re probably right about Neville but I still think it’s possible that a horcrux could have been placed in Harry’s wand as it is an inanimate object like the locket, the book etc and I do think it’s odd that Ollivander has now gone missing… Voldemort could have put a horcrux in a wand and would have then thought the wand would never be suitable for anyone but him (”the wand chooses the wizard”) and would therefore be safe in Ollivanders until he needed it - which is why it was unprotected by more obvious spells. It chose Harry because of the power Voldemort had transferred to him when he tried to kill him. Maybe the horcrux is the phoenix feather inside the wand - anything is possible!!
July 30, 2005
Finally someone agrees with me:D:D;)
July 30, 2005
i like that theory anne, but i dont know if JK has put enough speculation on it being a horcrux. I think it’s just the fact that Fawkes only gave two feathers and they conveniently ended up with Harry and Voldemort. Maybe this emphasises that those two wizards have a special particular link with Dumbledore, we know Harry obviously has, and there is a link between Dumbledore and Voldemort which becomes clearer and clearer as the books progress, Dumbledore of course being the only one who scared voldemort and being the one who found him etc. However i still like the sound of your theory and like you said anythings possible
July 30, 2005
I’m convinced that Dumbledore is really dead. A fake death would be exaggerated and up to now there is no single proof that he didn’t die. The arguments given on the site mentioned above only prove that it is possible that Snape killed DD because he told him to do so. Why would Rowling want to keep DD alive?
I think DD really had to die. Because Harry lost his last “parent”, he has to face Voldemort alone without the help from others. It would be way too easy if DD told Harry everything in #7! Now he has to figure things out all by himself, which is a lot nicer for a good plot.
July 30, 2005
About the rab=regulas black. IN order of the pheonix they found a locket in #12 grimauld place that none of the characters could open. This could be Slytherin;s locket and maybe regulas found it.
July 31, 2005
Exactly - DD is dead so Harry can continue the path that is his burden and his alone. That site that rambles on about how Dumbledore might be alive is codswallop.
July 31, 2005
when Harry goes to godricks +
hollow he’ll find 2 horcruxes [his mum & dad]
1. Rab is regulus
2. DD still alive phoey
August 1, 2005
Amrick - everything said on here (and all the other theories) are pure speculation. You may think that Dumbledore is dead (as do I) but until the final book comes out we have no way of knowing for sure.
Alex - Harry’s parents won’t be Horcruxes - they’re dead which would mean the Horcrux would be destroyed.
August 1, 2005
Ben you just told me off for criticising others, then you did the exact same thing in your post. Redundancy?
August 1, 2005
Do you mean my post above? We know Harry’s parents are dead. That’s fact! We also know what most of the remaining Horcruxes are. I find it highly unlikely that Harry’s parents decaying bodies are still in Godric’s Hollow after all this time…
Regarding the Dumbledore issue, I’ve already said I agree with you. I think he’s dead, but I also think that bringing a character back to life is the sort of thing JK would do and can see why others would think he may still live.
Anyway - it’s my website… I can say what I like
August 1, 2005
Here’s a theory on the Harry as Horcrux idea: I accept HP can’t really be a delibertae Horcrux. How could Voldemort make HP a horcrux - and why would he? But we know part of Voldemort’s soul is somehow connected to HP.
What if Vodlemort was intending to make a Horcrux after kiliing James and/or Lilly but was unable to - because he got blasted himslef when trying to kill Harry. So the bit of his soul that Voldemort had prepared for a Horcrux was thrown out of Voldemort’s body - or perhaps travelled down his wand. It’s not a proper horcrux, becasue Voldemort hasn’t had chance to make the proper spells. But it somehow attached itself to harry or hs scar.
Maybe…
August 1, 2005
OK, wild idea - tell me I’m bonkers…. but do we ever see Dumbledore and fawkes together? I know in the first book, fawkes buursts into flame just before Dumbledore enters the room. Is it possible that DD is an animagus? And that Fawkes is Dumbeldore?
Probably not - I’m sure they do appear somewhere together at some point - just not sure where. Any ideas anyone?
August 1, 2005
The Phoenix/wand connection between Harry and Voldemort is interesting. It seems likely that the disappearance of the wandmaker, Ollivander, will turn out to be significant in this regard. Perhaps the connection betwen Harry’s and Voldemort’s wands is something that could be exploited by the right wizard in a way that Voldemort wishes to explore, but he might need Ollivander’s expertise in order to do so. With JKR, such a story element rarely is without a reason, and I’ll bet that we will see some interplay among Fawkes, the two wands, and Ollivander in book 7. Then there is the question of where Dumbledore’s wand is…..
August 1, 2005
I am new to this web-site and it has been fun getting the outside ideas from other HP lovers. I just finished reading TGOF and wanted to remind you that the duel between HP and TDL when they were dueling the gold strand that developed between the curse that TDL was hexing Harry with and the defensive spell HP used linked the wands. DD said that happened because the core of the wands were from the same Phoenix (Fawkes) ( which was DD’s office the same time DD was there) and that they could never be used to do harm against each other. Just a thought?
August 1, 2005
Does anyone think that the sorting hat could be a horcruxe?
Just a thought
August 1, 2005
Thanks, Boomer (200), for the reminder (from GoF) about the wands (HP and VdM) not being able to do each other harm. That itself could be part of the explanation for Ollivander’s disappearance: to kill Harry, VdM needs a new wand that can do Harry (his wand?) harm. But, as Ollivander himself once said, “the wand chooses the wizard”, or some such, so . . . . . . .
Alternatively, I wonder if Dumbledore himself got Ollivander out of circulation for a while, to prevent exactly the above from happening. And perhaps Dumbledore’s missing wand will find Harry. He may need it.
All this speculation is thirsty work. cheers
August 2, 2005
I find the speculation of HP’s wand being a Horcrux as intriguing. I’m not sure if I think it is one, mostly because I never really thought about it.
I really think Dumby is dead…because once someone’s dead, they’re dead…and JKR has said that herself, I think in regards to Sirius.
What IF Voldy and HP meet…and they have the same wands, what would happen? lol.
And another random thought, who will Fawkes stay with now, just in the headmistress’ office?
Oh…and I was thinking, what if someone like James or Lily was the person who preformed the Unbreakable Vow on Snape and Dumby? (assuming there was one) As someone pointed out to me, they were killed when Harry was about one, and that would be sufficient time to complete it. What if James preformed it, and although Snape knew it was the right thing to do, didn’t like James for it because he felt like his life was bound and he couldn’t control that small portion of it. Or, perhaps Lily performed it, since we people seemed to have come to an agreement that Snape liked Lily in some way, shape, or form. And of course Snape was jealous of James since he got the girl. Any responses to my late-night ramblings?
August 2, 2005
If anyones interested you can now read my full thoughts on RAB…
August 2, 2005
I don’t believe R.A.B is Regulus Black because it took Dumbledore 5 years to find out everything he could about Voldemort and it took him roughly a year to find that locket (the greatest wizard…..Hello!!) an he nearly died in the process an he had help!!(Course he did die in the end)
August 2, 2005
Yep - its definitely not Regulus. Far too obvious and far too unbelievable.
August 2, 2005
hey yes i do not think rab is regulus- i agree with james and am