Grimmauld Place

[Leon Adato]

No: HPFGUIDX 75514

Several folks have commented that this involves entailment, legal
proceedings, and also that Bellatrix won't claim the house because she
is an escaped convect.

If so (to all of that), then how did Sirius get it in the first place? 

It's not like he could show up at some ministry office, claim the keys
to his righful estate, and then say "but I'm only here for that, not
for that other Azkaban stuff" and walk out.

2 theories arise in my mind:
First, Grimmauld sat unused for 10 years because nobody else wanted
it. Bellatrix was in jail, Andromeda was dead, and Narcissa had her
own digs. By that thinking, the Order may be able to continue to use
it, at least until the WW version of probate catches up.

Of course, now that Kreacher has spilled the beans, maybe Narcissa
will come sniffing around after all. Of course, she won't be able to
find it, but that may lead to a humorous moment at the ministry.

"I've come to lay claim to my ancestral house"
"Where is it?"
"I don't know."
etc.

The second theory is that inheretance is magically controlled, rather
than through any governance. In that case, whomever is next in line
can open the door, and all the other potential inheretors can't.

This doesn't diminish the previously stated fact that the next
inheretor can't find the house right now, but it may mean that
Grimmauld is sealed off until the inheretor comes and claims it, which
creates a nifty little conundrum for the Order.

2 knuts deposited
Leon