Horcrux Killing (was Because it's dead. Re: Dumbledore's wounded hand)

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 136872

Jen:

But it doesn't explain why no one mentioned the mark--they all
handled it, trying to open it. Either they didn't take notice
because everything was Slytherin-related or it's not the right
locket, either.

houyhnhnm:

I think it's the former. Here are serpent and locket references in
OotP (Am. Ed.)

***
Harry walked up the worn stone steps, staring at the newly
materialized door.  Its black paint was shabby and scratched.  The
silver door knocker was in the form of a twisted serpent. (OotP, p. 60)

Both the chandelier and the candelabra on a rickety table nearby were
shaped like serpents. (OotP, p.61)

Mrs. Weasley pointed at the dusty glass-fronted cabinets standing on
either side of the mantelpiece.  They were crammed with an odd
assortment of objects:  a selection of rusty daggers, claws, a coiled
snakeskin, silver boxes inscribed with languages Harry could not
understand and, least pleasant of all, an ornate crystal bottle with a
large opal set into the stopper, full of what Harry was quite sure was
blood. (OotP, p. 105-106)

They found an unpleasant looking silver instrument [...] also a heavy
locket that none of them could open. (OotP, p. 116)
***

It is not surprising that no one's attention was particularly drawn to
the locket even if it was Slytherin's.

They wouldn't have been able to open it if they tried to open it as an
ordinary locket and it was sealed with magic. (good thing, too.)

What has to be explained away is Harry's failure to recognize it next
year in the pensieve.  (If *none* could open it, that must include
Harry, which means he must have handled it)

He has two opportunities (Caractacus Burke didn't show the locket in
his memory; he only described it as having Slytherin's mark on it.)

***
"See this," he bellowed at Ogden, shaking a heavy gold locket at him
while Merope spluttered and gasped for breath. (HBP, p. 207) 
***
She slid back the fine filigree clasp and flipped open the box.  There
upon the smooth crimson velvet lay a heavy golden locket.

Voldemort reached out his hand, without hesitation this time. and held
it up to the light, staring at it.

"Slytherin's mark," he said quietly, as the light played upon an
ornate serpentine S. (HBP, p. 437) 
***

An awful lot has happened to Harry since he was in Grimmauld Place
back at the beginning of the fifth year, especially Sirius' death. 
Harry hates the thought of Grimmauld Place.  It is not surprising that
he doesn't remember anything about the contents of the house at this
point.  He has probably blocked out those memories. I'm betting he
will remember the locket fairly early on in book 7.

I think, between this evidence and Rowling's answers in the
LC/Mugglenet interview, it's a pretty safe bet that R.A.B. is Regulus
Black and that the heavy locket none could open is the horcrux.  As to
how he managed it, I'm completely stumped.  I may have to wait for the
book.

But what happened to it?

Did Kreacher take it?
Fred and George?
Mundungus?
Is it still in the house?
Did it go out with the sack of trash in which Sirius placed it?

What do wizards who live isolated in unplottable houses do with their
trash, anyway?

Surely, Arthur Weasley would never have allowed a sackful of dark
artifacts to be put out for Muggle sanitation workers to pick up.