Dead, Alive, Hiding

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 143940

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "mercurybluesmng" 
<MercuryBlue144 at a...> wrote:
>
> Andie Wrote: <snip> 
> > Could there really be no record of her because that is not who she 
> > is? Can Regulas be in hiding in the form of Mrs. Figg?  
> 
> Marianne S.:
> > While I kinda like this theory, I don't think Kreacher (and 12 
> > Grimmauld Place) would have passed into Harry's possession if 
> > Regulus was alive in any shape or form.
> 
> 
> MercuryBlue:
> Last I checked, Harry got the house because that's what Sirius's will 
> said to do with the place. Wills override 'everything goes to next-of-
> kin' laws.

Geoff:
Not according to Dumbledore...

"Black family tradition decreed that the house was handed down the 
direct line to the next male with the name of Black. Sirius was the 
very last of the line as his younger brother Regulus predeceased him 
and both were childless. While his will makes it perfectly plain that 
he wants you to have the house, it is nevertheless possible that some 
spell or enchantment has been set upon the placeto ensure that it 
cannot be owned by anyone other than a pureblood."

..."I bet there has," he (Harry) said.

"Quite," said Dumbeldore. "And if such an enchantment exists, then the 
ownership of the house is most likely to pass to the eldest of Sirius' 
living relatives, whicn would mean his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange."

(HBP "Will and Won't" p.52 UK edition)

So a situation could exist where the will was overridden.