The three main theories -- HBP Spoilers

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No: HPFGUIDX 133038

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Brief Chronicles posting:
 
I was glad to see this morning when I checked my email that most of us have  
all felt the same way about the three main theories I'd discussed with my  
friends and family in real life this weekend. Though they're being beaten into  
the ground on their own individual threads, I thought it would be nice to put  
them all together here with some thoughts to go along.
 
1. Harry is the final horcrux.
 -- This is difficult to support in cannon. Well, more difficult than  the 
other two, I would say. All I have to go on is that Harry and LV share an  
abnormal bond with each other, and JKR made a point to show that living things  can 
be horcruxes (Nagini).
 
2. R.A.B. is Regulus Black. 
 -- I find this easier to confirm than #1, simply because it feels so  much 
like the usual JKR clue in which she expects us to remember something she's  
mentioned in passing. 
 
Uncle Alphard _http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizards/wizards-a-c.html_ 
(http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizards/wizards-a-c.html)  could  easily be the namesake for 
the A. initial.  
 
Brand, Rudolf from the same link is an R.B. name, but  this person is not 
likely to be significant, since he is a Quidditch person, and  unrelated to LV as 
far as we know. So are the only other two R.A.B. names on the  Lexicon. 
 
This leaves us with Sirius' brother, who we all know left the DE and was  
killed (presumably) for it. 
 
Also, I think it's worth noting that if Regulus isn't important at all,  then 
there's not much point in mentioning him so many times throughout the past  
two books.
 
In addition, the note R.A.B. left for LV is a bit in-your-face, which, at  
least in my observation, is in keeping with the Black family personality. (see  
Sirius Black and his mother's portrait for instances of this).
 
3. Snape is a good guy.
 -- This one is easy to confirm, in my opinion. Here are my specific  cannon 
references (these aren't all there are, of course, but these are what I  could 
find right away -- I'm using the US HBP edition, by the way):
 
Page 28: "I have been able to pass information on Dumbledore and the Order  
of the Phoenix ever since!" <-- This is only indirect evidence, but it begs  
the question, What information has been passed, and if any of it has been good,  
why hasn't LV made a move based on Snape's information?
 
Page 36: "You will need your wand, Bellatrix." ... "And you will need to  
move a little closer." <-- This hints that Snape understands the charm better  
than a fellow DE, which may mean that Snape has made another vow before.  
Possibly with Dumbledore? Hm... Then who would have been the Bonder?
 
Page 36: "'And should it prove necessary... if it seems Draco will fail...'  
whispered Narcissa (Snape's hand twitched within hers, but he did not draw  
away), 'will you carry out the deed that the Dark Lord has ordered Draco to  
perform?' There was a moment's silence. Bellatrix watched, her wand upon their  
clasped hands, her eyes wide. 'I will,' said Snape." <-- This could have been  
just for drama, but this is a clear moment of Snape's reluctance.
 
Page 259: "'Luckily Professor Snape was able to do enough to prevent a  rapid 
spread of the curse -- ' 'Why him?' asked Harry quickly. 'Why not Madam  
Pomfrey?'" ... "'Professor Snape knows much more about the Dark Arts than Madam  
Pomfrey, Harry.'" <-- Dumbledore brushes this off, but it shows he and Snape  
have likely discussed the necklace, etc., and that Snape is helpful. Why does  
Dumbledore not speak more frankly with Harry about the Snape situation?
 
Chapter 15: I read Snape's scene with Draco as Snape acting, although it  
could be read either way.
 
Page 359: "I think you might even consider the possibility that I  understood 
more than you did. Again, I am glad that you have confided in me, but  let me 
reassure you that you have not told me anything that causes me disquiet."  
<-- Dumbledore knows something Harry doesn't know.
 
Page 523: "'You need the hospital wing. There may be a certain amount of  
scarring, but if you take dittany immediately we might avoid even that...  
Come...'" ... "'Apparently I underestimated you, Potter,' he said quietly. 'Who  
would have thought you knew such Dark Magic?'" <-- Madam Pomfrey can heal  
someone after a curse, if Draco was sent to her wing, which means Dumbledore may  
have had a different reason for employing Snape after the necklace.
 
Page 549: "'I believe it to be the greatest regret of his life and the  
reason that he returned --'" ... 'Professor... how can you be _sure_ Snape's on  
our side?' Dumbledore did not speak for a moment; he looked as though he was  
trying to make up his mind about something. At last he said, 'I am sure. I trust 
 Severus Snape completely.'" <-- This hints that Dumbledore has more of a  
reason to trust Snape than he is telling Harry.
 
Page 595: Dumbledore pleads with Snape, horrifies Harry, Snape shows  
revulsion and hatred, "Severus... please..." <-- Dumbledore has told Harry  not to 
fear death. It is out of character for him to have been pleading for his  life. 
So instead we can assume he's pleading for something else. Draco? For  Snape 
to do something he might not want to do? Then the revulsion and hatred on  
Snape's face... are they revulsion and hatred toward Dumbledore, who is asking  
him to do something he doesn't want to in killing and in returning to the DE as  
a full-time spy? I think it is also to remember that Dumbledore didn't want 
to  go to Madam Pomfrey. Again, he wanted only Snape.
 
Chapter 28: "'Fight back!'" ... "'Blocked again and again and again until  
you learn to keep your mouth shut and your mind closed, Potter!'" ...  "'Kill me 
like you killed him, you coward --'" "'DON'T'" ... "'CALL ME COWARD!'"  <-- 
This seals it for me. Snape won't fight Harry. He even guides him,  much as a 
teacher would, during the battle. And finally, he is furious, even in  pain, at 
being called a coward after what he did.
 
Finally, the end of the book is Harry's confirmation that they must  continue 
to trust and obey Dumbledore even after Dumbledore's death. Harry has  never 
been able to see eye-to-eye with Dumbledore regarding Snape, but if we the  
readers are to believe that Dumbledore should be trusted even now, then I see no 
 reason why we should accept that Snape is a true DE.
 
Now, what do all of these mean?
 
1. If true, does this mean Harry has to die? Or, did LV take back his  
horcrux at the end of GoF? I don't think LV took his soul fragment  back when he 
returned in GoF simply because Harry's connection to LV only  seemed to increase 
after that, not decrease. (dreams in OotP, etc.). So, does  Harry have to die? 
I don't believe so. The ring didn't have to be destroyed,  although it 
clearly had to go through some traumatic (as of yet unexplained)  work to remove the 
horcrux. This leads me to believe that, if Harry is the final  horcrux, there 
is no reason he should have to die to defeat LV. He would,  however, have to 
go through something potentially painful and dangerous to  whatever person 
aided him in the process. Ron? Hermione? Snape?
 
2. If true, is it possible Regulus is still alive? What is his purpose in  
the story? Where would he have hidden the locket? Who helped him get it?  
Kreacher?
 
3. You ask me, this one just is true.  :)  There's no talking me  out of it.
 
Okay! Before I leave you, here are my other random thoughts and  questions 
that just popped up fewer than 24 hours after finishing the  book.  lol  So they 
aren't quite baked yet.  :)
 
-- Draco... going good or bad?
-- Horcruxes are in places that have significance to LV
-- What did the drink do to Dumbledore?
-- What is up with this breaking-up-with-Ginny nonsense, when Dumbledore  
specifically told Harry that love is the most important thing?
 
That's it!  :)
 
Brief Chronicles


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