R.A.B.? Not Regulus Black!!

[rowen_lm]

No: HPFGUIDX 133130

"Mrs. Hermione Snape" wrote:
> I sincerely doubt that it is Regulus Black.  Sirius said he doubted
> that his brother was ever important enough for Voldermort to kill 
> him
> himself.

This point proves nothing.  The note does not say that Voldemort 
killed RAB, only that he expected to be long dead by the time LV 
found out he stole the locket.  Since the locket remains in the 
cave, we can assume LV didn't know it was taken.  (Dumbledore also 
assures us that LV cannot sense when a horcrux is destroyed.  See 
Riddle's diary.)  Thus, Regulus was probably on the hit list for 
some other reason, like for "resigning" the DEs, as Sirius says.  
This is why he thinks he will be dead before anyone has the chance 
to find out about what he did.  See?  He realizes the DEs are wrong 
and then tries to do as much damage as possible before being killed.

>Also, in book 5, R. Black has been dead 15 years.  Sirius
> was, at most, 40.  So his younger brother would have been, at
> MOST, 24
> when he died.  Probably younger.  He wouldn't have the experience 
> or
> importance to discover the Horcruxes, know how to handle them, or 
> even
> to write a well-composed note like that.

This is an unreasonable assumption.  Regulus was obviously 
experienced in Dark magic (assuming that most of the things 
protecting the locket were dark magic) since his family was all 
about that stuff.  I mean, even to survive in 12 Grimmauld Place, 
with all its dangerous objects, he must have had some knowledge 
about dark magic.  By 24, he would have been about 6 years out of 
school, probably pursuing a career studying dark magic.  I see it as 
very possible that a dark wizard that young would understand 
horcruxes, and certainly be literate enough to write the note.

> Also, wouldn't Harry, Ron,
> Hermione, or whoever found the locket have noticed the S for ?
>Slytherin
> on it?  The description in OOP of the locket they found only said 
>that
> it refused to open.

Again, I don't think this disproves anything.  In fact, avoiding 
describing the S is just the sort of thing sneaky JKR would do to 
keep fans from guessing too much about it.  I mean, if she had said 
it had an S, it would be way too obvious to all of us.

As for your guess that the RAB is Borgin, the problem is that he has 
no motivation to destroy the locket.  Borgin is clearly a dark 
wizard, and deals with DEs every day.  Why would he want to risk 
alienating his best clients by trying to kill LV?  Also, RAB says he 
will soon be dead, and mister Borgin is very much alive.

Rowen