TBAY: DRASTIC LIST, DREAD SINKING (Long)

[saraquel_omphale]

No: HPFGUIDX 133414

Dumbledore Reveals All Snape's Tribulations In Cave, Locket Is Still 
Trapped. Dumbledore's Relation Ese!Aberforth Declared, Someone 
Inquire!(alternative spelling) No-one Knows It's Not Gone.
D.R.A.S.T.I.C  L.I.S.T,  D.R.E.A.D.  S.I.N.K.I.N.G.

To cut the preamble and get straight to the theory, go to *********

Saraquel was pacing the 7th floor corridor, muttering. "I need a 
watertight theory, I need a watertight theory, I need 
. Oh!" To her 
utter surprise a door appeared in the wall.  Heart in mouth she 
pushed the door slowly open and walked forward into a vast hanger 
which appeared to be arching over a marina.  She could smell the 
sharp tang of the sea, but all she could see were wharves and 
wharves filled with every sort of imaginable craft stretching to 
seeming infinity in all directions.
"Ahem."
Saraquel jumped and looked down to see an elf smartly dressed in a 
creaseless white pillowcase with a square neck edged in blue, bowing 
low before her.
"Plank , The Keeper of the Hangar of Theories, at your service. How 
can I be of assistance?"
Saraquel, surprised to find anyone here, quickly recovered, 
mumbling, "Er, yes, I er need a watertight theory, well 
 maybe one 
that's not too leaky 
" Her voice tailed away.  The elf smiled 
eagerly.  "But of course, concerning 
..?"
"Oh, potions and lockets mainly."
"Ah, squeaked Plank excitedly, there hasn't been much demand for 
those, but I thought the hurricane might change things.  We did a 
roaring trade in memory theories before the storm." He said, 
indicating a wharf slightly to the left, where Saraquel recognised a 
couple of smallish boats.  She noted sadly that H.I.D.D.E.N P.O.O 
was all that was left of the name of one vessel.  She had remembered 
admiring it from the shore before the hurricane came through and 
wondered if there was anything worth salvaging left on board.

Plank was tugging, gently but firmly at her sleeve, "Please walk 
with me," he said.  Saraquel followed as they turned away from the 
memory wharf and passed one signposted Powers and another ESE!DD.  
Plank, tutted and looked away as they hurried past it.

 "Would Mistress like a TOE?"
Saraquel looked puzzled and eventually muttered, "Well, I suppose I 
will need a tow, I doubt I'll last very long."
Plank, smiled nervously unsure how to respond, then realising, he 
suddenly bowed very low and said "Oh forgive me Mistress, I did not 
make myself clear, I meant a Theory of Everything."
"Oh goodness, no! I was only looking for something fairly small and 
robust, that could perhaps be added to if it proves seaworthy. It's 
my first real outing you know."
Plank looked somewhat crestfallen but did his best to mask it, "Ah, 
otherwise I was going to offer you 
"  He gestured towards a 
magnificent craft called The Poitioneer, which looked brand spanking 
new.
"Oh, no! You see, initially, I'm interested in what that potion was 
that DD drank in the cave.  It seems to me that it is really rather 
key."
"Perhaps the boatbuilding bay will be the best place Mistress. 
Please come this way" and Plank led her to a small workshop full of 
rather unpromising materials, hidden behind a battered door.
"If Mistress could explain further, Plank is very sorry not to have 
studied legilimancy, but it is forbidden for us elves to even 
contemplate.."
"Oh no, I quite understand." Saraquel interrupted, embarrassed. 
Taking a deep breath she started:


*****************************************************
(All quotes from UK editions)

If we assume that the real Horcrux has been stolen by RAB, then the 
original potion made by Voldemort must have been drunk, and the 
potion now in the basin has been created by RAB, after he (and I do 
think RAB was Regulus Black – more about that in a minute) replaced 
the locket.  Which means Voldemort's potion left him standing – 
hmmm, I think not.  I think that the potion is Voldemort's 
original.  DD assumes that it has been created by Voldemort and says 
this to Harry –

Ch 26, p532 "I should have said, he would not want immediately to 
kill the person who reached this island, <snip> He would want to 
keep them alive long enough to find out how they managed to 
penetrate so far through his defences and, most importantly of all, 
why they were so intent upon emptying the basin.  Do not forget that 
Lord Voldemort believes that he alone knows about his Horcruxes."

So what potions would we put in to get that result?  

PS Pb edition ch8 p103 "For your information Potter, asphodel and 
wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the 
Draught of Living Death." This is also the potion which Harry made 
so brilliantly in HBP using Snape's potion book.  This would keep 
someone alive, but leave them lying at the foot of the basin.  Its 
colour is the palest of pink (HBP p 181)

Veritaserum would of course ensure that they reveal their secrets.  
Veritaserum is colourless and odourless (HBP ch12 p175)

There may well be another potion or potions involved here, as the 
colour of the potion in the basin is emerald green and luminescent.  
I'm sure that I've read of Hermione successfully making something 
like this, but I can't find it.  Also, blending potions, may well 
not be the same as blending paint colours!!  There is one 
interesting remark, which might well be a clue on p535 it 
says "Dumbledore drank, as though it was an antidote Harry offered 
him
"

If we watch the effect of the potion on DD, we see that half way 
through the fourth goblet he is described: (HBP Ch26, p534) "His 
face was twitching as though he were deeply asleep, but dreaming a 
horrible dream."  Then later, as DD is lying at the bottom of the 
tower he is described (End ch28 p 568) "Dumbledore's eyes were 
closed; but for the strange angle of his arms and legs, he might 
have been sleeping."

Now, assuming that Vertaserum is in the mix and Voldemort wants to 
find out DD's motives for getting the Horcrux, what do we make of 
what DD is saying.  Well, I thought it could well be DD's memory of  
Snape recanting.  Stay with me here I promise I'll explain!   One 
thing that we don't yet know is the nature of the bond that occurs 
between wizards when one saves the other's life.  Remember, James 
saved Snape's life, so Snape is bonded in some way to James.  What 
if that bond has some sort of kickback if it is abused.  By Snape 
informing Voldemort of the prophesy, he directly endangered James's 
life and would therefore be responsible for James's death.  This 
could well have effects like the breaking of an Unbreakable Vow.  I 
won't quote the whole passage of what DD says, but I think it fits. 
Remarks like "It's all my fault" " I know I did wrong" "Don't hurt 
them, don't hurt them, please, please." 

Breaking the bond could start up some sort of punishment by 
something like ghosts, or souls beyond the veil.   P353 "Dumbledore 
began to cower as though invisible torturers surround him:"  

Then there is loads of  - please make it stop and I'll do anything 
sort of remarks.  

This makes much more sense of DD trusting Snape because of his 
remorse over dropping James in it.  If there was real punishment for 
abusing the bond, then DD could have exacted some sort of promise 
from Snape at that time, which released him from the torture he was 
experiencing.  But Snape is then bound, possibly unwillingly, to 
stay on the side of good. Or maybe, the bond simply moved on to 
Harry – I don't know about this, there could be lots of loopholes 
here.  

BUT, if this is the memory of Snape's recanting, it really fits 
incredibly well with the Vertaserum theory.  Remember, Voldemort 
wants to know why anyone would be intent on emptying the basin.  Why 
does DD want to get the Horcrux?  He wants to make sure that Harry 
survives.  Why is Harry likely not to survive?  Other than the fact 
that there might be more Horcruxes out there, the main thing in DDs 
mind is that Voldemort has chosen to believe the prophecy and acted 
upon it.  If he had not chosen to act upon it there would be no 
problem for Harry.  

Ch23 p476 "But Harry, never forget that what the prophecy says in 
only significant because Voldemort made it so.  <snip> Voldemort 
singled you out as the person who would be most dangerous to him – 
and in doing so, he made you the person who would be most dangerous 
to him!"

Therefore DD reveals his true reason for trying to get the Horcrux 
in the basin is tied up with the interpretation of the prophecy and 
Harry's involvement.  It is NOT just to try and destroy Voldemort. 
Hence, his memory of the first time he learned that Voldemort was 
going to act on what Snape had told him.  Hope that's clear.

Now for the water that forms the lake.  I don't think it is water at 
all.  I think it is something like an Invigoration Draught (OotP 
ch29 p582) The lake is described as not behaving like water, the 
ripples die too quickly etc.  (someone else might be able to help me 
out here with another appropriate potion)  If  this is still the 
setup which Voldemort left, then he would need some sort of 
restorative potion to revive the person out cold from the Draught of 
Living Death, so he could get the information from them.  

Note, that after Harry has thrown it on DDs face, he comes to life 
enough to cast the fire spell.  He would still however be 
experiencing the effects of veritserum (unless of course he has 
blocked them!) which makes the remark right at the end of the 
chapter about not being worried because he is with Harry, all the 
more touching. 

Now for the locket.  Yes, well this where things get a bit dodgy, 
but they could hold together as long as the wind doesn't get up. 
Harry does not look properly at the locket in the cave (ch26 
p537) "he barely registered the golden locket lying curled beneath 
it."  DD picks it up later and scoops it into his pocket.  They then 
exit stage right back to Hogwarts.  So Harry does not know at that 
point what locket was lying in the basin.

Now, if , unlike Plank the elf, you are still awake, we will make a 
small diversion from Harry and DD and go back to the mysterious RAB.

I'm not the first person to link RAB with Regulus Black, and there 
are plenty of posts already linking the locket which no-one could 
open in Grimauld Place, with the little treasure store which 
Kreacher hid away, with Mundungus and his suitcase in Hogsmead, with 
the unnamed barman from the Hogshead, whom, I believe it is commonly 
know is DD's brother Aberforth.  I'm not sure where JKR mentioned 
this, but I do remember reading that she has pretty well admitted 
that it is him.  Well now I'm going to Christen him either ESE!
Aberforth, or ESH!Aberforth (Ever so Helpful).  

But before we get to that, let's go back a bit.  Let's say that 
Regulus Black discovered Voldemort's secret and found one of his 
Horcruxes – and I don't for one minute think it was the locket.  
Let's say it was one of the other ones, but not Nagini.  OK, it's a 
puzzle quite how it happens, I can't provide chapter and verse, the 
important thing is that the Horcrux he found was NOT Voldemort's 
locket.  This false!locket is now IMO in Aberforth's hands.  Harry 
finds the false!locket under his knee at the end of Ch28 and assumes 
that it has fallen out of DDs pocket when he fell.  Well actually, 
that's sort of wishful thinking because what it actually says is 
(ch28 p568) "The locket they had managed to steal so many hours 
before had fallen out of Dumbledore's pocket."  So really this whole 
thing hinges on whether you believe that ESE!Aberforth/ESH!Aberforth 
(for who knows what his motives were) put the locket beside DDs body 
before Harry got there or it really is the locket they found in the 
cave. 

If at this point you are cursing me roundly for leading you a long 
trail only to let you down – then please provide a better 
explanation for what is happening with the potion in the Cave, and 
if it was put there by RAB (and possibly a n other Kreacher – nod to 
thread on list!) what was he hoping to achieve, given that the 
writer of the message knows that he can't kill Voldemort – "I face 
death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal 
once more." And why isn't he lying on the rock in a stupor waiting 
for Voldemort to arrive having had to drink Voldemort's potion?

If DD still has the real locket in his pocket, then it's locked 
inside the tomb with him and it will provide a good plot twist 
later.  (Ch30 p 606) "If Dumbledore was right – and I'm sure he was –
 there are still four of them out there.  I've got to find them and 
destroy them and then I've got to go after the seventh bit of 
Voldemort's soul"  But let's leave the ramifications of that until 
we've tested the seaworthiness of this theory on TBAY.

*****************************
Plank, was staring at Saraquel with glazed eyes, and she wondered 
whether house elves had the ability to sleep with their eyes open, 
in common with other of their kinfolk in a different book.

The lengthy silence brought him round, and he jumped up in 
confusion.  Then grasping a rubber ring which had been embellished 
with bells and whistles and had a rubber duck as it's figurehead, he 
bowed low and presented it to Saraquel.

"Ah, right.  Not that seaworthy then eh
" Saraquel stuffed the 
bottle of 10 year old Bruichladdich she'd brought to keep her 
spirits up, into her inside pocket. Squished the rubber ring over 
her head and waded gingerly into the calm and as yet empty waters of 
TBAY.

Disclaimer: although I've read a fair number of posts, there is no 
way that I've read all of them.  If I've repeated things that have 
already been posted and not credited them please accept my apologies 
and if you reply to this post, please create a link to your original 
post.

Saraquel