some thoughts I had

[gringots]

No: HPFGUIDX 171232

I am listening to HBP on CD right now, and it has totally changed my views from when I first read and heard the book when it came out.  There are clues that make me think Dumbledore did not die.

In the beginning of the year there was a huge amount of Polyjuice Potion made, and some was stolen (Crabbe and Goyle use some to be 1st year girls to guard the Room of Requirement when Malfoy was in it).

I don't think Dumbledore would leave the school so often at a time like this.  Snape was to play a loyal Death Eater, so I think Snape and Dumbledore used the Polyjuice Potion to switch places, so Snape could leave the school (stop drinking potion while Dumbledore did).  It was really Dumbledore teaching the Defense Against the Dark Arts(he never wanted Snape to do it).

I think it was Snape in Dumbledore's form who took Harry to find the Horcrux, and it was the vile liquid that was one of the Horcruxes, and so Snape asked to be killed to destroy it.  This is where I go back and forth wondering about other possible things.  The locket was a fake, and the note in it was signed R.A.B.  Sirus's brother was a Death Eater who changed his mind, and if his middle name began with an A then he would be R.A.B.  Sirus says his parents were not proud of him or his brother, since being a Death Eater was going too far.  I think it was because he defected, and destroyed the Horcrux.  While cleaning Grimmauld Place, it mentions a golden locket on the fireplace mantle that no one can open, so they just leave it.  I think it is the Horcrux of the Slitherin locket, but might not be destroyed.

The other ideas I have are that a spider could have been on Dumbledore/Snape and it was the insect that got killed by the curse and Fawkes (can carry great weight) saved whoever it was from the fall.  Also Dumbledore knew how to help protect Harry from the killing curse as a baby; there is no reason to think he couldn't do the same for himself.  And perhaps Fawkes's tears can heal a person back to life, if done immediately after the curse is performed.

I think they knew Snape would die from the Unbreakable Vow, so best to have Dumbledore kill him, as they are prepared to die for the Order.

The HBP also mentions how Dumbledore seems to have much more strength than a man his age would appear to have, while at the cave at the seaside (again Snape??).

One would also think that Dumbledore's portrait would have made some comment when it hung in the office after his "death", but it remained sleeping, while all the other portraits, and members of the Order talked about closing the school, and their suprise about Snape.  No one even asked the portrait to wake up and ask him to explain what happened.  I think it is a decoy painting.

Dumbledore can come to Harry's aid if Voldermort thinks he is dead.  Plus Voldermort has never wanted to fight Dumbledore, but has never been afraid of Harry, yet he used Harry's blood (his greatest enemy to return, which I think was a mistake, as Dumbledore is his greatest enemy.  I think Harry's blood has some magical charm on it that will weaken Voldermort, because when Harry said to Dumbledore that Voldemort used his blood and showed the scar "he had a gleam in his eye, like triumph".  I think Dumbledore know what kinds of ways he can come back, and has planned to foil them.

I even wonder if Harry's mother is really dead, there is something very odd about Crookshanks (although it is a male cat).  He followed Sirus (as a dog), like a friend, when all thought he was an evil escapee, and also attacked Wormtail (as a rat) whenever he had the chance.  Book does not say Lily was an animagus, but I think she could have been, and perhaps feigned death.  I think Aunt Petunia is also a witch, since she knew about Dementors and Azkaban, and was extremely afraid Voldermort was back.  I think Dumbledore used that info to blackmail her into taking Harry in, since they never, ever wanted him.

Well, that is a lot of rambling, and I can't wait to see if Dumbledore (and Snape) are both alive, or if only one, then which one is it.

Oh, I would also like to see Harry go to Grimmauld Place, as I wonder if he really is Kreacher's master, or if Bellatrix is his owner now, and ordered him to pretend to be Harry's servant to get info.

So many possible twists.

gringots