[HPforGrownups] Locket swapped, Regulus dead (Was Re: The Locket Horcrux - When Was It Swapped?)

[elfundeb]

No: HPFGUIDX 165759

Goddlefrood:
Second, the quote I used does tend to support the conclusion that
Regulus is dead, which I mostly based on the tapestry, rather than
the will, btw, for those who did not read my previous.

Goddlefrood, earlier:
The tapestry clinches this for me. The dates of birth and death of
Black family members are recorded. Walpurga's date of death is noted
as 1985. I propose that the tapestry, being itself magical, records
the deaths of the family as they come up, and this would be the case
even if no one is around to tell the tapestry.

Debbie:
The tapestry is *evidence* that Regulus is dead.  However, it doesn't clinch
it.  Evidence can be unreliable.  Barty Crouch Jr.'s grave was evidence that
he was dead, but it was a lie.

If we could prove that the tapestry was enchanted like the Marauder's Map or
the Hogwarts quill, that would be proof.  However, the enchanted tapestry is
just a theory.  Theories are perfectly welcome, of course, and this one is
supported by the existence of many enchanted objects in the Potterverse.
But there is no direct evidence; in addition, the fact that the tapestry
didn't regenerate itself when Mrs. Black blasted people off it may be
evidence that it was not enchanted (or at least that it doesn't tell the
whole truth).  We just don't know.

Goddlefrood:
Oh, and Kreacher was not summoned to check out the status of any
potential enchantments but merely to find out if Harry had *actually*
inherited, which was proven to be the case due to Kreacher's shutting
up as soon as told to do so by Harry.

Debbie:
Kreacher was summoned to find out if Harry had actually inherited in
accordance with Sirius' will, or if some kind of enchantment prevented it
from being carried out.  It wasn't a test to find out whether Regulus was
alive.  Dumbledore states:

"While his will makes it perfectly plain that he wants you to have the
house, it is neverhteless possible that some spell or enchantment has been
set upon the place to ensure that it cannot be owned by anyone other than a
pure-blood." . . . "And if such an enchantment exists, then the ownership of
the house is most likely to pass to the eldest of Sirius' living relatives,
which would mean his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange."

I think the point of mentioning "Black family tradition" (and Regulus'
death) is to support Dumbledore's belief that any enchantment would result
in Bellatrix inheriting the house.  The phrase was not necessary to explain
the need to summon Kreacher to determine if, in Harry's words, "I am allowed
to own it."  Dumbledore said that Regulus was dead, but he could have been
mistaken.  Again, everyone thought Barty Crouch Jr. was dead, too, and we
know how reliable that was (not!).

Goddlefrood:
I would alkso refer to mthe qualifier in my previous (that's the bit
in brackets).

Debbie:
You may have missed my qualifier, in which I conceded that the odds are not
with Regulus, who most likely has long since departed this mortal coil.

Debbie
noting that the best theories are always supported by canon evidence, but
that they remain theories for lack of proof


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