A Very Bad Thought

[Jen Reese]

> Ginger wrote:
> I just had a very bad thought.  What if RAB wasn't successful?  What
> if (s)he got into the cave, and replaced the locket, slipping the
> original Mucklux into a pocket, but was then killed by the
> potion/water from the lake/Inferi/whatever, and is now an Inferus
> dwelling in the lake?

> Potioncat:
> My second theory is just the beginning of an idea. We do know of 
> another wizard who is well versed in Dark Arts. It's possible he was 
> able to get in and make a switch and at least make it back home. 
> However, I'm still not sure how it would happen that LV wouldn't 
know 
> about it. My nominee (and I'm most likely the 3rd or 4th to come up 
> with the name) is Mr. Black senior, who would have done this in 
> revenge for Regulus's death.


Jen: I like this idea, Potioncat, it makes more sense than wet-behind-
the-ears Regulus working through the protections like DD (not) or 
somehow switching the locket prior to the protections without 
Voldemort knowing (doubtful). And I *really* like the motive--REVENGE. 
The story could use a person who defies Voldemort for completely 
personal reasons and not for the Good of Society and all that. Maybe 
it will be Snape yet, but Mr. Black getting revenge for Regulus is 
juicy, too. (My personal favorite for the Dark Avenger is still Amy 
Benson from the cave, but she would need a little backstory.) 

A couple of things if it's Black, Sr.:

1)We have suspiciously little information about him since he was 
slightly overshadowed by Mrs. Black in OOTP. Either he's completely 
unimportant to the story or we were supposed to be drawn away from him.

2) JKR said a bad father relationship can be a breeding ground for 
evil. Since Sirius was never tempted by Dark magic even though he was 
surrounded by it, and Regulus started down the path but tried to get 
out, there's some evidence Black Sr. had a positive influence to 
counter Mrs. Black's fanaticism. Sirius includes both of them when 
speaking about their 'pureblood mania', but after seeing Mrs. Black in 
action, it's easy to imagine her talking for both of them and Mr. 
Black just going along with the program.

3)Someone on one of the lists mentioned a wizard using Dark arts could 
dismantle the cave protections more easily than DD did. The arch was 
pretty straighforward, but a person could use Dark magic to fool the 
boat and perhaps get around drinking the potion. Or poor Kreacher was 
involved whether it was Mr. Black or Regulus!

Jen