Regulus alive? The second Black son and inheritance.

[Judy]

Mandy wrote:
>>if Regulus Black is indeed really alive - the mysterious 
> RAB - how do we explain the fact that Kreature became Harry¡¦s by 
> magical inheritance?  
> 
> 12 Grim could be explained by the fact that Sirius actually left t
> he house to Harry. We know that from Dumbledore, but the question 
> of the inheritance of Kreature was left up in the air and indeed 
> was used by Dumbledore to prove to Harry, and himself, that the 
> magical world accepted Harry as the inheritor of the Black estate. 
> How could it have done that is Regulus is still alive?
 
Kreacher comes with 12 Grimmauld Place.  So, as long as Sirius' will 
was valid and Harry inherited 12 Grimmauld Place, Harry would inherit 
Kreacher as well.  In fact, this is why Dumbledore had Harry give 
Kreacher an order -- to see if Harry had inherited 12 Grimmauld 
Place, Kreacher and all.

We know that other Black family members are alive -- Bellatrix and 
her sisters and their children, at the least.  So, the fact that 
Harry inherits 12 Grimmauld Place and Kreacher really tells us 
nothing about whether Regulus is alive.  That said, I tend to think 
Regulus is really dead.   He are told that his body was found, and 
I'll consider it a cheat if that wasn't him.  (I know that Barty 
Crouch Jr. wasn't really dead, but I'd hope that JKR wouldn't use 
the 'switched bodies' trick more than once.) 

-- Judy