Note in the Locket: R.A.B?

[Chimera]

Makes sense. Horcruxes should be destroyed out of nobility rather than hipocrisy(?sp). Maybe it blows up when you destroy it, and you have to snap your arm out the way sharpish to avoid it getting caught.

A soul is a powerful thing. In physics if something with a lot of pent-up energy is destroyed that energy is released in the form of fire or an explosion. Perhaps this is just as true in magic.

[Snow_Crystal]

I like the analogy with physics - never really thought of it that way.

What I want to know is how Harry is supposed to find out how to destroy them.

[isasniffelus]

I've not managed to get through all 11 pages so this might have already been said. What if the locket is like the CoS - ie it can only be opened by the heir? I mean it's irrelevant to the horcrux side of things cos it can probably be destroyed whether open or shut. Still though, it'd explain why the locket is unopenable.

I also thought of that. Yet, it might be possible that any Paselmouth is able to open it without harm done.

[Snow_Crystal]

It seems a little too convenient though doesn't it? I think it's got something to do with the power of the soul/wizard. I mean DD had a magnficent background and was extremely competent. Harry has something natural about him that makes him competent not just the powers that have been transferred to him.

I think because Harry has some purity about him, he is somehow destined to destroy the horcruxes and will therefore be able to destroy them where others have failed (RAB).

What we need to work out is why RAB (or Regulas I believe) failed? What stopped him destroying the locket? Was it because he didn't know how? Did he not get time to do it? Was he hoping to get more horcruxes and then destroy them all at once? Was he in any way tempted by the locket? Did it have some sort of power over him?

[isasniffelus]

I think he did not have time to destroy it.

I do believe it is indeed Regulus (in Holland the abbreviation is RAZ and the Blacks are called Schwartz). I think he could be compared to Draco. First dark magic is cool and then it frightens you.
Maybe he could not destroy it because he had to hide. I for one believe he' s Crookshanks (although JK said it's only a cat).
Or maybe he wasn't strong/powerful enough to destroy it since Sirius said he was whatever, I can't really remember, but he didn't speak highly of him or his abilities to perform magic.

[KAD]

just a quick note about krecher. dd did a 'test' to determin if hp did inherit the house and krecher. krecher said that hp was his master etc. however, i think that if harry did inherit krecher, krecher would have gone to harry straight away after sirius's death as he would have to have his orders from harry (Hope you are following me)

I think that krecher was in fact inhertied by bellatrix (along with the house
) and is under instructions to spy on harry and do as he says. therefore the DE's and LV also know about the OoTP.

[Lone_Buck]

That's another thing i haven't thought much about. I'm sure that the order would have realized how important it would have been to secure kreacher right away. I really do think he belongs to harry. Besides, he'd do LV no good working at hogwarts with the other house elves. He can spy on Harry there, but that would be about it.

[Chimera]

Not sure about that one. I reckon the elf doesn't hear its master and respond to the summons as such, I think the master calling the elf summons the elf magically and the elf doesn't do much in the process.

If Harry didn't own Kreacher then I don't believe he would have been able to summon him regardless of Kreachers orders.

[laurelin]

It makes perfect sense to me that RAB is Sirus' brother. I'd forgotten about the locket in Grimmund Place - but that convinves me!! And, in practical terms, given how much Harry has to do in one book, it would be extremely convenient in terms of book length if one of the horcruxes was sitting in grimmund place, or under the care of Kreacher (who likes to hoard family things) who is now conveniantly at Hogwarts.

(I appologise for a similar post in another thread - hadn't spotted this one!!)

[Chimera]

If RAB is Regulus Black then we have another problem: how long will it take Harry to suss it out. Will he ever remember the sealed locket? The fact that it was lumped in with odds and sods implies that Harry wouldn't recall ever having seen the locket. I reckon we'll be rooting for him to find it right the way through the seventh book.

[Lone_Buck]

i think that will be the last one he destroys, as he struggles to figure out where it is. I barely recall it being mentioned in the fifth book, but the last time i read it was pre HBP, so that information would not have seemed at all important.

[Snow_Crystal]

Yeah I think the locket will be the last one he destroys before heading out to confront LV but it will be Hermione to remind him of the locket. I don't think Harry is smart enough to work it out. He has a natural flare for DADA but when it comes to remembering facts and information, Hermione far outstrips him and Ron. I just hope Ron has some way to shine in the last book rather than being just the comedy act.

[malfoy_is_good1719]

well im thinking it is regulus because who else has those initials, and i really don't think JK would drag in another character taht we havent heard of, and make him this important.

But i do think regulus is dead, liek the locket states

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

We have evidence!

Ahem, the Dutch version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has the name is the locket as: R.A.Z

Coincedentally, Sirius Black (and Regulus') last name is not Black, but "Zwarts".

That makes the evidence certainly overwhelmingly in favour of Regulus.

It's also the case in Norway's edition too...

Just read it off the Leaky Cauldron.

I'm now fairly convinced. I was (and still am a tiny bit) sceptical about it before it seems a little obvious, but oh well. I'm pretty positive now.

R.A.Z? What would the chances be of it not being him?

[Snow_Crystal]

JKR always said we would easily guess one clue though and this has to be it. Also it was a week after the book came out (perhaps after the interviews she gave) that Regulas's middle name was added to the hplexicon website.

Also how else can we explain any other RAB getting access to Grimmauld Place to hide it there? I think DD said that Sirius's father put all sorts of charms etc on the building to protect it, only a Black would know therefore how to get past their father's protection on the house.

What I'd like to know is what Kreacher knows about the locket. I am a strong believer that Kreacher has hidden this locket and that it is not something Mundungus managed to get his hands on. If Kreacher did take it, why - surely he only kept things that he thought were important or precious to him/the family? I wonder if Kreacher can give us more insight into Regulas... there's no-one left who was close enough to him to tell Harry now. If Harry asks Kreacher questions, he must answer them as he is bound.