Of basins and lockets, Dumbledore and Snape

[rj_anderson]

Or, in other words, the refined version of the theories I've been expounding on for the past week or so, in one handy linkable place (for those of you who've been asking if they could link). Thanks to everyone who contributed suggestions, objections, and questions for me to answer -- the idea has been much improved and refined in the process.

Comments

[yahtzee63]

But who says he didn't have an accomplice, and that they didn't find a way around it just as Dumbledore and Harry did? My personal guess is that the accomplice was Peter Pettigrew, briefly wavering between the two sides of the Force (like Regulus himself); two adult wizards wouldn't fit in the boat, but a wizard and a rat could. This is only one potential explanation, of course, but varying explanations are definitely possible. And I don't mean that the locket is a red herring within the story, but for the readers, it would be -- it's a lot of information to go through in order to tell us not a whole lot in Book 7, if the locket and RAB are essentially meaningless to what's going on. Whereas if RAB is significant to the story, then this is an introduction; that's the purpose I think it solves.

I think the "obvious" reading of the text is true, but I don't think Dumbledore died for nothing; I think drinking the potion did not kill him, and ultimately did not even contribute to his death, as he and Snape had worked this out previously.

[rj_anderson]

two adult wizards wouldn't fit in the boat, but a wizard and a rat could

Dumbledore said it wasn't a case of size, it was a case of magical ability. Unless Voldemort's spell mysteriously lacked the ability to sense Peter's magical powers once he became a rat (which would be quite the oversight, as I'm sure Voldemort knew about animagi), then Peter would be just as sunk in rat form as he would have been in his human one.

it's a lot of information to go through in order to tell us not a whole lot in Book 7, if the locket and RAB are essentially meaningless to what's going on.

But they're not meaningless. The locket was legitimately a horcrux, and RAB legitimately and heroically destroyed it, which is very important in terms of Harry's quest to find and destroy all the horcruxes before he faces Voldemort. Plus, Regulus Black's story may well tie into Snape's, which would make it doubly significant.

Still, I agree there are various theories possible and we won't know until we get Book 7. I just feel confident that I'm at least partially on the right track here, even if some of the details don't pan out the way I'm suggesting.

[yahtzee63]

I think you're right about Dumbledore's death being something Snape had to do, but I don't think a horcrux was destroyed in the process. Snape's vindication is going to need to follow Occam's Razor at some point, unless the whole book is a monologue, and there are enough tangled webs of backstory that they're already going to have to get through. Therefore, I think the explanation for his reasons for killing Dumbledore is going to be as straightforward as possible.

[necessaryspace]

Another possible means of proof to Dumbledore knowing that he'd be dead by the end of the book is his visit to the Dursleys. He was establishing Harry's last year there, almost as if Dumbledore wouldn't be around to make sure Petunia obeyed during Year 7. Or he was just covering all his bases, since Voldemort *really* doesn't like Dumbledore and would love it if Dumbledore were dead.

But I do like the theory, RJ. It was like reading a really good English Lit. paper. :)

[rj_anderson]

That's also an excellent point. When have we seen Dumbledore make a personal visit to the Dursleys before? Not to mention the way he takes Harry under his wing for private tutoring -- it really is as though he knows he's going to die that year and is just putting all his affairs in order.

[ptyx]

Yes! I think this is a very good theory!

[rj_anderson]

That's certainly possible -- good thinking. I do wonder about the liquid in the basin being replaced, though. I can't see why Regulus would bother, and I still wonder whose regrets/fears Dumbledore was voicing as he drank the liquid (unless they were his own and there is some darkness in his past we're not aware of, which is also possible).

[szee03]

That's possible.

House elves are supposed to have powerful magic of their own...but it's also likely to be the kind of magic Voldemort would be likely to underestimate.