Logic

YES, I read Harry Potter, and YES I’ve read the latest book. I managed to do it in less than ten hours, and that was with a shitload else going on that day.

I don’t know how many other sites have been talking about this, but I’ve checked on several Harry Potter fansites, and so far, no one seems to have mentioned this possibility.

Book Six spoilers - MAJOR spoilers - below the fold…

I’m sorry that Dumbledore appears to have died for a worthless piece of costume jewelry and several fansites have talked about the Horcrux being the necklace from Sirius Black’s old home “that no one could open”.

Several others have even pointed out that the initials R.A.B. on the note inside the bogus necklace probably mean Sirius’ brother Regulus, even though no one can know for certain, since Regulus’ middle initial was never given. Regulus is mentioned several times throughout the series as having been killed by the Death Eaters for refusing to join them.

But none of them have taken the next step of asking whether Regulus is really dead.

In Chapter 27 of the Half Blood Prince, there is the final climactic scene between Dumbledore and Draco Malfoy, with Harry standing against the wall, Petrified and under the Invisibility Cloak.

Dumbledore says, “...I can help you, Draco.”

Draco replies, “No, you can’t. Nobody can. He told me to do it or he’ll kill me. I’ve got no choice.”

Dumbledore replies, “He cannot kill you if you’re already dead. Come over to the right side, Draco, and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine. What is more, I can send members of the Order to your mother to hide her likewise. Nobody would be surprised that you had died in your attempt to kill me - forgive me, but Lord Voldemort probably expects it....”

Let’s get this clear, folks. Dumbledore’s talking about faking Draco’s (and his parents’) death, so thoroughly that no one - meaning any of those on the Dark Side - would ever suspect otherwise… And with such certainty, he sounded as though he KNEW it would work. Maybe because he had already used it?

There is also the original scene where they meet the new Professor Slughorn, who had needed less than three minutes to make it look as though there had been a violent fight and murder at his house, forgetting only the addition of the Dark Mark to make the scene complete. Dumbledore wasn’t fooled for a second. Maybe because he had overseen a similar set-up once before?

Does the Magical World have an equivalent of a Witness Protection Program?

Did Regulus actually die?

UPDATE: Did Dumbledore?

Since we know that Snape is a member of the Order of the Phoenix (a bird which dies and is reborn from the ashes*), did he “kill” Dumbledore in order to hide him, and free him up to find the other Horcruxes?

- a bird which is heavily associated with Dumbledore throughout the book (since he has one as a pet - Fawkes - and one also serves as Dumbledore’s Patronus). It is also associated with both Harry and Voldemort (since it is Dumbledore’s pet pheonix which gave the cores of both Harry’s and Voldy’s wands)...