Getting to the horcrux of the problem

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” seems to me to be more about Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, Draco Malfoy and Tom Riddle/Voldemort than it is about Harry. That was fine with me, because it was fascinating stuff.

There is a lot of information in this book, some of which is back story. There are also as many questions as there are answers. I won’t go into what was answered so much because if you got to this point, you have probably already read the book. Instead, I want to ponder the questions and invite you to do the same.

1. Whose side is Snape on?

He’s on Voldemort’s side, whether that was his intention or not. I don’t think he makes that Unbreakable Vow unless he’s fine with killing Dumbledore himself. Snape’s slimy enough to have gotten out of doing that if he didn’t want to.

There will be a contingency of people who think Dumbledore ordered Snape to kill him and that he’s still working with the Order. If so, he’s got them all fooled. I don’t think anyone in the Order would trust Snape now, even if Dumbledore told them to.

It’s probably not relevant to Harry whose side Snape is on. At this point, I think if Harry encounters Snape, he’ll shoot first and ask questions later.

2. Who is R.A.B?

The prevailing theory is Regulus Black, Sirius’ brother. He’s the only character mentioned so far with the initials R.B. (although Mr. Borgin’s first name is unknown). He’s the one Sirius said got in over his head with Voldemort and tried to back out. Voldemort had him killed. Another item in support of this theory is that there was a locket nobody could open in Black’s house. That could be the real Slytherin locket.

3. What is the fourth horcrux?

I suspect it hasn’t come up yet. If Dumbledore’s right about the others, which is likely the case, then the three we know about are the locket, Helga Hufflepuff’s cup and Nagini, the snake. Dumbledore and Harry are guessing that the fourth is something that belonged to either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. Both the Sorting hat and a sword were items of Gryffindor’s, however, it’s not likely Voldemort has access to these in order to make a horcrux. My guess is that it is something of Ravenclaw’s that we have either not seen or have seen, but weren’t told it was hers.

I’ve seen theories that the fourth horcrux is Harry himself, but Voldemort was going to try to create a horcrux when he killed Harry. Dumbledore said that he thinks he later created one in Nagini to replace that failed attempt. That means the other horcruxes were created before he tried to kill Harry, so he’s not one of them.

4. Where are the horcruxes?

My guess is that Mundungus Fletcher has the locket, which he nicked from 12 Grimmauld Place, and Harry will have to track him down for it. I’m also guessing that he took Sirius’ mirror and that Harry will use the mirror Sirius gave him to contact and track down Fletcher.

Nagini is with Voldemort, so he can keep an eye on him.

I’m guessing (it’s just a hunch) that one of the others is in Godric’s Hollow. No idea yet on the fourth one.

5. Will Hogwarts open?

I think so, but enrollment will be way down.

6. Will Harry go there?

He said he won’t, and I don’t think he’ll change his mind. He’s got too much work to do to be a student as well. He will probably visit, though.

7. How about Ron and Hermione?

It’s more likely that they go to Hogwarts, but only if Harry can talk them out of shadowing him around.

8. Malfoy?

Undoubtedly expelled and running for his life. Maybe Snape is protecting him – if he can.

9. Have we heard the last of Dumbledore?

That portrait in the headmaster’s office can communicate, and he might have others. We’ll hear from him again. We’ll also hear a lot from and/or about his brother Aberforth, who is the bartender at the Hog’s Head.

10. What will become of the Order of the Phoenix?

I think McGonnigal is the new leader and they go about their business as best they can. Harry will work outside of the group though. He’s not going to be working with the Ministry either. He’s done taking orders from others.

If you have other theories, or just think I'm nuts, go ahead and share them!