Susan, clearly you need to hook up with these folks: [link]

RE: HBP, something popped into my mind this morning regarding horcruxes.

JK has been so good at cleaning up details...or at least good enough for my less than steel-trap mind...and one thing has been bugging me since HP5: What the hippogriff happened to that two-way mirror thingie Sirius gave to Harry? Last we saw, it lie broken in an old sock...but it had no payoff! Except, perhaps as a last nail in the Harry resurrection fantasy coffin.

While I don't think it will reappear, it makes me wonder what other objects have I forgotten about that might end up being the last horcrux? I'll be amazed if it ends up being something we haven't seen before.

HP VI -- beej I thought about the mirror too. I was surprised that Harry didn't beat himself up over not finding/using it sooner, as that would have eliminated the need for him to use Umbridge's fireplace to talk to Sirius. I think he may use it yet, to communicate with those who return to Hogwarts next year. (I wonder if the Ministry of Magic may try to put someone else in as Head of the school rather than McGonagall; if so, then normal methods of commuication may prove too difficult.) Perhaps Ginny and he can talk to each other this way?

HP VI -- Speculation Assuming that "RAB" means Sirius brother Regulus, and he's the one who got the cave horcrux, the question is "how"? It looks to be a 2 "person" job as someone has to force the other to finish drinking. Who could Regulus have turned to for help? Who could he bring out in the boat without triggering the alarms and would have HAD to obey -- his command? My money is on Kreacher. Kreacher was protecting all of the Black family stuff, including that locket. Perhaps not only because he revered Regulus' and Sirius' mother, but because Regulus had ordered him to do so.

Also, it seems to me consistent with the way JKR is telling this tale that Harry would to have to deal with Kreacher to get information about what happened, particularly in light of Harry's revulsion at having to deal with the creature that betrayed Sirius. Also, maybe that would lead to some payoff for Hermoine's whole "S.P.E.W." crusade, which is little mentioned these days.

Damn. Good thought, Narrator. Yep. Colour me convinced.

I'm with you on the Hey! Tool available over here...no need to put yourself at risk in that stoopid fire, dude!

And yeah, maybe the mirror will prove useful later. I'd like that.

And OH Yeah, definitely a new head of school. That oughtta be interesting.

I have to confess to some confusion over all the mystery brother stuff. It kinda smacks of evil twin-ness that bugs me a bit. DD has a brother who doesn't get any play and Sirius has a brother who plays a major role after he's dead. He is dead, right?

I'm confuzeled.

And I'm with Fay on the Narrator agreeing.

HP VI -- beej Regulus is dead, according to Sirius and Remus. I just don't think we've heard the last of him. If Regulus got the Cave Horcrux, how did he know about it? I doubt Voldemort left a list around with the locations. So, this was a deep secret. Somehow, Regulus learned of the location of at least one of them. If I'm right about Kreacher going with him, I supsect that at some point we're going to see Kreacher's memory of Regulus in the cave and possibly some other information necessary to defeat Voldemort.

But DD's brother has been mentioned (the barman at the Hogs Head) and I also think that we will be seeing much more of him in HP VII. The brother not being apparently active in the Order of the Phoenix may have been because DD wanted to have a second front in the event that the Order was betrayed, etc. Well, DD's gone so, the reserves will have to come more to the forefront now.

I'm suddenly having a visual of legions of house elves with kitchen weapons marching behind Dobby to face off against Kreacher and a bunch of DEs. Tea towels unite!

Right, DD's brother gets 'mentioned.' He's related to the greatest wizard ever in the history of ever and yet he's just a barman who doesn't even speak to his brother in any of the books that we get to hear. Odd.

Nah, I don't think it's odd. Families are like that. I may be mistaken, but I don't think he's going to be anything fabulous.

HP VI -- beej But the books are -- with the exception of a very few chapters -- told from Harry's point of view. There's a lot Harry doesn't know. He doesn't know the barman well and never saw him with DD.

There is some mention in the latest book in particular of DD going to Hogsmeade several times. For all we know, he visits with his brother on a regular basis. Or, there was some falling out and it was only their common interest in defeating the newly-returned Voldemort that lead to them communicating again.

good points both.