My sister's theory about "Half Blood Prince" ending. *SPOILER!*

[Coventina]

She also thinks that Dumbledore is not really dead.

She pointed me to pages 591-592 where Dumbledore is talking to Malfoy and telling him that they can fool Voldy into thinking Malfoy is dead.
Upon re-read....well maybe.

I protested to her though that I would feel SO manipulated if it turned out that Dumbledore was faking. I mean, I bawled all through the funeral scene!!

So.....I don't know.
Any reactions?

[redsoxliberal]

1. portrait. phoenix. he is dead.

[redsoxliberal]

2. i think if anything it was hinting that regulus (RAB) may still be alive

[Coventina]

3. I'm inclined to agree with you about Dumbledore

I think he truly is dead.
How could Dumbledore be so cruel to Harry otherwise?

I have doubts about Regulus, though. If he is still alive, then he would be the heir of the Black estate, including Kreacher. But Kreacher seems to endorse (however bitterly) that Harry is now the heir.

[redsoxliberal]

4. i doubt he is... but that is what the malfoy comment would indicate

to me.

[lakemonster11]

11. I agree.

I've thought that Regulus might still be alive since they first mentioned him, just because it seemed pretty clear that no one had actually seen him die or even found his body.

Since he seems to be becoming more important, I think this is pretty likely, especially given Dumbledore's "we can hide you" line.

Here's my theory (well, I didn't come up with the idea, but I helped develop it, at least in my circle of friends :)). I'm not saying it's likely, but I think it's possible based on the evidence.

Regulus Black could be Rufus Scrimgeour.

I base this on three things:

1. Just like Sirius is the brightest star in Canis Major, Regulus is the brightest star in Leo. Who is always described as being lion-like? Rufus Scrimgeour. (This doesn't necessarily mean he's a lion Animagus, though wouldn't that kick ass?!)

2. Why throw a new, seemingly-important character like Scrimgeour at us in the sixth book and then give us little information about him? Why mention Regulus Black repeatedly?

3. Scrimgeour limps and is battle-scarred. Of course this makes sense for an Auror in general, so it may not mean much, but we saw what a toll destroying the ring horcrux took on Dumbledore physically. If you notice, JKR particularly focuses on his limp at the end of the book, after the RAB reference.

[politicat]

5. If JKR does that, it's... dishonest.

She's been so good about not pulling Deus Ex Machinae so far; to do so with Dumbledore would be false to the story.

He's dead. We mourn. We take the hurt and learn from it and we move on and do more with our lives. That's the lesson that EVERY death in HP has taught, that death is part of life and we can't give up this life because someone we love has predeceased us.

[davidinalameda]

6. when I re-read the funeral scene

I started to have my doubts on whether or not he's dead or not

I have accepted his death but I still am hoping that he's not dead

[TimeChaser]

7. Personally,

I think it means that Malfoy will fake his death. He's only looking out for his own interests, and now that he failed to kill Dumbledore, the quickest way to save his own skin is getting away from Voldemort.

[LWolf]

8. I just finished my 2nd reading.

I believe Dumbledore is dead. The signs point that way. His broken, dead body at the base of the tower. Harry's protectors and defenders dropping one by one; the need to remove the layers of protection and set Harry free to face Voldemort on his own in Book 7; Dumbledore's visit to Privet Drive, ensuring Harry's place until his 17th birthday as if he knew he wouldn't be there to do it at the time; Dumbledore's calm acceptance of the withered hand, and his remarks about Voldemort's fear of death, while remarking that it is something positive to look forward to. Even the glimpse of the phoenix at the memorial service; like a glimpse of his spirit moving on to the next thing.

I think we might hear from Dumbledore again before the end; I noticed that he is "dozing" in his portrait. That made me wonder if he was still, in spirit/phoenix form, off searching for horcruxes. I wonder if Harry will find himself companioned by Fawkes, or another phoenix, in book 7. Harry reminds us that "as long as someone is still loyal to him, Dumbledore is never truly gone."

I also believe that Dumbledore knew he was going to die, perhaps even planned it that way. My 2nd reading, coming from the pov of already knowing what was going to happen, reinforced my gut feeling about Snape. Snape is still working for Dumbledore.

The twitching of his hand while making the unforgivable vow, his snooping around Malfoy, his refusal to kill Harry, and his protection of him even at the end when Harry is attacking him, his fury over the "coward" label, his argument with Dumbledore....

Either Dumbledore was the smartest, most gifted wizard of his day, or he wasn't. I don't think he was mistaken about Snape. He never shared his "ironclad" proof of Snape's loyalty, so nobody can argue from that side. I think Snape's protest, which came after the unbreakable vow, was because of what he might have to do to fulfill it. I think he probably would rather have died himself than kill Dumbledore, and that Dumbledore demanded that he protect his position with Voldemort and the death eaters no matter what. Underneath the sneering, the bitterness, the unattractiveness, Snape might be the most gifted wizard of them all, 2nd only to Dumbledore. I think he's going to play an important part in the end, and I think Harry will have to reconcile with him in the end.

[XemaSab]

9. I mostly agree with you on Snape

I think Snape's WAY up there as far as wizard talent goes, up there with Dumbledore and Voldy, however from what we're seen of the Slytherin mentality (eg Slughorn) I still feel that he may just be working for both sides in order to see who comes out on top.... he may not HAVE a loyalty, especially as a very talented wizard himself.

[redsoxliberal]

10. I tend to agree with both of you... interesting point about the Slughorn

comparison!

[semillama]

12. I think there's a catch

His body is dead, but I think that there's one scenario that explains why Snape was trusted by Dumbledore and why Snape killed him - That was Dumbledore's plan. Here's why, and I may be totally wrong on this: Horcrux. Now, this is based on my understanding of horcruxes, so if I misunderstand their use and creation, then I'm dead wrong (pun intended). To create a Horcrux and split a soul, a murder must be committed. However, I don't believe that it was specified that the soul to be split had to be the murderer's. If such is the case, then Snape killed Dumbledore to create a Horcrux for Dumbledore. The Horcrux thus created is housed in the "fake" Horcrux, which Harry can't seem to let go of. Now, my speculation ends at why Dumbledore needed to do this in the first place, possibly because he was near the end of his life and needed more time to help defeat Voldemort?

But that's my horcrux hypothesis - any takers?

[Matilda]

13. You've touched on one thing that's been bothering me.

At the end of the book when Harry says he won't return to Hogwarts
anyway, it troubled me because Harry's journey to the cave with DD
showed very clearly that Harry doesn't yet have the experience to
defeat Voldemort on his own.

Of course that's why he's going to need Snape, but I still think Harry
has a long way to go - he's young, strong and talented, but couldn't
come near DD in terms of knowledge.

I think DD died, but Harry still has a lot to learn from someone he
can trust as he trusted DD, so how is that going to happen? It will
take a long time for Harry to trust Snape, so who's going to guide
and teach him?

A Horcrux is a very interesting theory - there certainly has to be some
way for DD to continue to instruct Harry, I'm sure of that.

[MaraJade]

14. All who think Dumbledore is dead should take a look at this. . .

http://www.dumbledoreisnotdead.com/

Interesting food for thought. . .

[Matilda]

15. I do admire people who put in this amount of thought and research.

But I think it's a case of believing what you want to believe.

I do believe that Snape was doing what Dumbledore wanted of him, and
there is a reason, but I think Dumbledore is definitely dead. Death
is a rite of passage, and the loss of his beloved mentor is something
that Harry must experience to grow into the wizard he can be. Only a
mature person can fight a wizard as experienced as Voldemort, and Harry
until now has been only a boy, however talented. Death will bring
maturity - we are already seeing something of this by the end of HBP.

Dumbledore is dead - the only real question is what will become of
Snape, and how will he and Harry unite to defeat Voldemort?