In chapter 20 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, we learn that Tom Riddle gains access to one of his old family heirlooms... Salazar Slytherin's locket. Okay, so he had to kill Hepzibah Smith and frame her house elf Hokey..... but hey, all in a day's work, right?

Now for phase II of his evil overlordly-ish plans.... hide the locket from anyone with a grudge [which unsurprisingly, turns out to be quite a few people.]

Luckily for Harry, Dumbledore does his best Sherlock Holmes impersonation and actually manages to figure out where the aforementioned locket was hidden. Seems as if Voldemort has nostalgic feelings for places where he did goodness knows what... er... terrorized... okay, we really dont know what happened in the cave, but I think we can all assume it was bad, k?

So now off to the cave they go, a-huntin' for a horcrux.

However, there was one small glitch... [well, besides the fact that the lake was full of creepy dead bodies and Dumbledore may have poisoned himself by drinking a basin full of unknown green potion]

Looks like somebody got to the cave before them and did a big switcheroo, and oh yeah, they left a nasty little note for the Dark Lord:

Okay, so the task just got harder seeing as now Harry has to 1.) Figure out who in the world R.A.B. is and 2.) Figure out where this mysterious person(s) put the locket. Oh yeah, he might actually have to destroy the locket as well, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

This poll is for us to speculate on where we think this mysterious horcrux is now. This poll will be open for 2 weeks for your voting pleasure. Please refrain from mentioning other horcruxes, we will get to those eventually, I promise.

I decided to go with Dung because I DO believe this will be a chase/race scenario to get to this Horcrux before anyone else does. So having Dung have it while he is in Azkaban will make things difficult, especially if Lucius finds that Dung has this little trinket.

I said that Dung still has it, but I'm not sure it is actually in his possession. I think that he TOOK it, and knows where it is. I think Harry will have to go visit him in Azkaban to discover its whereabouts.

I went with Kreacher’s lair, just because it seems like Jo’s style for it to have been right in front of Harry’s nose at Grimmauld place that whole time, and for him to have to return there to get the locket from Kreacher. Is there anyone else out there who, like me, thinks there is a chance that RAB actually did destroy the Horicrux, and left the soulless locket at Grimmauld place? We know that destroying a Horicrux does not destroy the object it is in (i.e. the ring) so it is possible, and it would sure make Harry’s life a lot easier…

I was wondering... why would RAB think Voldemort would ever try to retrieve the locket? Did Voldemort ever read the message? I'm just wondering if Volders knows where the other horcruxes (sorry, I know I'm not supposed to bring them up) are.

Anyway, more to the topic of this thread, I think Kreacher has the locket, it just makes the most sense to me. I mean, if it was in the ownership of Regulus (in good graces with mother Black), it would make sense that Kreacher stole and hid it somewhere in the house while the house served as the Order's headquarters. I also think that Hermione will play a key role in locating the locket by befriending a house elf.

PS. This was my 100th posting! I'm so happy!

Locket, locket, who's got the locket...

Hepzibah ->Hokey -> Voldemort -> the cave->RAB->Grimmauld Place->Kreacher-> Dung->Aberforth...

I think Harry's got quite a little chase ahead of him before he finds that locket. Ultimately, I think he'll end up finding it with Aberforth. I'm hoping he'll find some other important bits of information by visiting this brother of the late great Albus Dumbledore.


Edit to add: We don't know for sure it was in the batch of items that Aberforth got from Dung. Nor do we know Dung took it in a batch of stuff he stole from G#12, but Harry saw that exchange and I think that's an important clue

Okay, when I started this poll earlier I really could not make a decision between Dung and Aberforth. There are good arguments for either, but seeing this in Poet's post made me realize I feel the same way:

QUOTE

We don't know for sure it was in the batch of items that Aberforth got from Dung. Nor do we know Dung took it in a batch of stuff he stole from G#12, but Harry saw that exchange and I think that's an important clue

Okay, so now I think that Dung still has the locket, but that Harry will be going to Aberforth because Dung is in Azkaban and Harry needs to talk to Aberforth for the plot to move.
Anyway, I think that Dung does have the locket and did not get a chance to get it to Aberforth, and Harry will have to follow the breadcrumbs.

I think that Kreacher hid it in his lair, with all the other bits and pieces that he "rescued" from the clean-up.

Actually, this is very close to my opinion, but I chose "none of the above". IMO, Dung does NOT still have it...but took and sold it. I'm not entirely sure he would know where it went either. He seems the type who would sell anything to anyone as long as the price was right. I expect, actually, that it will turn up at Borgin & Burkes.

Now that would be a twist of Irony woulnd't FW? If it traveled to B&B through Merope and then to Hebzibah and all that way only to end up BACK at B&B. You know Dung just might be the kind that would sell things to them as well.

I think Kreacher rescued it and brought it to Narcissa, when he was absent over christmass

I voted for Aberforth - had always assumed that that exchange in Hogsmeade was critical in this matter - but I am troubled by the implications. Did Aberforth receive the locket, but fail to tell Albus? There is quite a gap between the robbery and DD setting off for the locket. If Aberforth received the locket but failed to tell Albus, then Albus's journey to the lake was doubly futile ... too dreadful to contemplate as an end to such a life.
And why would Aberforth fail to pass on the information? Is he on the other side?? Yet ... with him pulling up the collar of his cloak as he moved away from Mundungus, he did seem to be in receipt of something.
Oh, mysteries! I'm sure JKR meant for us to stew awhile on this one.

I think Aberforth has it, but it might still be a red herring... i.e. Aberforth bought the locket along with some other stuff Mundungus nicked from Sirus' house, but it might not be a Horcrux after all.

I voted for Kreacher's lair and 12Grimmault Place. The locket must have been there and we even don't know if Aberforth has an access to the building...

I believe that Aberforth has it (and that RAB was Regulus and Kreacher helped him get it from the cave), because that's the only scenario I can think of (or have read elsewhere) that makes any sense of the Mundungus Fletcher storyline. Jo doesn't put things in the books for nothing, and that got sufficient attention to make it more than a go-nowhere sidestory.

I think Mundungus stole it, and when Harry saw him in Hogsmeade that time, Dung was giving it to Aberforth (who was, after all, pocketing something as he walked away from his conversation with Dung). The fake locket may be a Black family heirloom. Perhaps Kreacher will see it and have a come-apart. One of the trio will remember that locket they couldn't open at #12 G, but when they return, it won't be there. They may think that Kreacher has it and go looking for it, but I think Harry will remember Mundungus stealling things from the house. That will lead them (and us as readers) to Azkaban and a little chat with Dung--and possibly Lucius--and then to Aberforth, whom most readers do no yet realize is DD's brother.

I always assumed that Aberforth didn't actually manage to find what he was looking for because I can't see him getting the locket and not telling Albus particularly as I think he instructed Aberforth to look for it. I think Albus had some reason to suspect that the locket at 12 Grimmauld Place was Slytherin's, but only after Sirius died, and Aberforth was dealing with Dung who might have taken it, but I think Kreacher got there first. Albus was using Aberforth so as not to raise suspicion, and I think Aberforth was doing it without revealing exactly what he was looking for.

( He imagined that he could see a black, huddled mass lying in the grass there, though he was really too far away to see anything of the sort. page 607 HBP U.S.) I think someone switched the locket while the Snape/Harry action was occuring (Peter) , depending on his loyalties, its with Snape or Voldemort. Although it would really be nice if Snape's avada kedarva destroyed the "Slytherin " locket and Wormtail takes his master a worthless Horcrux

Despite thinking about this for several hours, I still cant decide. I've always thought that Dung gave it (or more likely sold it) to Aberforth, who is after all DDs brother & a member of the Order. I think Aberforth plays a greater role in things than we actually get to see or hear about, & he knew of the importance or potential importance of the Locket & thus acquired it.
But, having read all the ideas in this thread I'm now unsure about where it is right now.

I suspect Mundungus has it as well, though where he's hiding it escapes me. And I do believe that, no matter what, we'll be making a visit to Azkaban, where Jo has never taken us before, though it will be a pity to visit it without the dementors. Who's guarding it now, anyway?

And I think that most readers, if not all of them, know Aberforth the bartender is Dd's brother. I'm a Grade A dolt, and I figured it out, so it can't be that puzzling!

Extra, extra! See, this is what I get for not reading the first page of comments. I like the idea that Mundungus sold it back to B & B. It would seem that Harry has to go back there, anyway, to talk to the people who hired Lord Voldemort. And hey, maybe to drop off a resume, in case the job market after graduation is as crummy in the wizarding world as it is in the Muggle one.

I go back and forth with this one. I voted "other" because today I think that Mundungus sold it somewhere and it needs to be tracked down. But other days I think that Kreacher has it hidden away.

I voted Aberforth, as i believe that he is critically needed to move the story along, now that Albus has gone.

I'm pretty convienced Dung would have it. Since he was afterall poking around 12 Grimmuald, and at that time Kreacher was at Hogwarts, so if it was in Kreacher's lair, I think Dung would of looked there. It must of been pretty common knowledge to members of the order who hung out at 12 Grimmald that Kreacher was inhibiting the attempts at cleaning. So that he might have some Black herilooms stashed is a fair assumption.

I'm not convienced he gave the locket to Aberforth outside the Hogshead, but it is a very good theory.

Edit: It is curious that Aberforth and Dung are speaking at all, isn't the Hog's Head the bar Mundungus is banned from? And wouldn't it be odd for Aberforth to ban a fellow Order member? It is all very curious.

I voted "none of the above". I think the locket is still at Number 12. That way, when Harry is forced to look for it, he'll have to return to Grimmauld Place. He need closure in that area of his life, and I believe the locket will be the thing to lure him back.

I chose none of the above.

I agree with Hydrangea that the locket was taken from DD's body after he died. But I think RAB has it(whoever he/she is).

Um who is Dung?


I havent read HBP for a while and everything is all foggy so this is probably just a stupid theory... is it possible that The Dursleys have it? They wanted to put a end to the magic in there household and I am sure they woudl rather have a Voldy that is able to die compared to a Voldy that has 5 more lives attacking them becouse I am sure they have thought of Voldy wanting to seek revenge on all that are related to Harry and have helped him out.

I'm really not sure where the locket might be. I'm inclined to think it's still in Kreacher's lair, just because it doesn't seem like a logical place for Dung to pilfer items. Nevertheless, if Dung knew Kreacher had been rescuing objects during the house cleaning, then he might have looked for and found the house-elf's little cubby-hole. Then the question becomes whether Aberforth now has it. The more I think about it, the more I believe it has passed to Aberforth's possession. There just has to be a reason why Jo wrote that scene in HBP. Unless, of course, it's just a huge red herring!

I wonder if RAB put it some place so Harry would find it eventually.

In TOOTP they find "a locket that wouldn't open" in the that desk they were cleaning out, so I think that it was the horcrux, not destroyed but maybe regulus hid it there so that he could try to destroy it. Kreacher may have taken it from the trash and hid it in his room. But I don't think mondungus took it and sold it. I think it will still be there, and that harry will find something important there from reguluas about horcruxes. I think the locket is still as Sirius's house, and Harry will go and stay there some while he is on his horcrux hunt and find it toward the end.

I think Aberforth may have it too. He is the only real link Harry has with DD now, and I think the scene in Hogsmeade is very unlikely to have been included for no reason. Dung was there to sell items and though Aberforth and DD didn't seem that close, I think he knows more about his own brother and what he was up to than many of the other members of the order

I think that Kreacher may have it. I could see it be in other places too though. I think that I will have to reread OotP and HBP again. It's been too long.

I don't really see why Aberforth would have it.

Dung, on the other hand, I could see having it. He could have easily gotten his hands on it and stolen it. It's either him or Kreacher, I think.

Aberforth may indeed have it. Jo did say that DD's family would be a good line of inquiry. The question is if Aberforth has it then what will he do with it? Give it back to LV or Harry or keep it?

I think Aberforth DD has it and got it when Dung and Harry had their confrontation in Hogsmeade.

The problem I have with Aberforth having it is that why would Albus have gone to the cave and risked not only his, but more importantly, Harry's life looking for a locket that his brother already had?

There are 2 possibilities that come to mind: Aberforth has no idea what the locket is, or he is on LV's side. The first option doesn't feel right to me and the second option... well that scares me quite frankly!

I guess this is why it feels better for me to think that Dung has it and that he had all intentions of fencing it to Aberforth, but was interrupted by Harry. Now when Harry figures out where he has seen the locket before, he will be on a merry chase that will start in 12GP, take him to Aberforth to meet him, then ending up at Azkaban as he goes to confront Dung.

Exactly what this person said! 100% agreement!

Regulus has it because he is not dead.....read OOTP chapter 36 more closely

i just reread chapter 36. Can you tell me where it sais regulus isn't dead?

I agree with the person who wrote that the locket might be a red herring. Instead, I think that the bit of LV's soul that DD was searching for in the cave was actually in the potion that DD had to drink to access the locket. Then, DD would become the horcrux (perhaps the Gryffindor horcrux) and need Snape to kill him in order to destroy that part of LV's soul forever. While drinking the potion, DD's screams indicate that he is seeing visions from someone else's life - I think it's quite possible that he's seeing episodes from LV's early life. While DD screams that (paraphrasing) it's all his fault, the visions he's seeing might reflect the fact that there was a part of LV's (or, more accurately, Tom Riddle's soul, that could show regret and had some humanity). It would be fitting for DD to forever be associated with the part of LV's soul that actually has some humanity to it.

Harry needs a break so I voted in Kreacher's lair, but Aberforth and Dung will be great sources of help locating other horcruxes.

Well now, The answer is relatively simple: DD didn't now what the horcrux was until he actually was in the cave. Only by drinking the potion the (fake) locket was exposed. DD was at that point probably not fit enough to distinguish any fake locket from the original.

I would guess that Aberforth is a good guy. He's at the background of a picture Harry is shown of the initial OotP, wasn't he? If he turned to LV, I would have guessed he would be locket away in Azkeban during the trials. But of course I could be completely wrong...
I would also guess that Aberforth is not stupid. Maybe less gifted than his brother, but I'd reckon that he knows a few things about the founders. Remember that all items connected to one of the founders are extremely valuable...

I have many theories about that famous locket. The one i am going to expose here, isn't the one i am the most convinced of being true, but i really like it and since it wasn't part of any of the choices, i decide to expose it. I think it is possible that Harry has the real locket.
I happen to think it is possible the real locket was in the potion, and that Dumbledore did get the real locket out of the basin. We know the kids at the Black house found a Locket, which by the way wasn't identify with the Black family crest, in fact there is no mention of a crest at all, which leads me to think it didn't had any. Also the Locket that was found in the basin didn't had any crest either. I think Regulus (well because i think it is Regulus that put the message into the basin locket), practise with the Black family locket first, before pulling out his stunt in the cave with the Slytherins locket (the horcrux one). I think Regulus added something to the potion in the basin to dissolve the Slytherin's crest. Now the message, i think ge just use his wand and a spell to transfert his message inside the locket.

I think Aberforth is in prime position to overhear many conversations at his bar. I agree that he is on the good side, but he is a spy to the dark side. LOL I sould like Star Wars here. I suspect he will be crucial in determining this locket situation. Though, I do agree, if he had the locket, he would have given it to DD.

Anyway, I am thrilled I am learning how to quote text from other posters

Just from the lively discussion and debates, already we have much to look forward to in Book 7.

Kreacher has it of coarse in his lair because while Sirius was cleaning they found a locket and i'm pretty sure Kreacher saved it.

Mundungus found it at Grimmauld Place, stole it, and sold it. God knows where it is now.

I actually voted for Kreacher's Lair, because I think it was one of the things that he saved from the cleaning and saved in his cupboard. I find it unlikely that Mundungus knew about where Kreacher lived because he doesn't want to befriend house elves like Hermione.

But, I have been convinced by all of these suggestions. It is possible that Mundungus was able to find it in his pilfering of the place and maybe he did sell it to Aberforth.

huh.

I voted for Kreacher's Lair, because it seems like something Kreature would collect. Albertforth is my next choice. I don't think Dung would have it, he doesn't seem like the sort of person who holds on to things very long. If he did take it he most likly got rid of it quickly.

Kreacher's lair, although i don't think he knows it's importantce, he only likes it's looks *Kreacher likes shiny locket, yes, yes, he does* lol

Remember...they found a locket while they were cleaning grimmauld place. I am sure that's it.

our first question is who RAB is. then we can figure out who has it. apparently mundungus fletcher has non of these enetials so it couldn't be him. it is a person like harry and dumbeldore who wants to destroy voldemort really badly. also kreacher can not right this message and it must be somewhere else. it can't be at the bottom of the lake. if so we are all screwed because it is going to be really hard to get it.
actually at the bottom of the lake isn't a bad idea. RAB comes and gets the realy horcrux, puts the fake one back in, fills up the bowl, inferni come, drag him to the bottom of the lake where the horcrux is now. thats pretty bad but possible.
it has to be a wizard who hates voldemort. so we find out who RAB is and we find out where it is.

That's actually quite probable Marielle. But doesn't HBP say:
"Harry knew, as he picked it up, that there was something wrong...
He turned the locket over in his hands. This was neither as large as the locket he remembered seeing in the Pensieve, nor were there any markings upon it, no sign of the ornate S that was supposed to be Slythering's mark."
I doubt Regulus (I also think he is R.A.B.) could have changed the size of the locket. Remove the S perhaps, but not change the size. It would probably have burnt a hole right through the locket, not just an even layer around the outside, therefore effectively removing the piece of LV's soul inside. Perhaps what was taken out of the basin was an actual Black family locket. We are never told about what size that locket would be if it exists, so perhaps he just corroded the Black crest off that and put it in the basin, after stealing the original from it: Slytherin's locket. I still think that was the locket that Harry and the gang threw out back in Grimmauld Place, though maybe Regulus did remove the crest off that. I do agree with you, but in reverse: I think Slytherin's locket was thrown out and the Black locket was found in the basin.
Anybody have any good ideas to support this theory?
PS: Roonily Wazlib, your theory is actually pretty good too. But then what was the locket thrown out at Grimmauld Place? Was it just put in the story by accident? Is the magical world really overflowing with random lockets? Or was it more significant?

So....R.A.B....

Im not sure if anyone else has ever mentioned this or if anyone has even speculated about it...but could Amelia Bones (The "A.B." in "R.A.B.")?

Who knows if Amelia is really just her middle name? In book six she WAS mentioned as having been killed, which the letter was pretty blatant about.

So that's my answer...Amelia had it before she destroyed it. What do you all think?

-Matt Davis of SoCal