I know this is too late to post a theory about Harry Potter, with just three days due for the release of the final book. I have been longing to post this for more than one and a half years. The reason for the delay is that I wanted to post as late as possible but I didn’t think that I would be posting this late.
But now that I am posting, I would like to say that this theory is purely mine and mine only. I don’t know if any of them out there had already posted this theory but this theory is purely out of my mind. And also let me remind you that this theory is purely my imagination (out of the clues I got from the book). But who knows JKR always likes to give surprises, doesn’t she? Lets get on with the theory.
How it started?
It all started in mid 2005, when I wrote my own fan-fiction of Harry Potter’s final book. I didn’t write the entire story though. It is more of a prologue. I wrote five chapters. You could see the posts I made in Ragnaboards Forum. I have also made a separate blog to post these five chapters. You may have a look if you want to. Ofcourse I made few mistakes (which would’ve been corrected if I completed the fanfic).
When I began my story, my thoughts revolved on the mystery of R.A.B. I knew that I had to find the right guy. I went on searching HP lexicon for info and not before long, I managed to find some info.
The Scrimgeours:
The Scrimgeours??? Isn’t it just Scrimgeour?! Where did Scrimgeours come in? And what have they got to do with R.A.B? I know these are the questions that you would like to ask.
Ever since Rufus Scrimgeour stepped out of the flame to meet the Muggle Prime Minister, in the 6th book, I had a curious thought that there is something special to this man. His mane like hair, lion like face and the grave look on his face told something of his past. And the reason J.K.Rowling introduced a new character in the sixth book is pretty obvious (if my theory is true). But Scrimgeour had already appeared in Fifth book. There is a scene (which I got from Wiki) in OOTP where Scrimgeour was referred and contrastingly, he was funnily speaking as told by the site.
In the fanfic I wrote, in one chapter, Harry would go to Diagon Alley to get some books for Defence Spells. He would come across a book called ‘Defense Academy’ by Scrimgeour.
[Quotes from My Fanfic]
“Who is the author of the book?” asked Harry after they headed out of Gringotts.
Fred looked at the book and read “The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Tremble”
“What about the other book?”
“Defense Academy by Scrimgeour”
And then later in the next chapter, Harry comes on to know that it is not Rufus Scrimgeour but Brutus Scrimgeour.
[Quotes from My Fanfic]
“Are Brutus and Rufus brothers by the way” asked Hermione
“I don’t know about that, Hermione” said Tonks.
This Brutus Scrimgeour was not accident or a made up story. He appears in HP Lexicon site as the author of the book named ‘The Beater’s Bible’. One thing that strikes me is the rhyming of their names: Rufus and Brutus! Even in Wiki, when I searched for Brutus Scrimgeour, I came across Rufus, where he was mentioned as being possibly related to Brutus.
And ofcourse, Rufus And Brutus! What is the chance of them being R.A.B? I read the sixth book again and came across some points.
While I was reading the sixth book, I came across another alternative.
Just one Scrimgeour!!!
In the chapter “The Slug Club” (Page 138, HBP, UK Edition), Rufus asks McLaggen about his Uncle Tiberius about hunting nogtails and McLaggen replies and adds that Bertie Higgs and Rufus Scrimgeous accompanies them (before Rufus became minister).
Bertie and Rufus!? Or Rufus and Bertie??? Seems another combination for R.A.B
Yes, I have some proof that you can consider that atleast Rufus is up to no good. So he can very well be one of the R.A.B!
Proofs:
1. You may think that R.A.B is a single guy. If you read the parchment from the Horcrux, it clearly tells that a single person has done it. What if Rufus and Bertie/Brutus called themselves R.A.B? And if one guy writes a letter, he would write it as a single person only (he need not mention themselves as a group).
2. He is always keen on knowing the inside information of the prolonged absence of Dumbledore.
3. His brother (assumed) Brutus might have got the horcrux and died. Maybe Rufus is searching for that too.
4. He is very keen to know where Harry and Dumbledore went on the night Dumbledore died cause they might have found something which leads to his brother Brutus! (an assumption).
5. He always walks with a walking stick. An object! What if it is perfect enough to hide something? Lets say the Horcrux!
6. The most important clue is in Page 294 (HBP, UK Edition) where Luna Lovegood mentions that Rufus is a vampire. Her father, owner and editor of the Quibbler magazine, had tried to post an article regarding the same but was prohibited by someone from the ministry. Ofcourse, Quibbler posts rubbish stuffs, but what if it was right this time??? Again JKR loves surprises. And Rufus being a vampire also adds the probability that he is in the dark side.
7. A real vampire appears in the party thrown by Slughorn. What is a vampire doing in a party of wizards? The vampires are supposed to be evil and should be on Voldemort’s side. Maybe the vampires have decided to be on the good side. This is also seen, as the vampire wants to prey on the nearby girls in the party but avoiding its temptation. If sixth point holds true, all the vampires are on Rufus’s orders to be on the good side.
8. In one community in orkut, a guy had posted that McGonagall is on Voldemort’s side. I found out something else too. In the final two chapters, McGonagall questions Harry about the place where he and Dumbledore went on the night Dumbledore died. He also asks Harry to leave when she sees Rufus coming to Hogwarts. And they are seen together in the funeral. Maybe McGonagall is working for Rufus and maybe she wants to know whether Harry and Dumbledore managed to get hold on the horcrux.
9. Again, Rufus’s appearance shows that he has some bad experience in the past.
10. Its either Brutus is living or he is dead! And Rufus might have been searching for him. For that he needs the parchment that might give him details.
11. In one of the posts in one HP community, there was a clue which is also a clue to R.A.B being two guys. There needs to be two people to get to the horcrux at the Cave. So Rufus and Brutus might have gone together to get the horcrux. (Edited : Realized this point is not true)
I know this is a long post. Thanks for reading my theory. I might have missed something, which I would be posting if I find one. And I would like to hear your comments about this theory. Negative comments are also appreciated! Ofcourse its just my imagination. And I would like to tell one more thing. J.K.Rowling would know that fans are brilliant enough to find out who R.A.B is, so she might have many options as possible! This might be one. Who knows? JKR loves surprises!