First of all, I need to say that I am a militant believer in Snape's goodness. The reason Dumbledore gave for trusting him was just too lame - even Harry pointed that out - and I can't in my wildest imagination picture Dumbledore pray for his life like he did and actually
mean it. That would be so un-Dumbledore-ish. The two of them must have been putting up an act (I do think however, that Dumbledore as well as Sirius is lost to us forever). Besides, Snape is my favourite character close after Lupin, so I don't want to have to dislike him.
I figured out that Dumbledore would die long before I opened the book, but although I had had the time to brace myself I felt a great urge to erase Snape from my favourite list at the moment of Dumbledore's death, but then I got a hold of myself. Snape for the win, forever. *nods*
It is a shame, however, that Dumbledore had to die just when we got to see some human sides of him instead of just the all-knowing, all-powerful incarnation of Santa that he appeared to be in the first books. Well, well, perhaps Malfoy will succeed him as character developener (is that even a word?) - don't you just love how Harry caught him crying in the boys' room?
I don't think its Regulus Black. Maybe its some one who will help harry in the next book
You know, I do think it is Regulus. Someone at another discussion board wrote that the German name of the Black family is Svaart, and there the initials given are R.A.S. In Dutch, Black is translated to Zwaart and there the initials are R.A.Z. And Regulus is the only Black remaining whose first name begins with R, isn't he?
Oh, and for you that still cling to the hope of Dumbledore's reappearing - here is an interesting link:
http://www.dumbledoreisnotdead.com/