theDiabolicalDrGnu:

i was wrong about harry being a horcrux too, cause i thought they had to be made intentionally.

was also convinced dumbledore would have returned, physically. all that phoenix symbolism led me astray.

i agree ... i think one of the more frustrating red herrings was the dumbledore/phoenix one ... this was a thread through the books that really didn't come into play at all in this one (which is unfortunate, considered that "clues" regarding just this were laid throughout many of the previous novels).