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Dumbledore's Horcrux

by Jan-Marie Spanard

How does a wizard learn about the existence and properties of Horcruxes? Who knows what they are, how to make them, what they can do? What wizard would make a Horcrux? Under what circumstances? And for what reasons? And why are they so evil? Hermione is working very hard to answer these questions. As Hogwarts virtual library search-engine, she is coming up empty. But Tom Riddle did it, somehow.

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Reader Comments: (Page 4)

Very interesting theory. My sister and I had already come up with the idea ourselves that Dumbledor had a horcux, but we didn't think of Fawkes. With reguards to the sorting hat being a horcux, JK herself already debunked that theory.

Posted by LeAnn Garrison from Cedar City, UT on September 28, 2006 12:02 AM

in the 5th book, order of the phoenix, when voldemort and dumbledore are face to face in the duel, voldemort asks dumbledore whether he was above 'such' brutality as to someone, dumbledore replied that they both knew there were OTHER WAYS TO DESTROY A MAN. so maybe horcruxes are not necessarily made by KILLING. u need to destroy the person utterly. maybe like a dementor or something. so that's what dumbledore did to grindelwald if he didn't him and lo! A horcrux! Omg, did I just think of that?

Posted by Aditi from Nagpur, India on September 30, 2006 01:51 AM

Aditi, I think you are at least on the right wave length, but I don't think you are correct. Horcruxes are created by ing someone, or more specifically-- by removing their soul from their body... I suppose there could be other ways to remove the soul, but wouldn't that be like the AK curse?

I do believe, however, that Dumbledore was hinting at something grand. Maybe he was hinting at destroying all of LV's horcruxes, which could actually hurt LV. I do, however, think Dumbledore is very much powerful enough to a wizard with a flick of his wand, therefor- I think he did Grindelwald. But I think there is a much bigger reason Dumbledore didn't LV, and we see that in book 7.

Posted by Brett J. from Boulder, CO on September 30, 2006 09:16 AM

yes there is another way to completely remove the soul from the body without using the AK curse. Dementors! if you remember when a dementor gives you a kiss it sucks out your soul. this is what was going to happen to sirius when harry and hermoine rescue him in book 3. also in GoF the dementors did this to barty crouch jr.

Posted by tonya from cordele, ga on October 1, 2006 07:11 AM

another thing i've been thinking about is that obviously you can use horcruxes to come to a proper life form from a spectre which is demonstrated by riddle's diary which was definitely a horcrux like DD said. so that means, LV used up one horcrux while he regenerated in GoF? we don't know if he created more since then but now comes the next part of the idea...
harry heard the phoenix lament the night of DD's and then it stopped. the next morning the funny thing happened at the where DD's body caught fire and all AND maybe THAT'S when DD regenerated with his horcrux, fawkes, and flew far far away...
what do you think?

Posted by aditi from nagpur, india on October 1, 2006 1:11 PM

I think that DD indeed be reborn as fawkes was. I think that this discussion about fawkes being DD's best chose for a horcrux just goes to show us that DD does indeed embody and symbolise the pheonix. This discussion really lights up the possibility that (whether DD has a horcrux or not) DD return in the 7th book. I can honestly find NO evidence to the contrary (that I haven't debunked already).

I even go as far as to say that when DD comes back he be reborn as a much healthier and stronger wizard. When a pheonix is about to be reborn they are tattered, old, etc (as illustrated when fawkes burst into flames), they are then reborn as healthy, strong, and beautiful. I think DD come back with 2 perfect hands (one no longer black) and very much stronger than he was when he d... I would wage a lot on this theory. Any takers?

Posted by Brett J. from Boulder CO. on October 1, 2006 2:21 PM

Brett, somehow I don't agree with that. Your theory hints towards immortality and I'm sure however powerful DD might be, he's definitely not immortal. He some day. But if he has Fawkes for a Horcrux (which is strongly possible), then he's coming back and in the process, have used up his Horcrux. He'll some day after that...

Posted by Aditi Dani from Nagpur, India on October 2, 2006 01:19 AM

No, I didn't hint towards immortality. undoubtedly come for DD, but not now. I really believe that DD stands for the phoenix, which is a creature of rebirth. However, he is NOT a phoenix himself... Thus, he won't live forever, just simply as long as it takes to fullfill his objective, which is to destroy LV... Anyway, that's just my belief from the data I have gathered.

Posted by Brett J. from Boulder, CO on October 2, 2006 3:37 PM

Ok, I have a few points to make
1)In the American version, it doesn't say that Dumbledore is *genuinely* asleep. On pg.626, it says that
"... And a new portrait had joined the ranks of the headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts: Dumbledore was slumbering in a golden frame..."
Now, this implies that either Dumbledore IS or that the heads in the portraits all are. However, I think JKR envisioned people from all over the world to work together to solve the mystery with their different clues, so the difference could be genuinely significant.
2) As far as I can remember, the Sorting Hat is never mentioned before Dumbledore's time, only that students were sorted. However, I don't think it is Dumbledore's Horcrux. I do think it is important that it would be one of Gryffindor's relics and that Dumbledore didn't mention that to Harry. (Ch. 23, p.505 in the American version)
3)It's very interesting that Grindelwald is only ever mentioned on the chocolate frog card. You'd think he'd be talked about a little, at least. I hope he'll tie into book 7 somehow)
4) I think, like many others, that RAB is Regulus Black, and that the locket Horcrux was at 12 Grimmauld Place (Ch.6, pgs. 111+116 in American version for more on Regulus and the locket) the note in the fake Horcrux said that whoever wrote it expected to be soon, and we know Regulus d 'at the hand of Lord Voldemort)
5) Where exactly did it say that Dumbledore's Patronus was a phoenix?

Posted by Amanda from Detroit, Michigan on October 3, 2006 4:32 PM

Here is the quote I found from JKR's site.

"What form does Dumbledore�s Patronus take?

Good question. Can anyone guess? You have had a clue. There was a little whisper there. It is a phoenix, which is very representative of Dumbledore for reasons that I am sure you can guess."

Hope that clears up your #5...

As far as #1 of your comments goes- I am more interested in the fact that he is sleeping, as opposed to the specific language used to describe it. I think DD is in a deep sleep, buried as if he were , and therefore his picture is representative of this fact. I find it hard to believe that someone could wake DD's picture at this point, but more importantly- Why is the DD in the picture sleeping! At this moment the school is just recovering from a Eather attack, DD has supposudely d, and everyone is scared or worried... Thus, wouldn't DD's picture know this (since he would be a representation of his real soul) and then be awake and telling words of reassurance? I think the fact he is sleeping is VERY telling, and is a hint from JKR that DD is really sleeping, not .

Also, it is NOT clear that all the pictures in DD's office are headmasters, it is more clear that they are simply past, as in no longer working as headmaster. I think DD's picture would be there anyway, even if he didn't , because he has given up his role as Headmaster... He is faking his , thus can't act as though he come back to work at Hogwarts... Anyway, just my opinion...

Posted by Brett J. from Boulder, CO on October 3, 2006 7:36 PM

I really think R.A.B is Regulus something Black, because remember that in Order of the Phoenix, when harry and the weasleys and Hermione are cleaning Sirius's house, harry finds a LOCKET that he CAN'T OPEN, what if this locket was voldemort's horcrux? I know it's only a guess but, it can be.

Posted by Salo on October 4, 2006 12:45 PM

I think Dumbledore is . Or at least he should be. If he stays he becomes a martyr and really makes you hate Voldemort. If he survives through a horcrux, that means that Dumbledore is a) evil, and b) that Voldemort is just another James Bond bad guy who was so y about his own abilities that he never did the job right.

Posted by Zach Meier from Coeur d' Alene, Idaho on October 5, 2006 12:01 AM

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