Beyond Hogwarts


<Latest Articles
Comments Index
Save Last On

Search Beyond Hogwarts:

Reference Desk:
Beyond Hogwarts FAQ
Wizard to Muggle Currency Converter
Harry Potter Spelling Reference


Is Harry the last horcrux?

by David Haber

In Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince, we learned that, to make himself immortal, Lord Voldemort ripped his soul into seven pieces, and created six horcruxes (the seventh piece of his soul still residing in his body). We know or suspect about five of the horcruxes. Is it possible that Harry is the sixth horcrux? There are clues to suggest that he is.

> Read the full article

Pages:  <<  <  45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65  >  >>

Reader Comments: (Page 58)

I don't think Harry is a horcrux. That is really far fetched. First of all, why would voldemort try to his horcrux in the first place? I know some of you say he may not have known harry was a horcrux. But, don't you think Voldemort would know what and whom is horcruxes were. He certainly is powerful enough to know if he cast a spell to make Harry a horcrux or not. He is also smart enough to know that when someone is destroying his chances of reviving not to help them buy ing one of his horcruxes!

Posted by Jenna from Palm Springs,CA on July 5, 2007 10:06 PM

I too have wondered whether we are lulled into a false sense of security about the Gryffindor sword and its status as a horcrux. It is mentioned so often, described in its glass case in Dumbledore's office, that is must have more signifcance I think. I wonder where it was before Harry pulled it out of the hat. It could have been made into a horcrux, hidden by Voldemort, but magically summoned by Harry in his hour of need as a true heir of Gryffindor. Perhaps it was originally in the vault at Gringotts with the rest of Gryffindor's armour...Voldemort doesn't know that it is in Dumbledore's office after all...pure speculation again.

Posted by Joe from England on July 6, 2007 04:19 AM

Joe: Great idea about Gryffindor's sword!

Last month, wizard of the month was Hufflepuff with her cup; before, Slytherin with his locket; this month, Gryffindor with his sword. It most probably confirms that the sword is a Horcrux, like the cup and the locket (all four Horcruxes would be relics from the founders).

Speaking of the vault, I'm sure you are perfectly right. It must have been there, with all his belongings. I have been thinking for a while that since Nagini belongs like a horcrux, she may be one of the relics transfigured (the sword).

My speculation is as follows:
Voldemort looks for the relics. He already found the locket and the cup. He now looks for the sword. I don't know how, but he's got a way to know that the sword in Dumbledore's office isn't the real one. He finds out about Gringott's Gryffindor's arch and opens it. The sword is there and Voldemort steals it.
Years after, Hermione comes to the same conclusions. They go there (the drawing on the cover), taking with them the token sword from Dumbledore's office. They don't find the sword, but maybe some hints to go further.

Posted by herve from strasbourg on July 6, 2007 08:51 AM

I think Harry could be a horcrux. Voldemort was trying to him because he didn't know he was a horcrux. If the horcrux spell is done simultaneously with Avada Kedavra, he could have accidentally made Harry into a horcrux when he tried to him. The fact that he didn't realize the diary was destroyed until later shows that he can't tell whether there is a horcrux remotely.

There is a way the part of the prophecy "either must at the hand of the other" could still be fulfilled while destroying the Harry horcrux and defeating Voldemort. Harry is in the final showdown with Voldemort. He realizes that he is a horcrux but Voldemort doesn't. Harry lets himself be ed because that is the only way to destroy the piece of Voldemort's soul in Harry. Because he had part of Voldemort's soul, he had "the power to vanquish the dark lord" by and destroying it. The whole prophecy could be fulfilled and Voldemort would be mortal so someone else could him.

Posted by Stephan Ebert from Wausau, WI on July 6, 2007 10:59 AM

I'm not entirely sure that Harry is or is not a horcrux, but just for speculation and the fun for debates, lets look at both sides.

Not a Horcrux:
First off, what they point out about the prophecy in the article isn't 100% the whole line; the line actually says, "...and either must at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..." just cutting out that first part can change the entire meaning. Reading the entire prophecy shows that either Harry or Voldemort needs to .

Second: Voldemort clearly tries to Harry personally or with his lackeys throughout all the books currently out, and if there was a chance that Voldemort knew Harry had part of his soul (because Voldemort is exceptionally smart and might have realized the possibility himself), I don't think Voldemort would Harry knowing it would mess up his perfect system (he'd have to make a seventh horcrux, splitting his soul into 8 pieces-he specifically wanted 7 for its magical properties). Also, it would bring Voldemort closer to which he himself says is the worst thing that could happen to someone.

Third: from a writer's standpoint (and I only come this way because I'm currently stu english and creative writing in college) it would seem somewhat anti-climatic and predictable to make Harry the final Horcrux. I only say this because JKR's books are so complex and well written with twists that this theory isn't quite surprising when compared to the other cliff-hangers and speculations brought on by her writing, especially with the Snape situation.

Is a Horcrux:
First: the fact that Harry does share not only powers, but certain personality traits, with Voldemort might mean that he not only gave him powers, but part of his soul. In book 5, Harry does have a moment where he was jealous of Ron for becoming a prefect over him, and even thought for a moment he was superior to Ron 'cause he had done more than him, something that Voldemort does everyday. Voldemort's soul could influence Harry in everyday life.

Second: Voldemort did only have 5 horcruxes at the time he went to Godric's Hollow, and he was ing to let Lilly live when he got there, whose to say he wouldn't let James live either (he might have fought him because he broke into their house, thus he got ed) Maybe he just wanted to make Harry his to control (if Nagini the snake is a horcrux, then it proves Vold. can control them) because he only heard part of the prophecy (though he thought he heard it all) and was wary because prophecies are fickle things and very vague.

Third: the most likely thing is that Voldemort went to Godric's hoping to Harry, as he feared someone who could destroy him. When Lily sacrificed her life, her love, which is repeatedly named as the cause for Voldemort's first , caused an error in his spell (which probably be revealed in book 7) and accidently imprinted his soul on Harry without knowing it. Either he knows this now and desires to remove his soul without ing Harry, or he would rather Harry and lose his soul so he doesn't risk Harry gaining control of his powers.

Either way, it'll be interesting to see where JKR takes the story, and it'll be both fun and sad to see the end of the series.

Posted by Matt from Oxford, OH on July 6, 2007 12:01 PM

nobody here notices that all we talk about here are souls? There is a soul problem in all this theories arent there? All who are the soul suckers in these books? Dementors! I think they play an important role or had already played an important role.

Posted by Areluna from california on July 6, 2007 6:05 PM

Monkeeshrines from Orlando FL,
I don�t ever remember reading anything about a record keeping quill at Hogwarts that records when a magical baby is born. Which book was it in? How could they have one anyway? Not even Dumbledore knows which babies be born with magic ability and which ones won�t. Look at Neville, they didn�t know until he was 10 years old if he could perform any magic or not, which is why his great uncle dangled and then accidentally dropped him from the window. So how could they tell if the babies were born able to do magic or if they�d end up being squibs? If they keep a record, how come they didn�t know if Mrs. Figg was a squib or not?

Posted by Heather from Charlevoix, MI on July 6, 2007 11:11 PM

From the beginning of the series, everyone suspects that Voldemort used the Avada Kedava curse on Harry, although there were no witnesses there on the night it was done. How do we know that was the curse actually used? Yes, something backfired on him to make him disappear for 10 years but, he did manage to come back (which the Avada Kadava wouldn�t have allowed, unless he used a horcrux in his process of returning). It�s possible that he could have made Harry into a horcrux, but because he had made so many horcruxes prior to Harry, he gave Harry the last bit of soul he had at the time (possibly not knowing that it was the only bit he had left) which is the real reason for his disappearance. Then he had to use up one of his other horcruxes in order to come back and then after his return he tried to convince Harry to join him (1st book/movie) Harry wouldn�t which means he is now a threat to Voldemort, which is why he is so determined to Harry. That, and he still suspects he�s the one in the Prophecy. Voldemort may have planned this horcrux thinking that by the time Harry is old enough to fight him, he would have all or most of his horcruxes back or more planted by that time so he wasn�t worried if Harry could actually defeat him or not, because Harry (being a horcrux would trying to defeat him) and therefore giving Voldemort his final horcrux he needed to become whole again (I would imagine that if the owner of the horcrux destroys it, he would get the whatever he put in it, being his soul, back when he destroys it). As for the convincing Harry to switch sides, Voldemort probably found that he would have easier access to Harry if he were by his side rather than trying to hunt him down in the future and him then. Which is why he wanted Harry to join him in the first book/movie.This plan would work to his advantage no matter what.

Posted by Heather from Charlevoix, MI on July 7, 2007 12:02 AM

Matt, maybe Voldemort really tries to Harry in GoF and OotP, but we have absolutely no proof that he really sends Harry an effective Avada Kedavra. So, we can't assume that Voldemort tries to Harry. And definitely, he doesn't want the Eaters to Harry.

And Harry can carry in his scar a part of Voldemort's soul, without having a Horcrux included in his mind. I don't think the scar is a Horcrux, but I think that Voldemort's soul is somehow split, with part of it in Harry's scar. I think this was totally intentional, as the prophecy states: he mark him as his equal.

Posted by herve from strasbourg on July 7, 2007 12:57 AM

If voldemort did make a horcrux out of Harry, I don't think he knows it. Why would he try to him if he is a horcrux? I think this would be a semi-predictable ending, given that JKRs stories are very complex.

Posted by Belle on July 7, 2007 09:03 AM

If Harry is a horcrux, why wasn't Voldemort able to "own" him in Book 5? Voldemort's soul, or the piece of it's soul with was left in his body, owned Harry's body like he owned Quirrell once, but he couldn't stay because of the love. So another piece of his soul, like the piece hidden in the sixth horcrux, wouldn't be able to own Harry's body either.
Otherwise, I like the idea Harry himself to make Voldemort mortal. Voldemort be ed by someone else, and Harry not be a er but a hero. Also, Harry be so there be no book 8, and no questions like ' he marry Ginny?', ' he be headmaster of Hogwarts?' remain.
I like also the theory the watch of Ron is the sixth horcrux. It's a present from his parents on his birthday, and it has mysterious symbols. Harry doesn't pay much attention to it, but the present is clearly mentioned in the book. Why would JKR mention one of Rons unimportant birthday presents? And his parents are poor, how could they pay such a expensive, golden watch?

Posted by Mirte from gouda, holland on July 7, 2007 09:51 AM

The prophecy states "he mark him as his equal" but I don't think that would be intentionally, but accidentally, as a result of the ing curse backfiring. It had to be a ing curse, since when it backfired it almost ed Voldemort. He probably did not just because of the horcruxes he had already done. Why would Voldemort want to mark somebody as his equal on purpose? And why would Voldemort want to make Harry into a horcrux when he knew that this child would be his mortal enemy and either of them would have to the other? (So he probably wanted to get rid of the child before he got to an age when he would be dangerous to him) Then he would have known that he would be ing the portion of his own soul he had put into the child when he ed him. It really does not make sense to me that Voldemort would try to make Harry a horcrux, and as it has been mentioned in the books, horcruxes are VERY dark magic, so most likely, they cannot be made "by accident", there has to be some incantation that has to be done in order to complete the horcrux.

Posted by mcm from germantown, md on July 7, 2007 11:10 AM

Pages:  <<  <  45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65  >  >>



Latest Discussions | Comments | The Septology | Harry's World | Harry Potter Movies | FAQ


BeyondHogwarts.com is not affiliated with or approved by
Scholastic Books, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros., or J.K. Rowling
Original Content Copyright © 2006-2009 David Haber, All Rights Reserved