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Magick Moste Evile - What is (and isn't) a Horcrux

by Kevin McDonald

A Horcrux is a container in which the witch or wizard who makes one puts a piece of their soul to keep safe in the event that their body is destroyed. A Horcrux prevents the soul from "passing on" and thereby holds the witch or wizard's consciousness earth bound. That's it. From that point on, steps would have to be taken to re-establish ones self in a body.

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Reader Comments: (Page 10)

I think magic has its own repercussions. If Dark Magic is used, there be a price to pay. Voldemort is barely human, if at all, anymore because of how far along the path of Dark Magic he has travelled.
When Voldemort decided to preempt the prophecy, he set events in motion which were no longer under his control and cost him his physical body when the AK curse rebounded onto him. The cost may not always be physical, but I am sure there is always a cost. That is what defines the difference between and not . The immense remorse Harry would have felt if Draco had d from the Sectumsempra curse would have been the cost to Harry. His soul would have torn because of the unwitting and thoughtless way he used an unknown spell and the damage that would have resulted.
When someone delights in taking another life, the cost would not be taken into account, but would come back to bite them in the end, removing them one more step from humanity. People create their own consequences. The difficulty comes when they also wreak havoc on innocents. This is where the Order of the Pheonix comes in. "All that is required for evil to flourish is for good people to do nothing." ( to paraphrase someone famous).
Mikey, I don't think there is some external authority keeping tabs on the wizarding world, it is up to each person to decide on which side of the arbitrary line they fall, and up to society at large to protect itself.

Posted by Patty from Quincy,Massachusetts on February 15, 2007 07:53 AM

you all have a good points above, i'd add that all the "normal" people are not happy when they see someone else suffering, this is because they feel empathy and they cannot do damage to another fellow human being without feeling the pain themselves. Harry was horrified when he saw the slashes of Sectusempra on Malfoy, he even hated himself for having tried that curse.
Voldy is incapable of "good" feelings, he is a coldbloded er, a sociopath, he enjoy seeing any other persons who suffers, the most the better.
I'd say that it must be really easy for Voldy make a horcrux, bet he can't remember all the s he has committed...

Posted by sabri from italy on February 15, 2007 08:02 AM

Patty,
I think we are in agreement then; that the ability to make a horcrux only comes from within. This all leads me to the following thought. If a witch/wizard s someone and is in anyway remorseful, then they couldn't produce a horcrux even if they tried. Only a person that has no negative feelings about committing the could make a horcrux. That being the case, I don't think Dumbledore nor James could make a horcrux. I don't think there are many people who could make a horcrux. Voldemort could.

Posted by Mikey from New Jersey on February 17, 2007 10:50 PM

Mikey,
Very well put. I agree completely. I could never see anyone but Voldemort "selling their soul" by making a Horcrux.

Posted by Patty from Quincy Massachusetts on February 18, 2007 08:42 AM

Its a good theory.

The thought of Victor Krum or Fluer Delacor giving information on Horcruxes is certainly exciting!:) I wish that we see more of them in the next book, especially Krum.

Posted by Juhi from mumbai,Maharashtra on February 19, 2007 07:19 AM

I think it most likely that we see Krum again. He may even be invited to the wedding considering he was a champion, is an international celeb' and is a loose end that needs a bow. I think of the two (Fleur and Krum) Krum is the best hope for information, as Durmstrang is the only school we have heard of that actually teaches the dark arts. Just HOW dark, we can only guess. However, if the eaters try to disrupt the wedding, the Veela in Fleur may just reveal an "evil" side that until now has only been seen or felt by Ginny.

Posted by Kevin from Wisconsin on February 19, 2007 10:11 AM

We still don't know how Tom Riddle learned how to make Horcruxes while he was still at school. Slughorn tells Tom in the memory that he doesn't know how to make one, but he also says that Dumbledore is particularly fierce about Horcruxes.

We know that there is nothing in the Hogwarts library about Horcruxes. We also know that Riddle made his first Horcrux while he was still at school, which was the diary, because the Riddle that came out of the diary was still a student wearing Hogwarts/Slytherin uniform. Someone inside Hogwarts must have taught Riddle how to make a Horcrux! Anyone have any ideas?

Posted by Javed from Vancouver, Canada on February 19, 2007 7:12 PM

Javed,

I think most likely he found the same book that Hermonie found, that spoke of Horcruxes only once, and wanted to know more. I speculate that he may have found information regarding this in the Chamber of Secrets, used the Room of Requirement by simply saying, "I need a library with books about Horcruxes", or it's even possible that he contacted the Evil Wizard Grindelwald, who Dumbledore did not until 1945, to learn the correct spell to use.

Posted by Karen from Texas on February 19, 2007 10:44 PM

Javed,
What about summer vacations? I am sure Riddle would not return to the orphanage unless he absolutely had to. He could have stayed with classmates families, probably from Slytherin. He could pick their brains about Dark Magic, following up on clues as he did when he asked Slughorn about Horcruxes. Maybe Moaning Myrtle was his first . The basilisk was the weapon but the intent was all from Riddle. Once he had the ring, he wanted to find out how to use her to make himself a horcrux.

Posted by Patty from Quincy,Massachusetts on February 20, 2007 05:01 AM

Tom Riddle was able to perform magic and control his powers before going to hogwarts and before knowing he was a wizard.
From HBP we know that after the ing of his uncle and granparents, he went back to Hogwarts with Marvolo's ring
It must have been simple for him to find out more about horcruxes after his interview with Slughorn.
And, we know for sure, that he was able charm people around him, he is a very sed legilimens so...no problem with the "recipe" on how to make a horcrux

Posted by sabri from italy on February 21, 2007 03:56 AM

Karen from Texas,
I think your idea about using the Room of Requirement for finding information on Horcruxes is brilliant! Simple and elegant...wow.

Posted by Rickie from Illinois on February 21, 2007 09:58 AM

Karen from Texas and Patty from Quincy, Massachusetts:

Thanks for your ideas. The idea concerning the �Room of requirement� being used to provide Tom Riddle with equipment for making horcruxes convinced me the most. It really fits. Draco also uses the room in Half-Blood Prince without anyone being able to find him. It�s the kind of thing Riddle would do, since he liked to work alone.

Posted by Javed from Vancouver, Canada on February 21, 2007 4:55 PM

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