======Horcrux======
=====Object Information=====
  * **Type:** [[Dark Magic]] Object, Soul Anchor
  * **Owners:** Primarily [[Lord Voldemort]]; Historically, [[Herpo the Foul]]
  * **Maker:** A [[Dark Wizard]] or [[witch]] who commits [[murder]]
=====Description and Appearance=====
A [[Horcrux]] is an object in which a [[Dark Wizard]] or [[witch]] has concealed a fragment of their [[soul]]. The appearance of a [[Horcrux]] is that of the object chosen to house the [[soul]] fragment. This can be any mundane object or an item of great magical or sentimental value. [[Lord Voldemort]], the only known [[wizard]] to have successfully created more than one [[Horcrux]], chose objects of significant historical or personal importance.
Over time, the object housing the [[soul]] fragment becomes imbued with powerful and malevolent [[magic]]. It may exert a corrupting influence on those who come into contact with it, as seen with the locket's effect on [[Harry Potter]], [[Ron Weasley]], and [[Hermione Granger]]. A [[Horcrux]] can be a container for either an inanimate object, like a diary or a cup, or a living creature, such as a snake.
=====Magical Properties and Usage=====
The primary and sole purpose of a [[Horcrux]] is to grant its creator a form of [[immortality]]. By tethering a piece of their [[soul]] to the mortal world, the creator cannot truly die, even if their body is destroyed. Their disembodied spirit can endure until they can create a new physical form.
  * **Creation:** The creation of a [[Horcrux]] is considered the most supreme act of violation and is detailed in a book titled [[Secrets of the Darkest Art]]. The process involves three steps:
    - First, the [[wizard]] must commit [[murder]], an act of supreme evil that "rips the [[soul]] apart."
    - Second, the [[wizard]] must encase the torn portion of their [[soul]] within a chosen object.
    - Third, an unspoken and horrifying spell must be cast to complete the process. [[Horace Slughorn]] described the act as so vile that merely speaking of it is dangerous.
  * **Effects on the Creator:** Splitting one's [[soul]] has severe consequences. It destabilizes the remaining part of the [[soul]] within the creator's body and is believed to dehumanize them, making them less human in both appearance and nature. This is evident in [[Lord Voldemort]]'s monstrous physical transformation over the years.
  * **Destruction:** A [[Horcrux]] is extraordinarily difficult to destroy. The container object must be damaged beyond any conventional or magical means of repair. The piece of [[soul]] within is protected by powerful enchantments. The only known substances capable of destroying a [[Horcrux]] are:
    - **[[Basilisk]] Venom:** A substance of such destructive power that it has very few antidotes.
    - **[[Fiendfyre]]:** A cursed fire that is incredibly destructive and difficult to control.
    - A powerful destructive spell, such as [[Avada Kedavra]], can destroy the [[soul]] fragment if the [[Horcrux]] is a living being, as it kills the host without remedy. The [[Sword of Gryffindor]], by absorbing [[Basilisk]] venom in the [[Chamber of Secrets]], also gained the ability to destroy Horcruxes.
=====History=====
The first known [[Horcrux]] was created by [[Herpo the Foul]], an [[Ancient Greek]] [[Dark Wizard]] and one of the first known Parselmouths. The practice is mentioned in the book //Magick Moste Evile//, which calls it the "vilest of all magical inventions."
[[Lord Voldemort]] learned of Horcruxes during his time at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]] from [[Horace Slughorn]] and the book [[Secrets of the Darkest Art]]. Believing the number seven to be the most magically powerful number, he planned to split his [[soul]] into seven pieces, creating six Horcruxes while the seventh part remained in his body. He became the only [[wizard]] in history known to have created more than one.
His attempt to create a sixth [[Horcrux]] by murdering the infant [[Harry Potter]] backfired. The [[Killing Curse]] rebounded, destroying [[Voldemort]]'s body and inadvertently splitting his already unstable [[soul]] a final time. This fragment latched onto the only living thing in the room, [[Harry Potter]], turning him into an unintentional seventh [[Horcrux]].
=====Role in the Story=====
Horcruxes are the central plot device for the latter half of the series. After [[Albus Dumbledore]] discovers [[Voldemort]]'s secret to [[immortality]], he tasks [[Harry Potter]] with finding and destroying all of them. The quest to hunt the remaining Horcruxes forms the primary narrative of //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows//. The destruction of each [[Horcrux]] brings [[Voldemort]] one step closer to mortality, culminating in his final defeat during the [[Battle of Hogwarts]].
A comprehensive list of [[Lord Voldemort]]'s Horcruxes is as follows:
  - **[[Tom Riddle's Diary]]:** Created with the [[murder]] of [[Moaning Myrtle]]. Destroyed by [[Harry Potter]] with a [[Basilisk]] fang in the [[Chamber of Secrets]].
  - **[[Marvolo Gaunt's Ring]]:** Created with the [[murder]] of [[Tom Riddle Sr.]]. Destroyed by [[Albus Dumbledore]] using the [[Sword of Gryffindor]].
  - **[[Salazar Slytherin's Locket]]:** Created with the [[murder]] of a Muggle tramp. Destroyed by [[Ron Weasley]] with the [[Sword of Gryffindor]].
  - **[[Helga Hufflepuff's Cup]]:** Created with the [[murder]] of [[Hepzibah Smith]]. Destroyed by [[Hermione Granger]] with a [[Basilisk]] fang in the [[Chamber of Secrets]].
  - **[[Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem]]:** Created with the [[murder]] of an Albanian peasant. Destroyed by [[Vincent Crabbe]]'s [[Fiendfyre]] in the [[Room of Requirement]].
  - **[[Harry Potter]]:** The accidental [[Horcrux]]. The [[soul]] fragment within him was destroyed by [[Lord Voldemort]]'s own [[Killing Curse]] in the [[Forbidden Forest]].
  - **[[Nagini]]:** Created with the [[murder]] of [[Bertha Jorkins]]. Destroyed by [[Neville Longbottom]] with the [[Sword of Gryffindor]] during the [[Battle of Hogwarts]].
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * **Etymology:** The name "Horcrux" is likely a portmanteau created by J.K. Rowling. "Hor-" may derive from the English word //horror// or the Latin //horrere// ("to shudder"). "-crux" is Latin for "cross," but in English it can mean "the essential or most important point at issue" or "a puzzle or difficulty." The name could therefore be interpreted as "horror-puzzle" or "the essence of horror."
  * **Author's Commentary:** J.K. Rowling has stated in interviews that the full process for creating a [[Horcrux]] is so gruesome that she decided not to publish it. She has implied that the process involves some form of cannibalism or a similarly horrific act beyond the [[murder]] itself (J.K. Rowling interview).
  * **Film Portrayal:** In the film adaptations, the destruction of a [[Horcrux]] is often accompanied by a black, smoke-like essence of [[Voldemort]]'s [[soul]] screaming as it is vanquished (film).