======Salazar Slytherin's Locket======
=====Object Information=====
  * **Type:** [[Horcrux]], [[Heirloom]]
  * **Owners:** [[Salazar Slytherin]], The [[Gaunt family]], [[Merope Gaunt]], [[Caractacus Burke]], [[Hepzibah Smith]], [[Tom Marvolo Riddle]] (Lord [[Voldemort]]), [[Kreacher]], [[Regulus Arcturus Black]], [[Mundungus Fletcher]], [[Dolores Umbridge]], [[Harry Potter]], [[Ron Weasley]], [[Hermione Granger]]
  * **Maker:** [[Salazar Slytherin]]
=====Description and Appearance=====
Salazar Slytherin's locket was a heavy, oval-shaped locket made of gold. It was described as being the size of a chicken's egg and hung from a thick golden chain. The locket's most distinctive feature was an ornate, serpent-shaped 'S' on its front, encrusted with small, sparkling green stones.
The locket could not be opened by conventional means. It was magically sealed and could only be opened by a [[Parselmouth]] speaking [[Parseltongue]]. When opened, it revealed a silk-lined interior that later housed a fragment of Lord [[Voldemort]]'s [[soul]].
=====Magical Properties and Usage=====
As one of Lord [[Voldemort]]'s [[Horcruxes]], the locket possessed powerful and malevolent [[Dark Magic]]. Its primary function was to anchor [[Voldemort]]'s [[soul]] to the mortal world, granting him a form of immortality. As long as the locket remained intact, [[Voldemort]] could not be truly killed.
The fragment of [[soul]] within the locket gave it a semblance of consciousness and the ability to influence its surroundings and anyone who wore it.
  * **Emotional Influence:** The locket amplified the wearer's negative emotions, such as anger, suspicion, and despair. This effect was profoundly demonstrated when [[Ron Weasley]] wore it, causing him to become paranoid and resentful towards [[Harry Potter]] and [[Hermione Granger]].
  * **Self-Defense:** The locket was capable of defending itself against destruction. When [[Ron Weasley]] attempted to destroy it with the [[Sword of Gryffindor]], the locket produced horrifying visions of his deepest fears, including a spectral [[Harry]] and [[Hermione]] mocking him. It also attempted to drown [[Harry Potter]] when he tried to retrieve the sword from a frozen pond.
  * **Destruction:** Like all [[Horcruxes]], the locket could only be destroyed by substances powerful enough to overcome its potent dark enchantments, such as [[Basilisk]] venom or [[Fiendfyre]]. It was ultimately destroyed by [[Ron Weasley]] with the [[Sword of Gryffindor]], which was imbued with [[Basilisk]] venom.
=====History=====
Originally crafted by [[Salazar Slytherin]], the locket was passed down through his direct descendants, the [[Gaunt family]], for centuries. By the 20th century, the family had fallen into poverty and disgrace. [[Merope Gaunt]], desperate for money after being abandoned by her husband, sold the precious heirloom to [[Caractacus Burke]] at [[Borgin and Burkes]] for a mere ten [[Galleons]].
The locket was later purchased by [[Hepzibah Smith]], a wealthy but foolish witch and an avid collector of magical artifacts. She proudly showed the locket, along with [[Hufflepuff's Cup]], to a young [[Tom Marvolo Riddle]] who was working for [[Borgin and Burkes]] at the time. Recognizing his own heritage in the locket, [[Riddle]] murdered [[Hepzibah Smith]], framed her [[house-elf]] [[Hokey]] for the crime, and stole both artifacts. He later turned the locket into a [[Horcrux]] using the murder of a Muggle tramp.
[[Voldemort]] hid the locket in a secret seaside cave, protected by powerful enchantments including a blood sacrifice toll, a potion of despair, and an army of [[Inferi]]. However, [[Regulus Arcturus Black]], a [[Death Eater]] who grew disillusioned with [[Voldemort]], discovered the secret of the [[Horcruxes]]. Accompanied by his [[house-elf]] [[Kreacher]], he journeyed to the cave, drank the potion himself, and ordered [[Kreacher]] to swap the real locket with a fake one and to destroy the original. [[Regulus]] was killed by the [[Inferi]], and [[Kreacher]], unable to destroy the powerful object, kept it hidden at [[Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place]].
Years later, during the cleaning of the [[Black family]] home by the [[Order of the Phoenix]], the locket was found but discarded as junk. It was stolen from the house by [[Mundungus Fletcher]], who was later forced to give it to [[Dolores Umbridge]] as a bribe. [[Umbridge]] wore the locket to the [[Ministry of Magic]], falsely claiming the 'S' stood for 'Selwyn', a pure-blood family she claimed to be related to.
In 1997, [[Harry]], [[Ron]], and [[Hermione]] infiltrated the [[Ministry of Magic]] and successfully retrieved the locket from [[Umbridge]]. After months of carrying the burden of the locket and failing to destroy it, [[Ron Weasley]] destroyed it in the [[Forest of Dean]] using the [[Sword of Gryffindor]], which [[Harry]] had found in a frozen pond with the guidance of [[Severus Snape]]'s [[Patronus]].
=====Role in the Story=====
The locket is one of the most significant magical objects in the series. As a [[Horcrux]], it is a cornerstone of Lord [[Voldemort]]'s immortality and a primary target in [[Harry Potter]]'s mission to defeat him. The search for and eventual destruction of the locket forms a major part of the narrative arc in //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows//.
Its malevolent influence acts as a powerful antagonist, testing the friendship and resolve of the main trio and leading to [[Ron Weasley]]'s temporary departure. The story of its past reveals the tragic histories of the [[Gaunt family]] and [[Regulus Black]], providing a posthumous redemption for the latter. Its destruction by [[Ron]] marks a critical moment of his personal growth and heroism, solidifying his importance in the fight against [[Voldemort]].
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * In the film adaptation of //Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince//, the memory of [[Hepzibah Smith]] showing [[Tom Riddle]] the locket and cup is omitted. This backstory is instead explained by [[Hermione]] in //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1// (film).
  * When [[Ron]] prepares to destroy the locket in the film, the [[Horcrux]] produces a vision of a spectral, ghostly [[Harry]] and [[Hermione]] kissing and taunting him about his insecurities, a more explicit visual representation of the book's psychological torment (film).
  * The fake locket left by [[Regulus Arcturus Black]] contained a note signed "R.A.B.", creating a mystery that is solved in the final book.