Horcrux

• Type: Dark Magic Object, Soul Anchor
• Owners: Primarily Lord Voldemort; Historically, Herpo the Foul
• Maker: A Dark Wizard or witch who commits murder

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.

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:
  1. First, the wizard must commit murder, an act of supreme evil that “rips the soul apart.”
  2. Second, the wizard must encase the torn portion of their soul within a chosen object.
  3. 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:
  1. Basilisk Venom: A substance of such destructive power that it has very few antidotes.
  2. Fiendfyre: A cursed fire that is incredibly destructive and difficult to control.
  3. 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.

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.

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:

1. Tom Riddle's Diary: Created with the murder of Moaning Myrtle. Destroyed by Harry Potter with a Basilisk fang in the Chamber of Secrets.
2. Marvolo Gaunt's Ring: Created with the murder of Tom Riddle Sr.. Destroyed by Albus Dumbledore using the Sword of Gryffindor.
3. Salazar Slytherin's Locket: Created with the murder of a Muggle tramp. Destroyed by Ron Weasley with the Sword of Gryffindor.
4. Helga Hufflepuff's Cup: Created with the murder of Hepzibah Smith. Destroyed by Hermione Granger with a Basilisk fang in the Chamber of Secrets.
5. Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem: Created with the murder of an Albanian peasant. Destroyed by Vincent Crabbe's Fiendfyre in the Room of Requirement.
6. Harry Potter: The accidental Horcrux. The soul fragment within him was destroyed by Lord Voldemort's own Killing Curse in the Forbidden Forest.
7. Nagini: Created with the murder of Bertha Jorkins. Destroyed by Neville Longbottom with the Sword of Gryffindor during the Battle of Hogwarts.

• 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).