Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======Horcrux====== =====Concept Information===== * **Type:** [[Dark Magic]]; [[Immortality]] [[charm]]; [[Soul]] magic * **Purpose:** To achieve [[Immortality]] by encasing a fragment of a [[wizard]]'s [[soul]] within an object or living being, thus tethering them to the mortal world. * **Inventor:** [[Herpo the Foul]], an [[Ancient Greek]] [[Dark Wizard]]. * **Known Practitioners:** [[Herpo the Foul]], [[Lord Voldemort]]. =====Description and Creation===== A Horcrux is considered the foulest of all [[Dark Magic]], as it involves the mutilation of one's own [[soul]]. The process is a two-step act of supreme evil. First, the creator must deliberately split their [[soul]]. This is achieved by committing the ultimate act of evil: [[murder]]. A cold-blooded, intentional [[murder]] rips the [[soul]] apart. Second, the torn fragment of [[soul]] must be encased within a chosen object through a complex [[spell]]. The specific incantation is found in the book //Magick Moste Evile//, but is not stated in the primary texts. Once the [[spell]] is cast, the object becomes a Horcrux. The object itself can be anything, from a mundane item to a treasured artifact, or even a living creature. [[Lord Voldemort]] preferred objects with historical or personal significance. The creation of a Horcrux has a dehumanizing effect on the creator. With each Horcrux made, the remaining portion of the [[soul]] in the creator's body becomes more unstable and damaged, leading to physical disfigurement and a loss of humanity, as evidenced by [[Lord Voldemort]]'s monstrous transformation. =====Magical Properties and Destruction===== The primary magical property of a Horcrux is to grant a form of [[Immortality]]. If the creator's body is destroyed, the piece of [[soul]] within the Horcrux will tether the main [[soul]] to the mortal plane, preventing them from dying. The disembodied spirit can later be restored to a physical form through powerful [[Dark Magic]]. Horcruxes also possess powerful protective enchantments and a form of malevolent consciousness. They can influence or possess individuals who come into close contact with them, as seen with the [[Diary of Tom Riddle]] and [[Slytherin's Locket]], using this influence to defend themselves and further the creator's goals. Destroying a Horcrux is exceptionally difficult, as the container object must be damaged beyond any magical repair. Ordinary physical or magical damage is insufficient. There are very few known methods of destruction: * **[[Basilisk Venom]]:** A substance so potent and destructive that it has only one known cure: [[Phoenix Tears]]. It can destroy a Horcrux completely. * **[[Fiendfyre]]:** A cursed [[fire]] that is powerful enough to destroy a Horcrux. However, it is extremely dangerous and nearly impossible to control. * **The [[Killing Curse]]:** [[Avada Kedavra]] can destroy a Horcrux if it is housed within a living being. This is because the [[curse]] kills the living container, and the piece of [[soul]] within cannot exist without its container. * **Creator's Remorse:** It is theorized that if the creator of a Horcrux feels genuine, profound remorse for their actions, the process could reverse, and the [[soul]] fragments could be rejoined. However, the process is described as an excruciating agony that could itself prove fatal. =====Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes===== Driven by his profound fear of [[death]], [[Lord Voldemort]] intended to split his [[soul]] into seven parts (creating six Horcruxes), believing seven to be the most magically powerful number. He ultimately created seven Horcruxes, one of which was unintentional, splitting his [[soul]] into eight pieces. - **[[Diary of Tom Riddle]]:** Created with the [[murder]] of [[Myrtle Warren]]. Entrusted to [[Lucius Malfoy]] and destroyed in 1993 by [[Harry Potter]] with a [[Basilisk]] fang in the [[Chamber of Secrets]]. - **[[Marvolo Gaunt's Ring]]:** Created with the [[murder]] of [[Tom Riddle Sr.]]. Hidden in the [[Gaunt Shack]] and destroyed in 1996 by [[Albus Dumbledore]] using the [[Sword of Gryffindor]], which had been imbued with [[Basilisk Venom]]. - **[[Slytherin's Locket]]:** Created with the [[murder]] of a Muggle tramp. Stolen by [[Regulus Black]] and [[Kreacher]], it was later destroyed in 1997 by [[Ron Weasley]] with the [[Sword of Gryffindor]]. - **[[Hufflepuff's Cup]]:** Created with the [[murder]] of [[Hepzibah Smith]]. Entrusted to [[Bellatrix Lestrange]] and stored in her [[Gringotts]] vault. It was destroyed in 1998 by [[Hermione Granger]] using a [[Basilisk]] fang from the remains of the [[Basilisk]] in the [[Chamber of Secrets]]. - **[[Ravenclaw's Diadem]]:** Created with the [[murder]] of an Albanian peasant. Hidden in the [[Room of Requirement]] at [[Hogwarts]]. It was unintentionally destroyed in 1998 by [[Vincent Crabbe]]'s [[Fiendfyre]]. - **[[Harry Potter]]:** The accidental Horcrux. Created unintentionally when [[Lord Voldemort]] murdered [[Lily Potter]] and the [[Killing Curse]] rebounded. A fragment of Voldemort's unstable [[soul]] latched onto the only living thing in the room. It was destroyed in 1998 by [[Lord Voldemort]] himself when he cast the [[Killing Curse]] on Harry in the [[Forbidden Forest]]. - **[[Nagini]]:** Created with the [[murder]] of [[Bertha Jorkins]]. The final Horcrux to be destroyed, it was killed in 1998 by [[Neville Longbottom]] using the [[Sword of Gryffindor]] during the [[Battle of Hogwarts]]. =====Behind the Scenes===== * J.K. Rowling has stated in interviews that the full process for creating a Horcrux, particularly the specific spell and actions following the [[murder]], is so ghastly that she decided not to publish it. (J.K. Rowling interview) * In the film adaptations, the destruction of a Horcrux is consistently visualized with a black, smoke-like wraith, representing the piece of Voldemort's [[soul]], erupting from the object before dissipating. (film) * The idea of splitting the soul to achieve [[Immortality]] is a concept found in various mythologies, often associated with the darkest forms of [[magic]].
