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| salazar_slytherin_039:s_locket [2025/08/02 06:02] – created xiaoer | salazar_slytherin_039:s_locket [2025/08/04 07:22] (current) – xiaoer |
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| ======Salazar Slytherin's Locket====== | ======Salazar Slytherin's Locket====== |
| =====Object Information===== | =====Object Information===== |
| * **Type:** [[Horcrux]], Heirloom | * **Type:** [[Horcrux]], [[Heirloom]] |
| * **Owners:** [[Salazar Slytherin]], The [[Gaunt family]] (including [[Marvolo Gaunt]] and [[Merope Gaunt]]), [[Hepzibah Smith]], [[Tom Marvolo Riddle|Lord Voldemort]], [[Kreacher]], [[Mundungus Fletcher]], [[Dolores Umbridge]], [[Harry Potter]], [[Hermione Granger]], [[Ron Weasley]] | * **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]] | * **Maker:** [[Salazar Slytherin]] |
| =====Description and Appearance===== | =====Description and Appearance===== |
| [[Salazar Slytherin's Locket]] was a heavy, ornate locket made of gold. Its most prominent feature was a serpentine 'S' mark, inlaid with sparkling green stones, likely emeralds to represent the colors of [[Slytherin]] house. Before being cleaned, it was described as being as large as a chicken's egg. When unopened, it was simply a piece of tarnished, ancient jewellery on a thick chain. | 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. |
| When opened using [[Parseltongue]], the locket revealed two glass windows set into the gold. Behind one window was a dull, silky, dark green lining. Behind the other, a tiny, moving portrait of [[Tom Marvolo Riddle|Lord Voldemort]]'s eye could be seen, which was the fragment of his [[soul]] contained within. | 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===== | =====Magical Properties and Usage===== |
| The locket's primary and most powerful magical property was that it was one of [[Lord Voldemort]]'s [[Horcrux|Horcruxes]], containing a piece of his [[soul]]. This made it incredibly difficult to destroy and imbued it with a malevolent influence. | 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. |
| * **Dark Influence:** The locket had a profound negative effect on anyone who wore it or kept it close for an extended period. It amplified negative emotions such as anger, suspicion, and paranoia. While worn by [[Harry Potter]], [[Ron Weasley]], and [[Hermione Granger]], it drained their energy and good spirits, an effect similar to the presence of a [[Dementor]]. This influence was strong enough to cause a major rift between Harry and Ron, culminating in Ron's temporary departure from the [[Horcrux]] hunt. | 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. |
| * **Defensive Enchantments:** The locket could not be opened by conventional means or [[magic]]. It would only open when spoken to in [[Parseltongue]], a skill possessed by its creator, [[Salazar Slytherin]], and his heir, [[Lord Voldemort]]. | * **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]]. |
| * **Resistance to Destruction:** As a [[Horcrux]], the locket was impervious to most forms of magical or physical damage. It could only be destroyed by substances or [[magic]] so powerful that the object is damaged beyond any hope of magical repair, such as [[Basilisk]] venom or [[Fiendfyre]]. | * **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. |
| * **Soul Fragment Manifestation:** When opened, the fragment of [[Voldemort]]'s [[soul]] within could manifest itself to defend the [[Horcrux]]. It could speak, often in [[Parseltongue]], and project terrifying visions based on its victim's deepest fears. When [[Ron Weasley]] prepared to destroy it, the locket projected spectral forms of Harry and Hermione that mocked Ron's insecurities, claiming he was least loved and least desired. | * **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===== | =====History===== |
| The locket was an ancient heirloom created by [[Salazar Slytherin]] and passed down through his direct descendants, the [[Gaunt family]]. | 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]]. |
| - **Gaunt Possession:** For centuries, it was a treasured possession of the Gaunts, proof of their pure-blood lineage. [[Marvolo Gaunt]] prized it above all else, alongside his family's signet ring. After Marvolo and his son were imprisoned in [[Azkaban]], a desperate and lovelorn [[Merope Gaunt]] stole the locket and sold it 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. |
| - **Hepzibah Smith's Purchase:** The locket was subsequently purchased by [[Hepzibah Smith]], a wealthy and elderly witch who also owned [[Helga Hufflepuff's Cup]]. | [[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]]. |
| - **Theft and Transformation:** A young [[Tom Marvolo Riddle]], working for [[Borgin and Burkes]], charmed [[Hepzibah Smith]] into showing him her treasures. He murdered her, magically altered the memories of her [[house-elf]], [[Hokey]], to take the blame, and stole both the locket and the cup. [[Voldemort]] later transformed the locket into his third [[Horcrux]], using the murder of a Muggle tramp to split his [[soul]]. | 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. |
| - **Hiding and Retrieval by R.A.B.:** [[Lord Voldemort]] hid the locket in a heavily protected seaside cave, the [[Crystal Cave]], placing it in a basin filled with the [[Drink of Despair]] and guarded by an army of [[Inferi]]. In 1979, [[Regulus Arcturus Black]], having discovered Voldemort's secret, journeyed to the cave with his [[house-elf]], [[Kreacher]]. Regulus drank the potion himself and ordered [[Kreacher]] to swap the real locket with a fake one and escape to destroy the original. Regulus was killed by the [[Inferi]], and [[Kreacher]] returned to [[Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place]], unable to destroy the powerful dark object. | 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]]. |
| - **From Grimmauld Place to Umbridge:** The locket remained hidden in a cabinet at [[Grimmauld Place]] for years. During a clean-out by the [[Order of the Phoenix]] in 1995, it was among many items set to be discarded. Though [[Kreacher]] rescued it, it was later stolen from him by [[Mundungus Fletcher]]. To avoid prosecution for selling stolen goods, Fletcher bribed [[Dolores Umbridge]] with the locket. Umbridge wore it proudly at the [[Ministry of Magic]], falsely claiming the 'S' proved her connection to the pure-blood Selwyn family. | |
| - **Destruction:** After learning its whereabouts from [[Kreacher]], the trio infiltrated the [[Ministry of Magic]] in 1997 and successfully retrieved the locket from [[Dolores Umbridge]]. After months of carrying the locket and suffering from its dark influence, [[Harry Potter]] and [[Ron Weasley]] located the [[Sword of Godric Gryffindor]] in a frozen pond in the [[Forest of Dean]]. Ron, overcoming the taunts and visions produced by the [[Horcrux]] fragment, stabbed and destroyed the locket with the sword, which was imbued with [[Basilisk]] venom. | |
| =====Role in the Story===== | =====Role in the Story===== |
| [[Salazar Slytherin's Locket]] is a central object in the latter half of the series. Its history reveals crucial backstory about [[Lord Voldemort]]'s past and the heritage of the [[Gaunt family]]. The search for the locket drives much of the plot in //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows//, leading the trio to infiltrate the [[Ministry of Magic]] and later endure great hardship while carrying it. | 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//. |
| The locket's malevolent influence serves as a powerful antagonist, creating internal conflict that tests the friendship between Harry, Ron, and Hermione to its absolute limit. Its eventual destruction by [[Ron Weasley]] marks a major turning point in his character arc, demonstrating his bravery, loyalty, and vital importance to the quest. The story of its theft by [[Regulus Arcturus Black]] also introduces a complex narrative of redemption and internal defiance against the [[Dark Lord]]. | 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===== | =====Behind the Scenes===== |
| * In the film adaptation of //Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince//, the discovery that the locket retrieved from the cave by [[Albus Dumbledore]] and [[Harry Potter]] is a fake is not revealed until the beginning of the subsequent film, whereas in the book, Harry discovers the note from R.A.B. immediately after Dumbledore's death. | * 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). |
| * The note left by [[Regulus Arcturus Black]] inside the fake locket, signed only "R.A.B.", served as a major mystery and point of speculation for fans between the publication of the sixth and seventh books. | * 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. |
