Episode #32: How to Destroy a Horcrux
So, we know that the big task facing Harry is to find and destroy Voldemort’s Horcuxes, thereby destroying the fragments of his tattered soul and shuffling off his mortal coil. Sounds simple, right? Not quite, there’s one problem that we haven’t addressed: Just how the heck does one destroy a horcrux anyhow?!?! Tune in for our best explanations as to how Harry will help Voldie meet his maker.
This week, we are joined by Andrew as our guest host. Andrew was the winner of our “So You Think Our Accents are Rubbish” contest. Thanks very much to Andrew for coming on the show and putting up with our technical difficulties!
News: Due to technical difficulties, we have an ad hoc version of the news this week. Which means no links. Ugh.
Also, we’ve recently upgraded the Wordpress installation for the site to version 2.1.3, which seems to be much more prone to crashing that the old version we were using, so hopefully we’ll get that straightened out soon.
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May 11th, 2007 at 12:54 am
I think J.k. has said that the last chapter is called Scar. I think one of the horcrux’s is Harrys scar. This may be a way that he can live in the end and have the scar that he finds so uncomfortable removed… I also find it interesting that there are suppose to be a total of 7 horcrux’s at least that was the intent of Voldamort and there are 7 books…
May 11th, 2007 at 1:53 am
Well I’m just gonna add some news in here that were published today, actually I mean yesterday(I can’t sleep) and that I think will lead us to some serious prognostications.
We have that JK Rowling just updated her site FAQ to add some questions about Draco, Voldie, Tonks, etc…
Order of The Phoenix recieves PG-13 rating…Who would have known… T_T
POSIBBLE SPOILERS!!! I READ THIS ON A FAN MADE DEATHLY HALLOWS BUT I’M NOT RISKING IT SO I’LL LEAVE IT IN YOUR HANDS IF YOU WANT TO READ IT OR NOT…
Well I have to say the following aren’t exactly my own prognostications but I read them on a fan book of deathly hallows and for me it makes a lot of sense. I think the key to destroy the horcrux is in the place where the horcrux is meant to rest until Voldemort needs it again. Let say the diary-the basilisk fang, the locket-the potion?
Another thing that caught my attention in the book was an instrument that Dumbledore used at the final of the GoF after the Third Task and that we weren’t exactly told what it was.
Also we’ve already said this before but this book put Harry being a horcrux and I have to say it’s definitely made sense. Also we were always told that Voldemort gave Harry powers by trying to kill him. What if he accidentally made Harry a horcrux giving him a piece of his soul and automatically giving a piece of his power. And what if the scar is the mark of a horcrux. I’ll say this again this aren’t my ideas. This is as far as I remember so I’ll leave it like this.
HOPE THERE WASN’T ANY REAL SPOILER IN THOSE.
May 11th, 2007 at 2:05 am
Heyyy!! The last post was mine. I forgot to put the name >_>
Hey guys! I have one question! Has Rowena Ravenclaw appeared on the Wizard of the Month? Cause I just saw Helga Hufflepuff picture and she’s holding the CUP!!! Assuming that IS the horcrux, maybe she gave us hints on what is the other horcrux…
May 11th, 2007 at 9:40 am
Oh boy I’m tired but here is my contribution. Life is the key to the Horcruxes. It takes a murder or life to create. It would seem to me a life to use. Referencing how Ginny was being drained of life to make Tom Riddle real. So why not a life to destroy. Harry was dying at the time he destroyed the diary. He had sacrificed himself for Ginny and only the intervention by faux saved him. (After the diary was destroyed.) The ring was destroyed by Dumbledore at the cost of his blackened hand. Now while details are woefully few we do know that this would have killed him if not for Snape. The missing locket taken by RAB. The note said he was going to destroy it and be dead by the time the note was found. That’s my thought’s. Back to the dead horse I must add that when Snape introduced the potions class back in The Stone book he mentioned ensnaring the senses and prolonging life even when near death. Forgive me I do not have this book handy. (must have left it in the bathroom) but this is why I feel strongly that Dumbledore’s injury was terminal. His life prolonged only by help from Snape. Why I feel Snape did not kill him because he let go of life just nanoseconds before the killing curse. The only way Snape could not be a murderer whatever the intent. Also if my thinking on Horcruxes is correct there will be one life shed for each still to be destroyed. Ok coffee’s wearing off.
May 11th, 2007 at 10:09 am
Aaron: Good thoughts, those were my original thoughts on the subject as well. Except it didn’t take a life to get rid of the diary…Harry got bit by the basilisk…unless you mean a metaphorical sacrifice…
May 11th, 2007 at 10:09 am
OK, we are having some spam issues here and for some reason some of the not-spam comments are ending up in our spam (akismet) folder so if you find this happening to you, please e-mail us at harrypotterprogs at yahoo dot com! Thanks.
May 11th, 2007 at 10:20 am
Hmmmmm I’m not sure which is worse thinking my post are being sensured or being thought of as spam. I bet this is what all the great thinkers in history have had to overcome. Thanks for fixing it.
May 11th, 2007 at 11:22 am
Aaron — you have a good point, but there’s an initial flaw in your logic. We don’t know HOW the ring was destroyed, but we do know for certain that Dumbledore’s injury came as he collected the ring. Remember, he was wearing it whole until about 1/3 through HBP, when Harry saw it, cracked, on the table in D’s office. That is when D confirmed that it as a horcrux had been destroyed — but not until then.
I think it’s important to remember that the items are not completely destroyed once the Horcrux was. Remember, the diary was only ink-splattered and had a hole in it … it wasn’t ash. The ring had a crack in it, but it was still a ring.
As for the Harry as horcrux theory, I just don’t buy it. True, some of Voldy’s powers were passed to Harry that night, but if a part of Voldy was truly residing in Harry, there would be more draw to evil than Harry feels. Remember, he is an uncommonly bright wizard (despite Snape’s insistance that he is mediocre), and “wizards of that caliber are always drawn to the Dark Arts”. However, if he is a horcrux (or ever was one), I think he won’t have to kill himself to destroy the horcrux part.
I know that a big deal is made the the AK curse never leaves a mark with Harry as the exception, so how is it taht it blew up Harry’s house? But — here’s my theory. In OOTP, Dumbledore deflects an AK curse, and the curse hits a desk, blasting it to pieces. While the curse (when functioning properly) doesn’t leave any marks, I think a deflection of it causes it to mutate somehow. Maybe that is the key to Harry’s success. The Love Mark put on him has deflected it once, and we just don’t know if it will continue to do so. But we do know that somehow, it can be deflected … I just wonder if it takes more magical power than we have yet seen. Somehow I see that issue taking a huge part in the horcrux issue as well
Sorry, this is quite rambling, but why don’t we know how Dumbledore defeated Grimwald and how did he do it without ripping his own soul in half? Is there a way to “kill” a person without destroying your own soul? Or is he lurking around, destroyed in another fashion? Do you thnk that may be the clue to Harry successfully and safely destroying Voldemort?
May 11th, 2007 at 11:37 am
Elizabeth - I think there is a way. I think that if you kill just because you enjoy it, it tears a part of your soul but if you do it to protect somebody you love, it doesn’t.
I was thinking… is Harry going to be able to cast the Avada Kedabra curse, cause he couldn’t cast cruciatus, and if he can’t, wat other way can he use to kill Voldemort?
May 11th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
I am no one to critic rambling believe me. I think that killing tears the soul but to separate it and place it into an object is another step that must be done conciously. A torn soul may heal but scar. If it is separated then maybe not. Heck who knows really but JK as she makes the rules. I don’t think Harry will ever use an uforgiveale curse as they are unforgiveable. I don’t think that who you use it on is specified. His attempts are very disturbing to me and I do think the potions book of the HBP has more to reveal as far as tools for Harry’s arsenal.
May 11th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
Kinda switching up to determine the spam problem/issue. I think rambaling is the only way to communicate. I do think that killing or murder if they are the same thing tears the soul but does not separate it. That would be a concious decision that robs you of that much of humanity. I don’t know a torn soul may heal if left together or just be scarred. That is up to the rulemaker I guess. I don’t think Harry will everuse an unforgiveable curse simply because it is unforgiveable and no specification is given to it being forgiven if used on bad guys only. I do think the HBP potions book will return an add more tools and weapons to Harry’s arsenal.
May 11th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Here’s a theory about destroying a Horcrux: since Voldemort needs to take a life to create each Horcrux, what are the chances that a life needs to be taken to destroy each Horcrux? I know you guys have speculated that Voldemort may be destroyed at the expense of Harry’s life, but what if for each Horcrux, someone needs to lose their life? Since it takes such an extraordinarily strong combination of magic and murder to create one, couldn’t it follow that the reversal of such powerful magic would have to be equally extreme?
May 11th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
I highly doubt Mundungus has the locket horcrux. My main reason for believing this is Mundungus isn’t listed in the credits for the OotF movie and JK had insisted on Kreacher being included.
May 11th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Oooh, that is interesting, Ben. I like the thought process in the theory but I don’t like the ramifications it would hold. Question though- did Harry kill the Basilisk first and then stick the tooth through the diary? If so, the theory could have credibility! But who would dumbledore kill to destroy the ring? Also, do we think that JKR would sacrifice Harry’s soul to destroy the Horcruxes?
BTW, we had our first Rita’s this season. Greg is happy that he got his frequent gelatti or whatever card.
May 11th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Angie- so you think Kreacher has it? Or maybe Kreacher is the house-elf on the British cover of the 7th book.
May 11th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
I love the podcasts. Each one gets better.
This has nothing to do with the podcasts though. I’m helping to found a Harry Potter Club at my High School. Any advice?
May 11th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Alright… It makes a certain kind of sense that someone would have to die to destroy a Horcrux. However (aside from the fact that such a development would be utterly horrific to me) I don’t really think that Dumbledore would have brought Harry to destroy the locket if this were the case.
Maybe the key to destroying them comes in the triumph of life? Ginny and Harry both barely but definitely survived the encounter with the diary, as did Dumbledore with the ring. Perhaps only your life being stronger than the Horcrux’s attempts to kill you can destroy it?
Something else via the trio destroying the Horcruxes just occured to me. In “The Stone” as Aaron put it, Ron, Harry and Hermione each meet a particular obstacle guarding the stone that they are particularly well suited to defeat. Hermione got past the Devil’s Snare and Snape’s riddle, Ron beat the chess game and Harry caught the key… and held off Voldemort, of course. I wonder if this sort of pattern may not play out as the three of them attempt to destroy the Horcruxes.
And just one more thing- I know that JK Rowling said that she did not know what she was going to call the Horcruxes (it was in her diary a while back) but I do like to think that she knew what they were, and that the diary was one. As has been said, it seems that the diary was much more negligable to Voldemort than the others. He intended it to be used to re-open the Chamber if at all possible. I just don’t think he assumed anyone would catch on quick enough to destroy it while they had the chance.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
I think Harry WAS a horcrux. He was used in the regeneration of Voldemort in Goblet of Fire, so that could mean that Harry was made an unintentional horcrux when Voldemort tried to kill him. This also brings me back to a passage in Goblet of Fire in which Harry tells Dumbledore what happens in the graveyard. He notes a glimps of what seems like triumph in Dumbledore’s eye. Could this mean Voldemort used a horcrux inside Harry?
Dumbledore said, in Half-Blood Prince, that Voldemort wanted something from all four founders. If what I had said in the paragraph before was true, then this backs my theory of Harry being the heir of Gryffindor.
May 11th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
I think two very interesting ideas have been brought up in these discussion, that I’d like to hear y’all prognosticate on…
1. Yamil raises a question about Harry casting the AK curse. It’s clear that it takes real evil/hatred even to be able to cast one of the three unforgiveable curses — and even if Harry was able to cast it, the suggestion (in the term ‘unforgiveable’) is that it would be very wrong of Harry to use the AK curse - even on Voldemort. On the assumption that Harry does ultimately kill Voldemort, how therefore is this going to happen? Maybe a replay of their first encounter?
2. Michal mentions how in the first book each of Harry, Ron & Hermione had a very definite part to play (playing to their strengths) in order to reach the ’stone’. Are we going to see this pattern repeated in the final book, and if so, what exactly are Ron’s strengths? Or to be blunter, what use is Ron?
And finally, could one of the many Americans out there explain to me why HP and the Philosopher’s Stone wasn’t an appropriate title for the first book in the States. Does Philosopher mean something different over here?
May 11th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
I grapple with the first question all the time. When Harry was marked by Voldemort as a baby, he was marked as a future killer. There is no way around it. Even if he doesn’t end up killing voldemort, he is (most probably) going to kill at least 1 death eater (Bellatrix, if Neville doesn’t get her first) in the final battle. This makes me wonder if Harry will most probably end up dying at the end of the series because there was so much talk about how killing makes the soul unwhole and how could the “boy who lived” have his soul torn apart?!? Now I am depressed.
I think I’ll let “the others” (lost reference) address the other questions by Andrew.
May 11th, 2007 at 6:15 pm
The AK question is phenomenal! I don’t think Harry will use it … I think he used the cruciatus curse because he has a propensity for doing spells he’s never practiced before (Episkey, for one.) As to the AK on Voldy, I don’t think it’s a possiblity, the whole priori issue and all.
I don’t think that Voldemort’s insistance to use Harry as the “blood from the enemy, forrcibly taken” means he’s a horcrux. Think like a snake for a sec, he wanted to weaken, maim, and otherwise belittle the only wizard who could defeat him. As Wormtail pointed out, anyone’s blood would have worked just as well. But now V has the smallest smidgen of love in his blood, and he won’t be able to get rid of that. I think that was D’s triumph … Voldemort has an unadulturated good power in him … that’s GOT to complicate things in the future!
Okay, now here’s a question I have. Bear with me, it’s a tad screwy. Dumbledore nearly died in his RETRIEVAL of the ring, which was the first Hrcrux V made. that was also the first murder V committed. So it contained half of V’s soul. The locket, concievably was the second or third horcrux, and it may have killed Dumbledore, but we’ll never find out now, (thank you very much, you slimy git… (grumble, grumble). But it only would have contained 1/4 to 1/8th of V’s soul, since the soul is ripped in half every time you kill. Does that mean that the more Horcruxes you make the weaker (or more easily destroyed) they become? Could that be, then, why Dumbledore took the first out … leaving the “easier” ones for Harry to find. And how little of a soul does V have left, if he’s killed enough people to form ARMIES of Inferi?
I’m seriously confused by this, and would love input!!
May 11th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Andrew- I never understood why “Sorcerer’s”. It makes no sense in light of mythology as the philosopher’s stone is fabled to do what’s claimed; make gold and the elixir of life. I never understood why and it detracts from the history Jo invokes in her work.
I don’t see Harry killing anyone but sacrificing himself as per Greg’s theory.
Harry can’t be a horcrux! If he was V wouldn’t try to kill him after taking his blood. Wormtail implores V to use an ordinary wizard as it would be easier (and possibly the whole life-debt) but V insisted Harry was key. The key is V wanted to touch Harry, to negate some of the barriers from Lily’s sacrifice. V’s soul was safe but needed his body and powers, that is why blood was needed. Harry’s allowed V to touch him and it also meant Harry’s inevitable sacrifice would be bound to V in blood.
I think Andrew is right how to destroy a horcrux is to tamper with the horcrux while the soul is possessing another. Harry stabbed the diary while Ginny was hosting young Tom. Dumbledore apparantly cracked the gem while V’s soul was deteriorating D’s hand.
Lastly Comcast is dretch go w/ Verizon.
May 11th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Kreacher was stealing stuff to prevent Sirius from throwing the family treasures away, so I wouldn’t put it past him to steal the locket. I also think that Kreacher knows a lot, and Harry could learn from him about Regulus. I’ve heard a theory that Kreacher might have been with Regulus when he was getting the locket. The spell which detected grown wizards, and not Harry, is unlikely to detect a house-elf. Kreacher would then be able to help Regulus, and we’ve been told that house-elves have powerful magic, which they can use with owner’s permission.
I vehemently disagree with “Harry is a Horcrux” theory, though I do think we don’t know everything about his connection with Voldemort created that night. I was re-reading book 2 recently (and liked it more than I used to, strangely enough), and I noticed how Harry reacted to the diary that he found. He felt that he knew the name “Tom Riddle”, as though it was a friend, but it was like from a dream or something. And later on, Harry asks Dumbledore, “So Voldemort put a piece of himself into me?” or something like that, and Dumbledore replies, “It certainly seems so.”
OK. That is suspicious, and I thought here it’s clearly stated that there’s a piece of Voldemort’s soul in Harry. But not like a Horcrux, or perhaps a botched Horcrux. When Harry somehow recognized the name “Tom Riddle”, it felt like an old friend, someone who’d been helping him… I think that the piece of soul from Voldemort in Harry sort of was unaware of itself. It became part of Harry, perhaps the part that gave Harry an ability to withstand the bad treatment from the Dursleys for so long, a thirst to prove himself which the Sorting Hat remarked upon, a certain disregard for the rules to quote Dumbledore… This piece of soul I imagine has been so embedded into Harry, it went through the same experiences as he, and perhaps these experiences gave it a different perspective, so that now this piece of soul is not evil at all.
I definitely disagree with any sort of implications that Harry is going to use AK on Voldemort. That is not that power which is ultimately going to defeat Voldemort. To say nothing about the difficulty of Harry and Voldemort’s wand interaction. The power which Harry has, which Voldemort knows not of, and which is going to defeat him is love. And I as everyone have always wondered exactly how that can be. When I’ve been thinking about the piece of something from Voldemort in Harry, I’ve sort of imagined Tom Riddle getting separated from Harry, and going on to be a decent person… Transformed by the Harry’s experiences, which he went through also while being a part of him. If as you suggested on several occasions Harry can sanctify the rest of the Horcruxes — and then heal them, merge them back together, that could make a pretty full person/whole soul.
Finally for the record, I think Snape is good, and “Snape is Out for Himself” scenario isn’t half as satisfying. So if he is out for himself, and he just killed Dumbledore (having no other choice), and now the whole world believes him to be on the side of Voldemort…. why does he still pause to teach Harry to close his mouth and his mind; to use non-verbal spells and Occlumency? He has no more motivation to do so at all. Why does Harry’s accusation of being a coward hurts him so much he goes CAPSLOCK? If he’s out for himself, he’d let that remark slide — who cares what the son of the hated James Potter thinks, when has he ever put any stock in what Harry says?
May 11th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
Oh, and just a quick addition, which I forgot to mention — Voldemort already has Harry’s blood in him, and flesh of a servant in debt of Harry. Suppose a long lost piece of soul that went through Harry’s experiences is added, and the rest of his Horcruxes somehow sanctified? It’s a funny thought… Wouldn’t that be an interesting reversal… Do you know, I think that all the “love” might drive away the evil parts — Voldemort couldn’t possess Harry because it hurt, especially when he thought of everyone he loved.
Voldemort is dead; long live Tom Riddle! Hahaha, I’m dying here.
May 11th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Hey y’all!! Another great podcast as usual, especially since horcruxes are one of my favourite topics of speculation in Harry Potter. I have just been thinking about the nature of magic in Rowling’s books and I have noticed that there is definitely a theme of opposites- counter-spells, magical parallels and so forth over the course of the series. For instance, we are introduced to Dementors in PoA and a wizard’s Patronus can act as a type of Anti-Dementor (according to Lupin) that acts as a guardian to repel such a creature. In book 5, Order of the phoenix we are introduced to Occlumency (magical fortification of the mind against external intrusion) and its counterpart, Legilimency (intrusion into the mind to extract thoughts and memories). There are also a ton of other fairly minor examples that Harry and his companions have been called upon to master in their studies (Banishment/summoning, apparition/disapparition, conjuring/vanishment, stunning/reenvervate, colloportus/alohomora, there are a ton of other minor examples- you get idea).
This whole idea of magical opposites and white versus dark magic I think can be applied to the idea behind the horcrux which I believe has to have its opposite- or “anti-horcux” if you will. Here are a couple points which I am going to list which may sum up what an anti-horcrux is by working backwards using a little logical reasoning- in other words, I think we have to look at the cause before we can begin to address the cure :
1. Horcruxes are described in Magick Moste Evile (a book Hermione locates in the Hogwarts library in Book 6) as “the wickedest of all magical inventions”- most inventions are based on earlier developments, collaborations or ideas, and the process of invention requires at least the awareness that an existing concept or method can be modified or transformed into an invention- which spurns the question- on what basis or empirical evidence was a horcrux invented?
2. Rowling defines a horcrux as, “a receptacle in which a Dark wizard has hidden a fragment of his soul for the purposes of attaining immortality”- we know that this is accomplished through the ultimate act of evil- murder. Therefore, if we look at the opposite effect- we must think about what happens when the ultimate act of good (which I believe to be directed self-sacrifice) does to the human soul- I believe that is imprinted upon the person who the act was performed to save- in our case, Harry.
3. Perhaps Harry became the vessel for Lily’s (or a part of) soul which allowed him to survive Voldy’s AK curse. As Dumbledore mentions in HBP, magic always leaves traces. The scar is physical evidence of Harry being touched by an evil curse-and I believe Harry’s green eyes to be evidence of some sort of Lily’s sacrifice for her son (remember- “the eyes are the window to the soul” after all, I dont know where that saying originated from, but I think it has some relevance here). So in a way, Harry has been sanctified and protected by his mother’s sacrifice. Perhaps the Deathly Hallows are the actual people who were given a second chance because of the sacrifice of a loved one. It is possible that someone used this knowledge, perverted it, and using it as inspiration for the creation of the horcrux.
4. Okay, so how the heck does this theory help us with the problem of eradicating the horcruxes?? Im not exactly sure, but maybe a deathly hallow is the only individual who can destroy its opposite. The problem then is how does Dumbledore fit into the picture? I don’t really know either- did someone in his past sacrifice their life so that he could live, allowing him to destroy the ring horcrux? We know that Dumbledore definitely had a hard time with the ring horcrux, which means that he may have been a bit out of his element in accomplishing the task. R.A.B. may also not have had the ability to destroy the locket horcrux as well- and died as a result. What this means for the final confrontation will be interesting as both Harry and Voldemort share the same blood sacrifice. I definitely liked Greg’s idea of taking a horcrux and infusing it with love magic to destroy it- this is probably what will have to happen although I am a bit clueless as to the logistics behind how it will be accomplished. My instincts are telling me that Voldemort and Harry are irrevocably linked and both will have to die to bring an end to Voldemort.
May 11th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
Wow I just slept like 8 hurs. Contance made me think about the gleam of truimph in Dumbledores eye when he found out about Harry’s blood being used in Voldemorts reanimation. Maybe that has given Harry the power to touch the Horcruxes as it has given Voldemort the ability to touch Harry. There has to be some reason that a near 17 year old was chosen (destined) for this task over so many other experienced aurors and such. Andrew meant to say great job earlier in your part of this episode. I was expecting Montey Python and got a mix between James Bond and Sherlock Holmes. Your observations and comments were on the mark. I’m just hoping your wrong about Harry dying.
May 11th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
I just read Greg from Toronto’s post again ther is the instincts on how Harry dies to end Voldemort. The child in me must find this disturbing but I will remain on the side that Harry survives and gets the girl. Reading all these ideas just show me how much we still need to learn because they could all be correct. (Except the ones where Harry dies)
May 11th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
LOL, I don’t want Harry to die! Please understand that… I am just looking at the way that this story is playing out and I don’t think that everything is going to be tied up with a nice fuzzy bow. I am sure the battle will be won, but I think there will be a price.
May 11th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
For the record, having recently re-read book six, I desparately want Harry to live and for he and Ginny to live happily ever after.
All I was saying was that I think a plot which ended up with Harry as a horcrux and having to sacrifice himself for the sake of wizard-kind would have a satisfying ring to it; but the soppy romantic in me hopes that doesn’t happen. Or if it does then he somehow comes back to life, thereby re-earning his title as ‘the boy who lived’.
May 11th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Andrew, do you think that Dumbledore suspected Harry was a horcrux? That is the biggest block I have with the Harry is a horcrux theory- that Dumbledore never told him about the possibility…
May 12th, 2007 at 7:30 am
Even if Dumbledore suspected that Harry was a horcrux I can well imagine that he would have chosen not to tell him. It wouldn’t exactly have boosted Harry’s morale for the tasks that await him, would it?
May 12th, 2007 at 7:52 am
Oh boy I didn’t mean to upset anyone by saying Harry lives or dies I just wonder why those who think he will ,feel that way because I don’t see it happening. Every adventure thus far has almost cost his life and there are casualtys in every book. Who knows I may be way off base. I never considered Harry a Horcrux just because Voldemort tends to try and kill him. The boy who lived was what age? Why create a horcrux then kill it immediately afterwards. This like the unknowing transfer of some of the bad V’s powers as stated by Dumbledore makes Harry connected to V but can anyone unknowingly create a Horcrux? Just seems to big a leap. One thing that may be significant that I haven’t heard talked about lately is Harry’s Scar. The magical lightening shaped wound that burns like spidey sense.
May 12th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
First, Great Podcast and Good job Andrew!
Second, I agree with Doasis. I don’t buy that Harry is a Horcrux for the simple fact that Voldemort tries to kill him. Why would V try to kill someone who is his Horcrux. I have been thinking about this but Doasis got to it first!
Finally, am I crazy to wonder if RAB is really dead? Could Sirius’s brother actually be alive but in hiding? This is for those of you who know where to find the text, if it exists, the text that says he’s dead. Because if he’s alive, maybe he will be able to help Harry find the other horcruxes.
May 12th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Hey Wendy!! I think if Harry is a horcrux, it definitely happened inadvertently-according to Dumbledore Voldemort WAS attempting to create a horcrux with Harry’s death the night of his parent’s murder-This means that either a relic of the founders may have been nearby in Godric’s Hollow or he may have brought an item with him to complete the horcrux ritual, or maybe even stored the chosen vessel in some other location to be used after the murder. We don’t have enough information about how a horcrux is created so who knows what happened. The question still remains why Voldemort issued the order to the death eaters to leave Harry alone during the attack on Hogwarts at the end of Half-Blood Prince. Perhaps Voldemort realized through posession of Harry in the atrium of the Ministry of Magic at the end of Phoenix that a piece of his soul resided within Harry and that he has to deal with Harry on his own to extract his fragment of soul and then dispose of Harry
Andrew- I think you are correct that Harry knowing that he was a vessel for a part of Voldemort’s soul would be absolutely devastating to him- we get a sense of how disturbed Harry is with the possibility that he may be “contaminated” by Voldemort after he witnesses the snake attack on Arthur Weasley in Order of the Phoenix. This I think may be Jo forshadowing that there is more of a link between Harry and Voldemort than we realize. What is also telling is Dumbledore consults one of his instruments in his office after hearing Harry’s report about the attack on Arthur. A smoke serpent erupts from the instrument and then splits into two serpents- Dumbledore then asks, “But in essense divided?”. This scene has still not been properly explained and I think will prove to be significant. Harry thinks that Dumbledore may have been using this machine to confirm his story but I think he trusts Harry implicitly, so it has to signify something else. I have some issues with Dumblefore holding SO MUCH BACK from Harry all these years so I am hoping we will get some closure on this in the Deathly Hallows.
As for Regulus Black, Rowling confirmed in a World Book Day Chat 2 or 3 years ago that Regulus was in fact dead. Rowling also broke down the theory that Regulus was secretly Stubby Boardman, lead singer of the Hobogoblins who was mentioned in a Quibbler issue that Luna was reading on the train at the beginning of Phoenix- I think this is indicated in JKR’s FAQ section on her site.
May 12th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
Oh, here are some links- Rowling’s World Book Day chat in 2004, where she addresses Regulus Black can be found at:
http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2004/0304-wbd.htm
People should also check out JKR’s FAQ and Rumours section on her official site- its a treasure-trove of information for hardcore fans- she shoots down some theories, confirms some, and give juicy bits of backstory on detail from her stories- for e.g. She tells us that it was Dumbledore himself who devised the method of using Patronuses as method of communication between Order members and how a Patronus is uniquely effective as an anti-dark arts device- its very cool.. . check it out…
http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en
May 12th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
Greg in Toronto - That exact instrument was the one that I was talking about. I was really curious about it because it was never explained what it was… Maybe it checks if Voldemort’s soul inside Harry is separated from his own soul. And about Harry not being a Horcrux because Voldemort tried to kill him, maybe he wasn’t aware that Harry was one. I think he discovered that Harry was a Horcrux in some point of book 5.
May 12th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
Ok let me see is this what we think are the Horecruxes?
1. Tom Riddle’s diary
2. The Ring
3. The Locket
4. The cup
5. Nagini the snake
6. The wand
7. The final is retained in Voldemort’s body
I never saw anyone make a list I was wondering if this is it or are there other possibities?
May 12th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
To go back to the beginning- George, I think I heard the last “word” in the book will be scar- not sure if that changes your theory. I believe I heard that the last chapter will be an epilogue which will hopefully sum things up nicely for us so we can see what will happen to the (remaining and still alive) characters.
May 12th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Ok, just very quickly adding to things mentioned earlier. A- even if killing one of the most evil wizards ever would split Harry’s soul, I honestly think its a sacrifice Harry would be willing to make. B- scholastic’americanized’many things in their early editions of SS, including calling Mrs Weasely’Mom’. I imagine this was to lend greater appeal to the book in the eyes of American laychilderen… C- I’m pretty sure now that JKR knew about the horcruxes in CoS. US paperback edition page 17 3/4 down.
May 12th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
Wow. I don’t go on the computer for a day and look what shows up!! You all have done a fantastic job with these prognostications (I hope that doesn’t come off sounding patronizing because it isn’t meant to).
Elizabeth- while it makes mathematical sense that the fractions of V’s soul would end up how you described them (i.e., 1/2 in the ring, 1/4 in the next, etc.) I don’t think that is how JK Rowling meant them to be. I think we are to assume that they are equally divided into the different horcruxes. Once again, the pragmatist in me assumes this only because we are up to the last book and it is only 784 pages long so for Harry to figure that out and to figure in the strenght of each horcrux, I think would be a waste of good space that can better be used to give us other valuable information and answers. So once again, while it mathematically makes sense, I don’t think it will be like that (at least I hope it won’t be like that
)
Constance- interesting thoughts on Kreacher. So maybe HE is the one on the UK cover. And it is very possible that he would have been the one with Regulus when he went to retrieve the horcrus. I am still dumbfounded about how RAB would have been able to drink the potion from the basin without someone else there force feeding him so that makes total sense and goes with the not a full grown wizard thing. That is good, I like it!
As far as your Tom Riddle theory goees- interesting. But wouldn’t Harry have destoryed any piece of that Tom Riddle when he destroyed the Diary?
Greg in T- Brilliant compilation you offered. I love the whole opposites and magical parallel themes thing you’ve got going there. and the examples were fantastic. So can we assume love is the “anti-horcrux”? Speaking of parallels in HP, Larua from mugglecast (our favorite) has a pet theory that the books contain book-end type parallels. Meaning that Book 4 stands on its own with 3 and 5 paralleling eachother (I completely can’t remember why right now I am drawing a total blank on all of these but it is a cool theory), 4 and 6 paralleling eachother and she prognosticates (without using those words of course) that 1 and 7 will parallel each other. This makes sense if you look at the covers and see the curtains on both. In any event if that is true, you better believe Ron will sacrifice himself for Harry.
Yamil and Greg in T- can you remind me of this instrument again?
Aaron- I don’t think JKR says anything about the wand as a horcrux but there is rampant speculation on that one.
May 12th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
And this is why I want the British version of the books. They sell the UK edition in Canada, right? Maybe I’ll buy it at Prophecy…
May 12th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
I’m a real fan of the book-correspondence theory, it holds up beautifully. I’m re-reading the series now and I just started CoS, and the parallels just jump right out at you. (We even find out how that troublesome Vanishing Cabinet breaks.) There are also one or two parallels between the first and last covers I noticed- in both, Harry is stretching his hand up to reach something. Also, Dumbledore is on the back cover of the first, while Voldemort occupies the back of the last.
(Oh and the quote I mentioned above is the following: “”… Dobby has heard Dumbledore’s powers rival those of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at the height of his strength. But, sir,”- Dobby’s voice dropped to an urgent whisper- “there are powers Dumbledore doesn’t… powers no decent wizard…”")
May 12th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
Yeah, I only have the UK edition as a reference, but the instrument in question is in Chapter 22, “St. Mungo’s hopital of magical maladies and injuries” and Dumbledore uses it shortly after hearing Harry’s story about Arthur and Nagini. If Dumbledore suspected Harry was a horcrux (and I can’t understand how he could not conceive the notion) I think he would want some confirmation that Harry and Voldemort were still separate entities after hearing a story where it seemed that Harry was sharing the same consciousness wtih Nagini/Voldemort.
As for getting the UK editions, they are identical to the Canadian editions (Bloomsbury and Raincost books co-publish the book here) so you should go wild when you are here for Prophecy
May 12th, 2007 at 11:32 pm
Wow. I can’t keep up with all this, but I did want to respond to Andrew: I think you’re right…Harry probably will not be able to use AK, but, if our theory of what “Deathly Hallows” means is correct, Harry could die by AK, rendering others immune to Voldemort…and then they kill him.
Or (to tie in your Ron question): What is Ron good for? Well, in Book 1, he sacrificed himself so Harry could go on to the final battle. What if Ron died like Lily died…for Harry. I dont think this is likely though.
Even if Harry does die, I’m pretty sure he will come back from the dead.
May 12th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
As regards Philospher’s Stone, I think they were worried as Philosopher has somewhat of a high-brow and somewhat negative connotation in the US. It’s not like in England where it’s cool to be a philosopher. It America all it means is that you probably don’t believe in God.
May 13th, 2007 at 8:46 am
Hurray for Greg! I have been waiting forever for someone to say even if Harry dies he probably won’t stay dead. I was getting discouraged thinking I was missing something. I feel much better now. Thanks Greg!
May 13th, 2007 at 8:49 am
Oh yeah Penny is the wand the only Horcrux still in question?
May 13th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Well, we still don’t know 100% about the cup and Nagini, but those two were pretty much implied in HBP.
May 13th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Happy Mother’s Day to all the HPPROG mammas out there!!
May 13th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Thanks Greg in T for the info on RAB. Knew someone would know the facts about his death.
Thanks!
May 13th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
dont know if this has already been mentioned before but the mirror of eised is said to be the item from ravenclaw, itas on the dumbles dors army webpage in hermioes notes.
May 13th, 2007 at 6:59 pm
nick; that is hardly canon evidence… I have not see any pronouncements of this kind by JK Rowling anywhere, and it is not mentioned in the books either.
What is the wand-horcrux that people keep talking about?
May 13th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
The wand was on display in Olivers wand store window. It was displayed very trophy like. Speculation with his disappearance has led to some thinking this may have been a wand of one of the founders and thus a worthy item for Voldemort to have used.
May 13th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
That’s an interesting thought about the wand… though my impression of the horcruxes is somewhat different. None of the items we know of have possesed any (or much) magical significance of themselves. The diary was a relic of Riddle’s past; the ring and the locket both symbols of a lofty heritage, but as far as we know, not magically endowed. The cup as well seems to be a mundane object. With this sort of pattern, I don’t think Voldemort would have chosen something as obvious as a wand to be a horcrux. The items all seem to be saying “I alone can see the significance of this object,” which is really the way Voldemort seems to view himself.
May 13th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
That is a good point, Michal. What I find interesting about the wand idea is that in The Sorcerer’s Stone, when Harry walks into Olivander’s for the first time it says something to the effect of (I apologize for not quoting exactly but Ezra has usurped all of the HP books from us and they are lined up in his room on his night table and I don’t want to wake him up right now) of …Harry felt like there was an old secret magic there…. NOw this could just be Harry conciously feeling magic for the first time in his 11 years- but maybe the “old secret magic” is the horcrux. If anyone can fill in the exact quote, that would be great.
May 13th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
“For some reason, the back of his neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.” (SS US paperback, p.82)
I more read that as the sensation of hundreds of waiting wands and Olivander’s secret methods than anything else.
May 14th, 2007 at 12:12 am
Keep in mind that Dumbledore was fairly certain that Voldie had not created his last Horcrux when he went to the Potters in Godric’s Hollow. Dumbledore speculated that Nagini was the last one, as that was the first murder Voldie perpetrated since being disembodied. But it’s possible that he didn’t do it then…in which case it could have taken place around any of the murders we know about…perhaps after Cedric was killed…or Bertha Jorkins…I find it strange that Voldie would be able to make a Horcrux while without a body anyhow…
May 14th, 2007 at 5:31 am
Well, it was Wormtail who killed poor Cedric, though. Does it ever specify who killed Bertha?
Speaking of Wormtail… I wonder if this elusive life-debt of his will come into play with regard to horcruxes. I don’t think it’s implausible that Wormtail would know about them, having essentially kept Voldemort alive during fourth year. Will he play a role in destroying one?
May 14th, 2007 at 7:19 am
This is really off the topic, but i was wondering if there will be a podcast that talks about the Themes of each book and how they correlate. In your podcasts i hear references to them, but i dont see one that explains them…and id love to hear this more in depth
May 14th, 2007 at 8:40 am
I don’t know about wormtail. Unless I have missed something really significant he is just a rat. His actions have all been self preserving and loyalties motivated by fear. The life debt I hear so much about doesn’t seem to add up as Harry just stopped Lupin and Sirius from becoming killers. Turning Wormtail over to dementors doesn’t seem to warrent much gratitude or life debt in my eyes. Has this been described anywhere in the books where he owes a life debt. If so, is a life debt as binding as say an unbreakable vow? If not I can hardly see Wormtail honoring any such commitment. Forgive me Amanda but are there themes to these books? I never considered that. I guess I need to go back to school.. I feel so duh.
May 14th, 2007 at 9:05 am
I just poked Greg in Toronto ad Michal. Whatevr that mean’t. Hopefully it doesn’t leave a mark.
May 14th, 2007 at 9:13 am
RE: Wormtail killing Cedric - *headsmack*. I should have remembered the “kill the spare,” line. For some reason I was under the impression that Voldie was unable to do spells while in snake-worm state…so how did he kill Frank the Gardener?
Amanda: We are going to hold off on book themes for a while till the seventh book comes out (or we totally run out of topics, whichever comes first). I figure that until the 7th book comes out, we can speculate as to what’s going to happen…once it does, we’re pretty much limited to going back and analyzing what we’ve already got. If you want to check out a bit of what my thoughts are on the themes of each book, visit the old HPProgs blog and check out the articles under Patterns in Potter.
May 14th, 2007 at 9:20 am
He hee, Patterns in Potter. Such cool illiteration. I will chew on it after my nap.
May 14th, 2007 at 10:41 am
Aaron- oh that’s *you.* I was a little freaked out for a minute…
I’m pretty sure the life-debt will come into play. Harry did save Wormtail’s life which, even if he had been in Azkaban, gives him quite a few more options than would being dead. And Dumbledore thought it would be important, and I trust Dumbledore
May 14th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Sorry about the not cannon proof but heres another though mayeb quirrel was one of th horcruxes as voldemorrt had to posess him so maybe he made him into a horcrux aswell as harry could not touch him and neither could voldemort, maybe quirrel couldnt touch him because part of voldemorts soul was in him …. or it could be the fact that he was on the back of his head but just a thought
May 14th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
wow i never thought that quirrel might be a horcrux but i dont know can he have had part of voldemorts soul if he already had a full one it doesnt really make sense sorry nick, but maybe voldemort split quirrels soul up aswell
May 14th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
the fact that there is seven books and seven horcruxes is important i think maybe we have met a hprcrux in each of the books
May 14th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
it might have something to do with the seven deadly sins which are
lust,
avarice,
envy,
pride,
sloth,
gluttony
and anger
May 14th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
I am one of the proponents of Olivander’s display wand being Ravenclaw’s and a horcrux. I mentioned it in the comments of episode 25 along with my thinking Florean Fortesque has the cup of Hufflepuff. A new piece to that is Fortesque is a name of history as one on the headmaster paintings in Dumbledore’s office was named Fortesque. OotP when Harry told D about the snake attacking Mr. Weasley.
I think the seven trials protecting the stone parallels the books in general is a reach to me. Ron sacrifices himself in the chess match and sacrifies his pet in Prisoner and they don’t match up numerically. So i am not picking the right sacrifice or the thinking is a reach.
I got the impression that V killed Bertha Jorkens and has more of a body beginning of Goblet than before. So i thought V killed Jorkens- used her murder to imbune Nagini with his soul and having completed the seven soul parts, and 7 being the most magical of numbers, the result is the half-body V has beginning in Goblet. Lastly It is mentions that Murder tears a part of the soul, not necessarily in half, so each horcrux may not contain a half factorial of soul. They may not be equal parts either- just random fractions.
May 14th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
You are all so amazing! Doasis, Andrew, Greg, Mical, Penny, Aaron, gosh, everyone!
I don’t think Harry is a Horcrux.
I think there are fewer than 4 live Horcruxes. It’s a short book. RAB probably destroyed two or more.
I would have Kreacher drink the potion if I were RAB. Yuck!
Could Neville be a Horcrux? He’s dopey for some reason. He’s got some kind of funky memory charm on him. That’s got to be remedied in the next book.
Do we know if JKR had parents with Alzheimers or a psychiatric disorder? Perhaps knowing that would determine if Neville’s parents are cured. Perhaps that story line will be rejuvinated.
Can Voldemort use Inferi as horcruxes? One of Harry’s parents’ bodies? Maybe that’s too dramatic.
Horcrux possibilities.
1. Hufflepuff’s cup
2. Slytherine’s locket
3. Something in the room or requirement
4. Neville or Harry
5. An inferi
6. Nagini
Destroyed Horcruxes for sure.
1. diary
2. ring
May 14th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
I’m sorry doasis it was you that brought the wand theory to my attention. I think it is the best horcrux theory I have heard to date so I have accepted it as a very strong possibility. I agree with the statement about how the soul is not torn equally as that is how I read it also. I thought Bertha Jorkins was personnally killed by V as well. I will have to go back and re read the Ministers conversation to the muggle priminister again. I was caught up with dementer breeding and giants destroying bridges so as usual I miss a lot.
May 14th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
That’s a cool thought Suzanne! I was wondering how RAB got the locket since it was a task for more than one person and protected against multiple wizards. A house elf may indeed have been the answer and could well explain many of kreachers excentricities. If that is the case it very well could be the locket is in Kreachers posscessions in his little hole in the wall closet as opposed to Mundinger having it. The book length is aumented by the lack of quiddich which should make room for at least one other chapter of high adventure.
May 14th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
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May 14th, 2007 at 11:15 pm
I take a little bit of issue with what you guys said about the diary in COS being an “easy” horcrux, that it was “easy” to destroy. What???! How is having to face a basilisk, stay alive, and then manage to get it to bite through a teensy diary without taking your arm/face along with it an easy thing to do? I think that it was easy to find because of the fact that Voldemort wanted to also use it to possess people, but it was NOT “easy” to destroy, unless everyone but me thinks that basilisks are charming, polite docile creatures? Thoughts?
May 14th, 2007 at 11:36 pm
Totally unrelated to the topics of the podcast this week, but I just checked out all of HPProgs’ iTunes reviews, did you guys (Penny and Greg) rate all of the reviews that were critical as “unhelpful”? I have to admit, I noticed a bit of a trend there, and it gave me a laugh. If you guys DID do that, very clever! And if you didn’t, it looks like one of your loyal fans did, to push those not-so-nice reviews down to the bottom of the pile (i.e. to the 2nd/3rd page). Just thought I’d share!
May 15th, 2007 at 1:31 am
could hogwarts be a horcrux?? (not much evidence for this one I know), but Voldemort is making items he feels a connection to into his Horcruxes. And didn’t Dumbledore and Voldemort say that Hogwarts was where Tom Riddle had always felt most at home? Didn’t Voldemort try to get a job there? Dumbledore assumed he was looking for one of the founders’ objects, but what if he was actually waiting so he could murder someone and convert the castle into a Horcrux?
i know that you have been saying that there might be a horcrux hidden in hogwarts so maybe it is in the room of requirement, but he thought that noone would find out about the horcruxes so he did not need to worry that someone would walk past the door 3 times thinking ” i need to find a place to hide a horcrux” or something along the lines of that.
May 15th, 2007 at 5:38 am
LavenderGrey, I agree with your assessment totally about the diary not being an easy horcrux to destroy- I had that same thought when I was listening to the podcast. The fact that Tom Riddle’s memory was protecting the object constituted a very real threat to anyone who would want to destroy it as the memory was acting almost like a sinister sort of artificial intelligence. Ginny almost ended dead and so did Harry as a result of Tom Riddle summoning the basilisk to kill him, so destroying this particular horcrux was quite the safety hazard!! Also, the fact that this object was placed in the hands of a child is also significant, as a more experienced wizard would be able to reason that the object might be powered by dark magic while an underaged wizard would merely see it as a fascinating object to be obsessed over.
May 15th, 2007 at 8:10 am
LavenderGray: true about the diary, what I meant was that as opposed to the ring and the locket, there weren’t a lot of barriers to getting to the diary…had Harry been aware of the fact that it was a horcrux, he could have destroyed it without facing the basilisk.
Regarding iTunes: No comment.
May 15th, 2007 at 8:15 am
Nick: I like the idea of the seven books/horcruxes being related to the 7 deadly sins…the only thing I can say is that I do think the theme of Book 4 is pride…but I’m not sure how to connect the other sins to the other books/horcruxes. If anyone can do this, I would be very interested in hearing an explanation.
May 15th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Ok Greg as promised I have been chewing on Patterns in Potter. There is an awful lot there to chew on though. I know you are putting book themes on hold which is fine but I wanted to compare your themes with what has been said. Here is what I found. Book 1=power, Book 2=identity, 3=emotions, 4=pride,5-trust, and 6-? couldn’t locate that one maybe friendship, unity? help me out if you can. Having the 1st five themes I fail to make any connection to the 7 deadly sins but can attribute them to individual characters. That being said you could do that pretty easily and it proves little so I am hitting a dead end. I am facinated by how each book is structored though. They begin at the Durselys, followed by a brief stop in the magical world introducing us to a new area and then on to Hogwarts. I am guessing that book 7 will be the same in structure. The wedding following the Durselys and on to Hogwarts. If there is a connection between the 1st and last book I’m missing it. I love the theories about Ron’s sacrifice at the chess game being a forshadowing to what may happen to him at the end. I just don’t think it will so that shoots that down for me. One thing that hasn’t been mentioned much was Bill’s werewolf characteristics. He was seen eating raw meat all ready but what happens during the full moon? Wouldn’t it be great if he transformed but retained his conscienceness? He could be a short of super hero. Maybe even providing a future link to keep Lupin from becoming a killer wolfman. Lastly J.K. Rowling has stated that there are two main characters that will die. I believe she is excluding the big V as that is pretty much a given. My guess is Snape and Hagrid. I have heard yours in an earlier podcast does this hold true still? What does everybody else think?
May 15th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
Oh yeah forgot the theme of book 7 will most likely be love don’t you think? A wedding. Ron and Hermine? Harry and Ginny? Tonks and Lupin? Snape and Narciisa?
May 15th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
in book 6 there is a quote that i find interesting it is when harry has slashed Draco with the serpensortia spell and he has to hide his potions book from snape it says
“He paused for a moment, his heart thumping horribly, gazing around at the clutter … would he be abe to find this spot again, amidst all this junk? Seizing the chipped bust of an ugly old warlock from on top of a nearby crate, he stood it on the cupboard where the book was now hidden, perched a dusty old wig and a tarnished tiara on the statues head to make it more distinctive”
I think that the tiara may be of some importtance in the next book it may be the 7th horcrux? it could have been ravenclaws i dont know? i think it has some connection.
I also think that the tiara in question may be the one that Mrs weasley gave fleur in the 6th book for the wedding i say this as:
1. Because its been in the family for years, and the Weaslys (prewett) are a very old pure lines of wizards.
2. It will put the item within reach of the three, Ron, Herminone and Harry. not to mention all the others in the order who attend the wedding.
3. Mrs Weasleys brothers were killed by death eaters or possably LV
the tiara that mrs weasly had was goblin made, Goblin made seems significant, Goblin made items are supposed to be superior and I would guess expensive.
Also, is it me or is it implied that perhaps like the tiara and Sirius’ families items they are rare and hard to come by?
Would make sense for such an item to have horcrux potential.
May 15th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
It is as good a guess as any Nick. Guess we will have to wait another 66 days.
May 15th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
also i forgot to mention i said eariler that mirror of erised had something to do with this ( but i had no proof just a feeling) maybe it is linked to the veil in the department of mystereis maybe what you see in the mirror is what you get when you fall through the veil no real reason for this just a hunch.
If the mirror does have something to do with this then the theory i had with the books and the seven deadly sins kind of likes in the mirror of erised is as you know desire spelled backwards then this could be the ist deadly sin lust, which would link to it being the first book … the first horcrux we meet.
May 15th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
i just wanted to tell all you guys this i am a regular listener to the podcast and i am only 14 but the things you say really are interesting and i agree with you that harry potter is not just for kids.
May 15th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
no jess sorry but you got it wrong i agree with greg harry potter is ONLY for kids and you can tel that by the way she rights the way stuff is hidden and the way she leaves the boks.
May 15th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
nick, in all fairness i am not a kid i am nearly an adult and my views are similar to some of yours and i bet that i am no the only younger listener
May 15th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
You are right Jess there are a lot of listeners your age here.
May 15th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
jess you are hardly a adult and you are looking at it from the perspective of a teenagers eyes. but anyway i have been researching and … well her it is
This is a quote from the book philosophers stone “It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet”
I don’t think Rowling chose the detail of the “clawed feet” gratuitously, when she has chosen one of the founders of Hogwarts to be named “Ravenclaw.” I think she wanted us to deduce that the Mirror of Erised was a Ravenclaw heirloom.
So far, every founder heirloom has something symbolizing their house. Gryffindor’s sword has rubies encrusted in it, Hufflepuff’s cup has a badger emblazoned on it, Slytherin’s locket has a serpentine ‘S’ stamped into it, and the Mirror of Erised stands on a pair of clawed feet, possibly referencing ravens talons.
Additionaly … oh yes theres more… The Grey Lady, the Ravenclaw ghost, is seen only one time in the entire series, and that is when she is seen gliding from the Mirror of Erised room. Also, oddly enough, J.K. Rowling said that the Grey Lady never found the one desire in her life, true love. Inscribed in the mirror is ‘Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi’ this means - I show not your face but you heart’s desire.
Also Cedric Diggory, a Hufflepuff, uses a cup to transport himself to a graveyard. Harry Potter, a Gryffindor, uses a sword to defeat the basilisk. A locket is found in the Black house, nearly all of whom were in Slytherin. Penelope Clearwater, a Ravenclaw, uses a mirror to see around corners and protect herself from the basilisk.
well thats all i have to back up my thoughts now guys hop you like them.
May 15th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
ok, thanks Aaron for the support
and nick i really lke your theory on the mirror i think that it has some real significance
May 15th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
Jess: Thanks! Harry Potter (and our podcast) is for all ages, glad you like it and thanks for listening.
Aaron: Book 7 will deinitely be about love, I think Book 6 is about moral ambiguity.
May 15th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
nick’s thought pertaining to the mirror of Erised is very intriguing. I haven’t given the mirror much consideration up to this point as it seems it’s based on the onlookers desires. One would have to know what they desire to see it. Harry wouldn’t be able to see a horcrux in it outside his desire for said horcrux. But this is a different take indeed.
Lastly please consider visiting http://www.draftgore.com and signing a petition for Gore to run for president in 2008.
May 15th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Aaron are you 14 aswell?? you talk a lot older then that i didnt think you that young, lol this is a compliment, if your not then sorry
by the way nick if the mirror was a horcrux then i wonder where it is? i dont think that it is in hogwarts is it?
May 15th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Jess - No Aaron is way much older than 14, and about where is the mirror, I’m not really sure if they moved it from Hogwarts after wat happened with V, but I think it’s still there.
May 15th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
Oh my no all though many would say I act 14. You must turn those numbers around to find my age. There are many teenage listeners here though so do not dispair. I was actually hoping George Bush Sr. would return in 2008 but Al Gore is cool he inventted the internet. Moral Ambiguity? Ok Greg if you say so I’ll believe it but will need an advil afterwards.
May 15th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
i love your podcasts and my name is realy yaroslav
i think you guys should realy think about doing the video podcasts i would like to have you on my ipod
Thanks.
P.s. if you do would you email me so i can get it
May 16th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Did you know that if you read only one comment on this page per day that you would miss the book release by a month?
May 18th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
My crackpot theories:
I think the reason that the diary was so easy to destroy and wasn’t well protected is because he made it when he was the age that he was presented as in the diary. Thats around the same time he started learning about horcruxes. So I am ASSUMING that he would have wanted to try it out. And the diary was his first “experiment” with the horcrux magic.
I also think that Harry was accidentally turned into a horcrux when he was a toddler because of the whole transfering of Voldemort’s powers and all that jazz. I don’t think it was Voldemort’s intention to make the person he most wants to see dead into a horcrux it just sort of happened. Also if Harry was a horcrux that would go along with the line in the prophecy with the neither/either lines.
May 18th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
Surrender Dorthy
May 19th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
I have a Christian comment to make to Greg who keeps saying that Harry will sacrifice himself for others just as Jesus did. While this is true of Jesus, he did sacrifice himself, the “Good News” and the real Christian message is not his death but his resurrection. He Lives!!! He beat death!! So even if Harry dies, he will live.
Everyone wins!
June 11th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
I didn’t read all 100 posts, so sorry if someone has already said this. I just listened to this podcast for a second time today after reading a theory about how the diary was actually destroyed and you guys came so close to what i now believe to be true. Niether the fang nor the venom is what destroyed the horcrux, but Harry’s blood that was on the fang. this makes a lot of sense to me.
June 14th, 2007 at 5:37 pm
Hi
im Joe. Me and my friend Mitchell thought we would just let u know our theory about how Voldemort could be destroyed. We think that Harry will be a horcrux so he will destroy the other ones and then destroy himself. but before he dies we think he will tell the ministry how to get rid of Voldemort without his horcruxes. The ministy will put a memory charm on Voldemort and then tell him he works at the ministry. When Voldemort comes to the ministry the next day thinking he will be working the aurors can grab him and undo the memory charm. They will find out everything and then kill him.
Thanks,
Joe (and Mitchell)
June 16th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Joe and my theory is so kewl (cool)
June 29th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Hi guys, my name’s Vanessa and I’m Peruvian (I hope you know where Peru is, because my country’s been mentioned at least twice in the HP series).
Well I’m writing to tell you that you’re great making this podcast about Harry Potter, because I consider myself a fan and it’s nice to know there are people out there, like you, who thinks HP’s is one of the best things in the world, and of course I don’t think that after the last book comes out we’ll have nothing to think or to talk about, actually
I think it’ll be a wonderful moment in which people will REALLY, REALLY talk about HP.
Moving on, I wanted to comment on one of your podcasts, which is episode 32 if I’m not wrong, which was about How to Destroy a Horcrux.
However, I remember you talked about the locket and well, how Dumbledore and Harry went to the cave to try to get it.
After I listened to the podcast I ended up thinking about this particular scene in which Dumbledore’s with Harry in the boat, and how he explains that for Voldemort it would be important the amount of magic (or something like that) of the person who goes into the boat.
But also, Dumbledore points out that no less than two people would have done it, so I started making a parallel (I’m not sure whether it’s well written or not) between Dumbledore’s and Regulus Black’s situation ( asuming that Regulus is the one who stole the real locket and all that), and I thought, well, Regulus and Dumbledore, I don’t think both of them had the same powers, or intelligence, etc, but both were adults, and full-qualified wizards, so they were the ones who had more magical weight(???) in Voldemort’s eyes.
But, what about the second person? With Dumbledore, we know that Harry was with him, and also, although I love Harry, he’s my hero and he’s got a lot of courage, he’s not what you’d call outstanding or something like that (without counting his DADA’s Owl) and as Dumbledore said, he’s still underage, and Voldemort wouldn’t have thought that a kid would’ve get to a place like that.
I’m sure you know all this so, I’m getting to my point: What about Regulus? Who could have gone with him? Actually, for me, the answer is pretty clear: Kreacher.
First of all, Regulus as part of the Black Family, was Kreacher’s Master, so it would’ve been really easy for him to tell kreacher “hey, come on, let’s go for a walk” or something like that, so that they would have ended up in the cave, and Kreacher could help him get the locket.
Second, even though house-elves are powerful creatures, we know that they can’t use they’re magic without their master’s permission (at least not without a punishment, like Dobby), but I clearly remember how Dobby describes (in the second book) how things were when the Dark Lord was getting power, how house-elves were looked like and treated as if there were nothing at all. So, when in the boat, Voldemort would have counted Kreacher as nothing to care about, for as in the case of Harry, a house-elf wouldn’t have got there quite easily.
Third, being Regulus a Slytherin, he wouldn’t have risked his life drinking the potion that protected the locket: “Right Kreacher, drink the potion, ALL the potion, and whatever happens or however you feel, it doesn’t matter, you just drink it!”
So, for me, it’s pretty obvious it’s was Regulus and Kreacher who went together to get the real locket, and if someone have already said that, I’ll feel like a nut.
Well, I’ve already written quite a lot (risking you’d feel bored with my commentary) so it’s time to say goodbye, and as you say “Keep prognosticating!!!”
May 17th, 2008 at 8:05 am
I’m very late to comment on this podcast, I know. But I’ve nly recently started to listen to podcasts at all and I’m currently listening all of yours back to back, so that should explain the lateness and all.
I love the way you discuss stuff and how much information you two come up with, especially Greg. I usually listen to you when cooking something or driving somewhere and yours is definitely the most interesting Harry Potter podcast out there.
So anyway, the reason I’m commenting on this particular entry and not a newer one is that you, Penny, said you’d love to get the UK versions of the books. I’ve got one spare copy of The Philosopher’s Stone and The Goblet of Fire, which I bought because I thought they got lost while moving. I’ve been thinking about throwing them into one of those boxes at the local Starbucks where you can put in a book and grab another one instead [I don't know if all the Starbucks do this but at least one over here, Basel Switzerland, does it]. So I was wondering if you already have your UK versions or if you’d like me to send you mine.